Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1943)

18 MOTION PICTURE HERALD August 7 , 1943 Coe Sees Films Helping to Win World Peace Eastman Kodak executives and workers at the Eastman State Street Auditorium in Rochester, N. Y., last Tuesday night heard Charles Francis Coe, vice-president and general counsel of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, define the function of the motion picture, which, he said was to portray the drama of life. Said Mr. Coe : "Life is, and will continue to be, lived differently in different parts of the globe. We have seen that the first _ act of tyranny anywhere is to make it impossible for subjugated people to see American films. We know that no propaganda-laden picture can stand against American films. "We know that the first effect of vicious propaganda films is to empty theatres. But that does not mean that entertainment can be insensible to the great forces clashing in the world. That's the stuff of which drama is made and drama is entertainment." Mr. Coe also predicted that realism would be unsurpassed when the third dimension was added to the screen. He spoke of the third dimension of depth transforming the screen into an open stage, and said this addition to sight and sound would be made posssible by great research institutions like Eastman. Mr. Coe spoke of the achievements of Eastman. He also paid tribute to the company for its great work of pioneering with the Eastman teaching films in the fields of medical and surgical photography. He said, "Out of these pioneering experiments have come treasured strides in current training films and promise of pedagogical expansion almost incalculable." Viewing the post-war era, Mr. Coe said, "Films will serve the purpose transcendent of all others; here the quick application of oralvisual training, which has so incomparably contributed to the achievements of war, will just so bountifully contribute to the processes of peace." Republic Top Features Get Advertising Test Republic's upper bracket releases will get test engagements in key cities to determine the most effective advertising and publicity campaigns. It is the first time such a policy has been applied. Twenty-four sheet billboard posters, spot radio announcements and cooperative advertising are to be included in the campaigns. A minimum of $250,000 has been announced for promotion on "In Old Oklahoma" with premieres set in 33 key cities in October, it was announced by Charles Reed Jones, advertising and publicity director, who recently returned from coast conferences. Republic's previously announced half-hour radio program is being planned for a dinner-time spot. Approve Contracts for Loew's Executives New contracts were approved Thursday, July 29th, by Loew stockholders in New York, for Louis B. Mayer, vice-president in charge of production ; David Bernstein, vice-president and treasurer; J. Robert Rubin, vice-president and general counsel, and Lawrence A. Weingarten, production supervisor. The stockholders also voted confidence in each of the four. The new contracts will expire August 31, 1946. They provide a three-year extension upon notice by the company and acceptance by the executives. PROPOSES HOLLYWOOD LIAISON FOR OWI Members of the Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers met this week at Hollywood's Beverly Wilshire Hotel, heard Walter Wanger recommend that a liaison board comprising representatives of all producers, plus screen actors, writers, directors, and talent guilds, be created in Hollywood to work with the head of the Office of War Information Motion Picture Bureau, still unnamed, and heard Palmer Hoyt, on hand to represent the OWI, accept Mr. Wanger's recommendation. Other business included the announcement that Mr. Wanger and David O. Selznick each had volunteered to make one war information short for the program of 26, decided upon by the OWI and the WAC. KMTOA Elects Tom Edwards The Kansas Missouri Theatre Owners Association ended a two-day convention in Kansas City, Mo., last week, by electing Tom Edwards, of Eldon, Mo., as president, succeeding R. R. Biechele, who had served 12 years. Mr. Biechele was named to the board of directors. The convention was at the Hotel Phillips, last Tuesday and Wednesday. Other officers elected were Homer Stowig, Abilene, Kan., vice-president, and George S. Baker, Kansas City, secretary. Speakers were Edward Kuykendall, president of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America ; Finton Jones, insurance agent ; C. P. Thompson, War Production Board; Elmer C. Rhoden, War Activities Committee, and Claude Lee, director of exhibitor relations for Paramount. Mr. Lee emphasized that his company's policy, carried nut through its salesmen, was to be eternally vigilant, that no case of unfairness or inequity occurs inadvertently, or, having occurred inadvertently, remains unadjusted, and he added that Paramount believes that the job of conciliation is part of the job of selling itself, because no account is really sold until it is sold a square deal. The exhibitors resolved against "blind checking" discussed percentage pictures without arriving at an opinion, and referred to their board proposals for expansion. Monogram Sets Three Films For Release in August Monogram placed "The Law Rides Again" in release on Friday, August 6th, and announced that it would follow with "Black Market Rustlers" and "Melody Parade" on August 27th. "Melody Parade" has Tim and Irene, Jerry Cooper and Mary Beth Hughes among others in the cast and is a musical directed by Arthur Dreifuss. The others are Westerns, one in the Ray Corrigan group, the other a Hoot Gibson-Ken Maynard action film. Universal Newsreel to Navy The Navy Motion Picture Service has signed with Universal Newsreel for the showing of the company's product aboard ships. The contract is effective until June 30, 1944. 20th-Fox Holds First Regional Sales Meeting Salesmen and branch managers from eastern exchanges, home office sales and publicity executives, and officials from allied and subsidiary companies gathered at the Hotel Astor, New York, on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, for the first 1943 regional sales meeting of Twentieth Century-Fox. They heard product announced and discussed, and also the sales policies for the coming year. A. W. Smith, Jr., eastern sales head, presided. Gracie Fields, co-star of "Holy Matrimony" ; Ann Baxter, of "Crash Dive" ; Carole Landis, of "Wintertime" ; and Ernst Lubitsch, producer of "Heaven Can Wait," were introduced to the delegates Tuesday afternoon. Also introduced was Charles Skouras, president of National Theatres circuit, who presented "Rick" Ricketson, Elmer Rhoden, Harold Fitzgerald, and Dan Michalove, of his organization. Delegates saw "Claudia" at the home office Wednesday morning. Other executives present were Spyros Skouras, president; Murray Silverstone, foreign sales chief ; Hal Home, director of advertising and publicity; William Clark, short subjects sales manager ; Edmund Reek, Fox Movietone News ; and heads of all home office departments. Mr. Connors headed discussion of product sales policy. Mr. Skouras spoke on Tuesday. The Monday meeting was concluded with a cocktail party at which Mr. Connors was host. The March of Time tendered a party Tuesday afternoon, with Roy Larsen, president of Time, Inc., as host. The second regional meeting will be at the Blackstone Hotel, Chicago, Thursday through Saturday ; the third, at the Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles, August 11th through 13th. PCCITO Attacks Pay Previews Trade showing of "Heaven Can Wait" to paying audiences was protested last week by the Pacific Coast Conference of Independent Theatre Owners. In a telegram to Tom Connors, vice-president in charge of distribution for Twentieth CenturyFox, the unit said the previews would establish a precedent that could easily be followed by all other distributors, and thus inject a further unfair trade practice which would undoubtedly be opposed by all exhibitor organizations. The PCCITO also charged: "There can be no doubt that when paying audiences view a commercialized trade showing another inroad has been made into potential box office receipts of all independent subsequent run theatres. We do not believe you would have taken this action if you had consulted with exhibitor representatives and it is our sincere hope it is not too late for you to decide not to introduce the policy." Warner Division Heads Leave on Sales Trips Roy Haines, southern and western division sales manager for Warners, and Jules Lapidus, eastern division head, left New York on Tuesday for a tour of their respective territories. Mr. Haines first will visit Chicago and then make the swing around the entire midwest, while Mr. Lapidus is scheduled to stop at Buffalo and then go to Albany, Boston and New Haven.