Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

Action Supplants Moans By IVAN SPEAR At long last, one Hollywood producer is showing evidence of being willing to do something — other than moan — about the admitted and desperate need for new faces to grace the motion picture screens of the world; a need which during the past several months has been one of the pet causes for copious tears from the makers, exhibitors and patrons of films. Walter Wanger is to be congratulated for the sincere effort he is making to develop star material among the 12 "most photographed girls in the world" whom he has imported from New York for his "Vogues of 1938," currently in production. A classroom has been erected on the United Artists lot, and Harold Clurman of New York's Group Theatre is in charge of the dramatic training of the girls. Several hours each afternoon are devoted to such training. Wanger believes that there is the possibility of much latent talent among these models, who necessarily had to possess a good share of charm, grace, beauty and photographic adaptability to be selected for their present studio chores. He is backing his judgment in this respect with his time and money and in so doing is setting a splendid example for the rest of the picture tycoons who do so much talking about the crying paucity of talent and do so little toward making an effort to remedy the situation. Certainly, the exhibitors and picture fans of the world who have minced no words in declaring how tired they are of seeing the same screen faces over and over again are on the sidelines rooting for Mr. Wanger and the success of his worthy efforts. Two Winnersl Among Hollywood's nearly 300 accredited studio correspondents— the boys and girls who write of the screen capital's activities for fan magazines, newspapers, trade journals, radio broadcasts and all other media — guessing has always been the most popular reportorial sport, sur passed in enjoyment only by the rare occasions when they can come forward with a lusty "1 told you so!" After all, the motion picture industry exceeds all others in the degree to which it interests the public; and it is publicized proportionately. It is but natural, then, that those in Hollywood who report should do a lot of conjecturing about motion pictures and their people — most of which is subsequently proven erroneous. Occasionally, however, the film oracles are unanimous in a prediction which turns out to be true. Such was the case, for example, when Adolph Zukor returned to active supervision of production on the Paramount lot some time ago. At that time it was generally surmised as a reasonable outcome of Zukor's reinstatement that the quality of pictures turned out by the Marathon Street film factory was due for a good, hearty boost under the veteran producer's guidance. The prediction that Paramount would soon lift itself out of the doldrums and back into the high places which it once occupied in the industry has been startlingly confirmed by the fact that the company has won the monthly Blue Ribbon Award, presented by the National Screen Council and sponsored by BOXOFFICE, not only in January, but followed that triumph immediately by winning the award again in February. The honors went to "The Plainsman" and "Maid of Salem," respectively. The BOXOFFICE Blue Ribbon Award, generally accepted by the industry as one of the most comprehensive cross-sections of public opinion regarding the values and merits of current motion pictures, includes on its ballot list motion picture editors of the nation's leading newspapers, the motion picture chairmen of each state federation of women's clubs, the motion picture reviewing chairmen of the International Federation of Catholic Alumnae, and representatives of other social, civic and educational organizations representing 15,000,000 people. That Paramount, ending a four-year hiatus during which it received no mention from the National Screen Council, suddenly emerges with not one, but two. Blue Ribbons, is the occasion for hearty congratulations to the company and to the man who has been largely responsible for its comeback — Adolph Zukor. WESTERN EDITION Is One of the Seven Sectional Editions in Which BOXOFFICE Is Published Weekly. The Other Six Editions Are: NEW ENGLAND, MIDEAST. CENTRAL, MIDWEST, SOUTHERN, EASTERN. IVAN SPEAR, Western Managrer, Suite 219, 6404 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, Calif., Phone GLadstone 1186. WALTER BARUSCH, 201 Golden Gate Bldg., 25 Taylor St., San Francisco, Calif. JOE COOPER, 2417 Second Ave., Seattle, Wash. JOHN A. ROSE, 1620 Clarkson St., Denver, Colo. VIOLA BROWNING HUTTON, 605 Utah Savings & Trust Bldg., Salt Lake City, Utah.