Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1942)

December 19, 1942 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW 5 I DON'T CARE \F IT 15 TUESPAV NIGHT.' Wf A(NT(5i\/i(W' OUT DISHES TONITE CAMP theater! Expect Duals Out Of St. Louis By June 1 Current indications point to the possibility of exhibitors in St. Louis and St. Louis county agreeing 100 per cent to the plan of Harry C. Arthur, Jr., to eliminate duals in all theatres in the area on June 1, 1943. Exhibitors who have not yet signed the voluntary agreement have been holding off awaiting the signing of a key owner who is expected to take favorable action within the next few days. Indications are that the agreement will be unanimous by New Year's Day or earlier. St. Louis theatre owners are not in favor of the Philadelphia independent owner's proposal for movieless Mondays. They feel that there is no necessity for this step in the midwest. Fanchon & Marco Stock Suit Under Court Advisement The suit of the Fanchon and Marco Enterprises, of St. Louis, against Thomas N. Dysart and Frederick W. Straus, of Central Properties, The Ambassador Investment Corp'n., and the Ambassador Building Corp. Committee, was taken under advisement this week by Circuit Judge Robert L. Aronson. Action seeks to compel specific performance under an option claimed to have been given in July 1936 under which F & M could have purchased an additional 52 per cent of the stock of the St. Louis Amusement Company, consisting of 12,431 shares of class C and 13,929 shares of class B. Harry Arthur, head of Fanchon and Marco in St. Louis, was the chief plaintiff witness and Dysart, C. M. Turley, secretary of the St. Louis Amusement Co., and two directors of the St. Louis Amusement Co., Thomas L. Farrington and William T. Nardin, were the defense witnesses. 'Jim' Leads Army Theatres' November Box-office Leaders First place in popularity among films exhibited in the 700 or more Army camp theatres during November goes to Warners' "Gentleman Jim," according to a U. ■ S. Army Motion Picture Service report. Another Warner film, "Desperate Journey," was the previous month's top draw in the camps. Other November favorites, in the order named, were Paramount's "Forest Rangers," 20th Century-Fox's "Springtime in the Rockies," "Universal's "Who Done It?," RKO Radio's "Seven Days' Leave" and Columbia's "You Were Never Lovelier." Loew Employes' Christmas Bonus Same holiday bonus as was given last year has been announced for 1942 by Loew's Inc. Employes whose salaries do not exceed $40 per week and who have been continuously employed since prior to January 1, 1942, will receive a bonus of two week's salary, not exceeding $50. Those employed between January 1 and July 1, 1942, will receive a bonus of one week's salary and not exceeding $25. Employes of the Loew-MGM home offices, branch offices, theatres and WHN radio station are included. New Film Cuts Not Severe The WPB film allocal-ion order for the next quarter entirely eliminates the fears, recently expressed, that the heavy demands of the Army and Navy would place severe strain on the industry. According to reliable sources there is no reason to expect a drop in the allotment below a 24 per cent level under the footage consumed in 1941. Warner Bros. Complete Plans For Canadian Sales Drive Ben Kalmenson, Warner Bros, general sales manager, accompanied by Roy Haines and Arthur Sachson, home office sales executives, returned to New York this week from Toronto, where plans were completed for a special Canadian sales drive with a $1,000 War Bond for first prize, as part of the company's 1943 Drive of Champions which starts Dec. 20. The meeting was presided over by Wolfe Cohen, district manager for the Dominion, with all of his branch managers attending. Norman H. Moray, who has been on a crosscountry tour in connection with the Drive, also returned over the week-end. Presents to All 20th-Fox Employes in Armed Forces Final shipments of service men's Christmas packages to former employes now stationed at Army, Navy and Marine posts in the United States were made this week by Twentieth Cenutry-Fox. One month ago all gift packages for men overseas were forwarded through Army post offices. Of the total shipment of 609 packages, 83 went to the African, Australian and Solomon Islands fighting zones. In addition to the gift packages. President Spyros Skouras sent each Soldier, Sailor or Marine a personal letter and a $10 money order. Universal Gets Printing Award Certificate of Award for an outstanding example of printing was presented to Universal Pictures by the New York Employing Printers Association, Inc., at its Eighth Annual Exhibition of Printing, held at the Commodore Hotel. Specimen upon which the award was made was the Universal 1942-43 product announcement, printed in full-color process on letter press. Budd of Warners Coined WMC Job-Freezing Plan The procedure of job-freezing recently put in effect in Detroit by the War Manpower Commission was brain-childed by Ralph W. Budd, director of personnel for Warner Bros. Budd originated the idea during World War I when he was superintendent of the U. S. Employment Service for the Waterbury district and submitted details to Paul V. McNutt last July. The plan was credited with cutting labor turnover more than 200 per cent in 1918. Copies of the complete set of reports, cards and records to be used by employers and employes have also been turned over to McNutt's office. Budd is now working out details of procedures applicable to the film industry if, as and when they may be required. Paramount Sets Trade Shows; To Sell 'Rhythm' Separately Plans for the distribution of Paramount's "Star Spangled Rhythm," which will be sold separately, and the next block of five pictures, have been announced by Neil Agnew, company sales manager. Scheduled to play a special prerelease engagement at the New York Paramount starting Dec. 30, "Rhythm" will be sold for national release on Feb. 12. New block consists of "Lady Bodyguard," "Henry Aldrich Gets Glamor," "Happy Go Lucky," "Night Plane From Chungking" and "China." New York area trade screening schedule follows : "Lady Bodyguard," Dec. 28, 10:30 a.m., Fox projection room; "Henry Aldrich Gets Glamor," Dec. 28, 11 :45 a.m., at Fox; "Happy Go Lucky," Dec. 28, 2 :30 p.m., at Fox ; "Night Plane From Chungking," Dec. 29, 2:30 p.m., at Fox; "Star Spangled Rhythm," Dec. 29, 10:15 a.m., Normandie Theatre, 51 E. 53rd St. ; "China," March 19, 2:30 p.m., at Fox.