Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1942)

70 MOTION PICTURE HERALD November 28 , I 942 FIVE TOP SCRAP CAMPAIGNS CITED BY DONALD NELSON aid Ni War Production Head Honors Showmen Who Do Most to Aid Drive The first five of a group of ten special Citations from Donald Nelson, head of the War Production Board, were awarded this week. The remaining five will be awarded to the five best scrap campaigns received between this date and December 18. Announcement of the winners of the second group will be made in the issue of December 26. The amount of scrap collected did not determine these Awards. It was recognized by the Judges that the small theatres could not possibly hope to compete with the larger ones in this respect and therefore it was only the excellence of the material that was considered. Many of the details of some of those campaigns considered have already been published in the pages of the Round Table section. Others will appear in these pages in succeeding weeks. Effort Principal Factor In making their selections the Judges considered principally the amount of effort put into the drive. Simply running a matinee was not regarded as sufficient to justify consideration. Proper tieups and publicity had to be arranged. The many fine campaigns made the decisions of the Judges difficult. There is no reflection on those who did not win. It is simply that these campaigns were the five best. Winners are listed in the adjoining column in alphabetical order. All of the winning campaigns are distinguished by the thoroughness with which their authors got every piece of scrap available in their communities. Every type of theatre is represented. The Kenyon in Pittsburgh, a downtown Warner house, while not a first run, presents problems of neighborhood. Medford, Ore., is a city of 13,583. Corbin, Kentucky is a town of less than 8,000 souls; the Viv theatre is one of the Schine Circuit. Rockville Centre is a suburban community ; the Strand theatre is one of two in town. Leonard Sills' campaign was staged while he was at the Englewood theatre, Englewood, N. J., from which he was recently transferred to his present post. Englewood is also a suburban community. The Englewood theatre is a Skouras house. TO THE WINNERS — THE Quigley Award Committee has called to my attention your outstanding promotional campaign on the collection of scrap material. I want to offer my personal congratulations and hope that your winning of this recognition will inspire you to further efforts in the future in behalf of the national scrap drive. The motion picture industry can be a very powerful influence in educating the American public on issues of vital importance to the War Production Board and I know that I can count upon you to give us the utmost in coperation. (Signed) DONALD NELSON Shapiro Uses Junior Police Corps to Aid Scrap Show A free morning show at the Dudley theatre, Roxbury, Mass., was sponsored by the Police Commissioner of the City of Boston through the auspices of the local chapters of the Junior Police Corps. The children in the neighborhood were invited to redeem their scrap for the free theatre tickets offered at the police stations in their district. The scrap was picked up each day at both these vantage points. Fifty tons was realized in this way. Norton Shapiro, manager of the theatre, obtained newspaper publicity in connection with the special shows. Total attendance was 1,500, he reports. Norton used the Junior Police Corps to create good will with the local police as well as with higher authorities. As a result he was personally thanked by the authorities in charge. WINNERS LIGE BRIEN Kenyon theatre Pittsburgh, Penna. JACK MATLACK Geo. A. Hunt Theatres Medford, Oregon LOUIS MERENBLOOM Viv theatre Corbin, Kentucky LAWRENCE ROSENTHAL Strand theatre Rockville Centre, N. Y. LEONARD SILLS Ward theatre Bronx, N. Y. Sills Gets Uncle Don to Head His Scrap Parade Uncle Don, famous on the radio, was induced to lead a parade of children from school to the Englewood theatre, Englewood, N. J., by Leonard Sills, manager of the house, as a prelude to the theatre's scrap campaign. The radio star made an announcement on the air three days in advance of the event. The great event was announced by superintendents and principals of all public, private and parochial schools two weeks in advance. A band from a local orphanage was promoted to lead the parade. Ten prizes from local merchants were given to the children bringing in the largest amount of scrap. These prizes were awarded on the stage at the scrap show. The Mayor of Englewood greeted Uncle Don at the theatre, led the children in the parade and introduced him from the stage. Sills handled the publicity campaign on the scrap show just as he would have for an ace attraction with advance newspaper stories a week in advance, a lobby display for a similar period, a trailer on the screen and program announcement. A scrap bin was erected in front of the theatre. Eight tons were collected from school children in an 840-seat theatre. Sills has been transferred since the campaign from Englewood to the Ward theatre in the Bronx. Merenbloom Ties Up with Kiwanis for Scrap Drive Louis Merenbloom, manager of the Viv theatre, Corbin, Ky., made a tieup with the local Kiwanis Club to sponsor the scrap drive. The proceeds of the collection were turned over to the under-privileged child committee of the Kiwanis Club. Louis is a •member of this committee and accordingly they asked the superintendent of schools to cooperate. The latter appeared anxious to oblige as he addressed the student body urging them to each bring 10 pounds of scrap to aid in this campaign. The school students brought their contributions to the school houses and tickets to (Continued on opposite page)