Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

Color Films and Games Popular, Surveq Shows NEW YORK (Continued from page 19) cation . . . Sam Rosen and A1 Reid of the Si Fabian circuit have returned from tropical resorts . . . Charles Stern has forgotten all about Miami . . . Nicholas M. Schenck and Leopold Friedman are back from the coast . . . Miami has taken hold of Harry Gold . . . Nellie Witting, secretary to Norton V. Ritchey, is en route from Ecuador to Gotham and Monogram’s foreign department. Ned E. Depinet, who proudly points to Erie, Pa., as his birthplace, was honored at a luncheon at the Hotel Woodstock Thursday night when the Erie Club came to town to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of the event. Harry M. Warner has sold his 38-acre estate at Greenwich, Conn. It was known as Warfield and included large stables completely equipped for the training of horses. Frank White, formerly treasurer and business manager of the magazines NewsWeek and Stage, has been elected treasurer of the Columbia Broadcasting System, succeeding M. R. Runyon, who will henceforth devote all his time to general executive work. Europe-bound this week were Paul Lukas and Walter Gould, assistant to Arthur W. Kelly, in charge of UA foreign distribution . . . Back to home bailiwicks after attending the premiere of “Silent Barriers” at the Criterion are the following GB branch managers: Carl Goe, Albany; Ben Rogers, New Haven; Joe Kaliski, Washington; John Scully, Boston, and Herb Given, Philadelphia. According to the company’s Belgian distributors, Columbia’s “Lost Horizon’’ won Belgium’s highest motion picture award, the Prix du Cinema medal for 1936-37. Ben Serkowich, liaison officer between the public and the Capitol, sent bottles of a beverage called May Wine to the male critics who said so many nice things about “Maytime” . . . The premiere of “Elephant Boy” at the Rialto was dropped back from its scheduled Monday opening to Thursday . . . Lillian Nadel, publicity agent for the house, has also taken over the press work for the Filmarte. Nino Martini says au revoir to the airwaves Wednesday night, April 7, when he sings selections from “The Gay Desperado’’ over the Columbia network. He leaves the series for an extended concert tour, and Lily Pons starts her radio series April 14 on the same hour. The broadcasts aere from New York. Robert Sinclair, one of Broadway’s better directors, has finally capitulated to a Hollywood offer and will direct films for Selznick International. The contract was signed last week. He leaves for Hollywood as soon as he completes his work on “Babes in Arms,” which is scheduled for April 13 opening. Sinclair directed most of Max Gordon’s Broadway successes. Spring comes to West 56th St.: “With (Continued on page 20-C) Trade Practices (Continued from page 17) have been informed by exhibitor members or clients of such a notification on their part by Law. ITO Lodged Complaint The ITO some months ago lodged a complaint with the Department of Justice in Washington on behalf of local independent showmen charging that they were being discriminated against in booking and in film rental charges. The very nature of Law’s arrival in southern California and the under-cover manner in which he is conducting his survey, without the fanfare and attendant ballyhoo which customarily accompanies such investigations, has led local film folk generally to concede that he means business, and that fireworks may shortly ensue. RKO Profits Near Million in 60 Days New York — RKO’s net profits for first two months of 1937 were $714,000 as compared with $68,350 for the same period of 1936 and the consolidated net earnings of $2,485,000 for all of last year. Federal Judge William Bondy was informed Thursday. The information was disclosed when the Irving Trust Co. as trustee, and its attorneys, applied for interim allowance of $145,000 for services in the RKO reorganization proceedings. 'The court reserved decision on the application. Counsel for the independent stockholders’ committee that had opposed any allowance until the reorganization plan is approved agreed on Thursday with Judge Bondy that while the petitioners performed “splendid services” in the proceedings the amount asked as the stage of action was too large. Judge Bondy said that he would allow “a small sum” on account. The same counsel called the court’s attention to the fact that the attorneys already have received $290,000 and the trustee $150,000 in a little more than four years of litigation. IRWIN BRANCH OPENING New York — Lou Irwin, Inc., theatrical representatives, will have an official opening of its Hollywood branch on April 15. Lou Irwin, who will be in charge of the west coast office, leaves for Hollywood early next week. New York — That the public demand for color features is probably greater than exhibitors or producers realize, that audience games are still popular and single bill advocates are still outnumbered but seem to be making gains are among the highlights of the answers received to a questionnaire appearing in a recent issue of Loew’s Movie-Goer, circuit fan magazine giveaway. Letters From 100,000 Fans Loew’s offered a few trips to Bermuda for the “most intelligent” replies and received what it estimates as the opinions of 100,000 film patrons in the New York metropolitan area, on a basis of a monthly circulation of close to 400,000 magazines at its theatres here. According to Oscar A. DcK)b, advertising director for Loew’s, the most interesting comment was the result of the query, “Have you any suggestion to make for the improvement of motion pictures as a whole?” This brought a response indicative of the growing interest in color in pictures. The replies to the question concerning single or double feature programs showed the majority favoring a two and a half to three and a half hour show. Audience Game Vote Tied The vote on audience games was evenly divided, with single-feature adherents definitely against them. The selection of the “ten best” pictures corresponds closely to the choices already made by critics and other polls, Doob’s statement says. Women in the 40 to 60 age group advocated cessation of crime and gangster film, while “love romances” were the overwhelming favorite among the “type” pictures. The names most frequently mentioned as those audiences would like to see in star roles were James Stewart, Tyrone Power, Martha Raye, Margaret Lindsay, Gail Patrick, Isabel Jewell and Shirley Ross. Clark Gable leads the “favorite film stars” list with Robert Taylor a close second. Van Dyke Leads Directors Keen public interest was evidenced in film directors. W. S. Van Dyke led in this division comfortably, with Frank Capra and Cecil B. DeMille next. Many mistook Adolph Zukor for a director. Garbo is still tops among the favorite feminine stars. Up near the top is Myrna Loy, with Norman Shearer following closely. Over 90 per cent of those who returned the questionnaires indicated their age as “21 to 40,” and Doob estimates that 60 per cent of the replies came from women. GETS "JENNY” RIGHTS New York — Arthur Sanchez of the Trans-Oceanic Film Export Co. has acquired American distribution rights to the French dialogue film, “Jenny,” featuring Francoise Rosay. BOXOFFICE :: April 3. 1937. 20-A