Showmen's Trade Review (Jul-Sep 1942)

12 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW July 18, 1942 Usherettes Aid Street Ballyhoo At noon on the day preceding the opening of MGM's "Babes on Broadway" at the Merced Theatre, Merced, Calif., usherettes wheeled the doorman around the business district in a perambulator. Each girl had a large all-day sucker, while the doorman smoked cigars incessantly. The stunt was part of the campaign staged by Manager Harry Nunan on the musical comedy. Guest Chairman Takes Over/ Exchange Members Join Us m Wishing Walters the Best More than likely you chaps who follow this department regularly will find plenty to complain about this week so the following explanation is in order and presented here for the express purpose of forestalling as much of the criticism as possible. The fellow who does such a fine job of passing out pats on the back and kicks in the pants (all in the way of constructive criticism, of course) is basking in the sunshine — or maybe the shade — of some pastoral retreat and the handling of the department is in the hands of a substitute. So if there is something missing — or something mentioned for that matter— that is not in the regular order of expectancies you can take it up with him when he gets back. Probably a lot of the members will be wanting to say "s'long pal" to Bob Walter, manager of the Summit Theatre, Kansas City, Mo. Bob has just sent in samples of a herald that brought him the second highest Thursday-Friday receipts of the year. He capitalized on the news of may not be hearing from me much longer. I England's thousand plane have enlisted in the Naval Air Corps as an bombing of Germany and aviation cadet and expect to be called for active rushed out a small herald training . . . One thing you can be sure of i.s on ordinary news stock that I'll be following the news of the film world reading "Wartime in in your magazine as I intend to subscribe to it structions on Bombing wherever I may be located. I might want to go Tactics." Inside, the her back into this business after the mess is over Bob Walter went on to suggest and I can't think of a better way to keep up that the reader obtain with things than by following a good trade visual instruction on how air raids are carried magazine." out over Germany by dropping in at his theatre It's hard to find an answer to a letter like to see "Target For Tonight." That's what we that. We appreciate it a lot. Bob, and our call hitting them right on the nose and there is standing wish will be that the enemy never no question but that the timely distributed gets a chance to see the back of your neck, herald accounted for the satisfying receipts. Most of the members reporting this week In the accompanying letter, which carries the show themselves to be actively engaged in some news of his impending departure for the Naval form or other of cooperation with the various .Mr Corps, Walter says, in part : forms of salvage collecting, bond sales, drives, "Just for the sake of the record let it be etc. Ed, Harris of the Glendale, Glendale, known that I think the Program Exchange is Calif., had great success with a "Candy Show a fine thing and is a very constructive section for the U.S.O." — one of those buy-a-bar-for-ain a constructive magazine. In fact it is a buddy events. Rubber matinees have been magazine which I will not be without . . . You highly popular with many theatres reporting outstanding success with special shows, held out of regular operating hours, with kiddies , . . admitted free in return for rubber scrap. The "YoUf Application Ulttflk" youngsters seem to take the need of the stretchy rl '1 AI t material that Uncle Sam has been asking for Ctip and Mail I\OW. more seriously than their elders and great piles of hot water bottles, mats, tennis shoes, golf STR Program Exchange balls, etc., but few tires have accumulated at SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW theatres holding the shows. 1501 Broadway The following summary of the totals collected New York, N. Y. in some scattered communities will give some r> "/-L I ". I I. -k.. <«■ —«-,k„,.u;„ "lea of how important a part theatres and Dear Chick : — I hereby apply tor membership in , , . ' , • ,i i • i i cTD n cL i j,.ji.Li. i showmanship can play n' the highly necessary the STR Program Exchange. I understand that entry ,. r',.^-' ^ A r , ,.L • -f -ir „1 business of making a success of the Govern of my name on this coupon signifies a willingness ,, . j • r i • r ' , .. -ll ll M.L i ment s various drives for the salvaging of essen to exchange theatre programs with other theatres, ,■ , „ • i tr 4.u i • t L,-, ..L ui r> I _ tial war materials. Eight theatres m Los but invo ves no other ob igation. Only managers, . , . j -icf c i . , , -LI .Angeles turned in 15 tons; five houses in assi:itants, or men in charge of programs e igib e. > , j /i ^ j i ^ *^ ^ * Arizona towns gathered 4 tons and seven houses in the California Citrus Belt received 7 tons. Name All were the result of one show that in no way conflicted with regular performances. Most theatres are turning over the financial ' proceeds to various war relief and emergency groups but if l theatre is in need of revenue Position the management will still be performing a patriotic deed in helping the Government — and J... at the same time helping himself — if he collects ' the scrap and uses the revenue resulting; for operating expenses. The program exchange State department would like to hear from all the mem bers cooperating in the scrap collection drives. If your theatre has not yet entered into one or more of the "scrap to slap the Jap" campaigns get started quick — you'll be engaging in worthwhile eff^ort to fill a very urgent Government need. Pruitt Comes Across for Sandlot "Yankee" Fans The "Hub Midgets," a sandlot group of youngsters from that section of the Bronx, N. Y., in and around 149th Street known as the "Hub," were determined that at least oq^e of their members would get to see the world premiere of "The Pride of the Yankees." They confronted theatre manager Clayton Pruitt in the box-office of the RKO Royal Theatre, and explained that not having $1.10 each for tickets they had pooled their weekly 10 cent allowances to buy one seat for the premiere. Lots had been drawn and the lucky youngster (Tommy Kelly) had won the right to see the picture, based on the life of their diamond idol, the late Lou Gehrig. Manager Pruitt sold them the ticket and in return gave each of the youngsters a 10 cent War Savings Stamp, treated them to double icecream sodas and topped that by giving them each an "Annie Oakley" for the current show. Reis Has Traveling Box-Office Manager Jack Reis of the RKO Greenpoint Theatre, Brooklyn, N. Y., used a novel ticket selling device to stimulate interest in the world premiere at his theatre of "The Pride of the Yankees." The device, a traveling box-office, was stationed at prominent intersections of the Greenpoint sector during the day thus enabling housewives, shoppers, pedestrians, bus, streetcar, and subway passengers an opportunity of buying seats without going direct to the theatre box-office. Father and Son Golf Award "In This Our Life" received some fine newspaper publicity when Manager Falkenburg of the Alabama, Birmingham, Ala., put up four $25 War Bonds as prizes from Bette Davis and Olivia DeHaviland in the annual Father and Son Golf Tournament of the Highland Park Club. HELPFUL HINTS (Ed. Note: This is one of a series of timely and valuable letters prepared by Charles H. Ryan for managers of Warner Chicago Theatres. His advice could readily apply to theatres everywhere. Therefore , we suggest you clip and save these "Helpful Hints" as they appear from time to time.) Crash Through! Things are not always what they seem. The great tasks that loom up before us as impossible at first glance, dwindle within accomplishment after being measured ofif properly. The first thing every good fighter does is to size up the' situation as it appears to him at the beginning of the round. He breaks down the job of winning into the various logical things that have to be done, step by step, to the finish. He organizes the strategies he has learned in training, and determines in advance how he is going to apply them to win the fight. The winners in all the games of life are the strong, determined, far-sighted and hard-working chaps who have trained themselves by constant effort and who know in advance just how they are going to win. So, take a look at yourself. Check up on your qualifications. Then set about doing the job that needs to be done. Any real job for a fighter!