Automatic Age

Soundie Machine to Aid Recruiting
M ech a n ic a l device, in C it y H a ll,
to spur enlistments
OW that the Arm y is be­
ing mechanized, recruit­
ing for the armed forces
of the United States also is be­
ing mechanized.
A t 10 o’clock this morning the
first mechanical Arm y recruit­
ing device in the country will
go into action in City Hall. In
the lobby will be placed one of
the new soundie machines and in
the machine will be a ten-minute
Arm y film entitled “ The A ir
Arm y.”
Capt. Winston V. Morrow, in
charge of recruiting here, who
received the film from recruiting
headquarters at Syracuse Satur­
day, announced that the movie
gives any person interested an
excellent view of the Arm y A ir
Corps both in peacetime and in
wartime.
It shows airplanes flying in
formation, pictures them oper­
ating in the field in co-operation
N
with tanks and armored divi­
sions, gives examples of dive
bombing and its effects, shows
the release of bombs, the courses
of the missiles and the effect of
the latter. The training of the
recruit to become a pilot also is
portrayed.
Capt. Morrow said the me­
chanical recruiting plan is being
tried out here as a result of an
idea conceived by Frank T. Cur­
ran, distributor in this area for
Panoram
soundie
machines.
Curran donated the machine to
be used today for the use of the
A rm y .— Courier Express, Buf­
falo, N. Y., May 12, 1941.
CAMPAIGN FOR
TOURISTS
Minnesota operators look for
great results from the state-
sponsored tourist
promotion
campaign.
RUMBA UNSEATS
JITTERBUG
The rumba bug and conga bug
are unseating the jitterbug in
Philadelphia phonograph loca­
tions. The advance of the two
Latin American dances was
slower here than in New York.
Fox trots maintained their
popularity in middle class loca­
tions long after rumbas and
congas were pushed hard in
night clubs.
The newly evident swing to
Latin steps means dancers, hav­
ing heard “ Frenesi” and “ Ama-
pola” steadily on hit parades
since the first of the year, finally
gave in to the much-plugged
good neighbor policy.
Teensters who used to jitter­
bug in ice cream parlors now
Latin-bug
instead.
Location
managers help the operator by
hiring older girls to teach the
new steps to high school stu­
dents. The approach of hot
weather is expected to rush the
new dance trend, because rumba
and conga take less energy than
jitterbugging.
&
HAPPEL ANTICIPATES BIG
RESORT BUSINESS
Increased resort business is
expected in northern Wisconsin,
according to William Happel,
head of Badger Novelty Com­
pany, Milwaukee.
Operators’
collections are higher and ma­
chines are being moved more
rapidly. Persons taking vaca­
tions for the first time in several
years are expected to balance
any falling off of resort patron­
age from selective service.
NEW PHONO OPERATORS
" A dime is all it takes," says Lanny Ross, popular radio and record artist, to his manager,
S . Cohen. The machine he is about to play is the M ills Panoram Soundie, automatic movie
machine. Top right: Jim Hudson, M ills Man.
VO
A U T O M A T IC AGE
© International Arcade Museum
Atkins & McClure Amuse­
ment Company opened for busi­
ness as exclusive Wurlitzer oper­
ators in Houston, Texas re­
cently. W. C. Atkins and Fred
McClure are owners; Mary Eliz­
abeth Jackson is secretary.
June, 1941
http://www.arcade-museum.com/