Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1941)

October 18, 1941 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW Page 23 •vmtff •BUGS" BUNNY CARTOON TORTOISE PEATS HARE" All This— And M-G-M News —Too! Look How You're Billed, Bugs This ought to make Bugs Bunny feel good, because down in Amanita, Texas, Manager David Yates of the Capitol Theatre thinks the cartoon character of Warner Bros.' Merrie Melodies is enough of a drawing card to rate this space in the regular ad. And Columbia's Three Stooges don't do so badly either. In the Groove Univ. (6222) Musical No. 2 (Entertaining) 17 mins. Having missed their train, a troupe of specialty artists put on a "show" in a small town railroad station, with Freddie Slack, boogiewoogie pianist, and his Eight Beats, furnishing the music. Performing are the Mercer Brothers, theatre and night club dancers ; Tanner Sisters, vocal trio ; Knight Sisters, adagio team ; Sunny O'Dea, dance artist ; Martha Mears, Columbia Broadcasting star, and the Lightning Trio, roller-skating act. Slack's rhythmic pianistics will have the swing fans tapping their feet, and the various vaudeville acts will please adults. Larry Ceballos directed, with Will Cowan as associate producer. Tieins with music shops on Slack's recordings for Decca are recommended. Shampoo Springs (Very Good) Univ. (6371) Stranger Than Fiction No. 1 9 mins. This, the first of the Stranger Than Fiction series for the new season, is given a new musical introduction and score, thus getting away from the similarity of past subjects. Most unusual of the clips collected for the nine-minute footage is the one concerning Shiloah Springs, Calif., where mineral water has been piped to a settler's home for shampoo purposes — without soap. Other interesting items are the man who collects ghost town relics, the girl with the bottle-drinking cat, and the man who has trained his horse to do many unbelievable tricks. There's a "newness" and liveliness about the subject that augurs well for the new season's output. Joseph O'Brien and Thomas Mead produced. The Hermit of Oklahoma (Good) Univ. (6372) Stranger Than Fiction No. 2 9 mins. Many unusual and interesting clips are included in this release : the Oklahoma hermit who sculptures in cement for pastime ; an aged costume-maker who still does a good business ; a pet lamb ; the doctor who collects glass cup plates ; the Great Dane used as a pony, and the radio station monitor who lives on a Chinese junk. Here is a subject that should fit nicely into any program. It was produced by Joseph O'Brien and Thomas Mead. Will Democracy Survive? (Timely) Col. (3543) International Forum No. 3 18 mins. Fannie Hurst, novelist and short story writer, Johannes Steel, radio commentator, Senator Claude Pepper and Rear Admiral H. E. Yarnell, gather around the table to discuss the ultimate destiny of democracy. By means of maps, they show the advantages Hitler has gained in his conquest of other countries, such as munitions works, shipbuilding yards, agricultural and dairy products, etc. Then a comparison of the Allies' resources with those of the Axis are shown, proving the Allies far ahead. It is concluded that if these resources are used to the utmost in manufacturing arms, tanks, munitions, etc., with which to fight the enemies of democracy, democracy will survive. William Rowland produced, with Burnet Hershey as editorial supervisor. The subject, wherever shown, should promote further discussion among those who see it. Its timeliness makes it especially suitable for editorial cooperation from the newspaper. Advertise it prominently in your lobby and on the marquee. Northern Neighbors (Interesting) Univ. (6352) Variety View No. 2 9 mins. With interest in our Canadian neighbors stronger than ever, this subject, photographed in color, seeks to acquaint audiences of the States with aspects of Canadian life. Pilots training for the R.A.F., a fisherman's paradise in Ontario, and Niagara Falls are photographed. The climax is a visit to Callander, Ont., where the Dionne Quintuplets are seen at work and play. The subject, produced by Joseph O'Brien and Thomas Mead, is interesting". EXTRA I SPECIAL ADDED ATTRACTION M. PETE SMITHS NEW THRILL SCENES LAST SEASONS BEST FOOTBALL GAMES Your local artist, using stills available at your MGM exchange, can produce a lobby board display just as attractive as the one used by the Capitol, New York, in connection with Pete Smith's "Football Thrills of 1940." What's It All About? Be sure you know the subject matter of every short you book. It would be embarrassing to have two sport reels, or perhaps a musical short and a musical feature on the same program. Your patrons like variety. NEWSREEL SYNOPSES . . (Released Saturday, October 18) PARAMOUNT (No. 15) — East Coast defenses in tryout; President of Portugal inspects Azores Islands; Prime Minister Salazar welcomes Portugal's President on return to Lisbon; Nazi spy ship held in Boston Harbor; American military mission inspects Brazil's armed forces; New amphibian tanks tested at Dunedin, Fla. ; Joe Louis passes Army medical test; Exclusive pictures from General Weygand's headquarters. MOVIETONE (Vol. 24, No. 11)— Nazi spy ship held in Boston Harbor; Daredevil cracks up planes; Baby rhinoceros born in Chicago; Roxyettes perform at Randall's Island ; New amphibian tanks tested at Dunedin, Fla.; Russian armored train; Night plane battle in African desert; Celanese fashions; Football: Army vs. VMI; Soccer game in England; Sailboat race off Virginia coast. NEWS OF THE DAY (Vol. 13, No. 210)— New amphibian tanks tested at Dunedin, Fla. ; Nazi spy ship held in Boston Harbor; Pan-Americans participate in Mass at Guadalupe, Mexico; Baby rhinoceros born in Chicago, and baby kangaroo born in San Francisco; Night plane battle in Middle East; Soccer game in England; Joe Louis passes Army medical test; Football: Army vs. VMI — Texas Aggies vs. N.Y.U. PATHE (Vol. 13, No. 15) — Nazi spy ship held in Boston Harbor; President of Portugal inspects Azore Islands; Pan-Americans participate in Mass at Guadalupe, Mexico; Magnesium production speeded; Roxyettes perform at Randall's Island; New highway guard rail; The Gene Raymonds give "make believe" party; Joe Louis passes Army medical examination ; South African forces ready for war. UNIVERSAL (Vol. 14, No. 24)— Nazi spy ship held in Boston Harbor; New ammunition plant at Gadsdon, Ala.; New amphibian tanks tested at Dunedin. Fla.; Pan-Americans participate in Mass at Guadalupe, Mexico ; Baby rhinoceros born in Chicago ; Roxyettes perform at Randall's Island; Men's beauty shop; Football: Northwestern vs. Wisconsin; Chimpanzee wrestles men. (Released Wednesday, October 15) PARAMOUNT (No. 14) — Fire blasts defense rubber stores at Fall River, Mass. ; Senator Reynolds weds Evalyn Walsh McLean ; School bus accident near Eads, Tenn. ; Canadian freighter launched at Montreal; Boys trained on old sailing ship at St. Petersburg, Fla.; Championship rodeo comes to New York; Lend lease goods unloaded at English port; Wallis Warfield has big homecoming at Baltimore; Football: Minnesota vs. Illinois — Oregon vs. U.S.C. — Penn vs. Yale. MOVIETONE (Vol. 24, No. 11)— Fire blasts defense rubber stores at Fall River, Mass.; Championship rodeo comes to New York; Senator Reynolds weds Evalyn Walsh McLean; Wallis Warfield has big homecoming at Baltimore; England's King and Queen inspect munitions factory; "Turkey throw" is feature of festival at Harrisonburg, Va. ; Football: Penn vs. Yale — Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech. — Minnesota vs. Illinois — Santa Clara vs. Calif. Bears (San Francisco only). NEWS OF THE DAY (Vol. 13, No. 209)— Fire blasts defense rubber stores at Fall River, Mass. ; Churchill visits Coventry Cathedral; Lend-lease goods from U. S. arrive in England (except Boston, Los Angeles, New Haven, Philadelphia, Portland, San Francisco and Seattle; Mobile canteens, donated by American motion picture workers, arrive in England ; Russian girls in the ranks head for the front; Wallis Warfield has big homecoming at Baltimore; Senator Reynolds weds Evalyn Walsh McLean; Air raid maneuvers along Atlantic Seaboard; Football: Columbia vs. Princeton (except Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh and Seattle) — Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech. (Atlanta, Chicago and Indianapolis only) — Michigan vs. Pitt (Detroit and Pittsburgh only) — Oregon vs. U.L.C. (except Boston, New Haven and Philadelphia) — Penn vs. Yale (Boston, New Haven and Philadelphia only). PATHE (Vol. 13, No. 14) — Fire blasts defense rubber stores at Fall River, Mass. ; Survivors of torpedoed ship at Rio de Janeiro; Lend-lease goods arrive in England ; Train crashes into school bus near Eads. Tenn. ; Senator Reynolds weds Evalyn Walsh McLean ; "Turkey throw" features festival at Harrisonburg, Va. (except Boston) ; Championship rodeo comes to New York; Football: Minnesota vs. Illinois — Penn vs. Yale (except Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle) ; Flying ambulance at Hyannis, Mass. (Boston only). UNIVERSAL (Vol. 14, No. 23)— Fire blasts defense rubber stores at Fall River, Mass. ; Russia fights new German drive ; Churchill sees defense spurt ; Air raid defense tests in New York; British warships dock at Rio de Janeiro for supplies; Duke and Duchess of Windsor in Baltimore; Senator Reynolds weds Evalyn Walsh McLean ; Championship rodeo comes to New York; Football: Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech. — Penn vs. Yale — Columbia vs. Princeton.