Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

NEWS BRIEFS A1 Friedlander Dies in His New York Office Independent distributor had just returned from a tenweek tour of country; spent several weeks in hospital last fall. Exchange Commission Halts Condor Issue No more securities to be offered by film firm pending acceptance of amendment to prospectus filed last December 30. Radio Committee Plans to Meet on Wednesday Distributor representatives to confer with MPTOA group on screen star radio programs; meeting later planned with broadcasters. More Majors May Adopt Ad Rental Plan Soon Metro and other distributors considering advisability of following Paramount and Warner lead, with general move likely in fall. Exchange Unionization Spread Again Extended George Browne, lATSE head, says 35 centers being completed and drive plans are set to organize unskilled theatre workers. Browne leaves for B[ollywood to study jurisdictional studio squabble. British Producer May Withdraw From America Alexander Korda on arrival in New York charges large circuits prejudiced against British films; says will quit scene unless warmer reception is forthcomirig. GB Confident 20th-Fox Will Not Disrupt System Optimistic despite Sidney Kent’s statement on return from England that continuance present distribution deal depends on suitability GB product next year. Universal Nips Rumor Charles Rogers Exit Company has highest regard for Rogers, has not considered a change, has negotiated with no other person, says Chairman of the Board J. Cheever Cowdin. Detroit Distributors Win Tax Tilt Effort In precedent-setting case, major companies avoid impost on prints on basis of potential rather than actual value. Twelve States Defeat Film Censor Proposals Fourteen bills defeated would have created state or municipal boards and imposed taxes from $2 to $30 per reel. More Than 600 Features From Twelve Companies Revamp Regulation Wins Congress' Ege Washington — Gathering sentiment for immediate consideration of the securities exchange commission proposal to regulate corporation reorganizations was observed this week among congressional members. The securities exchange commission’s recommendations included a ban against friendiy receiverships and the placing of debtors in the control of properties during reorganization. The solicitation by protective committees of security holders’ assents to reorganization plans before the courts examine them would be prohibited on the ground that they constitute an “indefensible pressure upon the courts.” The house judiciary committee Tuesday approved the Sabath bankruptcy reform bill which authorizes the comptroller of the currency to take charge of the reorganization of real estate properties on which there have been mortgage forclosures. The bill would be operative in such reorganizations as Paramount and RKO. UA SCHAEFER DRIVE SETS SALES RECORDS New York — Sales quotas were surpassed by every one of the United Artists branches during the 14-week period of the company’s George Schaefer sales drive which ended May 1. Cash receipts exceeded by 40 per cent the biggest previous week in the company’s history. Both Schaefer and A. W. Smith jr., general sales manager, expressed their deep gratification with the success of the drive. New York — Approximately 600 features, or an increase of 50 over the 1936-37 season, will be released by the 12 distributing companies during the 1937-38 season, according to estimates available this week at the home offices here. Independents May Boost Total Independent companies, such as Imperial with an announced schedule of 32 features, may add another 50 to this total before the end of the new season. A trend toward a greater percentage of “A” and “B” product, or higher budgeted pictures, is indicated for the new season, although no company has divided its product into the “A” and “B” classification. However, each studio has announced more “big” productions as well as musicals, with more than 65 of the latter tentatively planned by the 12 companies for 1937-38, compared with a total of between 40 and 50 to be delivered before the end of the current season. Musicals are invariably classed in the higher brackets due to the customary production numbers and additional expense for song and lyric writers, dance directors and such. More Westerns Although all but three of the companies will release the same percentage of westerns for 1937-38 as during the current year, an increase of more than 18 is apparent due to Monogram’s re-entering the production field with two series of eight each and Grand National increasing its output from eight to 16. To offset this, Warner, which had a series of six westerns for 1936-37, has announced none for the coming season. Discounting the smaller companies, the present season’s western list totaled 74, with next season promising about 100. A product chart which shows the tentative schedules announced by producers for the new season as compared to currentseason lineups appears below. PRODUCT COMPARISON CHART New York — The tentative feature product from 12 distributing companies for 1937-38, compared with 1936-37 stands as follows (The figure for features includes westerns and musicals) ; Company Features Western Musicalsi Features Westerns Musicals COLUMBIA . 58 16 2 58 16 2 GRAND NATIONAL , 65 16 6 52 8 3 GB PRODUCTIONS . 24 24 IMPERIAL PICTURES METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER . 32 44 to 52 8 8 8 44 to 52 5 MONOGRAM . 42 16 2 No product during 1936 ■37 PARAMOUNT . 58 8 12 60 to 65 8 6 RKO RADIO . 54 6 6 54 6 11 REPUBLIC . 54 24 7 54 24 7 20TH CENTURY-FOX . 65 6 12 65 6 8 UNITED ARTISTS . 36 2 31 1 UNIVERSAL . 42 6 9 42 6 3 WARNER-FIRST NATL . 60 6 2 60 8 BOXOFnCE :: May 13, 1937. 5