Variety (May 1941)

EXPLOITATIOM Wednesday, May 14, 1941 N. Y. Subway s 'Snsan Lee' Claims Top Film 'Critic Circulation, 5,000,000 Although It maintains that 'free- dom of the press' extends to car cards, New York Subway Advertis- ing Co. admits it is perturbed by film industry carping about its 'Movie of the Month' selections. Subways two months ago, in an en- deavor to add reader interest to ad- vertising, instituted cards recom- mending the best picture of the month. Some theatremen have called it unfair. WB'S.N.Y. PRESS SETUP Bevamp wtth Don Carle Gillette In Charge of Trades Warner home office publicity-ad vertising department under Mort Blumenstock has undergone realign- ment with several promotions figur- ing together with taking on Don Cal Swanson, of the J. Walter Carle GiUette, who until recently Thompson agency, which is handling . was with American Society of Com- the car card advertising, declared Posers, Authors & Publishers under Monday <12) that the best picture | A. P. Waxman. Gillette will serve was chosen entirely by merit. He , as trade paper contact as weU as Eaid there was no advertising tieup editor of the house organ PINCERS MOVEMENT? Indie and His Attorney Sore to Qet Their Men PhUadelpbia, May 13. The |210,000 damage suit agalnat the major film distribs filed by Henry Friedman, operator of the Lansdowne, is skedded to go on trial in Federal court May 21. Subpoenas in the case are expected to be served on the exchange bosses during the Variety Clubs convention in Atlantlo City over the weekend. There won't be any trouble In lo- cating the defendants, if this hap- pens. Friedman is chairman of the hotel reservation committee. If the film bigwigs aflempt to dodge proc- ess-servers on the golf links, they'll be out of luck, too. Chairman of the golf committee is "Harry N. Ball, Friedman's attorney. at present or contemplated and that ad^frpm the companies whose plx Sid Rechetnik, who has handled trades, is promoted to post of press were chosen would not be accepted book editor and special exhibitor service, while Paul Lazarus, who has had charge of press books, moves over on trade paper advertising and trade promotion, plus other duties. Gil Golden, formerly on trade ads, takes over consumer advertising; Lee Blumberg is promoted to head the field exploitation department and Morton Gerber, who has been Re- chetnik's assistant, moves up to be- come short subject publicity head. Shifts and promotions were worked out following arrival in the east of Charlie Einfeld, who remains I at the h.o. another week or longer. FOR B'WAY ROADSHOW for the month their picture's card . was up in order to preserve 'edi- torial integrity.' Whether the best-film selections will be discontinued if squawks by picture men increase, Swanson said, hasn't been "determined. They may . be, although much will depend on the popularity attained by the cards. Film companies do so ^little trans- portation advertising that any threat of reprisals from that quarter would be ipeaninglesis, , JWT exec declared. Anonymoos Pickers Cards are signed 'Susan Lee, New i York Subways Movie Editor.' Name, | of course, is phony and Swanson re- ' (LDGFI DnriTMFNTARY fused to say who does the picking , •'^"'^'i'' lAIVUlllIllllillVl except that it is a group in New York and Hollywood which is fa- miliar with the picture business but not employed in it. ,..„..,_ j Slightly over 17,000 of the film 'Native Land.' a fuU-length docu cards, two to a car, are placed in tl|e mentary on civil liberties, may play subways each month. With 5^000,000 a roadshow engagement on Broad passengers a day, Swanson estimates pronUer Films, which is mak- from past surveys that 1,250,000 per- , . , ,,' ' , ^ sons see that particular card daily: '"8 the picture, will seek a house Survey is currently being made to for a two-fi-day run when cutting on more, accurately determine 'circula- 'Land' is completed. That'll be around mid-June, from present in' dications. Paul Robeson will not appear In the pic, but will speak the'com, mentary and sing several songs. Music is by Marc Blitzstein. Com' mentary for the nine-reeler Is by David Wolff, with Blitzstein con- ^tributing words to some of the tunes, s", Paul Strend, prez, and Leo Hur- ;witz, v.pl of Frontier, are camera- man and director, respectively, of 'Land.' It was aU shot on location in Various parts of the east. Only a few professional actors were usedi tlon.' First selection.of the below-sur- face critics was 'Meet John Doe' (WB), second was 'Road to Zanzi- bar' (Par) and current^ one Is 'A Woman's Face' (M-G). Fact that three different companies were rep- resmted in the first three choices Is entirely coincidental, Swanson de^ clared. • Thompson agency gq^ card picture as r^ult -jciil^ of the Barron Collier : Ci year. Wrigley. inte: the car/ failure' iny last largest users of card card advertising; to Hollywood, May 13. What the United States Is doing about national defense in the way of training and equipment Is being ^ade plain to the-citizens of Latin- America by the simplest and most adequate means, the motion pictures, according to Nate Blumberg, presi- dent of Universal, in a talk to his colleagues at a meeting of produc- tion and sales representatives. Serv- ice films, he said, were giving our friends south of the border a vivid picture of the vast work that Is go^ Ing on up here. Following 'Buck Privates' and In the Navy,' the studio Is preparing productions with Marine, Air Corps and Coast Guard backgrounds. WB Defense Shorta Conference between Jack L. War- ner and Major Mason Wright, U. S. Army, resulted in plans for more national defense shorts at the Bur- bank studio. Next on the list Is 'Ih* Tanks Aire Coming,' most of which will be shot on location at Fort Knox, Ky. N.Y. PUBUCISTS GUILD SEES NLRB STALLING protect their prime medium, ongah- | all members of the Group Theatre, ized the New York Subways Adver- tising Co. to take over the Collier business. JWT handles the Wrigley account. Ad agency immediately began a study of the drooping car card business and determined that some- thing was necessary to regularly at- tract the line of vision of riders up to the cards. It decided that reader- interest features would do the trick RKO's BaDybooers Shift East and West George Gomperts, who for a short time recently headed United Art- ists' Coast publicity department has joined the RKO staff In New and then made a study of news- „ ■, „„»:„i „„j X « J I. u i-hj 1. York to handle special press and eX' papers to find what attracted most i »~ attention. Leaders were found to gob Baral, who was doing the 'Kane' ^i.?i.'L*"!„nfi;."""'°°'"' «"^<^'"^*'',job, has been shifted by RKO to Seattle to puff 'Fantasia' there. , ploitation work on 'Citizen Kane.' weather and films. As a result, the film selections were instituted, along with other Toni Spitzer is handling-press for features, such as cartoons, 'prettiest', two engagements of 'Fan- subway rider of the month'(selected tasia under Disney management, in by John Powers) and oddity draw- ings. JWT also abolished such bad busi Washington and Baltirnore. All fu- ture 'Fantssia' dates are under RKO aegis. Joe Heppner, of Disney head- Disgdsing Critics' Jiess practices of the old regime as quarters in New York, handled the allowing cards to remain up four ; Baltimore preem and five months after'contracts had expired and a 'bonus'.system that became so misused advertisers in some cases were getting two cards free with each one bought Thomp- son agency also established a two- duplicate-cards-to-every-car system on the theory that riders can't see a card at the opposite end or the other side.of the car, and therefore at least one duplicate is needed. Par Shorts as 'Dessert' Paramount shorts department Monday (12) presented film buyers and exhibs in New York each with a quart of ice cream. Tie-up, ex- plained in an accompanying' letter, was that 'Paramount's shorts are the ice cseam dessert for theatre bills.' Ice cream was supplied by Seal- test, on whose radio show John Bar- rymore is heard each Thursday. Par Is I'deasing an 'Unusual Occupation' short featuring Barrymore with his collection of curios. Ice cream gtig was idea of Manny Reiner, shorts and newsreel p.a. Every critic a George Bernard Shaw—in appearance—was the aim of United Artists Monday (12) in plugging opening of' Shaw's 'Major Barbara' at the Astorr. N. Y., last night (Tuesday). UA sent each of the crix a phony beard, wig, mustache and eyebrows a la Shaw. Yergin With WB in Chi Chicago, May 13. Irving Yergin has -joined Warner Bros, rnldwest publicity department ! as assistant of Monroe Rubinger. I Yergin was formerly with the Chi- I cago Daily Times and a trade re- porter. In new Warner setup the midwest publicity district will take lir the ex- changes and towns of Chicago, Mil- waukee, Minneapolis, St. Paul, In- dianapolis, Louisville, St Louis, Des Moines, Kansas City and Omaha. Just to Give 'Em An Idea of What Goes On, See New Defense Fihns RKO Gves Up 2d N. Y. House to Indie Exhib; Other Exchange Briefs RKO walks out of another theatre tomorrow night (Thurs.), when It turns over the keys to the Midtown on the upper west side in New York. Theatre Is being taken over by Mil- lard Ochs, son of the late Lee Ochs, Independent operator, who turned over several houses to RKO about 10 years before he died. About six weeks ego RKO moved out of the Yorktown, which is now being operated by George Walsh, whose father-in-law owns the prop- erty. Yorktown was also a part of the old Ochs chain. MlUard Ochs, who managed It for RKO, shifted to the Midtown when Walsh took pos- session. RKO has no immediate plans to give up any other houses, it is said. Washington, where 44 theatres are involved. New 400-seat Heights theatre in Crafton Heights will be ready to open In next six' weeks, according to Charles Philbrook, former Sheraden exhib, who Is. underwriting project At same time, .firm of Fineman & Shapiro announced that Sheraden theatre, which they purchased from Philbrook, will be dismantled. F-S recently launched a new house, the Temple, in neighborhood of old Sheraden. John Lund & Son opened in Daisytown, Pa., where they have established the ' central operating headquarters for their circuit Frank MarshaU t« Philly Assigning another home office _ buyer to the field to prepare for lu^cheo'n honoring Loui6"(Pop) Kor- A Wo,, ^^j^ veteran exchange man, at the Fete for Pop Korson PhUadelphia, May 13. At least 30O members of the film industry are expected at the Growing impatient now that Ave weeks have gone by without a de- cision by the National Labor Rela- tions Board on Its petition to be named bargaining agent for home- office press department employes. New York unit of ScreeMpubllcIsU Guild will meet tonight (Wednesday) to decide what to do about it Out- side chance exists that membership may vote ' the executive council power to call a strike, when and if it deems necessary. Coast SPG unil is ready to go along on 'strong action,' according to a letter from George Thomas, Jr., secretary, to the New York gr6up. He said: 1 believe that unless you are-prepared for a long period of waiting for the Board decision, the situation . .'. requires more militant action than either Guild has sug- gested so far ... I think you wIU find the Coast SPG ready to take reasonably strong action.* Par Execs mN.Y. on Biz And for Yariety Cony. A. H. Blank arrived Ui New York Monday morning (12) for confer- ences with home office Paramount executives with whom he has been closeted since arrivaL He is going to Atlantic City Satur day (17) for the Variety club con vention. Bob O'Donnell, who will attend that, may also come into N.Y. to contact on theatre matters affect- ing the Interstate chain. Bob Wilby was in to see Par execs and others last week, but has re turned to Atlanta. He is also ex pecUhg to attend the Atlantic City Variety affair. Dietz's Defense Shorts Howard Dietz, who is In charge of making the industry shorts on the sale of national defense bonds, called in reps from different film companies to assist in editing the material to workable length. Original shorts were cut down in length and made more effective from the original footage. deals under the consent decree, War- ner Bros, is sending Frank Marshall Ritz-Carlton May 20. Korson leaves gt Clayton Bond's h.o. staff to tte i for California wheri he will make Philadelphia territory, where he ^ ^ future residence. will serve on film deals with Ed Hinchy, already there. John Turner is also on buying in the Philadel- phia zone. Indie L. A. Ezchan^es Merce Los Angeles, May 13. Majestic Pictures and Astor Dis- Oscar Neufeld, Horlachers exec, has been chosen chairman of the committee to select 'Miss Philadel- phia' for the Variety Jubilee Beau^ Pageant In Atlantic City this fall. Walt l^tamkln, Glrard manager, joins the ranks of the benedicts June 6. tributing Corp., Indie releasers,! The Ellis brothers, A. M. and merged into one company, to be Martin, have taken over the Park- known as Majestic, to be operated side, CZamden, N. J. House rfifurbish- jolntly by Sam Decker and Lou ing and will reopen June 1. Goldstein as a distributor in this | Four houses In the Affiliated Thea- territory. Decker recently purchased rtres chain undergoing remodeling— the interests of Hi Peskay and Harry Strand, Star, Eagle and Lorraine. Denny in Majestic. ^''^ Marshall Jacob Clinton ap- Rivoli, daS for about two years,' pealed to exhibs here to fireproof all being rebuilt by Fox-West Coast to i draperies on their stages, be operated as subsequent run In' William Rosenfeld added to sales southeastern part of town. It seats i staff of Producers Release Corp. ex- eoo. Montrose theatre. In Montrose, formerly operated by Mont Briend, taken over by Edwards circuit; change. •Morpky Joins DIpsoB Buffalo, May 13. Robert E. Murphy, former booker for the Shea-Paramoimt Buffalo and Niagara Falls, has joined Dipson as buyer and chief f>ooker. Basil Brady, former branch man- ager for TUtany and Pathe,' now Mnnected with Eleanor Paradeis' Fam-o-Film. James Bper, former Syracuse Silsaman for RKO, assigned the ochester territory. Syracuse RKO representative will be E. J. Smith, formerly with Universal and FBO. 'Jack Reed, operator of the Holly- wood, Gowanaa, and ' director of MPTO of N. Y. State, recently mar- ^ed^ Florence Mason in Hamburg, RKO exploitation staff in upstate New York has undergone several persqimel changes. Ted Wynn, previously connected with the Mil- waukee Post staff. In charge of Buf- falo-Albany territory. James Boyle, who formerly handled upstate pub- licity, to Chicago. Crescent, Ithaca, reported reopen- ing by Bernstein Bros, following alterations. Leroy, Leroy, and Strand, Brock Luckie Sells Oat Houston, May 13. D. F. Luckie, builder of the Uni- versity, nabe, sold his halt interest in the theatre to Interstate Circuit for $12,000 cash. Luckie built the theatre four years ago. Last year, he sold Interstate a 50% interest in It. It Is a small house, which seata 535, but it is now being enlarged and modernized. Bobby Bixler, former vaudeville dancer, named manager. Richey's Arkansas Spiel H. M. Richey. exhibitor relations' counsel for Metro, is expected back at the home office today (Wed.) after attending the convention of the Independent Theatre Owners of Arkansas at Little Rock, Sunday and Monday (11-12). Addressing the delegates, he pointed to the mtiny Inroads that are being made on the- atres by other amusements and sports. Burtis Bishop, Metro's district manager headquartering at Kansas City, also spoke. . N.O. Leads RKO Sales Drive In the stretch this week on the 15-week billings drive in RKO, the New Orleans branch headed by '^-'j, .^».=..u, ju.u^iv- Pake Baker, is in the lead and prob- port, operated by R E. Blauvelt for j ably will be adjudged the winner many years, taken over b" the Kal- i following an auditing of the figures, lett Cu-cuit. , , , Runncrs-up toward the finish Of the Joseph Lachlusa booking for the ' driv^ are Atlanta, St. Louis, Okla- Geilesee, Mt. Morris, in absence ot' homa City and Washington. Richard De Tote, proprietor, drafted | On the shorts drive, St. Louis is for military service, Office of Basil Bros, in the Gene- see theatre is being streamlined and will include a modem screening room. Recent and impending additions to the armed services from this zone's theatre colony Include Marvin Arent Schine booker; Bob Davis,- Univer- ' sal; Howard Lurle, Orpheum; Ray Culkowski, Lincoln;. Don Stevenson, Rivoli, and David Zachem, Artistic, latter pair being of Rochester. In the lead in the States, while Montreal is heading the Canadian group of exchanges. Snyder's Portland Bevamp Portland, Me., May 13. Expansion in local nabe field of R. E. Snyder Theatrical Enterprises, with leasing of Cameo theatre from Leon Gorman and erection of the Steele Sells Ont Cleveland, May 13. Earl Steele sold his Lincoln, large naber, last week to Meyer Fine, owner of circuit of houses. Charles Voasberg, RKO district sales manager who was married to Betty Straus April 23, took bride for Caribbean cruise-honeymoon. Re- ceived large silver platter as wed- ding gift from exchange forces in his territory. Forced Into Show Biz? Detroit, May 13. However«it comes out Jack Broder Cinema, seating 600, has resulted in is either going to have the city or expected managerial changes. Leo , Young from the Strand to city man- the state as the owner of his new Town theatre. In operation since ager, with Joe McGonagle replacing early this year but recently closed from Empire. William A. Field ad- ; until fall. Theatre was created in vanced from assistant at Strand to { former Orchestra Hall here, long Cinema. Both Empire and Cameo ' seat of the Detroit' Symphony Or- are to remain without resident man- : chestra, but so many back taxes have a^erS, Young handling them ffom accumulated on the building that it his city office. Bcpnbllc's WB (Pitt) Deal Pittsburgh, May 13. Republic here last week announced ' deal with WB, which operates more . than 80 theatres In this territory, because of the parlous state of show has become a question of whether the state or the city, both of which have foreclusure actions pending, take It over. The city has the most due—$31,182 -and probably will take over since. calling for Rep's entire 1041-42 ! biz, it can't be guaranteed any reg- product Harry Kalmine, zone man- i ular steady income as long as it ager, and Harry Feinstein, chief leaves the building in the hands of booker, represented Warners in the its present trustees. negotiations, while Jim Alexander and Sam Fineberg, Rep franchise holders in Pittsburgh territory, and J. R. Grainger, company's general sales manager, represented the stu Fred Shagrln's Switch Youngstown, O., May 13. Fred Shagrin, resident manager of the Park, Youngstown, for Shea, dlo. At same time, Grainger an-' now assistant at Colonial, Akron nounced similar deal with WB In' also operated by Shea'