Variety (Apr 1943)

16 lOCPLOITATION Wednesdaj, April 21, T9t3 WB to Stress Films Cultural Stance In Its Seffing of 'Mission to Moscow' B'way'Brittany'Bally In mcrcliandizing 'Mission lo Mi),--» ri'w." Wiinvor Bros, hopes to prove t!i:it \\\m<. :it liist, have come or iiK*v { 111 iillu r wiirrty, education nnd in-, I.iimillion, on an international b;i>i.-. I Mol os -Assisnmcnl in Briilany ci.iipli-d wiih entertainment, should i u»\ a ii"v«'l .-cndolT ihi-- wofk for its Ik- achicvi-d with a theme oi t!ii< N' «- Y<"k prcniirrc ■21) at the Cri- i,i,i„,-,.. : icrion. Monday il9) a larue colored The Wiivnirites take the po.-ilion , map of K»ri>pe was .«.iM up in the llial many an American can i savx.v j loiiny. wiih a prolly nuukl. drp>.<cd B French. Russian, or Ceiin.in Inn-i as a B;elon. moving lljiuved ships.: (iiane newspaper, but he does un? ' planes and troops accordinR lo news <Ur-tiiiul the cinematic arl. C m- \ ilial i.s flashed lo the theatre every \i rsoly. furelRnerSi even if know lo ;: lioiu' from local radio station WHN. CoL's Radio Trailers T-oy. N. Y., April 20. Fur the fir-t time, in the Capital district Ht lea."!, a Dim distributing company is >pon.-ori:iu a coinmenla- lor. Columbia I'icUircs is condiicl- in;i an oiKht-wci-k test (-ampaicn fur The M<nc' t!»c Merrier." with Deoc Ro.>:.sell. of the WTRV staff, at the mike for a IS-peviod of comment- news Monday. •Wodnesdny and Fri- day niKhts. Tran.>-cribed teaser an- nouncements by Ken Carpenter are interspersed. The first six weeks are being uved as A buildup for the picture. The final two. it is imderstoud. will plug lliu comedy dales. Kniilish. for instance, feci thai ilu- pi'inled new.< report has its own i)e- culiar >i;:nillcances to the respective countries, but not so In the case of pi.\. Warrx-rites ob.serve that when This Is the Army.' the Irving Ber- lin .-oldier musical, - is Anally .<!;-.irned. il will have, similarly, a tremendous impact on Yank jjuod- front. ill :ib"o:id. especially as the Allies mo\e into every one of the now A.xis-occupied countries. Should some Europeans fltiure. •Wluifs the difference, whether we're tmdiM- the German army, or the Al- lirrl ai-my. it's an army cither way." till ir iiltitude may change when they hrc expi'.sed to a fllmusical cnler- lainment .such as This Is the Army." If they see a friendly, latichinc )>nnch of .soldier entertainers, it will j ha\e more favorable Impact than M'ly amount of military rules and tactical lioodwilling. Iclc. Similarly, ihe Warner bunch be- liexts that if 'Mission to Moscow' ' i;e:s over, it will open up a new Cal hands out maps, with blul-b on olliev side, and goes through .spiel about F.nropcan fi'Acas. aided by pa.-sinq .service men, who giver her pointers. 'Brittany' is brought into .stunt by alludinK In the picture and al.so re- fcrrin); In that part of France as pos- sible iicocraphical spot for .second Nat'l Screen's Appeal For Higher Rentals; 3 Regional Powwows Due lo mounting overhead and added difllcullies of n|)eralion due to National Screen Service Is ' a.'-king increa-sed prices for trailers. Although distributors have getting higher rentals for ome .lime and theatre gro.sses have rh;.nner for other important doeu-j ■■oomed throughout the country, meniaries—the Japanese, Chine.«e. ... Toli.sh and other White Papers—and make the screen an Informative-en- Krtainmei-t source, 'lans preach- ment. 'ih:.t was Harry M. Warner's basic idea |n closing for the Joseph E. Davies book. Based on the diary of Joseph E. Davies, former Ambassador to Mos- cow. WB has been In constant touch with Davies In making a pietiu'c that will be strictly according te Hoyle. Even a few technicalities that arose In scenes that had been shot were removed ihroughTcshootlng although they were of very minor character. It is understood. During the past Avec'k. also,'it was decided to add a scene, nature not disclosed, to reflect topical developments in the Russian filuinion. The ending, also a secret at Hie moment, Is declared to be alonu very tricky lines. While a prolog has been made, in- rhiding Duvles in an Introductory, this may be switched to Include only the former Russian Ambassador's voice rnlher than his personal ap- pearance, it is understood. Picture will run between 110 and 120 min- tites. Press Club Preem Charles Einteld, chief of WB ad- vertising and publicity, now cast, left yesterday (Tuesday) for Wash- ington to further discuss a special fcreming there with Davies. OWI oflicials and the National Press Club, where il will be held for newspaper- men and Wa.shingon dignitaries, tie NSS had been struggling along at pre-war levels. Since the cofnpany has contracts with exhibitors, in most cases on a lung-term basis. It will appeal to Iti accounts for additional rental rev- enue in the face of the terrific in- crease in costs of operation. Mean- time, It has lent its efforts en a large scale in furthering war activi- ties and through its exchanges has handled the distribution of many special trailers on drives and the like en a gratis basis or at below cost. The same has held true of special accessories in connection with war work. JustiAcation for higher rentals, basis on which National Screen will appeal to its contract accounts, is among matters tmder discussion ot regional sales conventions, flrst ot which was held in New York, Fri- day - Saturday (16-17), presided over by George F. Dembow, v.p. and general sales manager. Another re- gional win be held in Chicago, Frl- dayrSalurday (23-24), while a third is scheduled for L. A.. April 3(1- May 2. The conventions, in addition to discussing current problems and policies, are in the nature of teeing off a sales drive which will start May 17 and extend over a period o! :>0 weeks. It will be known as the Herman Bobbins Drive of 1943, as a teslimrnial to the president of NSS A Kilal of $40,000 in prizes to the men showing the best results on the drive will be awarded, will be there until the end of the week, and if a screening is .^^et. plan Is ti> lake tradepaper reps to Wush- InKton fur the showing. ', »•<■ Meanlime. witth additional male- f(. Y. HEARST DAILY S rial beinu .shot on 'Moscow,' it.s open- Jr.K al the Hollywood, N. Y.. slated for today (Wednesday) has been 'ici back 10 Thursday (20). While Ihi ie may be a preview the night before <2(li for newspaper people, funfai-e Of il special preem will be avoided. Prices at the Hollywood will not be lijiped. Meanlime, campaign against the 'Mi.-'Sion' by the New Leader mai; and.the Chicago Tribune is viewed in Warners as probably helping the picture rather than hurting il. WB will not start selling the flim iinlil •rier its N'. Y. opening, nor will there be any trade screenings for exhibs prior to then. Intentions are to sell, \\\f picture .singly. PRO-PIX AD SERIES N". v. Journal-American is pub li.<ihinK a series of institutional ad- vert i.svinents explaining importance of the film business to the war effort Series is being made available to tliR larger newspapers throughout the cuiiniry through the collaboration of the Hays office Industry Service Bureau and the War Activities Com mittee. Journal-American is run- ning the ads with the explanatory foolnolc' that they are published by the paper in rebognition of the fact that motion plctiu«s are the Arst line of morale defen.se. Ads to go in Vrti Jou!'na1-AlP£r)can ' (|Uote .Reiieral Dwight Eisenhower, WB Navy Short To Be * ' General Charles H. Bonesteiel ,Q ~ j<nit Lx'0 sergeant writing to his parents rreviewed By BraSShatS; from -.somewhere in North Africa. Special preview of 'Eagles „f j All link Ihe vital purpose of motion Navy.' Warner technicolor .short on pictuies in wartime, niival aviation, will be held tomor- row >Thur.sday) afternoon in the N. Y. homcofflce projection rorim under aiisplce/i of U. S. Naval Avia- tion oeparlment. High-ranking N.ivy men in V. Y. and Wa.shington have been invited to the screening and a teceplion later at the Astor hotel. The Navy Department Is cooper- •ting with Warner Bros. In show ing the picture In the U. S. JACK CONHOR WITH METBO .Minneapolis, April 20. Jack Connor, feature writer and outdoor editor ot the Minneapolis Daily Timr.s, has joined Metro as an exploileer. He ha^ been assigned to work out of Dfs .Moines, succeeding Louis Hclborn, deceased. Free Snnday Pix in 5 Can. Keys for Soldiers; No Sabbath law We(be What may .serve as a model for circuits in this country to follow is a policy being instituted by Famous Players-Canadian in live selected cities in which it operale.s. with a theatre in each to be set a'Sidc every Sunday which .servicemen may at- tend free of charge. No civilians permitted. The Kratis .shows will be presented a( the re(|iiest of Can.ida's Minister of National Defense. Hon. J. L. Ral- ston. Plans to no ahead with them were worked out at a recent session between J. .1. Fit/.f:il>bons. president ot FI'-C and other company execu- tives; repre.«cntatives of distributors serving Canada: unions and Briga- dier James Mess, who went to 'To- ronlo. FP-C headquarler.o, from Ottawa as the Government's repre- sentative. All operating e)(pen.<es ot the free Sunday shows will be paid for by Famous Players, while Canadian dis- tributors have agreed to provide fllm free; The .shows will not only be for Canadian .servicemen but for U. S. soldiers who may be in the Do- minion. With the exception of the province of Quebec no regular Sunday shows are permitted and when military and civic leaders approved operation on Sunday for senMcemen, a storm of protest arose among ministerial as- sociallons' with the suggestion made by one religious group that the shows for troops were merely the thin edge ot a wedge for Sunday showB throughout Canada after the war. Fitzgibbons declares there Is no foundation fur such fears. Speaking for FP-C. he slates the company Is on record as opposing Sunday shows and had never at any time sought to Introduce them in Canada. FP-C inaugurates the free Sunday shows for servicemen on Sunday (25) in the Imperial, Toronto; Capi- tol, Halifax; Capitol. Edmonton; Capitol, Victoria, and the Capitol, Prince-Rupert. N. C.'a Sunday Bill Charlotte, N. C. April 20. A bill, which will legalize Sunday movies in .South Carolina towns where military bases are located until six months after the war, was passed in the Hou.se April 13 and is awailirtg the signature ot Gov. Olin D. Johnston. The Hou.>:e voted by a slim ma. jorlly to conciu- with Senate amend' ments to the original measure. The Senate had eliminated the House provision which would have allowed servicemen lo be admitted al lower prices than civilians. Pa. Sunday Hill's Brushoft }f,'irrisbiu-g. Ta., Aprii 20. With Penn.sylvania leKLslali rs hurrying lo adjourn liy .April 29. the deaciline set by Governor Martin. Ugi.vlatinn p:'i,vi.;:ng'Siii'.diiy pix for soldiers appears likely to be lost in the shuffle. Too mani'. adininL-lrft.: lion measures require altcnlion aiid the lime is limited, leaders ."ay. New 'Lion't Soar' April i.s^ue ot 'Lion's' Roar,' Metro's pictorial magazine tor ex hiultors and the trade, highlights 'Du Barry Was a Lady* and fcmme pulchritude running about 150 pages. It's a 'Fortune'-iypc mag Itiyout, in size and photos. Special art work in this edition in eludes three drawings by Howard Bacr of E.squire. depicting an artist's conception of beauties appearing In "Du Barry.' Jack Cundersen at RKO . Jack Gunderson, formerly with Metro exploitation department, has Joined Terry Turner's crew at RKO. He will handle Seattle and Port- land territories. Keith's, to GoUnan May 8; Other Theatr^Exchall8e ftirfs Philadelphia. April 20. Keith'.s—one of Stanley-Warner's two '.subsequent run' houses in mid- town Philly—got a la.st hour reprieve yesterday iMun.) after it had been ordered .shuttered by the manage- ment. If the clo.^ing order would have remained, it would have meant that il would have .stayed dark inttil May 8—the 'date it will be taken over by William Goldman, indie ex- hib, who purchased the house a couple of months ago for S250.000. Un- der present orders, it will st.ty open until the expiration date ot the Warner lease—May 7. When Goldman takes over, it will leave Warners with only one 'subse- quent runner'—the Karllon, which Goldman also has purchased. He Warner.s' sudden change of mind in regard to the shuttering of the Keith s came after a letter was sent to them by William A. Gray, altor- ney for Goldman, demanding they remain open. Goldman declared that Warner.s' lease forbade the dosing of the the- atre except in the summer months. Goldman intimated that Warners' at- tempt lo keep the house dark for three weeks would cause Ihe house lo lose value, lie al.-'o disclo.sed Ihiit Warners pays a rental plus ii |icr- ccntage of thp jiross over a certain figure. Officials of Warners would not comment on Goldman's allCKations. When Goldman takes over the house Ben Kane, manager of the Strand. Pollstown. n Goldman hou.se. will be manager, takes possession. June 1. Keith's was at one lime Philly's ace vauder — e<iuivalent to New York's Palace. With the ad\-ent ot talking pix the house was clo.scd, then taken over in 1928 by RKO and refurbished Into a deluxer. It was subsequently leased to Abe Sablosky and Cnarles Segal 1. local indies, and Anally passed into the hands of Warners in late 1034. Warners has recently leased the Shubert, onetime leglter, which had been reported as a spot to take the Elace of one of the vacated theatres, lut thus far. Warners has given no indication what it plans to do with the Shubert. There have also been recurrent rumors that Warners was dickering for the Arcadia, a midtown indie. But this was vehemently de- nied by both Warners and operators ot the Arcadia. A committee of Catholic exhibs has been formed here to collect Rosary beads and 'crueiAxes for Catholic chaplains In the armed ser\-ices. Manufacture of the articles has been cut down. Indpis Nsbet Tilt rrlecs Indianapolis, April 20. A slight tilt in boxofflce prices, matinee and night, will go into effect at Indianapolis nabes this week. Uppance is generally to 25 and 35, from previous 22 and SO.. Carl Niesse's Vogue was looted ot $200 In cash and $79 in stamps the night of April 11 by thugs who evi- dently hid in theatre at closing time, broke into the office, cracked the safe with a hammer and sawed their way out the back door. Getting a new safe gave Niesse quite a head- ache. '. Sally Sloan, assistant manager at Loew's, will leave Wedne.sda;^ (21) to go into defense work, publicizing E awards in Detroit. Herbert Bpss is the new booker at Paramount, succeeding Mrs. Sally Dahn, resigned. The local variety club will enter- tain Bob O'Donnell, national chief barker, with a noon luncheon for members and evening party for their wives May 7. Interbero Adds One The Blenheim. 1.900-.seuter. Bronx. N. Y.. added lo the Interbnro Cir- cuit this week. Iea.se lo run for 25 years. Thealre was built by and is still owned by the Benensnn in- lercsl.s. I.R.B. Really Co.. and ChariM Benensnn. and has been un- der lease to Sknuras which acquired the theatre when il look over the •Pox-Metrupolitan - Cimiit several- years ago. Le.ssees intend to redec- orate. Ohio ITO's 'War CoHventlon* Columbus, April 20. 'War Convention' of the Independ- ent "Theatre Owners ot Ohio will be held*in the Deshler-Wallick hotel. Columbus, May 11 and 12. P. J. Wood, secretary, urged that every exhibitor attend to 'learn flrst hand some of the things which all ot us face in the operation of our busi- nes.s.'• He said that never in the history of the motion picture busi- ness has it been confronted with more perplexing problems. Brodert Partners In Drt. Detroit. April 20. Brnder Circuit here has been re- organized with Paul Broder. a brother, taken in as a partner by Jack Broder, who founded the chain. Circuit name Is now-^ack and Paul Broder Theatres. « • •.• . , ... Closed for several months. Cav. lord, Caylord, MJch., has been re- opened on a three-night a week policy by Waller Noa. A third hou.sc h<-is been added by Albert Hcfferan in Grand Rnpid.s. Operator of the Lynx and. the Cen- tury he also has bought the Burlun in suburban Burton Heights. Cliff GUI to FrlM-o Minneapoli.s. April 20. Cliff Gill, 20th-Fox exploileer out of Minneapolis, has been promoted to a similar post in Snn Francisco. Gill was. Bdverti.sinu and publicity head of the Eddie Ruben Welworth theatre circuit before he joined Fox two years ago. Walter Hoffman has been sent here from New 'ITork to replace htm. Itouse Boys Near SI. Louis St. Louis. April 20. Clair and Don Sturgeon.-who oper- ated the 100-seater Werbner. Lewis- town, ill., for two years, purchased the Royal, 200-seater. Fulton. 111. Osage theatre building. Kirkwood, Mu.. .sold for a reported $40,000. Theatre 'i% leased to O.saue Amiijtc- ment Co. This if the fifth theatre property In the St. Louis area to change hands in the past liO days. Mrs. -Josie Lawson. owner of the AOO-seater, Grand. Mount Olive. 111.^ rccentl.v damaged by lire, will have hoii.sc recoastrueted. lloblKiclle Starln Dallas Drive Dalla.s. April 20. Karl Hoblilzelle. pre.'-idenl of In- terstate Theatres. Inc.. launchecV the Dallas Society for Cripitlcd Chil- dren's annual. eastern .seal camaign with a gift of $1,500. The money Ls being ii.sed for • (Continued on page 29) GOV. DEWEY LO^ LEGAL BINGO OUT OF NEW YORK Albany, April 20. The point made In 'Variety's' story on the surprising adoption by the Legislature of the Wilson bingo bill, that Governor Dewey might veto It as unconstitutional—the New York State Council of Churches (repre^ sentint federated Pr<>testantIsm'V so contended at the public hearing and' In a brief filed with Dewey—proved correct. This bill is clearly uncon- stitutional,' he wrote in the veto message. 1 could sign It and leavo it for the courts to strike It down, but t would be shirking my duty should I Ignore the dear mandate of the constitution and pass the respon- sibility to the courts.' The Governor said the measure sought to make legal ■ form ot gambling (prohibited by the state constitution) for the benefit of charitable, religious, civic, fraternal and veterans' organizations, volun- teer fire departments and granges, all of them very worthy. *I cannot in good conscience sign any bill which vlolatjM the constitution of the United States,' he continued. 20th Rushing 'Victory' For Widest Circulation Making the picture available im- mediately, 20th-Fox Is selling 'De.sert Victory' mostly on a flat basis rather than demanding percentage. Com- pany is making the terms liberal with a view not only giving the ex- hibitors a break but also with thought of getting as wide distribu- tion on it as possible. While playing singly at the Globe, N. Y., where It received unusual ci'iliciil breaks, in the v;..st majority ot instanced 'Victory' will be in- cluded on double bill.; with Ihe other picture, which also may be 20th. j;o- ing in on percentage- Salesmen for 20th are trying In inake deals for two pictures oD..t.lie one bill even though 'Victory' i.s be-" ing merchandised under separate contract. Dlplomatle Avra i« Preview Philadelphia. April 20. A special showing of 'Desert Vic- tory' was held Thursday night iI5) In the WCAU auditorium for Army. Navy. Iklarlne officers, civic offieial.o and leaders ot the British colony here as well as United Nations .serv- icemen stationed here. Host for the showing was L. W. Robinson, British consul-general here, who sent invilalion.c on en- graved consulate statldnery. Bt-ery guest was introduced to ihe con.sul and his slalT by Naval officers sta- tioned at the door. Warners, which. spon.<ored the showing, also held a special screen- 'fH.M.the Warner i>rojcclion room the night before (Wed.) for picss and radio reps.