Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1944)

Plan Showings fo Isolated Troops Urge Theatres fo Send Bond Drive Reports FILM EDITOR LAUDS THEATRE BOND SALES Tribute to the nation's exhibitors for their "noble job" in the Fighting Fifth War Loan was made last Sunday by Harold Hunt, film editor of the Oregon Journal of Portland, Ore. After citing the large amounts obtained by theatres through Bond premieres and special events, Mr. Hunt said in his article: "All this has meant work, in staggering quantity, to the staffs of the theatres and of the organizations operating them. And not a holler in a theatre-full from these men and women. Almost makes us want to buy a hat so we can take it off to them." Meanwhile, Leaders Make Plans for Sixth Loan to Start November 11 An urgent call was sent out to exhibitors throughout the country this week by Fifth War Loan campaign leaders, stressing the importance of getting the drive report cards into headquarters by Thursday. Meanwhile, industry executives were making plans for the Sixth War Loan which is scheduled for the autumn and probably will be called the "Victory" drive. The campaign is to start November 11, Armistice Day, and run through December 7, anniversary of Pearl Harbor. To spur last minute sales of Bonds for the Fighting Fifth, hundreds of theatres this week were staging "repeat engagements" of "Free Movie Day" and Bond Premieres. In many situations, drive committeemen set plans for statewide or local events aimed at adding millions of dollars to the drive total, particularly in the sale of "E" Bonds, thereby responding to the Treasury's request to further the sale of war financing securities to individuals. See Goal of 18 Billion Between $18,000,000,000 and $20,000,000,000 is expected to be the goal of the Sixth War Loan in which the industry again will be called upon for an even greater effort than it made in the Fighting Fifth drive, it was announced at headquarters Monday. Preliminary reports indicate that in the campaign just closing, in which the drive for "E" Bond sales encountered the greatest difficulty so far experienced, the industry made the best showing of any single participating group. Treasury officials, it was said, were hopeful that developments in Europe before the next Bond campaign is initiated will spearhead the basis for a plea to give and get the war over with quickly. Appeals from committee chairmen went out to exhibitors urging them to exert every effort so that the maximum possible number of Bond sales could be reported to headquarters when report cards were mailed Thursday night. S. H. Fabian, chairman of the theatres division of War Activities Committee, made a special plea to all exhibitors to cooperate with the national and state committee drive chairmen in "making sure that there is no delay in sending in your reports promptly." "Free Movie Day" in Texas John Q. Adams, exhibitor chairman for Texas, advised R. J. O'Donnell, national chairman, last Friday that Texas theatres again would stage "Free Movie Day" Thursday, final day of the drive. A second "Free Movie Day" also was held in theatres throughout Delaware on Wednesday. St. Louis theatres cooperated in staging a "Night of Premieres" this Saturday, July 29, in order to climax that city's campaign. An over-quota record of 500,110 individual Bond sales totaling $48,100,225 was scored by 600 theatres in southern California during the Fifth War. Loan, David Bershon, exhibitor state chairman for southern California, announced Tuesday. The sale of 325,000 War Bonds by theatres of the territory in the Fourth War Loan was considered by Treasury ofn Ai cials as the high-water mark in salesmanship at that time, Mr. Bershon said. "It was the greatest Bond selling drive ever recorded in southern California," he added. "We are highly gratified with the response of everyone concerned in making the drive so outstanding." With one theatre unreported, the series of Bond premieres in Connecticut already has netted 38,991 Bonds totaling $3,662,762 sold in the territory, Harry F. Shaw, state chairman reported this week. The record premiere of the state was in Westport which netted $604,430. A Chinatown War Bond premiere held by Myron K. Chan, manager of the Mandarin theatre, San Francisco, brought 437 "E" Bond sales totaling $70,000, Charles M. Thall, exhibitor chairman of northern California, announced last week. The attraction was a special performance of a Chinese operetta. In Portland, Ore., the Broadway and Paramount theatres' premieres of "Gaslight" and "The Story of Dr. Wassell" boosted the Fifth War Loan totals in that city to $900,000, of which $700,000 was in "E" Bonds, $200,000 representing an investment of the HamrickEvergreen circuit. The Paramount's Bond show for children brought $125,000. Shift Exchange Personnel In Philadelphia Offices As a result of Al J. Davis leaving his sales manager's post at 20th Century-Fox in Philadelphia to become Monogram branch manager in that city, Samuel Gross, branch manager, announced a number of changes at 20th Century-Fox. With William Humphries moving up as sales manager, Howard Davis takes over his territory with Herb Gillis, a booker, becoming a salesman to take over Mr. Davis' territory. Harry Dressier, head shipper, becomes a booker, and Harry Appel succeeds Mr. Dressier as chief shipper. At the Paramount exchange, Harry Brillman, booker, leaves to become office manager and salesman for the local Film Classics exchange. Tom Kennedy also leaves the Paramount booking staff to join the Varbalow theatre circuit in Southern New Jersey, succeeded by Frank Pease. At United Artists, Janet Hallard, assistant booker, becomes a booker to replace Ruth Lieber, who has left to be married. ' As part of Monogram's program of building up its manpower, Sam Palan, salesman, has been named sales manager. Plans are being developed whereby Army ui in isolated areas which are now without recr tion will receive motion picture service, it was dicated in Washington last week. Following proposals which resulted from mt ings among representatives of the War Act ties Committee and Army and Navy officials, Navy may undertake to make available films small groups of troops in isolated locations t| can not be served by the Army film circuit. While at the present there are relatively i troops in areas which the Army film service d not reach, it is understood that they may be I pected to increase materially as the war in Pacific widens. The plan may function both wj with the Army providing films for Naval m long at sea and unable to obtain new films fr the Navy film service. MGM Announces Its Ninth Block of Nine Films Nine pictures will comprise MGM's next bk the ninth, William F. Rodgers, vice-president charge of distribution, announced in New Y , Tuesday. Two of the nine will be reissues. T are "Waterloo Bridge" and "Naughty Marieti Others are "The Seventh Cross." "Barbary Cc Gent," "Maisie Goes to Reno," "Marriage is Private Affair," "Kismet," "Mrst Parkingtc "Lost in a Harem." All will be released in th months after September 1. Loew's theatres in five cities, Houston, Memp j Indianapolis, Kansas City and Columbus, are nouncing a. return engagement of MGM's "Water Bridge" which originally brought Vivien Le and Robert Taylor to the screen four years a Contending that the picture has more timely apt. today than when originally released, J. R. Vo; Loew theatres executive, and Metro officials giving the revival an exceptional buildup in 1 towns. Definite exhibitor screening dates have been on four MGM pictures for August. With "Barb Coast Gent" already scheduled for August 1 in exchange centers, "Maisie Goes to Reno" : "Lost in a Harem" are now slated for August and "Marriage is a Private Affair" starring Turner, scheduled for August 14. Paramount Announces Five for 1944-45 Paramount's first block of five pictures for 1944-45 season and their trade screening d; were announced Tuesday by Charles M. Reag vice-president in charge of sales. The pictures and trade screening dates are "Rainbow Island," starring Dorothy Lame Eddie Bracken and Gil Lamb, in Technico screened August 24. "Till We Meet Again," starring Ray Mill and Barbara Britton. A Frank Borzage proc tion, screened August 24. "The National Barn Dance," with Jean Heatl Charles Quigley, Robert Benchley, Mabel P; and the National Barn Dance Troupe, scree August 25. "Our Hearts Were Young and Gay," stan Gail Russell as Cornelia Otis Skinner and Di Lynn as Emily Kimbrough, screened August "Dark Mountain," starring Robert Lowery Ellen Drew, screened August 25. Jacoclcs Operating Head Of Levenson Circuit Complete operating charge of five theatres of Levenson circuit in Massachusetts, has been sumed by Don Jacocks, who for 14 years had t zone manager for Warner theatres. Theatres fected are the Coolidge Corner and the > Vill theatre, Brookline ; and the Strand, Quincy | the Alhambra, Quincy, Mass. As yet no persoi changes have been announced in any of the theatres. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JULY 29, I