Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1944)

INVASION BOND DRIVE KEEPS PACE WITH FIGHTING FRONT Stars Feature Drive Rallies in Important Cities; Bond Premieres at New High As the Fighting Fifth War Loan, the Invasion drive, neared the half-way mark, all indications pointed towards the industry and the nation going over the top before July 8, official closing date. The while exhibitors tore into the idle war money of their patrons, Hollywood stars with a 65-piece orchestra of the Army Air Forces Technical Training Command made up of musicians who in civilian life played with the nation's leading symphonic and popular orchestras, landed behind exhibitor lines and captured millions of dollars in Bonds. Among the Hollywood luminaries who are or have accompanied the orchestra and appeared at rallies are Gary Cooper, Paul Lukas, Ingrid Bergman, Veronica Lake, Betty Grable, Lana Turner, Susanna Foster, Ray Bolger, Lynn Bari, Walter Pidgeon, Milton Berle, Broderick Crawford, Oscar Levant and Helen Forrest. Others will follow as production schedules permit. Star-Studded Rallies Ave Held in Many Cities Rallies have been held in St. Louis, Chicago, Indianapolis, Boston, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York, Brooklyn, Atlantic City, Wilmington and Norfolk, the last this Friday. On Saturday the unit was to appear at a rally in Richmond, Tuesday in Birmingham, Wednesday in Knoxville, Thursday in Memphis, Friday in Louisville, and Saturday, July 1, in Cincinnati. More than 40,000' persons crowded the Polo Grounds in New York for the rally, some 60,000 viewed the stars and heard the band in Detroit, and in Philadelphia 15,000 persons packed historic Convention Hall and bought $1,500,000 in Bonds. Wounded veterans from a military hospital joined the unit for the Philadelphia rally, and Paul Whiteman was guest conductor. Early this week a total of 3,870 War Bond ' premieres had been officially booked, compared to 3,182 premieres for the whole of the Fourth War Loan. The report was made to national committee headquarters by Ned E. Depinet, distributor chairman. Free Movie Days totaled 3,410, compared to 3,403 for the entire Fourth War Loan. O'Donnell Cautions Against Possible Over-Confidence Robert J. O'Donnell, heading the Fighting Fifth drive, in a statement Tuesday, appeared to fear only over-confidence. "While results so far are truly amazing," he said, "the urgency of the situation, with every possible dollar needed to reach the goal, calls for far greater effort." Exhibitors everywhere were furiously active. There follow some miscellaneous items : T. A. Wilson, who manages the Bay theatre in Red Bay, Ala., population 1,500, had a premiere and an auction and within two hours the town had over-subscribed its quota of $137,000 by $30,500. Ted Jones of the Yucca theatre in Roswell, N. M., started a "Governor for a Day" contest for boys and girls in the state under 16 O'DONNELL CALLS FOR GREATER EFFORT Robert J. O'Donnell, national industry chairman in the Fifth War Loan, Tuesday congratulated all showmen for their accomplishments, saying, "The national committee has received numerous reports of great showmanship campaigns by the exhibitors of America ..." and added: "But it isn't enough. When we realize that the United States has spent $200,000,000,000 on war so far and before the year is out another $95,000,000,000 will be spent, that to march from Naples to Rome cost $6,700,000,000 and the cost of taking the Marshall Islands was $6,000,000,000, the need for increased effort is clear to everyone. "The cost of the war is rising in crescendo. Just imagine what it will cost to reach Tokio and Berlin!" years of age, with the one selling the most Bonds winning an all-expense trip to the state capital, Santa Fe, where he or she will be the guest of the Governor, spend a night in the Governor's mansion, act as governor of New Mexico for a day and receive a $500 Bond. Guy B. Amis, manager of the New Princess theatre in Lexington, Tenn., held a premiere, using the picture, "Passage to Marseille," resulting in the sale of $25,137 in Bonds. Manager Leaves His Quota Far Behind Even before opening day, Bert Harmon, manager of the Marlboro theatre in Marlboro, Md., had sold $8,825 in Bonds: Mr. Harmon had set a quota for himself for the entire drive of $7,500, double his total for the Fourth War Loan. At last report he had gone over the $13,000 mark since the opening of the campaign and had stretched his drive quota to $30,000. In Miami, the Lincoln, a Wometco theatre, and the Paramount jointly staged premieres Wednesday, with "The Eve of St. Mark" at the Lincoln and "The Story of Dr. Wassell" at the Paramount. With the films at both theatres the Bond-buying audiences were treated to musical variety stage shows composed entirely of Army and Navy units in the Miami area, the O.C.S. of Miami Beach, and Naval Air Station in Opa Locka. The Lincoln premiere, the theatre flooded by great searchlights, and decorated with banners and streamers, followed two parades, one headed by the Army Air Force band and the other a 90-piece Greater Miami Drum and Bugle Corps, the two meeting in front of the theatre and presenting a 45-minute program of music. The box offices of both theatres were opened daily at 10 A.M. to sell Bonds for admission to the premieres. Both received the complete cooperation of radio and newspapers. Tuesday John J. Friedl, national campaign director, reminded exhibitors that "any town having a bank provides the means for the theatre in that town to become an issuing agent for series 'E' Bonds." A recent survey revealed that there were approximately 60,000 issuing agents in the country, exclusive of banks and post offices, and that 6,000 were theatres, or 10 per cent of the total. The theatres, representing but 10 per cent of the agents, have delivered 20 per cent of the total sales. The Skouras circuit, whose 66 theatres operating in the New York metropolitan area are issuing agents, is providing each Bond purchaser with a "Victory Army Bond Badge." The Skouras theatres are keeping their booths open morning, noon and night and are selling Bonds on a "cash and carry" plan. A War Loan trailer is shown in each theatre four times a day. Circuit plans call for 40 or more special rallies, including rallies and shows for children. RKO Corporations Buy $4,000,000 in Bonds A corporate Bond purchase amounting to $4,000,000 was made by RKO, including RKO Theatres, RKO Radio Pictures and other RKO subsidiaries, but not including purchases by the more than 7,000 RKO executives and employes. Malcolm Kingsberg, company treasurer, reported the purchase. Universal has issued a special edition of its house organ, Progress, to stimulate the sale oi Bonds among the company's employees. In New York City, a rally at the New Amsterdam theatre, a Cinema circuit house ir Times Square, sold $400,125.50 in Bonds. Al the Skouras' Cove theatre in Port Washington L. L, a special stage show featuring mainh radio talent, brought $750,000 in Bond sales) RKO Theatres has scheduled 14 premieres the first for the RKO Chester in the Bronj Monday evening. Wednesday the Paramount theatre in Nev York held a War Bond pageant on its stage a 7 P.M., and again at 9 P.M., with the militan; taking part. "Story of Dr. Wassell" Has Chicago Premiere Friday "The Story of Dr. Wassell" had its Chicag opening and its midwest premiere at Chicago' State-Lake theatre Friday night at 9:30, startin its regular run on Saturday. The opening was in the form of a War Bon Premiere, with admission by Bond only, spor sored by the Chicago HeraldAmerican. It wf attended by the film's producer, Cecil B. DeMill and Carol Thurston, who plays the Javanese gi in the picture. Before the premiere Mr. DeMille and Mi, Thurston were guests at the Great Lakes Nav: Training Stations, where the producer appeared c the radio show, "Meet Your Navy," over the Bh Network at 7 :30 P.M. Krappman Executive Aide to Bowser of Fox West Coast Charles Skouras, president of National Theatre has promoted Andrew J. Krappman from the po of executive aide to the president, to that of exec tive assistant to George Bowser, supervisor of Fc West Coast Theatres. Tom Page, the circuif chief assistant, succeeds Mr. Krappman as M Skouras' aide, and, in turn, is succeeded by Jol, Lavery. 14 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JUNE 24, 19