Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1939)

Page 6 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW May 13, 1939 41 Features, 16 Westerns WANTS JL S. On Col's 1939-40 Program Capra's "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Heads List of Big Director Films Introducing the Boss Forty-one features and sixteen westerns will be released by Columbia during the 1939-40 season, it was announced this week at the first of three regional meetings, held in Atlantic City. The regular program will'^ emljrace 40 pictures and Frank Capra's "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" will be sold separately. The program will cost $5,000,000 more than ever before. Following is the list of pictures scheduled for release on the new program: "Arizona", a Wesley Ruggles production, starring Jean Arthur; another picture will also be made by Ruggles. Frank Lloyd is scheduled to direct two pictures, one of which will be "Tree of Liberty". "The Bigger They Are" will be made by Howard Hawks, starring Cary Grant. The play was written by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur. The picture is scheduled for release in the early fall. "Super Clipper", a tropical drama of Man's coming conquests of the air, will be made by Alexander Hall. One picture will again costar Joan Blondell and Melvyn Douglas, similar to "There's Always A Woman". There will be three "Blondie" pictures. Joe E. Brown will star in "Give Me Liberty" and another picture. Warden Lewis E. Lawes will appear in "Men In Sing Sing", his own story. Three pictures will star Edith Fellows. They will be based on the "Five Little Peppers" series of novels. Two pictures will star Warren William as the Lone Wolf. Jack Holt will be in four pictures. Mrs. Martin Johnson will make one feature to be sold in addition to the regular program. The Westerns will be in two series; 10 will star Charles Starrett and six will star Bill Elliott. Columbia will adhere to the new Code of Fair Trade Prac Abe Montague, Columbia general sales manager, introducing Jack Cohn to the delegates at the Atlantic City Convention this week. (Oilier picture on pagr 24) tise "to the last period and comma", declared Abe Montague, if the code is accepted by the government and by exhibitors. Jack Cohn in address to the delegates asked them to urge their theatre accounts to resort to more showmanship to get more money out of their pictures. On the issue of dual bills the company policy will be for every exhibitor to decide that for himself. Montague advised producers and distributors to stick to their own knitting and let the exhibitor determine his own policy. The short subject announcement appears on page 16. ON FAST TIME Opposition to Neely's Proposal Foreseen Washington — A bill providing for nationwide daylight saving time, introduced last week by Senator M. M. Neely, West Virginia democrat, is now before the .Senate Interstate Commerce Committee. Ed Kuykendall, MPTOA prexy, in a statement this week, announced his opposition to the measure. From Dallas, Col. H. A. Cole, stated that as far as he was concerned he was very much opposed to daylight saving time. In discussing the bill, film industry sources asserted that in many parts of the nation where fast time is not in force, exhibitors will protest against the bill on the ground that the extra hour of daylight will mean curtailed attendance at their theatres. Report Gov't to Ask Suit Trial in Oct. That the Government intends to seek setting of trial of its N. Y. equity action against the majors for next October was asserted tliis week by sources close to the Department of Justice. The Government's portion of the trail, it is indicated, will occupy about four months, with the entire proceedings covering the better part of a year's time. Griffin Returns Herbert Griffin, vice-president of International Projector Corp., who returned this week from the Coast after attending the SMPE convention, stated that theatre owners are taking an increased interest in sound and visual projection, and that the SMPE had been successful in developing higher technical standards in this field. Back From Europe James Roosevelt, vice-president of Samuel Goldwyn, Inc., as he arrived on the Queen Mary from a business trip abroad during which he attended the premieres of "Wuthering Heights" in London and Paris. He was met at the pier by Mrs. Roosevelt who is shown here with him. ADDITIONS MADE TO SALES FORCE GN Makes Many Changes In Augmenting Field Staff As the first step in augmenting the field staff following a recent announcement of increased production activity, Sol Edwards this week announced several additions to the sales force. New appointments of branch m.anagers include: Marcel Mekelherg to Boston, Bert Freese to Buffalo, Max Stahl to Cleveland, William Minder to New Orleans, Herbert Given to Philadelphia, Joe Hartman to St. Louis, and Joe Kaliski to Washington. Paul Richrath is now manager of the Albany branch, and William Benjamin has been transferred from Detroit to take charge of the Chicago office. Ralph Peckham returns from Buffalo to take charge at Detroit. ITOA WILL SEND GROUP TO MEET A committee will be sent by ITOA to the national Allied convention in Minneapolis, June ISIS, for the purpose of discussing and voting on the acceptance of the trade practice proposals. Al Steffes, Northwest Allied nrcsident, in a letter to the ITOA, said, in part, that "rest assured your committee is not only welcome, but also bring as many theatre owners from your state as possible." Monogram's Annual Convention, a picture of which is shown above was the largest held in the history of the company. When the opening gavel fell at the Drake Hotel in Chicago, where the delegates met, on the dais were George Weeks, general sales manager; Mayor Kelly of Chicago; Henri Elman, Chicago franchise holder; President W. Ray Johnston; Scott R. Dunlap, vice-president in charge of production and Edward Golden, vice-president in charge of exchange operations. Organize Indie Unit Oklahoma City — More than 100 theatre owners met this week at the Biltmore Hotel here to organize an independent theatremen's association which, at a later date, will consider the creation of and sponsorship of a state-wide buying pool.