Variety (Sep 1942)

WAR ACTIVITIES Wednesday, September 23, 1942 Bond Drive Likely to Top Treasury Quota; Billion Mark Not In Cards ■H- Cuneiil indications are, barring a sudden spurt in sales, that next Wednesday (30) will see the film in- dustry-sponsored war bond drive gp- Ing over the top, insofar as the offi- cial U. S. Treasury quota of $775,- 000,000 is concerned, though unlikely to hit the $1,000,000,000 objective first outlined. September income tax payments, wide prominence to new and higher tax imposts being .set in Washington, the un.^ea.'ional time of year for reinvestment of large funds, have militated against a bil- lion in sales. In financial circles as well as in the Treasury department, where a close tab is kept on ebb and flow of the nation's liquid cash, -t has long been known that precise mathematical odds are stacked against getting a billion in bond sales this month. Meantime, the U. S. Tieasury re Some Pun! Joe Laurie. Jr.. on a bond .sell- ing trip with Charles Laughton to New Haven, pulled one of thase situation gag.s when an ensign, Edward Wolf, from New London, was introduced as the local bond spieler, Laurie cracked: 'First time I met a Wolf in ship's clothing.' EXPEa 130,000 FROM PHULY CANTEEN DRIVE Philadelphia, Sept. 22. The drive for funds for the Ameri- can Theatre Wing's Philly canteen ported $56.26S.0O0 in War Bond sales I went over the top, officials an- nounced yesterday (Monday), with for Sept. 21. the largest -Single day's sales this month. Total sales are $500,054,000 as of Sept. 21. with nine days to go. The official Treasury quota, though by no means a cinch, looks likely! If reached it will be due to the most skillful merchandising cam- paign, under the aegis of the film in- dustry, which has yet been staged. Possibility is that some of the Sep- tember sales will not be chalked up In time to go to the industry's credit, due to delays in bank clearances a total of $25,000 already in the can- teen kick and all precincts not yet heard from. When all contributions are tallied, at least $30,000 is ex- pected. Coin is expected to carry the can- teen whether or not any money i| forthcoming from the parent body in New York.tone canteen exec said. The local group had expected to Campaign workers are being urged get a cut of the money which the to see the pledges are transferred Into actual sales. Statement issued by the War Ac- tivities Committee this week was to the effect that if all the pledges re- ported by local committees are turned into actual bond purchases, the Treasury quota will be reached. Unredeemed pledges may result in missing the Treasury objective by $50,000,000 to $75,000,000. according to the warning. Sept. 19 report from the Treasury was disappoint- ing, total of $13,745,000 being added tor a 19-day toUl of $443,769,000. Several last-ditch plans to carry ^ fight to the .eleventh hour next Wednesday, in order to roll (Continued on page 55) SEE $225,000 GROSS FOR ARMY RELIEF SHOW New York Theatre Wing has re- ceived for radio and film rights. But although it was reported in Gotham that the Philly Canteen was getting financial aid, local officials claim they haven't received 'a red cent.' A mild flareup in the Philly can teen committee was reported with the resignation of Mrs. John D. M. Hamilton, wife of the former G.O.P. National Chairman. She quit in a hull over a squabble regarding poli- cies anent the fund-raising cam- paign. Meanwhile the proposed canteen for Negro service men received im- petus with the formation of a com- mittee headed by Magistrate Edward Henry, Negro. The committee is looking over several proposed sites. WILLIE HOWARD NOW — Ford Theatre, Baltimore, and next week at the Nixon, Pittt- burgh, ". . . Alwaya magnificent and tre- iiioiuIoiiMly funny . . . ." RICHARD WATTS, JR. Herald Tribune. Free B.O. for Bonds NSG Free theatre admissions as bait to stimulate War Bond purchases failed yesterday (Tues.) to do much, according to reports com- ing in from various parts of the country. In many situations theatre managers asked patrons, who looked as if they had the price of a bond, to buy a War Bond instead of a ticket and get in gratis. Even direct solicitation, however, was not overly success- ful. One theatre on Broadway sold only a single $18.75 bond in the forenoon. RADIO-PICTURE HARMONY FOR BONDS MiM B.O. Hypo In K. C. Despite Legion Parley Kansas City, Sept. 22. Three-day convention of the American Legion (19-21) was only a mild boxoffice hypo although bars and niteries hit anticipated peaks. Main reason for the b.o. skid was the curbed attendance at the convention since, in view of the war and strained transportation facilities, the Legion execs asked that only of- ficials, delegates and alternates at tend. Hotels stretched a bit to house and feed most of the hundreds of dele gates and, becatise of the number of trainees quartered in these parts, a substantial number of Legionaires were billeted in private homes. Hotel dining rooms and restaurants succeeded in feeding the vets, but the bars and bistros had to dig deep to provide refreshments for them. Prices remained at the usual levels. NEW SIGNAL CORPS H it. UNVEILED YESTERDAY Its extensive new facilities for making Army films and training photographic ci'ews was shown by the Signal Corps yesterday (Tues- day) to New York newspaper, mag and radio people and a Hock of city officials. Occasion was the dedica- tion of the Signal Corps' Photo- graphic Center—the former Para- mount studios in Long Island City, N. Y. Writers and gabbers were given a gander at sound stages, scripters at work, photogs undergoing training for field duty, barracks and myriad other details of the huge operation They had to sign a promise before admittance, however, that they wouldn't write or talk about what they saw without sublnitting it to the Army first. • Host was Col. M. E. Gillette, who has nursed the Signal Corps' Train ing Film Production Unit to its present proportions from a start with a handful of enlisted men and a few civilian employees in a broken-down former Bund hall in the backwoods near Fort Monmouth, N. J. Building dedicated yesterday takes up an entire block and only about 15 minutes by subway from Times Square. Army Emergency Relief Fund ■how, scheduled for Madison Square Garden, New York, on Sept. 30, has I sold every seat in the house except for about 50 boxes which retail at | $1,000 per. Outlook is for $200,000. with the Miami Beach Jottings Miami Beach. Sept. 22. Pvl. Eron Wallace, legit actor and Journal expected to swell the total M'l'ecto''. 's now managing post stock another $25,000. company. Pvt. Walter Terry, former assist- ntap II Q ^» j« ant music critic of N. Y. Herald 11 Al/ UrSCS rdtnOuC Tribune, in training here. Pvt. J _ Gregory Mangin, former Davis Cup Shorts PiaVCd Pronto P'^y*""' t^^ieckcd out for gu»ncry * I school. Don Budge directing athletics for The War Activities Committee hai issued an appeal to exhibitors { t.1 play the 'America Speaks' series of 26 shorts which major producers undertook to make along lines sug- gested by Lowell Mellett. Exhibs Embry-Riddle Flying School. Frederic Delzell conductor of newly organized American Sym- phony, Inducted as a private in air corps. Cpl. Bela Urbanovsky. formerly menl of Warners, has been promoted to a sergeant. He's stationed at Ft. Knox. Ky. William Gold and Herman Hoch- bei'g, assistants to Joe Tisman, head of the poster art department at War- ners' h.o.. were both called to Army Thursday (17). have been holding back on contracts concert master with the Brussels for this series, no unanimity of viewpoint on rentals having t>een reached between the production and exhibition branches of the indu.'itry following the deal made with Mel lett on the Coast Shorts, as distinct from the vari- oa<i Government reels .such as 'Bat- of Midway.' 'Ring of Steel.' etc., ■re not provided free to theatres, but all profits, above actual produc- tion and print costs, are being do- nated to various war charities by the producer-distributors. Though not pledged to .show the Mellett shorts, exhibs are being urged to show them because of their Importance to the war effort, Rent- Symphony, appointed musical direc tor for Special Services office of Air Force Technical Training Command. Bob Stevenson. New York theatri- cal designer, training on beach. George Stinchfled, formerly as.sist- ant advertising promotion manager for Lord & Thomas, now training with air force. Milton Scott, chief engineer of WIOD, has resigned to accept a com- mission as a first lieutenant in the Signal Corps. I,e00ih WB Man Into Service Charles Misa. booker in the pby- date department of Warners at the [homeoffice in N. Y.. becomes the are to be worked out between 1.000th employee of WB to go into tht: distributors and exhibitors with understanding thai, if unable to reach a speedy agreement, imme- diate playoff should be effected and the rental 'be arbitrated later by local chairmen of the Theatres Di- vision and of the Exchange Man- agers Committee of the WAC in the various territories. Paramount, however, has set a llxed price of $1 per day for its •ubjccts. Warners is handling the patriotic shorts on the special terms foi subjects of thk type which they have set in the past. the service. He has been with the company for 13 years. Since MIsa is married. Warners i.^ spotting his wife. Olive Vaughn, in the playdate department as part of the clerical forces. Warner circuit has yielded the largest number of men to the armed services, 588, while the studio has turned over 191, the homeoffice 107. and the exchanges 91. An additional •23 others are from other depart- ments. Charles Moscovitz, who was formerly with the publicity depart Pittsburgh Boll dall Pittsburgh, Sept. 22. Pre.s.s. Scripps-Howard dai^, lost bcth its sports editor and columnist, Che.ster Smith, and baseball writer, Lester Bciderman, to the service over weekend. Beiderman became first lieutenant in the Army Air Force. Former, who has also been sportscasting over WCAE for last couple of years, served as a gob in the last war. Beiderman, an Ohio State graduate, has been covering the Pirates for the Press for nearly 10 years. Jerry Dudley, former sports an nouncer at KQV, leaves hi.s an- nouncer's berth at WCFL, Chicago, next week to enter the army's a'ider pilot school. Sammy Schwartz, former little theatre actor here and in vaudeville fo' several years ae an impersonator o' Eddie Cantor, has been appointed to Officers Candidate School at Fort Monmouth, N. J. Schwartz recently received his sergeant's stripes at Ciimp Livingston, La. Burt Layton, dance instructor and former vaud^villian (Burt Layton aiid his Four Flirts), army. While hc'.s away. Layton's local dance scliool will be operated by his part- ner, Margaret Trusty, who left Arthur Murray studio to go in busi- nc.<'s with him several months ago. Mat Knighton to Sea Seattle, Sept. 22. Mat Knighton, manager of per- .sonnel for Sterling Chain (John Danz) and assistant to Jerry Ross, manager of Palomar, into U. S. Navy. (Continued on page 16) Meryyn LeRoy Heads CIAA Propaganda Pix Hollywood. Sept. 22. Office of the Coordinator of Inter American Affairs further strength ened its setup here for a large-scale production program by the appoint- ment last week of Mervyn LeRoy to handle directorial supervision. The top Metro producer-director will meg some of the Coordinator's pix him.selt and make the a.ssignments on others to directors. He'll have general supervision over direction of all the films. ^ LeRoy is the second Metroite to give his .services for free to the Co- ordinator's office. Jack Chertok, chief of the studio's shorts produc- tion, who also handles the reins on occa.sional features, was named about six weeks ago to head all CIAA production activities on the Coast. Chertok and LeRoy are both con- tinuing their duties at Metro, but have been granted permission by studio heads to give whatever time is needed to their posts with the Liitin-American propagatida agency. It will probably mean at' least half time in the coses of both men. CIAA Coast setup Is now com- plete except for the vacancy in the post of representative of Francis Alstock. chief of the motion picture division of the Coordinator's office. David Hopkin.s (son of Harry) re- cet.tly resigned the job to accept a commission., in the Navy. Al.stock has been on the Coast for the past .several weeks interviewing a num- be- of people for the job. Chertok and LeRoy will deal en- tirely with shorts, which provide a speedier, more economical and more flexible way of getting mes- sa,',es to Latin-America than fea- tu-.e.s. Coordinator'.s office will con- tinue its interest in full-length product. ' endeavoring to have ob- jectionable material removed and fa\orable stuff injected, but will put its own coin only in shorts. Scripts and ideas for a lengthy program of briefies have been worked out by writers working under the supervision of Philip Dunne, chief of propaganda produc- tion for the film division of the CIAA. These scripts are being turned over to Chertok and LeRoy for production, with some of them to be made by studios as part of their own shorts program and others t] be made under contract to the CIAA. Minneapolis, Sept. 22. Twin City radio stations are going to bat for the theatres and vice vcrya in the war bond campaigns now be- ing conducted. As a result, sales are booming. While the radio and showhou.ses ii this sector always have worked pretty much hand-in-hand coopera- tion now is reaching a new high. The radio stations are plugging the film Industry's campaign with nu- merous gratis spot announcements, but also are supplying much of the entertainment talent for the thea- tres' street bond selling shows. On their part, the theatres are running trailers calling attention to the radio stations' drive as well as their own. For one of the theatres' opc.i air free street bond selling si. w.s, WCX;0, for example, provided from it; entertainmen*. staff its 'Red River Valley Gang,' announcer-comcdia > Clellan Card and songstress Ge; ■ trude Lutzi. The daily .shows, held ill the middle of a street in the loop's heart between the two busiest ave- nues, have been attracting huge crowds and producing substantial sa'ies. All motor traffic is cut off for one block for an hour and the street rapidly fills in with thousands i r noon-hour workers and shoppers. Merle Potter, Bennie Berger circuit general manager, and Gordon Greene of the Eddie Ruben circuit are .stng- inf; the shows. With Edward Arnold. Ralph Bel- lamy and other film stars partici- pating, thousands of dollars of the war bonds were sold in the munici- pal auditorium during an auction of articles contributed by local mer- chants. The articles went free to the members of the audience offer- ing to buy the largest amounts 'f ;he war bonds. , , The Paramount circuit's initial showing of 'Wake Island' at the State, its leading loop house here, will be a war bond show Thursday night, admission being only by pur- chase of a $25 or larger bond. Many Twin City independent exhibitors arc having similar shows. What Pix Mean to Army Sydney, Aug. 15. Editor, 'Variety': Much water passeth under the bridge since 5inie spoke of Bailey and Cowan, with Estelle Davis, in "The Little Production in One' as Class A Vaudeville; and now the old uombiitalion is all broken up both in reality and eve^thing else. Up until the fateful night of Dec. 7 nothing could have been sweeter than our setup in Singapore.' Two swell night clubs; plenty of money; plenty of friends; plenty of busines.s. Blooey—plenty of worry; plenty of losses; plenty of trouble, and broke . . . but I wouldn't care about everything that we lost if Bill Bailey and his wife had only gotten awuy with us, but they didn't and it can't (Continued on page 55) N. Y. to L. A. Carlton Alsop. William Goetz. John Hodlak. Jack Hurdle. Louis B. Mayer. Victor Saville. Howard Storchline. Terry Turner. Walter Wanger. L.A. to N.Y. Mary (jarllsle. Morris Carnovsky. Ed Cashman. S. Charles Einfcld. Lester Cowan. Irving Epstein. L. Wolfe Gilbert Lillian Gish. Harry Goetz. Benny Goodman. Theresa Helburn. Bert Kalmar, Irene Manning. Predric March. Ed Raftery. Gregory Ratoff. Harry Ruby. George Sanders. Gradwell Sears. Herbert Yates. Ed Zabel.