Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1942)

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4 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW December 19, 1942 L. A. Theatres Set to Meet Emergencies Stating that Los Angeles "is the best prepared and has the best conditions for handling the public of any city in the United States," Battalion Chief Henry R. Boone of the city Fire Department, at a joint week-end meeting of the Amusement Industry Committee, the Theatre Defense Bureau and the Cabaret Defense Bureau, pointed to the "exceptionally fine shape" of the theatres "due to the sincere and patriotic efforts of the Theatre Defense Bureau in cooperation with the Fire Department." The Committee went on record against a change in the city ordinance to permit smoking in foyers during intermissions only, preferring to permit smoking at any time in foyers but only in theatres that are of fireproof construction. Appointment of Wayne C. Ball, Columbia film exchange manager and a member of the Committee, as War Activities Committee representative to handle the distribution of Government Victory Films, was announced at the meeting. Ball reported that all but 20 theatres in Los Angeles are running all such pictures. These recalcitrants, he added, would be dealt with promptly. Financing of the Theatre Defense Bureau for the coming year was settled, with each theatre group accepting shares of expense. A total of $1600 was pledged to carry on the work. Sherrill C. Cohen was named treasurer. Reports of tests conducted over the communications network showed that every theatre in Los Angeles can be notified within seven minutes of an alert, a blackout or an actual attack. Such information will be conveyed to audiences through the use of the blackout record, a transcription aimed at preventing panic and hysteria. All theatres have been furnished with a compact safety regulations card, which briefty^ but concisely explains the duties of all employes in the event of a wartime emergency. Immediate completion of the personal inspection of all theatres by members of the Theatre Defense Bureau was ordered by George M. Watters, chairman of the meeting. To date, 187 theatres have been inspected. Several were reported to the Fire Department for minor infractions of recommendations, which have since been corrected. Industry Increasing Gifts to Jewish Charities 15 to 50% Despite unsettled and uncertain conditions, members of the Amusement Industry are increasing their gifts to the Federation of Jewish Charities from 15 to SO per cent, it was announced at a luncheon of the Amusement Division of Federation last week at the Hotel Astor. David Bernstein, co-chairman of the Amusement Division with Major Albert Warner, revealed that more than one-third of the $150,000 total raised last year for the 116 affiliated Federation hospitals, orphanages, homes for the aged and other charities, is already in. INDEX TO DEPARTMENTS Advance Dope 36 Box-Office Slants 9 Current Product Summary 43 Feature Booking Guide 37 Hollywood 30 Newsreel Synopses 23 On the Patriotic Front 10 Program Exchange 14 Selling the Picture 15 Shorts Booking Guide 40 Short Subject Reviews 23 Showmanalysis 19 Variety Club Notes 35 Receives Navy 'E' Award Harold J. Fitzgerald (right), president of FoxWisconsin Amusement Corp., Milwaukee, is shown here being congratulated by Lt.-Comm. Gerald C. Eilick, after being awarded the Navy's Recruiting "E" pin and flag for "outstanding and meritorious service." Commander Ellick called attention to Fitzgerald's outstanding job in Navy's drive to enlist 2400 men as a "token crew" for new battleship Wisconsin, to be launched soon. 'Colleges at War/ Set For 40 Day-Rate Runs "Colleges at War," first of three U. S. Government shorts which will be distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, will have 40 day-anddate first runs in the metropolitan New York City territory starting Dec. 24, according to W. F. Rodgers, vice-president and general sales manager, who is also coordinator of distribution of war films for the War Activities Committee of the Motion Picture Industry. Manner in which MGM will go after "Colleges at War," to be released Dec. 24, and two other Government shorts, is indicated in a telegram from H. M. Richey, in charge of exhibitor relations, to branch managers. Wired Richey, in part : ". . . It is our obligation to get record circulation for the first government shorts entrusted to us for dis. tribution. Inasmuch as we are asked to distribute and exhibitors to play government reels or charity shorts at rate of only one a week, there seems to be no reason why any exhibitor properly approached should hesitate to give the few minutes of his screen time required thus to further the winning of the war. "It is on this basis that we urge you to appeal to the few exhibitors not yet giving complete cooperation. We do not criticize their attitude but want to show them that despite any objections they may have to distribution methods, alleged public apathy or inferior quality of reels, the job in the aggregate requires very little screen time and the rentals on the entire 26 charity shorts very little of their money compared to the government's firm conviction that exhibition of every reel in every theatre is necessary. . . ." PRC December Deals Keep Pace With Record November Business Circuit deals for PRC product closed during the first two weeks in December, have kept pace with the record-breaking business of November which set a new all-time high for the company for any one month, according to Arthur Greenblatt, vice-president in charge of sales for PRC. Important circuit deals closed since December 1 include the following in the Cleveland territory : Community Theatre Circuit, Greenberger & Polster Circuit, Gottlub-Fain, Fine-Kramer, Kalafat & Urbansky, Harry Reinhart Circuit, Schwartz & Schulman, A. G. Constant Circuit and Warner Bros. Lee L. Goldberg, who operates the Cleveland branch and also the exchanges in Cincinnati and Indianapolis, also closed contracts with the Marcus & Carr Circuit in Indianapolis and Ft. Wayne and with the RKO Theatres in Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio. Strict Safety Rules for Alabama Theatres Alabama theatres may not sell standing-room or overflow tickets, must keep vestibules clear of standees awaiting show breaks, and live up to other prohibitions of a set of rigid safety rules laid down by Frank N. Julian, State Superintendent of Insurance. The rules will be enforced by deputy fire marshals, who must make regular inspections for fire hazards, under the new safety provisions for all theatres in the state. The provisions to be enforced include : No standing room or overflow tickets may be sold; all aisles and vestibules must be kept clear during performances and in no instance must front vestibules be crowded by selling tickets to those awaiting the beginning of a new show ; every exit must be inspected daily to insure that panic bolts are working and that access to exits are clear ; lighting in use during performances must be maintained in a manner to assure sufficient light for the people in the theatre to make their way to and from seats ; fluorescent rugs in aisles and entrances must be used — if possible to obtain such equipment ; where balconies in use extend to the second floor, exits and fire escapes must be provided on the second floor level ; smoking is prohibited inside the theatre, and any theatre permitting smoking during a performance will be closed. MGM Sets Jan. 5 Trade Shows "Three Hearts for Julia," previously announced for an earlier date, and "Presenting Lily Mars" will be trade-shown by MGM on January 5 in exchange centers throughout the country. Charles Einfeld (The Man on the Cover) Director of advertising and publicity of Warner Bros., and vice-president of Vitagraph Corporation, who in recent weeks has attended many conferences in Washington and New York as well as at his headquarters on the West Coast, in connection with important company production matters and ambitious plans for special campaigns for several forthcoming pictures, notably the premiere of 'Air Force." Einfeld actively directed the Victory Committee's extensive and efficiently organized tour of stars during the industry's "Salute to Our Heroes" bond drive during September — some of the extraordinary accomplishments of which are covered in a summary of the Committee's activities in a news report on page 8. SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW Vol. 37, No. 22 December 19, 1942 Title and Trade Mark Registered U. S. Patent Office Published every Friday by Showmen's Trade Review. Inc., 1501 Broadway, New York City. Telephone BRyant 9-5606. Charles E. "Chick" Lewis, Editor and Publisher; Tom Kennedy, Associate Editor; Joseph H. Gallagher, Film Advertising Manager; Harold Rendall. Equipment Advertising Manager; West Coast Oftiv.e, 6777 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, Calif.; Telephone Hollywood 2055. Ann Lewis, manager; Chicago Representative. Herbert Levinger, 224 South Michigan Ave., Chicago, 111.; Telephone WEBster 4316. London Representative, Milton Deane, 185 Fleet St., I-ondon E.C. 4; Australian Representative, Cordon V. Curie, 1 Elliott St., Homebush, Sydney, Australia. Subscription rates per year $2.00 in the United States and Canada; Foreign, $5.00. , Single copies, ten cents. Subscribers should remit witly order. Entered as second class matter February 20, /940, at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., under/the act of March 3, 1879. Contents copyrighted 1942M)y Showmen's Trade Review, Inc. Printed in U.S.A. Address all Communications to: SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW 1501 Broadway. New York City