Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1945)

fn international association of showmen meeting weekly MOTION ..PICTURE HERALD for mutual aid and progress op ESTER FRIEDMAN, Editor GERTRUDE MERRIAM, Associate Editor hat Inevitable Day Reports of impending Victory in Europe are again causing con■n for theatre executives who are rushing instructions to managers how to handle the crowds when the fateful day arrives, n a majority of cases the theatres expect to operate normally, h extra precautions taken to prevent damage from overjoyous ebrants. In certain sections of the country, theatres will close "irely, with the day given over to prayers. rhe spirit, the mood and the temperament of the people will st determine what course of action will be necessary. It would ;m that common sense, applied by the manager as conditions jscribe, would be the order of the day rather than any set of ■d-and-fast rules. At any rate, every manager should be well prepared with argements and photos of the Allied leaders, flags and other corations for the theatre front to discourage enthusiastic jngsters from damaging properties. There should also be ample assistance available in the form of •ra ushers and other personnel to safeguard the interior. AAA ^/here Credit Is Due "Final Report", a booklet covering the New York theatres' suc;sful participation in the Sixth War Loan drive, has just been blished by the executive committee, War Activities Committee, which Mr. Malcolm Kingsberg is chairman. , Mr. Kingsberg notes in the pamphlet that theatre performance s 31 per cent better than in the Fifth War Loan drive. The booklet records permanently the achievements and promons which aided in establishing the new records, and cites each Jividual who assisted by recording the name, theatre, seating pacity and the number of E Bonds sold. AAA >own To Earth Promotions A quick glance through the Schine circuit's Spring manual, ich has just reached us, reminds us that there are some excellent amotions in prospect through managers' efforts in connection rh Victory Gardens. The bulletin, compiled by Seymour. Morris, ad of the circuit's publicity and advertising department at oversville, N.Y., records the tieups of last year which proved successful in many of the circuit houses through cooperation with local Victory Garden Committees, 4-H Clubs, Granges, stores handling seed, etc. . The manual also contains other informative hints on Springtime promotions which will be given complete coverage in the next issue of the Round Table. AAA He Doesn't Believe It Meet Joseph Goldberg, manager of the Roxy theatre, Frankfort, Kentucky, the fellow who, just as we started to say "It's too difficult, almost impossible", interrupted us by going ahead and accomplishing the deed. We've been hearing frequent complaints about the distributors wasting valuable paper on press book suggestions concerning newspaper contests. Only last week we had the temerity to suggest to a representa ( five of one of the film companies that, in view of the present scarcity of newspaper space, this form of promotion be omitted from press books for awhile. The fact that the young man agreed with us just goes to prove how prone most are at times to figure without taking into full consideration the showman's natural flair for doing what looks difficult. The morning's mail brings to our attention a set of tearsheets from the Frankfort Morning Times containing a complete reproduction of the "Accentuate the Positive" contest outlined in Paramount's press book for "Here Come the Waves". The contest was planted by Mr. Goldberg at a cost of a few theatre tickets which were awarded as prizes. A A A Good Luck Clare The announcement that Clare Appel, in charge of advertising and publicity for Odeon Theatres of Canada, Ltd., has been promoted to general manager for the circuit's Ontario and Quebec houses will get the approval of all Round Table members. Mr. Appel, whose advertising layouts have appeared in this section periodically during the past four years, started in the theatre business 35 years ago in Brantford, Ont. Since then he has had wide experience in advertising, management and distribution — a background which will be of value in his new executive capacity. —CHESTER FRIEDMAN TION PICTURE HERALD, APRIL 7, 1945 47