Showmen's trade review (Jul-Sep 1942)

August 8, 1942 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW 17 Jenkins Launches Georgia Bond Drive; Quota is $9,000,000 Challenged by a quota set at nine million dollars, William K. Jenkins, of the Lucas & Jenkins circuit, already has launched the campaign by which the industry will form the spearhead of the September War Bonds Drive in Georgia. As state chairman of the War Activities Committee of the Motion Picture Industry, Jenkins has written every exhibitor in the state, urging each to seek appointment as an issuing agent for the Treasury Department, qualified to sell War Bonds at the box office. "No greater honor has ever been paid our industry," Jenkins wrote his fellow exhibitors, "nor have we ever been asked to assume a heavier responsibility. As showmen, and as Americans we all must do our part." Following soon after this opening gun, a letter went out to all theatres in which State Administrator Marion Allen, and state chairman Arthur Lucas pledged to the industry the fullest cooperation of the Treasury Department during the September Drive. At the same time, Jenkins, in a telegram to Si Fabian, head of the theatres division of the WAC, expressed the belief that the Drive in Georgia would be tremendously helped by personal appearances of stars in Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, Macon and Columbus. Appearance of the stars at rallies in these cities, he believed, would result in the sale of bonds totaling at least one-third of Georgia's entire quota for the month. "There is no doubt," he told Fabian, "that the theatres, press and radio would combine their efforts to make a tour of screen stars a success in Georgia." As soon as word is received from the theatres their names will be turned over to the Treasury Department for designation as "issuing agents," Jenkins said. The Capitol Theatre, Charleston, W. Va., had a sale of $12,350 in bonds and $722 in stamps. %WAR BONDS/ HONOR HEROES/ ON SAIE HERE Important Accessories Offered Three important accessories for the industry's SBptember Bond Drive are shown above. Top: Red, white and blue usher's sash; Center: Burgee, size 18 in. x 24 in. in red, white and blue satinette, complete with crossbar, cord and tassels. Bottom: This 8 ft. x 36 in. marquee valance drape is still available to exhibitors at $3.75 each. All items reproduced here may be ordered through National Screen Accessories. 0/c/ Glory Rallies The War Activities Committee urges every local group now planning for the September "Salute to Our Heroes" bond and stamp drive to include "Old Glory Rallies" on September 13 — anniversary of the writing of the Star Spangled Banner. Flag raising ceremonies, community sings and other patriotic exercises can be arranged with bond and stamp selling as their motive. Coast to Duplicate War Bond Premiere West coast premiere of "Yankee Doodle Dandy" on August 12 at the Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood, is being sponsored by the local War Savings Staff of the Treasury Department along the same lines as the film's Broadway world premiere which brought in $5,750,000 in War Bond sales. Designated by Treasury officials as the Western "Build Ships" Premiere, the local opening aims to raise at least $5,000,000, enough to build three Liberty ships. The keel of the first of these vessels will be laid by the California Shipbuilding Corp. during the first week of the sales drive, and launchings will follow completion of the "Build Ships" bond-selling campaign. As in the case of the New York premiere, bonds in the amount of $25 to $25,000 will constitute admission to the opening. Because of the 2,764-seat capacity of the local Hollywood Theatre, estimates of the total intake run as high as $10,000,000. Fred Beetson of the Motion Picture Producers .\ss'n and Henry Ginsberg of the Motion Picture Committee for Hollywood are among the industry names on the committee for the premiere. Early Reports Indicate Large July Bond and Stamp Sales Initial reports of July sales of War Bonds and Stamps sold at theatres received at the War Activities Committee headquarters, forecast a much higher return for this month than for June. 790 theatres report a sale of $865,968. Some of the individual returns follow : The A^irginia Theatre, at Portsmouth, Virginia, sold $34,647 in bonds and stamps. The Park Theatre, at Reading, Pa., had sale close to $15,000. The Centre Theatre, Salt Lake City, sold $15,451 in War bonds and stamps. The Capitol Theatre, New London, Conn., reports a $25,000 sale. The Corona Theatre, Corona, L. L, had a $10,640 sale. The Ogden Theatre in the Bronx, sold $5,735 in stamps and $5,175 in bonds. The Allvn Theatre, Hartford, Conn., reports a $12,000 sale. George Mefford, Manager of the M. & P. Olympia Theatre at Chelsea, Mass., had a sale of $139,425.70 during July. Industry Mobilizing for Drive (Confiiuicd from Page 16) on stage or at front of center aisles is to lend a flash while patriotic marches are played from screen or phonograph or band. Audience stands to give three cheers. Bond sale is quickly held, announcing the sales secured in advance, plus patron buys from audience. A wire is to be sent by every participating theatre to Secretary of Treasury Morgenthau telling about the night's celebration, amount of bond and stamp sale, etc. Exhibitors are urged to write to Oscar A. Doob, 1501 Broadway, for bulletin detailing the opening night celebration, with complete instructions how to handle the program. Einfeld to Serve as Field Director of 300 Bond Rallies in Sept. S. Charles Einfeld, vice-president and advertising director of Warner Bros., will serve as field director of the 300 Bond rallies in the industry's Billion Dollar Bond and Stamp Sale Drive m September. The Hollywood Victory Committee is now recruiting an army of stars to start on seven different tour-routes September 1. Their period on tour will depend on production schedules, but all stars and studios have assured Ken Thomson of the Victory Committee full cooperation. A stafT of outstanding publicity men, with each producer contributing men from studios and home offices, will act as advance agents and accompany the stars. They will work under Einfeld's direction. Requests for rallies are pouring in from all four corners of the nation, with A. H. Blank, Iowa chairman, promising big turnouts if stars are sent to Des Moines, Davenport, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Burlington, Moline, Fort Dodge, Mason City, Ames, Iowa City, Clinton, Ottumwa, Marshalltown and Dubuque. Roy L. Smart urges rallies for Charlotte, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Raleigh, Wilmington and Durham. M. S. McCord of Little Rock has wired for stars to visit Little Rock, Hot Springs, Fort Smith, Texarkana, Jonesboro and Pine Bluff. Tony Sudekum in Tennessee, John J. Friedl in Minnesota and I. J. Hoffman in Connecticut are among other early applicants for star rallies. Sold $100,000 Worth in Week Jack Sanson, manager of the State Theatre, Manchester, Connecticut, reports a sale of $121,000 in War Bonds during the first week of July BUY WAR BOND Mmoi £vt/L^M(Tihe^ Smt Ui Semite / 15,000 THEATRES ARE UNITING IN 'SALUTE TO OUR HEROES MONm' Colorful Bond Drive Poster One of the most colorful accessories prepared by the WAC for the September "Salute to Our Heroes" Drive is the red, white and blue lithographed one-sheet reproduced above. The onesheets are available in any quantity at five cents each through the exchanges of National Screen Accessories. The same design in window-card size is available at four cents each.