Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1946)

40 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, Octcber 19, 1946 REGIONAL NEWSREEL (Continued from Page 34) dency of Al Perly, manager of the Midtown Theatre, with W. Heinits looking after the secrei-arial duties. The Eastern Ontario conference of the Community Film Councils, attended by 50 delegates, at Queen's University, Kingston, was told by Ronald C. Ward of the National Film Board that 14 moving picture operators had been trained in the district by the government board for the non-theatrical presentation of films. The latter are made available by the National Film Board and the National Film Society of Canada for shows in halls and schools under the sponsorship of community organizations. Long delayed because of wartime stringency, L-arphones have been installed in a section of seats in the Capitol Theatre, North Bay, the first in the Northern Ontario region to provide equipment for the near-deaf, according to Manager Jack Nelson. MINNEAPOLIS LONDON OBSERVATIONS Film CempanY-Crltles' Feud Fleires; GoIdwYn Cllsris' Visit €3 Showmanship Rce: British Stcirs Still Too lor Own Fulsliciti^ Good; Wolff's Young Teesm MacGregor By JOCK MacGREGOR Hot-tempered friction between film men and newspaper and radio critics blazed when MOM, who has taken a strong line on what they consider unjustified criticism, requested that Mrs. Araot Robertson of BBC not review their pictures. In turn the lady's solicitor has written requesting an apology and compensation. The real trouble is that too many of the critics are only interested in their conception of cinema "art," with the result that pictures designed for popular appeal are panned while some maudlin study in shadows is lauded to the skies. This makes for the absurd situation in which the majority of moviegoers rarely see the pictures which draw critics' applause in any of the regular cinemas while the maligned productions are prominent and greatly enjoyed by the great mass of the paying customers. The seasoned and well established critics have a fine sense of values and deal with both types of pictures fairly. The trouble lies with the long-haired boys and short-haired girls whose critiques are suited for specialized journals but are out of place in newspapers for the millions. The solution lies with the editors. Whoever thought of bringing the Goldwya Girls over here was inspired. Unquestionably this has proved the most successful publicity stunt since pre-war days. They have made front page news, been on the radio and photographed with every conceivable British subject from babies to your observer. Dave Golding, Sam Goldwyn's newly appointed publicity director, has done a terrific job and the help he has received from RKO's publicity director, David Jones, by being put right about contacts, has been a fine example of Anglo-American co-operation. Receptions and trade press lunches have been held in their honor and I had for my lunch partner blonde Martha Montgomery Gulistan Wilton Theatre Carpet JOE HORNSTEIN has it/ who seems to have everything that so many stars lack. I told her that I was sure that she would go far. She now tells me that she has just learned tliat she will play the second feminine lead in "Million Dollar Baby." * * « Talking of stars brings me to the lack of co-operation that many British studio publicists get from the artists when it comes to stills. I heard one being tipped off that if he wanted an Adonis to pose he would have to ask him tactfully. Unfortunately that is not an isolated case. Too often the still man is kept waiting for appointments. It is not surprising that Britain has few marquee names for America. * * * Congratulations to F. E. Hutchinson on his promotion to Director of Sales and the Board of Paramount Directors and Tony Reddin to the Board of Directors of the Plaza and Carlton Theatres. >l£ JjC ;{! RKO Radio also has announced many promotions. Bob Wolff is building up a young team and concentrating on promotion from within to ensure that all are fully conversant with RKO methods. Ernest Simon becomes Assistant Executive to Managing Director; Joe Vegoda, General Sales Manager; Oscar Barber, Assistant General Sales Manager and Harold Posener, Circuit's supervisor. •t * * Paid a visit on John B. Myers, chief publicist for the Rank Organization in his new Regent Street office. The move should help service for not only is the bureau more central, but all companies will be under the same roof. * * * Maurice and Isidore Ostrer have formed their own production company as was anticipated, but neither subjects nor distribnlors have been nar^ied. Bill Luckwell, GB's chiet exploiteer has resigned to become publicist for the new set-up. * * * To celebrate the demobbing and re-instating of 197 employes, Gainsborough held a dance. Sydney Box who has recently taken over the studios is evidently a popular choice among the workers for he received a thunderous and obviously sincere ovation. With labor troubles threatening most studios such employer-employe fellowship augurs well for the very ambitious program on which he is embarking. NORTH CENTRAL ALLIED MEET SET FOR NOV. 13; WILL CONSIDER NATIONAL ALLIED AFFILIATION North Central Allied will hold its mid-year convention on Nov. 13 at Hotel Nicollet to discuss the possibility of affiliation with National Allied, the Board decided recentlJ^ kidustry leaders and representatives of Allied States will be invited to the meeting which will be attended by independent exhibitors from western Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. NCA membership has reached an all-time high of 300, according to iBen Berger, president of the organization. A regional meeting of NCA for all independent exhibitors in the area was held in Duluth at Hotel Duluth last Monday to discuss local checkers and the recent Statutory Court in regard to auction selling. New on Film Row is Everett Lovelett, salesman at Columbia, who will cover northern Minnesota. Bill Wood, booker, is back at Paramount after a fling at running a theatre. Bonnie Lynch, formerly a booker at Paramount, has been made head contract clerk at the exchange. Corrine Rubel, formerly bookers' stenographer at Paramount, has left the exchange to go to Chicago to begin looking for an apartment in anticipation of her forthcoming marriage to Leonard Baker of Chicago. The office force at Universal wondered why Marion Cooper, biller, did not come to work one day recently. The next day she surprised them all by announcing her marriage to Eldred Abrahamson. ATLANTA The "Open City" made a big hit at the Peachtree Art Theatre during its showing. Coming to Atlanta for the world's premiere of "The Song of the South" Nov. 12 will be Walt Disney and wife, Cliff "Ukelele Ike" Edwards, veteran MGM's musical star, Lusna Patten and Bobby Driscoll. Clyde Goodson and Al Duren, Paramount's Atlanta Branch and Sales manager back from a sales meeting in New York. Ed Ashmore, formerly in the booking department of Paramount, has been appointed as head booker and office manager for Republic Pictures. Lamar Trotti a native of Atlanta, now a top writer and producer for 20th Fox, will soon begin work on a screen play based on ■ he book by Corra Harris, "A Circuit Rider's Wife." Ahe Borisky, formerly owner of the Independent Theatres, Chattanooga, Tenn., has leased the Pamtage Theatre, in Birmingham, Ala. and after extensive improvements will open about Dec. 1, with first-run pictures with name bands. Jim Page, filmrower will open a radio station in Sandersville, Ga., in about 60 days. John K. Jenkins of Astor Pictures in Dallas oame to Atlanta on a business trip with William (Snake) Richardson, also of Astor Pictures. PORTLAND .^.rt Adamson added to his theatre circuit with the addition of the Liberty Theatre at