Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1942)

12 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW December 19, 1942 Kuykendall Urges Exhibitors to Aid in United Nations Drive Pointing out that "all exhibitor organizations have been asked to urge their members to pledge cooperation for" the United Nations Week Campaign, January 14-20, President Ed Kuykendall of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, in a special bulletin issued this week, urged members not to wait until the last minute to send pledges in. Wrote Kuykendall : "The fellows who are trying to organize and carry on this drive as national and local chairmen and committees are working without compensation. They are certainly entitled to a prompt response from every exhibitor, and such initial cooperation makes their job of booking the special short, supplying prints and publicity material so much easier. Give them a chance to do the good job they are so anxious to do by getting these pledges signed and sent in — but now !" Then, as an important afterthought, the MPTOA president added : "From a practical point of view, exhibitors must realize the terrific inconvenience and effort that would be involved if each of these causes put on separate drives instead of such a combined campaign. Even the repeated embarrassment of declining to cooperate in so many causes would become irksome. With this in view, as well as the patriotic and humanitarian motives, there should be no hesitation." Funds collected during the drive are to be divided among the relief organizations serving Australia, China, Czechoslovakia, Fighting French, Great Britain, Greece, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Russia and Yugoslavia. !owa, Nebraska Theatres Report Forty-seven theatres, some in Nebraska, most in Iowa, staged scrap engagements recently which added approximately 280 tons to the nation's scrap pile, according to a report received at War Activities Committee headquarters from A. H. Blank and Leo Wolcott, WAC co-chairmen. Fabian Fox Honors Marines On the eve of the 167th anniversary of the founding of the United States Marine Corps, the set of colors shown above was presented to the Marine Corps League on behalf of the Fabian Fox Brooklyn Theatre and Michaels Brothers' furniture stores. In keeping with the occasion, the Fabian Fox Amateur Hour was devoted solely to talent acquired from the local Marine headquarters and canteens. This particular amateur hour marked 8th year of broadcasting from the stage. Winner in Scrap Drive Theodore Lohmeyer (left), manager of the Warner Bros.' Avalon Theatre, Washington, receives from Carter Barron (right) of the War Activities Committee a $25 war bond for collecting the most scrap metal at his scrap metal matinee, one of 42 held in District of Columbia theatres a few days ago. Lohmeyer turned in 5,200 pounds of scrap; total collection from all 42 matinees: between 150,000 and 200,000 pounds. Center: Horace Walker, D. C. Salvage Commission head. Set Date for Test of War rrisoners r\\o Date of a test campaign, to determine the feasibility of a national exhibitor attempt to collect musical instruments and athletic equipment for use of war prisoners, has been set in Rochester for the week of January 25-31. This was revealed in a letter from J. Golden, manager of the RICO Palace in that city, to Edward Alperson, Chairman of the Special Events Committee of the WAC. Herbert Eisenhart, President of the Bausch & Lomb Optical Co., Golden declared, will act as chairman of the sponsoring committee, with Erwin Davenport, general manager for Rochester's two newspapers, in charge of publicity. The machinery of the campaign has already been set in motion and will involve the theatres, radio stations, schools, musicians, music dealers, churches and athletic organizations. Two other cities which will hold test campaigns before the final decision is made are New Haven and Pittsburgh, with Harry Shaw and .\1. Silver the respective chairmen. More Publicity Chairmen Listed By War Activities Committee (Continued from Page 10) man, has appointed the following city chairmen : Robert Livingston, Lincoln, Nebraska ; L. E. Davidson, Sioux City, Iowa ; Maurice Cohen-, Council Bluffs, Iowa; Wallay Kemp, Grand Island, Nebraska ; Howard Kennedy, Broken Bow, Nebraska. Los Angeles Exchange: Thornton Sargent, chairman, has appointed the following men to cover his district : Lloyd Thayer, Santa Barbara ; James Rurite, Pasadena ; Earl Rice, Glendale ; Harry Denny, San Bernardino ; Roy Hunt, l<iverside ; John Klee, Pomona ; William Roberts, Long Beach ; Mike Lustig, San Diego ; Henry Pines, Inglewood ; Ernest Stum, Santa Monica ; James Bradley, Huntington Park. Des Moines Exchange: Dale McFarland, chairman, names : Joe Gerbrach, Ames ; Cy Frangman, Boone ; L. J. Wegener, Burlington ; Orville Rennie, Cedar Rapids ; R. J. Baker, Centerville ; Harold Barnes, Clinton ; A. Don Allen, Davenport ; Jack Kolbo, Rock Island ; Borge Iverson, Moline, Illinois ; James Yiannias, Dubuque ; Jess Day, Fort Dodge ; Al Davis, Iowa City; Milton Troller, Marshalltown ; Tom Arthur, Mason City ; Joe Staak, Oskaloosa ; C. Russell Hill, Ottumwa ; Kermit Carr. Waterloo. Invades Arena, Sells $62,500; Other Bond, Stamp Sales High Wherever people are congregating, theatremen are moving right in and selling 'em bonds. Latest patriotic "invasion" was led by Bob Ungerfield, manager of Skouras' Jamaica Theatre, and was part of his theatre's "Avenge Dec. 7th Week." Bob took over the Jamaica Arena and in between bouts put on a show that netted bond and stamp sales of $62,250. This arena (other homes of fistiana take note!) is the only one in the U. S. that puts on bond rallies. Other bond campaign activities : As part of the special bond campaign marking the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, the Oriental Theatre, Denver, staged a bond premiere with "Flying Tigers" as the feature, which brought in $100,000. The theatre was scaled at $100 denomination bond a seat, and every one of the Oriental's 1000 was occupied. The 67 Skouras Theatres in and around the New York area staged their bond rallies for "Avenge Dec. 7th-0n To Victory" Week and turned in a total $530,000 in "E" bonds and stamps, said William White, general manager for these houses. Fox Wisconsin Exhibitors Sell $200,000 Bonds Before Drive The Fox Wisconsin Theatres, by dint of much personal effort, registered a total of $200,000 in bond sales before the "Avenge Dec. 7thOn to A^ictory" Week officially began. According to H. J. Fitzgerald, under whose generalship the Fox theatres are functioning, this figure may reach $300,000. As evidence that extra-theatre activities can promote enormous dividends, Fitzgerald as head of the local B'Nai B'Rith "Pearl Harbor Day War Bond Rally," reports that $750,000 in bonds have been sold and that the final total may be over a million dollars. This is not a specific "theatre" activity, but is another instance where a showman is able to serve his country on the iiome front. Savoy Collected Sixteen Tons The Savoy Theatre, Cliffside Park, N. J., got 16 tons of scrap at special matinees. St. George's Navy Week Show During Navy Recruiting Week, a Navy show was staged at the St. George Theatre, Staten Island, N. Y., by Manager Melville Hicks. Recruiting took place in the lobby. In the scene above, Richmond Borough President Joseph A. Palma (second from right) congratulates one of the recruits. Manager Hicks is standing at the extreme right.