Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1944)

BOND DRIVE OPENS MONDAY; INDUSTRY READY TO CO Rallies This Week Precede Start; Expect More Bond I Premieres Than Before , The motion picture industry's sixth great teort to aid its country at war will begin Ijlonday. That day will mark the start of the i^iixth War Loan, perhaps the most difficult all to sell to the public. l!' This time the industry has given charge of jjis campaign to the men who in all drives kave really sold the public — the exhibitors. I'hese men, headed by Harry Brandt, have de I gned a campaign which in scope and in the ork necessary to fulfill expectations equals, if ot surpasses, the five previous drives. Because exhibitors this time are supervising iae motion picture industry campaign, exhibi)r participation in the form of opening day illies, and the stunts w-hich only the theatre an perform, is unusually complete. ^eiv York Rallies Precede Opening of Campaign In New York, focal center of the amusement iidustry, and headquarters of the War Activists Committee, the opening of the campaign ■as to be preceded by several celebrations and allies Friday. I On that day, ''Salute to the Navy"' convoys |-ere to cover all five boroughs, each convoy to bmprise 50 Navy personnel of all branches, nd each to have a band and rolling equipment, .ach was to appear at several separate rallies I key points in each borough. Approximately 1,000 persons, representing II branches of the film industry, and especially 'ae theatres of New York, were to assemble at rally Friday morning at the Hotel Astor, a 'ixth War Loan Breakfast, presided over by lalcolm Kingsberg, chairman for the New 'ork area of the WAC. This was to be followed by a rally at Times quare, at which stage and screen talent was 0 appear, with prominent speakers ; and which j ras also to be broadcast over Station WMCA. {li 'roadway Managers Hold Preliminary Meeting f Tuesday, managers of theatres in the Broad[|'ay area of the city held a "Ham and Eggs" Luncheon during which they discussed their j'articipation in the campaign. Irving Lesser, iroadway area chairman, presided. Speakers icluded several from the Treasury Departlent. In Boston a record breaking assemblage of ver 450 exhibitors, distributors, and War "inance leaders from Massachusetts, Maine, <"ew Hampshire, Vermont and Rhode Island, let with the WAC executives at the Hotel •tatler last weekend and pledged full cooperaon. The meeting was highlighted by a tribute nd observance of Armistice Day participated 1 by veterans of World War I and II. FolDv;ing taps and a volley by a Marine guard of onor, a Coast Guard band played the National inthem, and was followed by a tribute to larines in observance of Marine day; the eremonies were climaxed by a special salute 0 "Movies at War." Samuel Pinanski, Massachusetts exhibitor hairman for the WAC, presided. Other EISENHOWER'S STARS CAMPAIGN PRIZE General Dwight D. Eisenhower's fourstar insignia, worn irf Europe and the Mediterranean, will be awarded that member of New York's "Blue Star Brigade" who sells most Bonds during the current campaign. The Brigade is composed of persons, Including many from the Industry, who have given personal time to selling Bonds. General Elsenhower's insignia was obtained by Joseph Springer, vice-president and general manager of the Century Circuit, who wrote the General asking for a personal souvenir to be used In the present drive. The Genera! replied, In forwarding the insignia: "I am delighted to send It, as a token of my appreciation to an American citizen who is supporting the war effort. . . ." speakers were Mr. Brandt ; Jack Kirsch, cochairman ; Capt. Raymond W. Wild, and Lt. Louis Largey, war heroes ; Ned E. Depinet, distributor chairman ; Nathan Yamins, cochairman ; Governor Leverett Saltonstall of Massachusetts ; Mayor Maurice J. Tobin of Boston ; Theodore R. Gamble, national director, war finance division of the Treasury ; F. Winchester Denio, Massachusetts War Finance Committee chairman, and John Hertz, Jr., national publicity chairman. Southern Represenatives In Charlotte Session All factions of the industry in North and South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, and Texas were represented at the Sixth War Loan meeting Mondav in the Charlotte Hotel, Charlotte, N. C. Speakers were Mayor H. H. Baxter, of Charlotte ; Roy Rowe, of Burgaw, N. C, past president of the Theatre Owners Association of North and South Carolina; exhibitor state chairmen R. M. Kennedy, Alabama; Claude Mundo, Arkansas ; E. B. Richards, Louisiana ; J. L. Cartwright, Florida ; John Q. Adams and Phil Isley, Texas ; E. W. Street and Kermit Stengel, Tennessee ; Burgess Waltmon and Arthur Lehmann, Mississippi ; George D. Carpenter, North Carolina ; Warren Irwin, South Carolina ; George Roscoe, assistant district chairman of the Carolinas ; R. E. Kerr and Martin Cannon, representing the War Finance Committee of Mecklenburg County ; Christie Bennett, chairman of the South Carolina War Finance Committee; C. T. Leinbach, chairman of the North Carolina War Finance Committee ; Norris Hadaway, chairman of publicity and special events for the N. C. War Finance Committee ; William F. Crockett, vice-chairman for the drive ; Francis S. Harmon, WAC co-ordinator ; H. M. Richey, distribution division ; Gertrude Bunchez, representing John Hertz, Jr. ; and Capt. Raymond Wild. Connecticut voted 100 per cent cooperation, at a meeting in Hartford last week, attended by 200. Speakers were Harry Shaw, I. J. Hoffman, John Moore, Henry Needles, Lou Brown, Dr. Jack Fishman, George Wilkinson, Herman Levy, Maxwell Alderman, Samuel Pinanski, Martin Mullin, Mayor William Mortensen, Hartford; Lieut. Governor William Hadden ; Edward Hickey, Commissioner of State Police; Mr. Brandt, Nathan Yamins, Jack Kirsch, Mr. Depinet, Mr. Hertz, Capt. Wild. Thirty-six Bond premieres have been scheduled in the state, Mr. Shaw announced. Texas' Participation to Set New Drive Record More theatres in Texas will participate than in previous campaigns; there will be more Bond premieres, more children's shows, statewide cooperation in Free Movie Day, December 7, and distributors in the state are cooperating fully, Henry Reeve, national campaign co-chairman, said this week in Dallas, following regional meetings with exhibitors in Austin, Houston, Fort Worth, Tyler, Lubbock and Abil ene. Five hundred Bond Premieres are understood pledged. Ninety-eight per cent of theatres in some areas he visited will have Bond Premieres, Free Movie Days and other Sixth War Loan campaign facets, Mr. Crockett said in New York this week, following meetings he attended in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Cleveland, and which he conducted in Portland, Seattle, Detroit and BufYalo. Free Movie Day Set In Several States Monday will be Free Movie Day in Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and parts of Colorado and Nevada, and December 7 will be a day for Bond Premieres, reversing the order obtaining in other states. All Iowa area exhibitors are urged by Leo Wolcott, national campaign co-chairman, to run Pin-Money Bond Premieres; and the Treasury is said to be adopting the idea nationally. The world premiere of MGM's "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo" this Wednesday at the Capitol, New York, to which admission was to be to Bond holders only, was promoted this week at a special stand erected at 46th Street and Broadway. Tickets for the premiere were sold daily at the stand, during noontime rallies featuring bands and talent. A large neon clock is geared to indicate a Bond sale every 30 seconds. Paramount Pep Club Plans Sixth War Loan Rally A Sixth War Loan rally will be held November 21 at noon by the Paramount Pep Cub in the home ofifice recreation room, inaugurating Paramount's drive among all departments in the New York area, J. L. Brown, president, announced this week. A program of entertainment will be provided by R. M. Weitman, managing director of New York Paramount theatre. A special war film produced by A. J. Richard, editor of Paramount News, will be_ shown for the first time. Arrangements are being made by Irving Singer, director of the club's special events, in cooperation with E. A. Brown, chairman of the drive. Mr. B rown has appointed more than 50 Bond salesmen covering all departments for an intensive campaign and has named as his aides William J. Clark, treasurer ; Joseph Zammit, assistant treasurer and Charlotte Malamud, secretary. Al Finestone is handling publicity. I iMOTION PICTURE HERALD, NOVEMBER 18, 1944 21