Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1944)

8 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW December 30, 1944 $13 Million Increase In Admission Taxes The public paid $30,183,454.81 in admission taxes for November, 1944, against $16,388,863.29 for the comparable period in 1943, showing an increase of $13,794,591.52, according to the latest report released by the Bureau of Internal Revenue. For the four months from July 1, 1944, to November 30, 1944, admission taxes totaled $155,835,612.75 in comparison to $78,743,429.97 for the similar period in the previous year, thus yielding a gain to the Treasury of $77,092,182.78. Tax on photographic apparatus, inclusive of optical equipment for November, 1944, totaled $1,121,124 vs. $924,085.01 for November, 1943, an increase of $193,227.51. Phonograph records shovi^ed a measurable increase in taxes from $161,411.08 in November, 1943, to $201,096.58 in November, 1944. The sale of musical instruments showed a slight decline from $60,773.53 collected in November, 1943, to $50,565.76 in November, 1944. Radio sets, components, phonographs, etc., showed a total collection of $456,618.30 for November, 1944, vs. $277,827.95 in November, 1943, an increase of $178,790.35. Bowling alleys, pool tables, etc., yielded the Government in taxes for November, 1944, $130,590.94 vs. $51,519.74 for November, 1943. The Government's yield from retailers' excise tax on jewelry showed an increase of almost 50 per cent, with revenues collected in November, 1944, totaling $13,247,841.68 vs.. $7,287,555.18 for November, 1943. While the liquor industry showed an increase in revenues to the Government of $86,450,779.36 for the contrasting months of November 1943 to 1944, the tax on tobacco showed a decline of $11,877,511.62. Total receipts from the liquor industry in November, 1944, showed $203,753,927.75 vs. $117,303,148.39. Tobacco receipts for November, 1944, were $81,180,413.28 vs. $93,057,924.90 in November, 1943. Income, excess-profits and unjust enrichment taxes for November, 1944, totaled $1,633,189,443.69 vs. $1,470,849,993.19 in November, 1943, showing a gain of $162,339,450.50. Withholding taxes in November, 1944, totaled $1,202,868,830.61 vs. $1,088,703,350.08, showing a gain of $114,165,480.53. Corporation income taxes showed a decrease of $6,430,646.20 for November, 1944, for the same month one year ago when corporation taxes yielded $103,643,185.56 vs. $97,212,539.36. The total of internal revenue receipts for November, 1944, were $2,396,246,362.82 vs. $2,089,635,246.24, an increase of $306,611,116.58. For July through November, 1944, total revenues from taxes were $15,311,859,393 vs. $12,555,595,442.;35 for the comparable period of one year ago, an increase of $2,756,263,950.65. Goldberg to Head Reel Fellows Lou Goldberg of Republic was elected president of the Reel Fellows Club of Chicago last week and will be installed into office at the January 21 meeting of the organization at the Blackstone Hotel. Ted Meyers and Harry Walders were named vice-presidents ; Saul Goldman, secretary and Robert Funk of Universal, treasurer. Barker Loew's Publicist in St. Louis Ted Barker, who has served as relief manager for Loew's Theatres for several months, has been appointed publicist for Loew's State and Orpheum Theatres, St. Louis. To Confer With Studio Heads S. Barret McCormick, RKO Radio director of advertising and publicity, left last week for Hollywood to confer with Charles W. Koerner, vice-president in charge of production, and Perry Lieber, studio publicity head, on promotional campaigns on forthcoming pictures. Dimes 'Thank You!' Inspired by suggestions from a number of exhiDitors, tne puoiicity committee for the 1945 motion picture March of D,mes drive has prepared a " I hank You! ' one-sneet which is being mailed wirn the campaign books directly to 16,500 theatres. Each exhibitor is requested to insert the amount or nis collections in tne blank space. I he p ster may aiso be used during the drive by applying a poster reading: "To date in our Marcn of Uimes drive." I his is believed to be the best method of advertising the daily cumulative total. 4 Million Seats Set By Circuits for 'Dimes' A'lanifestations of gradual progress and ultimate success of the mdustry's first drive in the commg year m behalf of a merciful cause were indicated in a report from J. R. Vogel, circuit cnan-man oi tne iy45 iVlarch of Dmies drive, which stated up to the present no negative reply had Deen received by tne committee from circuits which have been appealed to for blanket pledges. Up to noon of Tuesday (26) responses received covered tneatres with a seating capacity of over 4 million. Every circuit responding has signified lOU per cent cooperation in the drive. Among the additional circuits enrolled since Vogel's last report were: Florida State 1 heatres, Jacksonville (110 theatres) ; Publix Great States theatres, Chicago (52 theatres) ; Rockwood Amusements, Nashville (16 theatres) ; HarrisVoeller theatres, Burley, Id. (12 theatres) ; Skouras theatres, New York (65 theatres) ; OK Theatre Corp., Dallas (4 theatres) ; Walter Reade theatres, iNew York (17 theatres) ; Fox West Coast (225 theatres) ; Warner Bros. (485 theatres) ; Fox West Coast (Northern Calif.) (52 theatres) ; Schulte Theatres, Detroit (19 tneatres) ; i\ieignborhood iheatre, Inc., Richmond, Va. (25 theatres) ; Cabart Theatres, Los Angeies (10 theatres); Minnesota Amusement, Minneapolis (81 theatres) ; Century Circuit, N. Y. (36 theatres) ; Fox Intermountain, Denver (71 theatres). Golden State Circuit, Oakland, Calif. (20 theatres) ; RKO Theatres, N. Y. (99 theatres); Schine circuit, Gloversville, N. Y. (121 theatres). Schenck Appoints Lee Shubert To Head Legits' Dimes Drive Plans for the participation of the legitimate theatre in the 1945 March of Dimes were completed by Nicholas M. Schenck, national chairman of the drive, when he appointed Lee Shubert early this week to head the legitimate theatre committee in the drive. Shubert, national theatrical entrepreneur, will at once begin to organize audience collections in New York's legitimate houses and in cities where road-shows will be playing during the week of Jan. 25-31. Last year the New York legitimate houses produced some $20,000 toward the fund, with more than $10,000 reported from dramatic theatres in the key cities of the nation. With the legitimate theatre reflecting the boom, a goal of $100,000 is being set by Shubert. Accessories for Dimes Drive Exhibitors participating in the 1945 March of Dimes drive will be furnished with a full-color lithograhed one-sheet citation poster signed by Nicholas M. Schenck, national chairman, and Basil O'Connor, Foundation president. The Heart-of-Humanity medal is reproduced in four colors. The posters will be distributed through the facilities of the National Screen Accessories exchanges. Harry Brandt Industry Hailed as 6th War Loan Ends Harry Brandt, national chairman for the motion picture industry's efforts on behalf of the 6th War Loan drive, completed his duties Friday (Dec. 29) at War Activities Committee headquarters in New York following one of the most successful campaigns essayed by the industry. In leaving for his own quarters, Brandt declared that the success attained in the 6th War Loan drive would not have been possible without the fine cooperation shown nationally by exhibitors, distributors, theatre managers and other industry personnel whose efforts were instrumental in rolling up one of the largest bond sales the government has ever under-taken. Said Brandt : "With the closing of the 6th War Loan drive, it gives me great pleasure and gratification to say to the industry workers that a great job was done by all. To the exhibitors of the nation I want to express my sincerest thanks for giving the 6th War Loan Committees several new records in the number of Bond Premieres, Children's Matinees and National Free Movie Day Shows that were held throughout the country. Their deeds spoke out loud in bond dollars and t'neir efforts no doubt gave them patriotic joy as well as additional local prestige. To the members of the various exhibitor, distributor and publicity committees again I want to repeat that without your extreme co-operation I doubt whether we would have been as successful as we were. "I again want to thank the trade press for their co-operative spirit and unstinted efforts." In closing, Brandt continued: "I assure you that at the beginning of this drive the $14,000,000,000 goal looked pretty tough and there was a bit of a doubt in my mind, but after the way the various industry workers pitched in, I soon felt confident that we would do a job. As a result the 6th War Loan will exceed its quota by approximately $6,500,000,000." Gala Turnout Marks Premiere of 'Kingdom' A distinguished audience of notables from society, important publishers including motion picture trade papers, prominent exhibitors, highranking clergymen, company officials from all major film organizations as well as 20th Century-Fox attended that company's gala invitational premiere of A. J. Cronin's "The Keys of the Kingdom" at the Rivoli Thursday night (Dec. 28). The world premiere started officially Friday (Dec. 29). A contingent of home office executives headed by President Spyros Skouras included Charles Skouras, president of National Theatres ; VicePresidents W. C. Michel, Tom Connors, Murray Silverstone, Joseph H. Moskowitz. Others in attendance were General Sales Manager W. J. Kupper, Sales Managers W. C. Gehring, A. W. (Continued on Page 28) Sets E Bond Record Charles C. Moskowitz, vice-president of Loew's proudly announces that Loew's Pitkin Theatre as of Dec. 26, sold $1,025,675 in E bonds during the Sixth War Loan drive. Loew's Pitkin is the first and only theatre in America to sell this amount in E bonds.