Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1944)

BOND DRIVE HEADS FOR RECORD SALES New York's Total for First Week Over $10,000,000; Passes Fifth Drive The nation's theatres are smashing over the top with the Sixth War Loan. They are surpassing their sales of the "Fighting Fifth" War Loan, first Bond sale reports indicate this week. At the end of the first week of the current campaign in the New York area, most of its theatres had sold more E bonds with a greater maturity value, than in the last drive, Malcolm Kingsberg, chairman of the territory for the War Activities Committee, reported. At the weekend, New York sales had passed the $10,000,000 mark. The Loew circuit reported this week it had sold $5,831,230 in E Bonds, and that the Capitol, key New York theatre, led circuit sales, with $439,850, the Pitkin, Brooklyn, being second with $360,700. The New York theatres of the circuit had sold $4,130,745 of Bonds and the circuit's other houses $1,700,485 worth. Million Sold at Theatre For the radio Bond premiere at the Egyptian Theatre, Los Angeles last week, 1,673 Bonds worth $556,825 were sold. One million dollars in Bonds were sold during a rally last week at the Embassy theatre, Waltham, Mass. Connecticut state WAC co-chairman Henry Needles reported this week theatre sales had reached $99,775 up to November 28. The Loew's Poli, Hartford, was leading all state theatres with sales amounting to $66,000. At a Bond rally in the Rivoli, New York, last week, almost $50,000 in Bonds were purchased. In first run Bond premieres in the J. J. Parker circuit Broadway theatre, and the Hamrick-Evergreen circuit Paramount theatre, both in Portland, Ore., 8,000 Bonds were bought, worth $721,083. The two premieres were the first of 126 for the state set by O. J. Miller, exhibitor state chairman. A Bond auction staged in the open at Fall River, by William Canning, resulted in sales of $150,000 worth. Sales at the Empire theatre there, of which he is the manager, amounted to $100,000 the first week, Mr. Canning reported. More Bpnd Premieres Held That the number of Bond premieres this campaign is exceeding those of the previous drive is deduced from a report received this week by Jay Emanuel, campaign coordinator, from Ted Schlanger, Warner Brothers theatre zone manager in Philadelphia. The latter reported his theatres were far outselling previous efforts; that a premiere at the Warner theatre, Atlantic City, sold $7,021,836 in Bonds; that the Capitol, Lancaster, Pa., sold $2,252,130; and that the Stanley, Camden, N. J., sold $2,542,300. Martin R. Toohey, exhibitor state chairman in Rhode Island, reported the following activities in Bond premieres in this territory: William Deitz, owner-manager of the Palace theatre in Arctic, sold $38,000 worth of Bonds. Ben Greenberg, riiariager of the M & T Stadium theatre, Woonsocket, sold 1,340 bonds for a total of $198,375. Al Lashway, manager of the M & T Publix theatre in Pawtucket, sold 2,021 Bonds for a total of $342,575. And at the Strand theatre, Newport, the Bond premiere resulted in the sale of 756 Bonds for a total of $40,630. "Free Movie Day" which, in most instances, was on December 7, in Maryland brought shows from 150 theatres. The sale of tickets to the Army-Navy game at the Baltimore Stadium, Saturday, brought purchases of more than $50,000,000 in Bonds. Frank Durkee, circuit owner and state WAC chairman, was in charge of the event. First report by WAC Nebraska chairman Harold Johnson this week on the Bond premieres and Free Movie Days scheduled for the Omaha territory indicated a record. Many Set Free Movie Day Mr. Johnson listed 207 exhibitors, who were to hold 113 Free Movie Days and 153 Bond premieres. Fifty-four will hold both. Omaha's opening Bond premiere, a Thanksgiving Eve showing at the 2,900-seat Paramount theatre was a complete sellout, as have been .all in the past. More than a thousand tickets were given out the first day of the sale. To obtain a ticket to the show, "Mrs. Parkington," an E Bond had to be purchased from some member of the women's division at one of the Omaha theatres or downtown store booths. The Resort theatre. Lava Hot Springs, Idaho, a theatre with 230 seats in a town of 500, sold $29,000 in Bonds the opening day of the campaign. The quota is $19,710. Many projection room premieres have aided the Bond sale. In Seattle, such premieres have garnered the drive $1,500,000 in Bonds. Up to November 25, exliibitors had pledged 3,254 Bond premieres, 772 children's premieres, and 6,328 Free Movie Shows, Harry Brandt, national campaign chairman, announced. Three hundred forty-three more theatres are acting as Bond issuing agents in this drive than in the last, and there are 122 new subissuing agents in theatres, it was announced Tuesday by Mr. Brandt. The number of theatre issuing agents in the Sixth War Loan is 6,482. Rathvon Will Head 1945 Red Cross Campaign N. Peter Rathvon, president of RKO, has accepted the post of national chairman of "Red Cross Movie Week" during the 1945 Red Cross War Fund canmpaign in March, it was announced from Washington, December 1, by Colby M. Chester, chairman of the next Red Cross campaign. Mr. Rathvon will direct and coordinate the efforts of the War Activities Committee on behalf of the campaign. Mr. Rathvon, who has taken part in Red Cross work in the past, will direct the entire film industry in its nationwide theatre solicitation for funds during the drive. Last March, under the direction of Joseph Bernhard,, president of Warner Bros. Theatres, Inc., the industry raised approximately $7,000,000. Air Forces Women Sponsor Showing of 20th-Fox Film The National Association of Air Forces Women sponsored a private showing of Moss Hart's "Winged Victory" at Twentieth Century-Fox home office December 6 in honor of the author. The film was produced by Darryl F. Zanuck and directed by George Cukor. All profits from the distribution and production of the picture will go to Army charities. Roosevelt Asks "Dimes Heads To White House Nearly 100 industry executives will attend i conference at the White House December 19 on invitations from President Roosevelt. Under the leadership of Nicholas M. Schenck, the meeting will be attended by the state chairmen and na tional executive committee of the industry's 194J March of Dimes campaign. President Roosevelt, who will be given an out line of plans for the 1945 drive, is expected tc emphasize the importance of the film effort in thf continuing fight on infanti^e paralysis. The President's invitation to the leaders sets a precedent and is construed as signalizing a new high mark ir official appreciation of the industry's patriotic anc humanitarian effort. Appreciative of the 1944 re suits. President Roosevelt recently expressed a desire to meet the group of men who lead in this effort. "They must be fine men and it will be a privilege to know them," the President said tc Mr. Schenck. The visit to the White House will follow a luncheon and campaign business meeting in the South American room of the Hotel Statler ir Washington, with "Dimes" leaders from 48 states present. Oscar A. Doob and Ernest Emerling returned to New York this week from Washingtor after completing plans with Carter Barron, Dis-i trict of Columbia chairman, for the gathering. Among the state chairmen who have accepted invitations are : R. M Kennedy, R. B. Wilby, Alabama; M. A. Lightman, ' Arkansas; Harry Nance, Arizona; Charles Skouras, Robert H. Poole, George Mann, Albert Law, CaU-j fornia; Rick Ricketson, Colorado; I. J. Hoffman, Con-j necticut; A. Joseph DeFiore, Delaware; Carter BarronJ John J. Payette, District of Columbia; M. C. Talley, Florida; J. H. Thompson, Hugh G. Martin, Georgia; L H. Harris, Idaho; Jack Kirsch, Maurice M. Rubens, Illinois; Harry Katz, K. T. Collins, Indiana; A. H.Blank, Iowa -Nebraska; Fred J. Dolle, Kentucky; Elmer C. Rhoden, Kansas; Rodney Toups, Louisiana; M. J. Mullin, Sam PinanskL New England. Also: John B. Carroll, Maine; Frank Hornig, Maryland; Edward Cuddy, Massachusetts; J. O. Brooks, Pau Schlossman, Michigan; W. H. Workman, W. C. Sears Minnesota; Arthur Lehman, Mississippi; Harry C. Arthur Missouri; A. M. Russell, Montana; N. Dow Thompson, Nevada; Melvin Morrison, New Hampshire; Walter Reade Frank Damis, New Jersey; Milas L. Hurley, New Mexico; Fred Schwartz, Samuel Rinzler, J. Myer Schine, Maj^ Yellen, New York ; Rovy F. Brannon, North Carolina l M. C. Cooper, North Dakota; P. J. Wood, Ohio; L. C Griffith, Oklahoma; Albert J. Finke, Oregon. |( Also; Ted Schlanger, Sidney Samuelson, Moe Silver. Pennsylvania; E. M. Fay, Rhode Island; Warren Irvin, South Carolina; Charles Klein, South Dakota; R. J. O'Donnell, Karl Hoblitzelle, Julius Gordon, Texas; Tony Sudekum, Tennessee; John Rugar, Utah; Frank Vennett Vermont; W. F. Crockett, Virginia: Frank Newman. Sr., Washington; Milton Levine, West Virginia; H. J. Fitzgerald, Wisconsin; E. J. Schulte, Wyoming; Robert J. Peratrovich, Jr., Alaska; Marvin A. Eder, Canal Zone; Ezra Parker, Hawaii; Ned S. Seckler, Puerto Rico. The executive committee members who will be::, present are Mr. Schenck, Barney Balaban, Joseph' Bernhard, Harry Brandt, Tom Connors, Mr. Doobj Mr. Emerling, G. S. Eyssell, S. H. Fabian, Leon-: ard Goldenson, Harry Kalmine, Malcolm Kingsberg, C. C. Moskowitz, Herman Robbins, Spyros Skouras, Walter Vincent, Joseph R. Vogel and Richard Walsh. Four Assistant Supervisors In Warner Checking Service The appointment of four assistant supervisors, the first such posts to be set up in the Warner film checking organization, was announced by R. P. Hagen, manager of the checking service, who left Monday for a two-week trip to make the installations. New appointees are Claude F. Frye, who will work out of Goldsboro, N. C, as assistant to W. F. Harris in Charlotte ; Ralph H. Cooper, working out of Jacksonville as assistant to P. A. Blankenship, Atlanta ; Ralph F. Harrison, working out of McComb, Miss., assisting B. T. Burnside of Memphis, and C. Henry^ Watson, Oklahoma City, assistant to W. E. Rhoades of Dallas. On his trip Mr. Hagen will confer with supervisors and assistants in Charlotte, Atlanta, New Orleans, Dallas, Oklahoma City and Memphis. 18 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, DECEMBER 9, 1944 1