Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1943)

30 MOTION PICTURE HERALD February 6, 1943 Plan To Fill Theatres " Announced by Coe MPPDA Official Explains Publicity Program To Be Jointly Sponsored "The object of our new program is first to fill the theatres, and secondly, to keep them full," Charles Francis Coe, vice-president of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, told reporters Monday as he announced a public relations program to be sponsored jointly by the major distributors. In two parts, the new all-industry project calls for field representatives of the producers association and for the periodic distribution of special pamphlets about motion pictures. They will be issued through the Industry Service Bureau. This continuing program of industry public relations has been approved by the directors of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America and by company directors of advertising and publicity, he said. It will get underway within two weeks. It is the first institutional public relations campaign to be jointly sponsored by the producers since the 1938 "Motion Pictures Are Your Best Entertainment" drive. To keep theatres full will be the task of the new field men. They will visit key cities to work with local industry groups in the presentation of the industry's story to civic, educational and club leaders, newspapers, and other public outlets. Three representatives have been named. Field Men to Stress Screen Value They are Gordon White, who formerly headed publicity for Educational Pictures, Duke Hickey, former Chicago promotion director for National Screen Service, and Mark Larkin, for many years an independent Hollywood press agent. These field men in their contacts with editors, reviewers, educators and club groups will be instructed to emphasize the place of motion picture theatres in every community. Too much emphasis has been placed on the production end of the industry and not enough on the neighborhood theatre, according to Mr. Coe. "As one of the most valuable educational assets in the world the screen of the neighborhood theatre serves as the eyes and ears of the average person," he asserted. This function as a source of information is particularly important in wartime, he added. The pamphlet series will be distributed generally to the mailing list of editors and other influential groups now receiving the Motion Picture Letter from the Industry Service Bureau. Additional copies will be available to theatres at cost, to local industry groups and others in the industry for general circulation to mailing lists of patrons. Included in the tentative titles of the series are "The Press Looks at the Movies," "Movies at Your Theatre," "Movies at War," "Stars for Vctory," "Movies: A New Weapon for Victory," "Movies at School," "Movies at the Library" and an untitled explanation of the working of the Production Code Administration. The donation of 16mm. films to the Army Overseas Motion Picture Service, and the low cost of films for Army camps in this country were described as one of the indutry's most important war activities. Industry Leaders Sought as Speakers In addition to their field duties the representatives of the MPPDA will be asked to find speakers both within the industry and from other groups who will spread the industry's message to influential groups. Presidents of the major companies have been invited to attend the semi-annual meeting of the industry coordinating Committee of six lawyers which will be held in Hollywood on Monday, February 15th. Mr. Coe disclosed that several of the presidents said they would attend in the course of a meeting of the MPPDA board of directors in New York on Tuesday. War activities and general industry problems, possibly including the fate of the consent decree, will be disccussed at the Hollywood meeting. Barney Balaban, Spyros Skouras, Harry M. Warner, Harry Cohn, Nate J. Blumberg and Will H. Hays indicated that they would attend. Other company heads also will be in Hollywood if business affairs permit, it was said. Committee members are J. Robert Rubin, Joseph Hazen and Austin Keough of New York and Mendel Silberberg, Maurice Benjamin and Herbert Freston of Hollywood. The MPPDA board meeting approved a supplementary appropriation of $5,000 for operating expenses of the War Activities Committee. Drug Concerns Spent Most On Blue Network in 1942 Drug and toilet goods concerns led other advertisers in gross expenditures on the Blue Network during 1942, spending $6,841,576 for air time, the company announced last week. Food and beverage companies were next on the list with an expenditure of $2,989,264. Other industries which spent more than $1,000,000 were confectionery and soft drinks, $1,583,163; lubricants, petroleum products and fuel, $1,346,562; and automotive, $1,023,513. Contest Winners Rewarded The winners of the Good-Will Broadcast to Brazil Contest sponsored by the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs received their prizes last week in the presence of Captain Amllcar Dutra de Menezes, director of the Radio Division of the Brazilian Press and Propaganda Department. U. S. Films Face Competition in Venezuela The increased popularity of Mexican and Argentine films in Venezuela is affecting American distributors' returns, seriously cutting their income of former years, according to Motion Picture Daily. It is expected that jhe situation will become progressively more serious in 1943. Grosses of Spanish language productions are surpassing those of American pictures, and the Avila theatre in Caracas has reported that "Historia de un Gran Amor," Films Mundials of Mexico production, brought in $2,100 in four shows, almost unprecedented in the past, since two of the performances were sellouts. An Argentine picture, "Elvira Fernandez," also had drawn more patrons than Hollywood's films. Only in the large first run theatres in Caracas has the American product maintained its level of popularity, but competitors' films are making inroads there, also, by furnishing pictures which capture the spirit of South Americans. The objection to the current brand of entertainment furnished by North American producers is that only social pictures or musicals are being shown where, in the past, large scale features such as "Ben Hur," "Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "Last Days of Pompeii" were exhibited. However, Venezuelan exhibitors have had success with "Mrs. Miniver," "Now, Voyager," "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and "Pride of the Yankees." The Walt Disney film, "Saludos Amigos," which had great success in Argentina, did not fare so well, the complaint being that the picture was too short. "Fantasia" shortly will be released for the third time in a first run theatre, however, because of its coninued wide appeal. It was estimated that last year's gross amounted to almost $30,000 in Caracas, according to Michael Havas, RKO manager in that city. "Spirit of '43" Booked For 677 Theatres The Walt Disney short subject, "The Spirit of '43," which emphasizes the necessity for prompt payment of income taxes, with Donald Duck as the chief character, was expected to be shown in first run theatres in key cities starting February 4th. All 677 Technicolor prints have been booked, it was said. The National Screen . Service exchanges which are distributing the six-minute reel at no cost to the Government, have reported an unprecedented number of exhibitor requests for the film. The Public Relations Division of the i War Activities Committee also is cooperating with a widespread campaign designed to aid in the promotion of the cartoon in every city in the country. Caravan in Los Angeles The Allied States Caravan Committee is expected to outline its plans to independent exhibitors of Southern California and Arizona at a meeting in Los Angeles, February 8th. The committee consists of M. A. Rosenberg of Pittsburgh, president ; S. E. Samuelson of Philadelphia, W. L. Ainsworth of Milwaukee, H. A. Cole of Dallas, and Abram F. Myers, Washington. RKO Sets New York Premieres Three New York premieres of RKO pictures have been set for February, the company announced last week. "They Got Me Covered" will open at the Radio City Music Hall, "Saludos Amigos" will be shown at the Globe, and "Hitler's Children" will open at the Paramount, the first time an RKO picture has been booked for that theatre.