Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1944)

November 18, 1944 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW 5 Here We Go... Reports from all over the country indicate that theatremen have completed campaign arrangements and are all set to start off with a bang in their drives for the Sixth War Loan, We haven't the slightest doubt that the exhibition branch of this industry will deliver an outstanding job and reach high success for the purpose to which the industry is dedicated— one-hundred per cent cooperation with the Treasury Department in the widespread sale of "E" bonds. The National Committee has done an excellent job of organization and servicing to the theatres in preparation for the drive, Harry Brandt and his colleagues on that committee have worked like Trojans in their headquarters' offices and also in touring the length and breadth of the land to address regional meetings. They well deserve the high-spirited and wholly cooperative response of the exhibitors and exchange men who have rallied at the various and several gatherings. We say to theatremen again, as we have said on the eve of every drive in behalf of the government and the war effort: your country and your industry expect you to come through with flying colors. We know you will make good. AAA Piling Up The backlog of completed pictures continues to pile up at a staggering rate. Contrary to some exhibitor charges that this is being done intentionally to create a picture shortage, the distributors are no happier about this condition than the exhibitors because they have heavy investments tied up in productions that should be circulating and returning some of that money. Boom attendance in the first runs continues without abatement. Pictures are doing so big a business that attractions simply cannot be yanked, even though the following runs need them. If you, Mr, Theatreman, had a stake in such a picture you'd certainly want to get everything you could from it while the getting was good. Important key spots, like New York's Times Square and Chicago's Loop, offer only a limited number of showwindow theatres and when those theatres hold over attractions for weeks and weeks, the backlog keeps mounting. We talked with the sales executives of two companies in the past week and both complained bitterly that they had fine pictures ready for release but couldn't get a first run theatre in which to open them. How long this condition will prevail is anyone's guess. Perhaps when reconversion gets underway the first runs may experience a falling off in their fantastic boom business and thus shorten the runs at key situations. When this happens it is reasonable to assume that the second and subsequent runs will play to larger crowds and at the same time the former will play pictures as they did before the boom. The one and two-week runs, minus additional two and three-week holdovers, will mean that product again will start flowing at a faster pace and thus relieve the pinch all along the line, meanwhile providing all the distributors with opening spots for their completed productions. Such a condition will also level off and equalize the business over more theatres than prevails now. Many of the subsequent runs, especially in and around the large cities, can stand an upswing of business because thsy haven't enjoyed much of the boom thus far, AAA 'The Heart of Showbusiness' The motion picture industry through the Variety Clubs of America entered the national spotlight this week with the announcement that the annual Humanitarian Award of the Clubs will be conferred this year on Secretary of State Cordell Hull, The event will be suitably celebrated on Friday, November 24th, when leaders of our industry and our national government pay tribute to Mr. Hull at a banquet in the Mayflower Hotel in the nation's capital. No other event in the past years has been more important than this, the presentation of so impressive a tribute by an organization whose membership is composed of men from all branches of the motion picture industry. Theatremen whose local newspapers are all too prone to carry adverse news about our business might try planting stories about the Variety Clubs in those newspapers and particularly highlighting this Humanitarian Award. The more friendly papers will, naturally, be happy to give it prominent space, as well as glowing tributes to Mr, Hull, and the Variety Clubs, through their editorials. Most of official Washington will be represented at the Award Dinner by top Cabinet Members and leading Senators and as of this writing, it is expected that President Roosevelt will be able to attend not only because of his close and personal friendship for Mr. Hull but because he too is keenly aware of the magnificent work of th'' Variety Clubs in which he has always shown a great interest. —''CHICK" LEWIS