Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1945)

11= \xhibitors Want 'scapist Films {Continued from opposite page) lies will soon need censorship on their earns if they don't clean up the hot stuff they ' working in. — Movience, III. 'oo many war pictures. People want to ifah, to try to forget their worries, ■i — New York City. ifless talk of, and much more action conh^Ing distributor cooperative advertising exploitation assistance to subsequent runs. —Chicago. hortage of major releases, forcing film ^Ital up and forcing percentage pictures Sunday openings, will work a burden Email towns and eventually call for Governht control. — Mount Horeb, Wis. e don't see why the producers continue Imake mystery and horror films. They are fjoo for the small town theatre, at least. |D, war films are poison. Our people go the theatre to forget war. — Cornell, Wis. I |-|ill-billy stars like Weaver Bros. & Elvirey, i/ AcufF outdraw most of the good pictures. 1.0 the Blondie series. Would like to see E. Brown and Martha Raye in more pics. — Terre Haute, Ind. Remedies are best money-makers. War and jecially spy and Nazi pictures are poison rhe box office. — Oshkosh, Neb. oiks really go for "Community Sings", y laugh more at Bugs Bunny. Other shorts just shorts to our patrons. — Burgaw, N. C. ar too many war pictures. — Callaway, Neb. 'eatures are better! Shorts are better! iness is better! — Lenox, Iowa. his is a small town.. They want many fea5s, and most of them walk out on shorts, Iside of the "Stooges". Kids like any of 'I cartoons. Very few care for the news. — North Branch, Mich. :AaVe mystery and action pictures, no war lures. — San Francisco, Calif. hg here must be an easier may to make a — Hampton, N. H. County Fairs Scheduled ^Ohio During 1945 'he Ohio State Department of Agriculture, at umbus, has certified dates for 86 county fairs be held in 1945, the earliest at Ashley, July 21, and the last at Bluff ton, December 5-7. The I'.o State Fair, heretofore annually attracting dreds of thousands from the state, was distinued a few years ago, when the grounds were verted to war needs. A new site is sought. Fairs he past have provided considerable theatre comtion, particularly when remaining open at night. Chicago Variety Club Forms Charity Drive Committee Jack Kirsch, Allied of Illinois president and newly elected chief barker of the Chicago Variety Club, said at the installation of officers' dinner held last Friday at the Blackstone Hotel, that he had appointed a special committee to formulate various charity drives to be supported by the local tent. The committee, an outgrowth of the amusement and recreation committee in Chicago, includes Mr. Kirsch, John Balaban, Hal Halperin, Eddie Silverson and Tom Flannery. Mr. Balaban, dough guy, announced that the club had contributed $12,000 to La Rabida Sanitorium during 1944. Irving Mack, property master, said the club had a total membership of 339, with 273 dues-paying members. Officers for 1945 are Mr. Kirsch ; Jack Rose, first assistant chief barker; Edward Brunell, second assistant chief barker ; Mr. Balaban and Mr. Mack. Canvasmen are: Johnny Jones, Mr. Halperin, William Baker, William Banford, Ben Eisenberg, Mr. Flannery and Lou Harrison. Hollywood Product Called Dominant in Portugal Hollywood films occupy a dominant place in Portugal, according to Foreign Commerce Weekly of last week. Competition from European sources, the U. S. Commerce Department publication said, would not be strong for some time to come. Domestic production is small and no expansion of the industry is contemplated at present. Audience preferences in general are similar to those of Brazil, with patrons particularly favoring films containing scenes of life in Brazil or bearing on the relationship between the U. S. and Brazil. Films dealing with American domestic policies and gangster pictures are not recommended for the Portuguese market. "Tomorrow the World" Is Setting Records The receipts of Loew's Poli, Springfield, Mass., featuring Lester Cowan's "Tomorrow the World," were reported this week the best in eight months for that house. This is the first engagement for the week of the film, outside the premiere showing at the Globe theatre. New York, where it was to go into its sixth week Friday. Last week at the Globe it showed a 20 per cent improvement over the fourth week, a 26 per cent improvement over the third week, and seven per cent over the second good week. United Artists is releasing the film. Warners Prepare Booklet On "Hollywood Canteen" As promotional material, in connection with "Hollywood Canteen," Warners' educational bureau has prepared for motion picture appreciation and discussion groups a 16-page booklet, augmented by a poster, containing feature articles by several well known writers and educators, as well as a statement by Bette Davis, president and co-founder of Hbll}rwood Canteen and one of the 62 stars in the film. Material is being sent to about 12,000 educational and community groups, including schools, colleges and libraries. Columbia Sets Bond Record With $403,462 Over Quota Bond purchases in the Sixth War Loan by Columbia Pictures employees, the corporation, and sales for which personnel were responsible amounted to $3,803,462 against a quota of $3,400,000. Company officials said it was a record performance. Takes Two Akron Houses Acme Amusement Company recently incorporated in Columbus, Ohio, has been formed to operate the Liberty and Akron theatres, Akron, leased on a 20-year basis from Monogram Realty Company. Ed Raab, Barberton attorney, is the principal owner of Acme. Monogram Realty Co. members are J. S. Joseey, P. E. Essick, Howard Reif and Charles Deckman, all of Cleveland. Under the arrangement. Cooperative Theatres of Ohio, is handling the booking. Talks Under Way For Johnston MPPDA Job Representatives of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America have been conducting discussions vnXh Eric Johnston, president of the United States Chamber of Commerce, with a view to his acceptance of an important position with the organization. It is understood the discussions have revolved around the possibility of Mr. Johnston accepting the presidency, in which case Will H. Hays would become chairman of the board. Mr. Hays has been a party to the discussions and he is reported to favor an arrangement under which Mr. Johnston would play an important part in the post-war plans of the Association. The proposal is said to contemplate the continuation of activity by Mr. Hays in the affairs of the Association, with which he has a contract vmtil March of next year. It is stated on good authority that no immediate action is planned because of Mr. Johnston's present commitments and because the proposed arrangements are being considered as part of the whole problem of future developments and operations of the Association. Confirmation of negotiations came this week in an Associated Press dispatch from Washington quoting Mr. Johnston as follows : "I have been approached by the leaders of the movie industry to accept a place with them and there have been discussions along that line, with no conclusions reached. It would be a new job in the industry and I would not be a successor to Will Hays. In any event, I would not make such a move until much nearer the end of the war." Washington Variety Club Files Welfare Report Among the welfare activities of the Washington Variety Club for 1944, filed by Rudy Berger, welfare chairman, were the provision of a dressing sterilizer at Homeopathic Hospital, new projector and amplifier for shut-in screenings, an ambulance for the District of Columbia. The group also contributed to the Boys Club of Washington, provided recreational games for Gallinger and Upshur Street Hospitals, purchased a $5,000 Bond for the tent's adopted infant, furnished recreation rooms at Fort Meade, Md., contributed towards Russian War Relief kits. In October, the club established a Glaucoma Clinic at Episcopal Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital and provided a trained medical social worker to review with patients examined at the clinic, plans to carry out medical recommendations. In the printed record of the District of ColumbU Appropriation Bill foii 1945 Congressman John M. Coffee congratulated the club oo its "magnificent and laudable record of splendid public service." UA Midwest Regional Held This Week in Wisconsin Midwestern district personnel attended a threeday United Artists sales meeting at the Gateway Inn, Land O'Lakes, Wis., this week. Rud Lohrenz, Chicago district manager, presided over the gathering of managers and salesmen from Chicago, Indianapolis, Milwaukee and Minneapolis. J. J. Unger, western division sales manager, was present from the home office. Turner and Kofeldt Plan •Palm Springs House Plans for the erection of a $100,000 theatre in Palm Springs, Cal., were announced recently by N. O. Turner and Walter Kofeldt, both veterans of the industry. The new theatre, for which priorities have been requested, will be located in the proposed arcade and business block planned by the Palm Springs Company and will have the latest innovations including three dimensional rear screen and wiring for television. The structure will be of stadium design built in modern plastic and glass. TION PICTURE HERALD, JANUARY 27, 1945 17