Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

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Space Needs Grow Acute as Commercials Enter The present difficulty in shortage of studio rental space, which for the past few months has been hampering independent producers who shoot their pictures on rented property, has recently been further aggravated by the inroads being made by the increasingly heavy production schedule of commercial films made for advertising purposes. Achieving more and more importance in the film industry, the commercials are surprising Hollywood with their workmanlike construction and the presence of wellknown film talent on their acting credit sheets. The steady increase in production of this type of film has, according to a checkup of the various rental lots, found the independent producer of regular screen features becoming more hard-pressed in his search for leasable space. Work on SI and Republic Lots Now in work on the Selznick International lot as one of the few outside pictures to be produced there since the old RKO Rathe regime dropped out is “Stan.” an elaborate commercial feature whose cast is headed by Robert Armstrong and Peggy Shannon. Abe Meyer and Dr. Hugo Riesenfeld are preparing a musical score at International Studios, recording with a 32-piece symphony orchestra. The feature will be an advertisement for the Standard Oil Company. “Dealer’s Choice,” another film of this type, is being filmed by the Standard Oil Co., using rental stages on the International lot, while General Electric has just completed “From Now On,” doing its filming on available stages at Republic. Jam Handy Leases Space One of the largest producers of commercials, Jam Handy, with home offices in Detroit, has leased space from Hollywood Studios and is currently preparing to film a series of advertising pictures featuring Edgar Guest. Work on scripts for the series is being put underway by Eve Unsell, who returned last week from Detroit. Wilding Picture Productions, of Detroit, is also occupying space at Selznick International, shooting a commercial for General Foods, featuring such motion picture talent as Muriel Evans, Eleanor Stewart and David Newell. Rent General Service Lot The C. and H. Sugar Co. has announced plans to produce “Haiwaiian Harvest,” with portions of the filming scheduled for Hawaii and the San Francisco factories of the company. Cutting and editing will be done at International Studios. Robinson and Neeman, commercial producers, with offices and a laboratory on Sunset Blvd., from time to time rent stages on the General Service lot for various advertising productions, under the supervision of Gordon Knox. COLUMBIA PACTS ARLEN FOR SERIES Although spokesmen for Principal Pictures declare that company still has first call on his services, Richard Arlen has signed a term acting contract with Columbia for a series of films in which he will be co-featured with Chester Morris. Arlen, who made one western for Lesser’s Principal, was set for another, “It Happened Out West,” but obtained a leave of absence some weeks ago and was taken out of the cast to be replaced by Paul Kelly. Arrangements are being worked out, according to Principal, whereby Arlen will do one or more films for the company in addition to his Columbia commitments. Hays Heads MPPDA for Sixteenth Year New York — Will H. Hays tliis week began his 16th consecutive year as president of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, Inc., his reelection having taken place at the association’s annual meeting here last Friday. Three new directors were added to the board. These include E. B. Hatrick, vicepresident, Cosmopolitan Corp., which was admitted to membership in the MPPDA; Barney Balaban, president of Paramount, replacing Adolph Zukor, chairman of the board, who is devoting his time to studio activities on the coast, and Leo Spitz, chairman of the board of RKO Radio, who succeeds M. H. Aylesworth who recently resigned as RKO chairman to join ScrippsHoward. Other Officers Reelected In addition to Hays, all other officers were reelected including Carl E. Milliken, secretary; Frederick L. Herron, treasurer, and George Borthwick, assistant treasurer. Hays and Herron are also directors, and the following directors also were reelected: Harry D. Buckley, United Artists; Robert H. Cochrane, Universal; Jack Cohn, Columbia; Cecil B. DeMille, E. W. Hammons, Educational; Sidney R. Kent, 20th Century-Fox; Sol Lesser, Principal; Hal E. Roach, David Sarnoff, RCA Mfg. Co. (RCA Photophone) ; Nicholas M. Schenck, Loew’s, Inc.; Harry M. Warner, Vitagraph, Inc., and Albert Warner, Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc., and First National. Ned E. Depinet of RKO and Jesse L. Lasky of the disbanded Pickford-Lasky Productions, retired from the board, which now consists of 17 members IMPERIAL PLANNING EXPANDED PROGRAM New York — With financing through a public stock issue of 500,000 shares to be obtained. Imperial Pictures plans an ambitious program of 32 features for 1937-38, four times the number announced for the current season. Pictures for 1937-38 will be grouped as: Six exploitation specials, ten Jewel features, eight outdoor musicals and eight frontier action pictures. “Sky Girl” and “Negligee” are the first story buys for the new program, with additional titles and stars to be announced shortly. James Jovaney has been appointed midwestern sales manager for Imperial with headquarters in Chicago. Imperial exchanges have recently been opened in Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Louis and Indianapolis. "A STAR IS BORN" PREMIERES APRIL 20 David O. Selznick’s production “A Star Is Born” will be given a gala world premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on April 20, with top seats selling for $5.50. Starring Fredric March and Janet Gaynor and with a supporting cast which includes May Robson, Adolphe Menjou, Lionel Stander and Andy Devine, the film is in Technicolor. William Wellman directed. One of the interesting side lights on the film is that in one of its sequences it depicts just such a premiere at the Chinese. DEMONSTRATION FOR SHEARER RECORDING Douglas Shearer, Metro sound engineer and winner of the Academy award for technical achievement in sound system developments this year, will demonstrate his two track recording and Shearer horn system before the Society of Motion Picture Engineers at their meeting in May. Shearer’s binaural system, by which present strides in recording and theatre reproduction have been achieved, will be explained in an illustrated lecture. Sherman Subs for Scott With Ewing Scott confined to the Queen of Angels Hospital as a result of an automobile accident in which he was injured last week, George Sherman, assistant director, has been given the megging job on “Looking for Trouble,” which Scott was directing for Condor Pictures. The George O’Brien starrer was due to be completed late this week. STORY BUYS “The Umbrella Man,” a play by Will Scott, has been bought by Metro. RKO Radio has purchased “They Had to Save Charlie,” an original by M. John Bronson. P. J. Wolfson will produce. Richard English's original, “Strictly Accidental/’ has been purchased by RKO Radio. Victor Moore will be starred. 3B BOXOFTICE April 10, 1937.