Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1943)

30 MOTION PICTURE HERALD July 3, 1943 Warners Regional Eastern Sales Staff Attends New York Session, with Two Others to Follow Problems imposed by wartime restrictions on raw stock, transportation, fuel and other production and distribution problems occupied the attention of Warners' managing and sales personnel, at a two-day regional sales meeting Thursday and Friday at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York. The meeting, first of three, was presided over by Benjamin Kalmenson, general sales manager. Other meetings are to be held in Chicago, July 8th through 10th; and San Francisco, July 15th through 17th. In addition to home office and studio executives, the eastern sessions were attended by district managers, branch managers and salesmen of the New York Metropolitan, eastern, mid-Atlantic and central territories, embracing the New York, Albany, Buffalo, New Haven, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Indianapolis exchanges. Home Office Executives Present at Meeting Home office executives participating will include, in addition to Mr. Kalmenson, Major Albert Warner, Joseph Bernhard, Sam Schneider, Mort Blumenstock, Arthur Sachson, Roy Haines, Jules Lapidus, A. W. Schwalberg, Norman H. Moray, I. F. (Mike) Dolid, Edward E. Hinchy, Howard Levinson, Jacob Wilk, Albert S. Howson, Mitchell Rawson, Martin Jurow, Robert Schless, Joseph S. Hummel, Gil Golden, Bernard R. Goodman, Charles Baily, A. C. Brauninger, H. M. Doherty and Stanley Hatch. Charles Einfeld, director of advertising and publicity, came east from his Burbank studio headquarters to take part in the sessions. Field groups attending the New York meeting will include: District Managers: Henry A. Seed, Metropolitan; Norman Ayers, Eastern; Robert Smeltzer, Mid -Atlantic; Charles Rich, Central. Branch Managers: Clarence Eiseraan, New York; Paul S. Krumenacker, Albany; George W. Horan, Boston; Max Roth, Buffalo; Carl Goe, New Haven; William G. Mansell, Philadelphia; Charles Beilan, Cleveland; Fred W. Beiersdorf. Washington; James S. Abrose, Chicago; C. W. McKean, Indianapolis; F. D. Moore, Pittsburgh. Salesmen attending were: New York, L. Jacobi, G. Solomon, Lee Mayer, George Waldman, J. Vergesslich, H. P. Decker, L Rothenberg; Albany, George Goldberg, R. S. Smith; Boston, Sol Edwards, H. G. Segal, A. Daytz, A. B. Cronin, J. Moore, E. Leavitt; Buffalo, John A. Strauss. L. Astrachan, J. Zurich; New Haven, Al Herman; Philadelphia, T. N. Noble, B. Bache, O. B. Guilfoil, R. S. Eichengreen; Washington, Gordon F. Contee, G. P. Price, Sterling Wilson, J. A. Walker; Cincinnati. R. Burns, W. L. Kerr, R. Salyer, Max Birnbaum, J. P. Eifert; Cleveland, Joe Kaliski, E. Catlin, Jack Kalmenson; Indianapolis, Wm. Wallace, G. J. Black, R. S. Sharader; Pittsburgh. J. M. Wechsler, N. Marcus. H. G. Minsky, Chas. L. Dortic. While Mr. Kalmenson is expected to announce that the 1943-44 release schedule will be kept on the same flexible basis as the past two seasons, so that it may be adapted to any new market conditions arising from time to time, details of substantial backlog of pictures along with productions under way and new plans will be given to the sales group. Among the already finished pictures being carried over into next season are "Arsenic and Old Lace." "Thank Your Lucky Stars," "Watch on the Rhine," "Old Acquaintance," "The Des Hold First Meeting ert Song," "Adventures of Mark Twain," "Princess O'Rourke," "Saratoga Trunk," and others. Now shooting are : "Shine On, Harvest Moon," "In Our Time," "Northern Pursuit," "Passage to Marseille," "Destination Tokyo" and "Conflict." Pictures scheduled to start soon include "Rhapsody in Blue," "Battle Cry," "The Young and the Brave," "Gay Nineties," "The Horn Blows at Midnight," "Uncertain Glory" and "Mr. Skeffington." New season's program also will be augmented by some special releases to be announced by Kalmenson at the sales meeting. Short subject lineup will be the same size as last season, with several timely new series in the group. First PRC Sales Regional Held Producers Releasing Corporation was to hold the first of a series of regional sales meetings Thursday and Friday, at the Hotel Park Central, New York City. The sales forces of the eastern exchanges were to attend, and to be addressed by home office executives, headed by Arthur Greenblatt, general sales manager, and O. Henry Briggs, president. Also expected from the New York office were John S. Young, Armand Schenck, Karl Herzog Joseph O'Sullivan, S. S. Kestenbaum, Joseph Lamm, Fred Rohrs, Roberto Socas, Harold Flavin, and John Michelson. Representatives from Albany and Buffalo, Bostdn, Cleveland and Cincinnati, Detroit, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New Haven, and Washington, were in attendance. The company earlier in the week announced that its accounts had increased 80 per cent over a year ago. Paramount Canadian Staff Meets in Toronto Paramount's product for distribution in Canada during 1943-44 was outlined at the annual Canadian sales meeting held at the King Edward Hotel, Toronto, last Friday and Saturday. Neil Agnew, vice-president in charge of distribution, discussed features ; Oscar A. Morgan, general sales manager of short subjects and Paramount News, outlined that product; and Robert M. Gillham, advertising and publicity director, discussed advertising plans for the season. Mr. Morgan told the meeting that Paramount "has decided to go in very much for color," and that about 75 per cent of the new season's shorts product would be in color. Gordon Lightstone, general manager for Canada, who presided, discussed company policy and other topics. Predominance of Canadian news shots in the Paramount News released in Canada received special mention at the meeting. Attending the meeting were branch managers Russell Simpson, Vancouver ; Pat llogan, St. John; William Kelley, Calgary, and Tom Dowbiggin, Montreal ; Dave Brickman, Winnipeg; Jack Hunter, Toronto. Leo Haag, Harold Pfaff, Ambrose Theurer, Robert Murphy and Win Barron also attended. Join Allied Buying Combine Two Chicago theatres, the Road and Lawndale, have joined the Allied buying and booking syndicate. Map Campaign For Selling "So Proudly" Plans for selling "So Proudly We Hail," an important picture on Paramount's schedule this year, were outlined at an all-day meeting of theatre advertising and publicity heads, Paramount district advertising representatives and home office officials at the Pierre Hotel, New York, on Monday. The New York meeting followed a two-day conference of theatre advertising and publicity executives and Paramount exploiteers last Thursday and Friday at the Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles, attended by representatives west of Kansas City. The consensus at both East and West Coast meetings was that the selling campaign should stress the part of women in the war effort and their romances and loves under the stress of war. Robert M. Gillham, Paramount advertising and publicity director, opening the New York meeting, recalled similar conferences held for "Wake Island." Leonard Goldenson, vice-president in charge of theatre operations, greeted the visiting theatre representatives. Cooperation with the American Red Cross was discussed. Details of the campaign were outlined by Al Wilkie, publicity manager, and Stanley Shuford, who described the advertising plans. The theatre men joined in the discussions, which were led by Alec Moss, exploitation manager, who also conducted the Los Angeles meeting. At the New York meeting were: William Hollander, Balaban & Katz, Chicago ; Maurice Rubens, Great States Theatres, Chicago ; Charles Winchell, Minnesota Amusement Co., Minneapolis ; Mrs. Alice Gorham, United Detroit Theatres, Detroit; Ed Hickey, Fox Wisconsin Theatres, Milwaukee; Harry Browning, M & P Theatres, Boston ; Dale McFarland, Tri-States Theatres, Des Moines ; Louis Finske, Comerford Theatres, Scranton, Pa. ; Emmett Rogers, Wilby-Kincey Theatres, Charlotte ; Frank Starz and Ray Beall, Interstate Theatres Circuit, Dallas, and Jerry Zigmond, Newman Theatre, Kansas City. Harry Goldberg, Oscar A. Doob and Harry Mandel, advertising and publicity directors of the Warner, Loew's and RKO circuits, respectively, also attended. Paramount district advertising representatives present were Ed Wall, Albany ; Arnold Van Leer, Boston ; William Brooker, Philadelphia, and James Levine, Pittsburgh. Home office executives present, in addition to those mentioned were : Charles M. Reagan, Hugh Owen, Claude Lee, Leon Netter, Sam Dembow, Jr., C. J. Scollard and G. B. J. Frawley. John Hertz, Jr., and John Krimsky represented Buchanan and Company. "So Proudly We Hail," has been designated for release during the Silver Jubilee anniversary of "Paramount Week" which will be celebrated by the Paramount distribution department from September 5th to 12th. The picture will have its premiere at the Radio City Music Hall, New York, in August. Treasury Official To Aid "Bell Tolls" Premiere The United States Treasury Department has assigned Jules Alberti, of the motion picture and special events department, to work with the Paramount exploitation staff preparing for the world premiere of "For Whom the Bell Tolls," July 14th at the Rivoli theatre, New York City according to Carleton Duffus, director of the special events division. Mr. Alberti will arrive in New York June 29th to consult with Mr. Gillham and his staff regarding Treasury Department cooperation in the premiere.