Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1948)

Shart Subjects By BARN KACI.I': IJOX'S r()WI':KI' I'L I'.ID as the l-.xploilalion Company of the industry got another sliot in tlic arm when Max Iv Youngstein, a(l-l>ubIicity-exploitation v.j). was named captain of the company's current I^ill I leineman Drive by the sales chief himself, Jleineman's unique, yet perfectly logical, action marks the first time that any major company has ever had a sales division campaign captained by an a-p head and indicates, he exi)lains, the "great value we at Kagle feel c(jmes to all our sales activities from the active participation of the advertising-publicity-exploitation departments." l>L's policy of close liaison between the sales and ])roniotion departments is in the most fundamental tradition of the industry, which was built by ballyhoo. THE GRKATlvST CAMPAIGN in Allied Artists' history and one of the most extensive in the entire industry has been launched for "The Babe Ruth Story." Four niillion dollars will be spent by naticjnal advertisers in tieups which will jnit the film before every American, in addition to AA's own mammoth promotion. President Steve Broicly and adpublicity director Lou Lifton have had their hands full in keeping up with the flood of requests from commercial firms asking for permission to use the Bambino saga in their advertising. Sample of some of the tieups set : Chesterfield, in additioii to radio, television, window displays, etc., will run 400 full-page ads in national mags ; Royal Crown plugs in Life, comic books, dealer displays ; Benrus Watches with 2000 radio six)ts, car and dealer displays and its famous billboard on the 'Frisco Bay Bridge will feature it from Aug. to Oct; General Electric in Life and full page newspaper ads ; Cracker Jack on 25,000,000 packages ; and so on with Ford. Lux. sporting goods manufacturers, 24sheets in all 16 major league parks, and others too numerous to mention. APPARENTLY FILM SALESMEN ARE "WOEFULLY IGNOR.\NT" of the recent Supreme Court decis-on which u])holds the ban on tie-in sales. Charles Niles. Allied Caravan chairman in IowaNebraska, contends. At least four major company film ]xu-veyors are violating the clause which ])rohibits conditioning the sale of one film on the sale of others, according to Niles' charges, gleaned from re]wrts of exhibitor members to the Caravan. EVERY ONE OF THE FIVE ambitious objectives set for 20th-Fox' xAndy Smith Anniversary Month campaign was attained, proud prexy Sp}ros P. Skouras proclaimed after final figures were tabulated. Here's what they showed : The second-quarter 13-week revenue topped by 32% the comparable '47 figure; Feature sales volimie for the first six months was 16.4% higher than the record '46 first half : Bookings on features jumped 40% above the '46 figures. Cf)nclusion of the drive meant a 3-weeks' extra salary bonus to more than 800 employes in 29 U. S. branches. THIRTY-SIX HOURS AFTER GUS LESNEVICH defends his light-heavyweight crown against Freddie INIills in London on July 26th, U. S. theatre audiences will see the fight films via l^agle Lion distribution. Thanks to the woefully sparse crop of contenders for the recently-vacated heavyweight title, Lesnevich has suddenly been catapulted into the scramble for the Louis title, with consecjuent interest in the London fracas heightened considerably. Thus E-L's deal for exclusive distribution of the fight films in the Americas may turn out to be a scoop that can mean many bucks in the till — IF Lesnevich wins. BOB MOCHRllv'S (}A\ EL is getting quite a workout these days. The RK(J Radio v. p. distribution chief is (jfliciating at rive zonal huddles, two of which have already been tucked intf) the files, one today (19th) and two to go. (Jn Monda\ ( 12th ) Mochrie was in Butifalo. where Nat Levy's l-'.astcrn Division convened: last Thursday (15th). it was T(jronto ; tiien way down south to .\ew Orleans on the 19th, Chicago on the 21st. and finally, San Francisco on the 26th. Results of the 1948 Ned Depinet Drive were among tinvital statistics divulged at the round robin. THE INCONCEIVABLE HAVOC wrought by the recent Japanese earthquake was described by Charles Mayer. MPEA managing director in Japan. In Fukui alone, Mayer air-mailed, all six of the city's movie houses colla])sed and were reduced to ashes in the ensuing conflagration, taking a toll of at least 1500 moviegoers. Heaviest toll of life was taken at the Toho Theatre where over 1,000 died. Strangely, the only theatre in the city playing an .American movie was miraculously cleared of 1300 fans a few minutes before the building was leveled. RRIh'FS . . . Now under full steam, the National Television I'iim Council, under chairman Mel Gold, is set to get down to the urgent business of a standard exhibition contract, a clearance bureau for television rights, cataloguing tele film, new ])roduction committee, etc.. at its second meeting Thursday evening ( 22nd ) at Sardi's. Seymour Peyser, of Philli])s, Nizer. lienjamin &: Krim. has been retained as legal counsel ... Eric John.ston's letter to all Chambers of Commerce in the country calling on them U) urge their local theatres to book the M PAA-sponsored "Letter to a Rebel" has special significance to the C. of C.'s. Before his apix)intment as movie czar, Johnston was national jjresident of Chamber of Commerce. . .Theatremen shouldn't fail to get the new edition of the "RC.\ Sound Handbook for Projectionists". It's available from RCA field reps without charge ..."Israel Relx)rn", the Palestine Films. Inc.. one-reeler, will be distributed through 20th-Fox in the U. S. OF MEN AND THINGS . . . Harrj M. Warner accepted "with sincere regret" the resignation of ailing Max Milder, managing director of WB in England. \'eteran of 25 years with Warners and head of the UK division since '31, Milder's ill health forced his withdrawal. Arthur S. Abeles. Jr., his assistant, was named to the top spot, and he. in tum. named Charles F. Stack as g.c.m. to succeed J. Walton Brown, another victim of illness. . .Four new SRO offices have been opened, according to sales chief Milton S. Kusell : W. Shiel, Jr.. is repping the New Orleans branch ; H. L. Frost takes charge in Indianapolis ; Schuyler Beatty, Jr.. in Albany, and completing the quartet, the new spot in Vancouver. B. C. ... National Film Service has set Bonded Film Storage as its representative in the greater NYC exchange area. NFS is currently handling physical distribution for SRO. Eagle Lion. Film Classics. Republic and Monogram ... Montague C. Alorton succeeds the stricken Bobby Dubow as UA general sales manager in Britain . . . Harry Blair. RKO publiciteer, takes on MPAssociates job on the public relations committee . . . The Monroe Greenthal Co. will handle Sam Goldwyn's ad campaign on his final Danny Kaye starrer. "A Song Is Born". . .All house records in the 27-year history of Loew's State on Broadway came a-tumblin' down in the first week of Irving Berlin's "Easter Parade", the "vitamin M-G-AI" Technicolor compound. Harold Mvmz of the Century Theatre again heads Co-Op Theatres of Mich, for the '48'49 term. . .Republic's 'Frisco branch has a new manager, R. W. Carmichael . . . 22 FILM BULLETIN