Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1945)

international association of showmen meeting weekly in MOTION PICTURE HERALD for mutual aid and progress ;HESTER FRIEDMAN, Editor GERTRUDE MERRIAM, Associate Editor QP Showing the Way Winning the Fourth Quarter Silver Plaque in the 1944 Quigley Competitions is the latest achievement of Lige Brien, manager of the Enright theatre, Pittsburgh, Pa. The Enright is a neighborhood Warner theatre playing subsequent-run films. The managers of subsequent-run neighborhood theatres who in the past have complained that they do not stand equal appraisal in competition with the first-runs will find that theory once again exploded by Mr. Brien. What Mr. Brien has done is to take advantage of the same resources which are open to managers in similar situations. His ingenuity, ability and determination did the rest. AAA Getting the Coat The maintenance of goats is prohibited by local ordinance in many metropolitan cities. But Bingham Canyon and the entire state of Utah have been proudly proclaiming the fact that a goat recently helped to sell slightly more than a third of a million dollars' worth of War Bonds. It all came about when hiarold Chesler, prolific idea man and manager of the Princess theatre in Bingham proposed a plan which was adopted by the state chairman of the W. A. C. and local officials. The plan got under way on November 23 when a goat was tied to a fire hydrant in front of the theatre. The following day an ad was run in the paper: "Found, one live goat. Owner please contact Chief of Police." The goat was lodged in the city jail for one week. On December i, a picture appeared in the Salt Lake Tribune showing the Mayor of Bingham, the Police Chief and the goat, and a notice that the latter, named Mr. B. O., was still unclaimed. Because he represented a problem to the City Council, Mr. B. O. was offered as a booby prize to the community selling the smallest amount of Bonds on December 7 between the hours of 7:00 to 9:00 P. M. Two nearby communities accepted the challenge; radio stations plugged the promotions more than 20 times daily; high school students in the competitive towns painted sidewalks, fences, etc., with appropriate signs intensifying the rivalry — and the promotion attracted statewide Interest. On the date set, the final result was broadcast over Station KDYL at 10:30 P. M. Each town set new records for Bond sales and the total of $333,490 was credited to Mr. B. O. The town which won the distinction of getting the goat will now have the problem of caring for him until the next War Bond drive comes along, at which time local citizens will be relieved of the odorous responsibility by subscribing for more Bonds than their more fortunate neighbor communities. ^ Mr. Chesler Is rather proud of his brainchild, and the Mayor of Bingham Canyon was so grateful that the theatreman has been appointed to fill a vacancy on the City Council. AAA A showman Speaks Up In business It is rather unusual to find a competitor going about singing the praises of another's product. In theatre business it is almost unheard of. "Exception is once again the rule" and on our desk there reposes a tearsheet from the December 22 Issue of the Allentown, Pa., Morning Call to prove it. A large display ad announces that "Guest In the hlouse" Is scheduled to open at the Wllmer & Vincent Rialto theatre. On the same page there appears a two-column by eight-inch advertisement bought and paid for by the Boyd Theatre Circuit. The Boyd Circuit ad Is a formal, unsolicited endorsement of the Riaito's attraction by exhibitor A. R. Boyd In which he expresses his dlsappolnrment that the film was committed to play at his opposition theatre. He comments on the fine, early Hollywood reports he received on the film, the down-to-earth truths represented by the characters In the picture and on his efforts to obtain the production for showing at his own theatre. He then concludes: "But we can't . . . the picture is so good we certainly want all Allentown to see It even if they have to go to a competitor's theatre to do It. The picture Is so big it Is a credit to the whole industry. "The picture opens at the Rialto theatre, Sunday (Lucky RIaltol. When you go, look around. You'll probably see us in the back row, feeling sorry . . . but enjoying ourselves again anyway. Mr. Boyd's unprecedented action is deserving of the admiration and commendation of the Industry. His prestige and the respect of his townsmen for his opinions and counsel are undoubtedly enhanced through his willingness to promote good films even at personal sacrifice. —CHESTER FRIEDMAN lOTION PICTURE HERALD, JANUARY 6, 1945 47