Showmen's Trade Review (Jul-Sep 1942)

July 11, 1942 S H O M E N ' S TRADE REVIEW 5 OK for UMPI Plan Indicated With the exception of what has been described as "minor details," the UMPI sales plan appears to have met with a sympathetic reception on the part of Robert L. Wright, head of the film unit of the Department of Justice, and Thurman W. Arnold, assistant attorney general, with whom a committee of UMPI representatives conferred July 3rd in Washington. Changes to conform to suggested revision of the plan were being made this week, and it is expected the Department of Justice will arrange for the industry committee to present the plan to Federal Court Judge Henry W. Goddard for approval as an amendment to the consent decree. The committee whose members conferred with the D. of J. representatives concerning the new plan was composed of the following: Austin Keough, head of the legal department of Paramount; William F. Rodgers, UMPI chairman; A. F. Myers, Allied general counsel; Ed Kuykendall, MPTOA president; William Brandt, president of the ITOA of New York; Col. Robert Barton, attorney for the ITOA of Virginia, and William Crockett, president of the Virginia exhibitor group. Bingo and Bank Nite Staging Come-back in Rochester Theatres Among the added features that are staging a pronounced comeback, after a period of meaning Httle or nothing at the box office, is Bingo and Bank Night. Rochester, N. Y., is one of the nation's current hot spots for Bingo revival where some 15 neighborhood houses have reinstated the game after having given it up some time ago. In one downtown second run situation the game is played twice weekly with a prize of $1,220 and the admission has been upped to .99 cents. The neighborhood houses have also found the game to be such a draw that in one instance a hall is operated in conjunction with the theatre with a $400 prize as the magnet. Another house is getting .50 cents for its pasteboards on the night that the cash is the added attraction. Competition is being of¥ered by many halls, churches, etc., and a downtown roller rink is ofTering competition to first runs with a big cash [irize once each week. In Springfield, Ohio, after a long period when only passive interest was shown by theatre goers, the weekly Bank Night is recording new highs and the theatres are meeting stiff competition from churches and lodges who run Ringo games almost every night. Canadian Theatre Business Up 35%, Wolfe Cohen Reports Picture theatre attendance in Canada currently is up from 25 to more than 35 per cent above last summer, with gas rationing, high industrial employment and general war activity as the principal contributing factors, according to Wolfe Cohen, Warner Bros. Canadian district manager, who was in New York this week conferring with Ben Kalmenson, general sales manager, and other home office executives. Cohen said the deluxe first-runs and other houses with admission scales of around 50 cents or higher are showing a bigger proportionate boost in attendance than theatres charging from 10 to 25 cents. "Miniver" Continues Pace for New Music Hall Record With a five-week attendance total of 772,983 "Mrs. Miniver" at the Music Hall establishes an all-time record gross and becomes one of the four pictures in Music Hall history to be -held over for the sixth week. Managing Director Gus Eyssell reports the unprecedented attendance of 94% of capacity since opening day. 306-Empire Talks Off Again Negotiations for a merger between Local 306 and Empire State Motion Picture Operators Union came to an abrupt end in New York Wednesday. Interest Rises on Singles Exhibitor interest in single features is bringing a flood of mail to the Interstate Theatre offices in Texas where the practice of duals never got beyond the stage of consideration. The Texas circuit have enjoyed many benefits from firm adherence to the policy of one feature and a carefully selected program of accompanying short product. All queries are being answered in vigorous affirmation of the advisability of establishing the single feature policy. WPB Asks Exhibitor Aid in Salvage Drive Cooperation of the exhibitors and legitimate theatres throughout the country in the salvaging of critical materials and the conservation of all supplies has been asked by Christopher J. Dunphy, Chief of the Amusement Section of WPB's Services Branch, following an appeal by WPB Chairman Donald M. Nelson for an intensified nationwide salvage campaign. Mr. Dunphy expressed particular concern over the necessity of salvaging copper. He urged every theatre manager to scrap all unused pieces of copper, and to save each piece for distribution to salvage centers. "All carbon butts," he said, "as well as every ounce of the drippings from the carbon, should be accumulated and sent immediately to the nearest local theatre supply company. Theatre managers also should keep an accurate record of carbon drippings, because these furnish a vital contribution to the war." Mr. Dunphy said that he had made arrangements with supply companies to sell all salvage material to scrap dealers and to donate the proceeds to the American Red Cross or other welfare agencies. Petrillo Record Edict Hits Juke Competition James C. Petrillo, president of the American Federation of Musicians, announces that 140,000 members of his A. F. of L. union will not make "records, electrical transcriptions or any other form of electrical reproduction of music" after July 31st. While Petrillo's move is directed against some 550 radio stations it will also mitigate against the juke box operator. The lowly ju,ke box really rates as big theatre competition. Petrillo estimates that some 8,000 or 9,000 musicians could be placed in commercial spots that now depend entirely on juke boxes for music. He further estimates that his organization benefits to the extent of some $3,000,000 yearly from the royalties of records but contends that the indiscriminate distribution through juke boxes and over the air results in losses of more than $100,000,000 in reduced employment. The only exception to the rule that Petrillo intends placing in efifect is the making of recordings for the Army, Navy and war agencies. Cowdin Goes to Coast for Tax and Finance Discussions J. Cheever Cowdin, chairman of the board of Universal Pictures, left New York Thursday for Los Angeles to discuss taxes and government finance with southern California executives and industrialists. The meeting in Los Angeles will be the first of a series of meetings being held under the auspices of the National Association of Manufacturers covering twenty-one of the major cities in the United States. Mr. Cowdin was accompanied by Mrs. Cowdin. Cul Sunday Call-Back In Conservation Plan .\t a Nev\ York Film Board of Trade meeting between a special carriers' committee and representatives of branch managers, head shippers, head bookers and office managers it was decided to eliminate Sunday night callbacks for film and to do away with Monday deliveries as far as possible. The decision was made in the interest of meeting the demands of the Office of Defense Transportation for the conservation of gasoline and rubber. The program, to be put in effect immediately, also calls for getting the trucks oi¥ earlier each day to cut down the number of vehicles serving the same route, slower driving to lessen tire wear. Benefits of the new transportation formula will be discussed at another meeting to be held in the near future. Morris and Lou Lane, Ira and Edward Meinhardt and Ed Seider made up the carriers' committee. David A. Levy, Ralph Pielow, Myron Satler and Eddie Mullen represented the branch managers ; Nat Goldberg and Herman Silverman, office managers ; Miss Etta Segall, Miss Jennie Dennett, Archie Berish, George Blenderman, Jack Perley, Eddie Richter and Sam Geinblum, head bookers ; David Newman, John Weinberg and Louis Johnson, head shippers. Trailer Footage To Be Reduced The proposed curtailment of film footage devoted to trailers is given a new slant with the suggestion of one distributor that they be confined to 200 feet for top attractions and 100 feet for those in the lower brackets. Original suggestion was that AA pictures be given 200 feet, A pictures 150 feet and B films 100 feet.