DECEMBER

"
Texas COMPO Proposes
Exposition Via Train
DALLAS—Texas showmen will propose to
the Council of Motion Picture Organizations
that the Motion Picture World Exposition
which Texas COMPO will stage at the 1953
state fair be transferred to a special streamlined
22-car train for a nationwide tour.
Texans already have been discussing the
plan with representatives of the American
Ass'n of Railroads, and Paul Short, who
originated the idea, expects to have details
ready by the time the COMPO board meets
in Chicago December 10, 11. The plan will
be formally presented by R. J. O'Donnell,
national director of Movietime U.S.A. and
co-chairman of COMPO with Col. H. A. Cole.
Pi-esent plans call for a special streamliner
in all white with a red, white and blue
motif, with each of the cars bearing the
industry's trademark "Movietime."
According to preliminary plans, 12 of the
cars will be needed to house the Hollywood
studio exhibits which will include historical
data, actual costumes, properties, miniature
production sets, and complete material displaying
the beginning, growth and development
of the motion picture industry from its
slide and silent days through the era of
sound and color, right up to the latest—the
ultramodern Cinerama. These various exhibits
will total some 11,000 items.
One of the cars also would be especially
equipped to carry network radio broadcasts;
another will present television programs in
which audiences at the various stops of the
tour will participate.
Still another car would be converted into
a miniature theatre for the showing of a
20-minute subject covering the history of the
motion picture industry with much of the
material taken from the archives of the Hollywood
studios which will be assembled by
Hollywood writers, directors and producers.
Another car, it is proposed, would become
a miniature motion picture studio for screen
Industry Highly Praised
For Getting Out Vote
NEW YORK — The American Heritage
Foundation has made public a statement
crediting the industry with playing "a monumental
role in the record-breaking electionday
turnout November 4." C. M. Vandeburg,
executive director, said that none of the 51
national organizations and industry groups
did more to help get out the voters than the
industry. He mentioned newsreels, trailers
and specially produced short subjects, and
some enthusiastic exhibitors who gave free
admissions to people in their communities who
voted. There was special mention of the Motion
Picture Ass'n of America.
Jack Bellman in New Post
NEW YORK—Jack Bellman, formerly eastern
division manager for Republic Pictures
and circuit sales manager for Eagle Lion, will
become general manager of exchange operations
for Favorite Pictures Exchange December
8. He will continue in charge of sales
for the exchange here.
tests
How the Movietime Train would look.
to execute the Leonard Goldenson plan
for a national talent search, in which all
theatres in the United States would have
an opportunity to offer contestants and
candidates. Tests would then be made by
noted Hollywood directors and writers who
will be aboard for this particular assignment,
according to the plan.
One of the features of both the exposition
and the tour would be a $5,000 contest in
which cash awards would be made to persons
submitting the closest estimates of the number
of feet of film used by the industry in
producing talking pictures and color pictures.
The talking picture footage contest will be
confined to the exposition at the state fair
of Texas and the color film footage will be
covered exclusively by the tour.
"We shall make every effort to visit all
communities possible," Short declared. "We
hope to cover some of the most remote territories
as well as the large cities."
More than a year will be consumed in
putting the plans in order and at least 15
months will be needed to accomplish the
actual presentation at the Texas state fair
plus the tour, Short said. Experienced personnel
for the crew is now being processed
for leaves of absence to serve in the various
capacities for both the exposition state fair
presentation and the tour.
LETTERS
Something for
To BOXOFFICE:
Newspapers to Print
Every theatre manager who subscribes to
BOXOFFICE should clip that story, "Four
Entertainment Groups to Visit GIs Overseas,"
which appeared in your November 15
i-ssue on page 24, and should show it to the
editor of his newspaper, with probably the
last paragraph omitted.
This should be the basis of editorials or special
news stories throughout the country. It
is another one of those stories which can't
miss making the press, if it is called to the
attention of the editors.
When 60 Hollywood personalities give up
Christmas at home to entertain our boys overseas,
that is news which can't be turned down.
All newsreels should certainly cover the
take-off of these entertainers on December 19.
EARLE M. HOLDEN
Lucas and Avon Theatres,
Savannah, Ga.
Movie Quiz Program
Offered Clubwomen
NEW YORK—Something new has been
added to the program of the motion picture
:
division of the General Federation of Women's
Clubs, which recommends films to af- !
filiates to stimulate boxoffice support of the
kind of films they like. It is a movie quiz
program timed to last 30 minutes. Member
clubs are asked to test it and it is suggested
that prizes be awarded the winners.
Contestants are asked to name five Biblical,
five Shakespearean and five Dickens films,
five grand operas filmed in English and five
recently recommended war films. They are
asked to name five outstanding directors, the
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male and female stars of certain films and
the companies producing certain films, and
to tell
been filmed.
how many times "Les Miserable.^" has
There is also a special grouping of recently
recommended films in which contestants are
to name five each from the classics and stage
plays, and five biographical and five musi-
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cals.
The division is continuing its system of '
annual picture awards. For the club year
1952-53 awards will be made to the best
biographical picture and the best portrayal
of home life, in the opinion of the clubwomen.
Members have been notified of "Movies of
the Month" selections for November made
by Mrs. Dean Gray Edwards, division chairman,
over the Martha Deans radio program.
The pictures are "Bloodhounds of Broadway"
(20th-Fox), "Come Back, Little Sheba"
(Para), "Forbidden Games" (Times Film),
"My Pal Gus" (20th-Fox). "Plymouth Adventure"
(MGM), "The Prisoner of Zenda"
(MGM), "The Promoter" (U-I) and "The
Stooge" (Para).
Theatre-Sponsored Show
Via TV Growing Popular
CLEVELAND—Lights, Camera, Questions,
said to be the first sustained motion picture
theatre-sponsored TV program to be presented,
is rapidly forging to the front in
public listening esteem.
Questions pertaining to all phases of the
motion picture industry submitted to the
TV station WXEL and deposited in specially
prepared boxes in lobbies of the participating
theatres, doubled in number over the previous
(first) week of the 13-week series.
Each participating theatre now has on display
a gasinator, electric garbage and paper
disposal, which is the grand prize of the program.
At each theatre, passes are sent to
everyone who stumps the panel.
The panel is made up of Prank Murphy,
Loew Theatres division manager; Max Mink,
RKO Palace manager; Jack Silverthorne,
Hippodrome manager; Dick Wright, Warner
district manager, and Leonard Greenberger,
representing the Fairmount and Lower Mall
theatres. Disk jockey Bill Gordon emcees the
half-hour show from 1 to 1:30 p. m. each
Sunday.
RKO Reissues Two Dec. 1
NEW YORK—RKO reissued
"The Bachelor
and the Bobby-Soxer." starring Gary
Grant, Myrna Loy and Shirley Temple,
and "Bachelor Mother," with Ginger Rogers
and David Niven, December 1.
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BOXOFFICE December 6. 1952