Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

Directors Guild Bids for Recognition bg Producers With screen writers obtaining producer recognition some months ago through the organization and acceptance of the Screen Playwrights, Inc., and with actors through the Screen Actors Guild only last week winning their fight for a guild shop, a third important branch of the motion picture industry came to life this week and took preliminary steps toward gaining recognition of their craft by Hollywood producers. Meeting early this week, the Screen Directors Guild, which had been inactive since its annual huddle a year ago, outlined plans for a basic working agreement to be submitted to Pat Casey, representing the producers, for negotiation under the Wagner collective bargaining act. The group also elected officers for the coming year, naming King Vidor president, Lewis Milestone first vice-president, Frank Tuttle second vice-president, Richard Wallace secretary and John Ford treasurer. Members of the SDG board of directors include Herbert Biberman, John Cromwell, Howard Hawks, Wesley Ruggles, Rouben Mamoulian, William A. Wellman, A. Edward Sutherland, H. Bruce Humberstone, Gregory La Cava and Phil Rosen. Demands to producers will be submitted when an agreement as to working conditions and other adjustments has been reached among Guild members. LUBITSCH MAY TAKE ROLE IN "BUCCANEER'' Ernst Lubitsch will return to his old love — acting — if tentative plans can be worked out. The Paramount director and Cecil B. DeMille have been conferring as to the possibility of Lubitsch playing the part of Napoleon in DeMille’s production of “The Buccaneer,” and Lubitsch will take the role if he can finish his current picture, “Angel,” in time. It will be Lubitsch’s first screen appearance since “One Arabian Night.” R. H. Cochrane, left, Universal president, and Budd Rogers, member of the hoard of directors, are greeted by Charles Rogers, vice-president in charge of production, as the special convention train pulls into Hollywood. UA Directors Talk on Production, Sales Discussion and revision of production plans of individual United Artists producers and settlement of tentative arrangements for the company’s annual sales and distribution conferences are being discussed this week by members of the UA board of directors under the chairmanship of Dr. A. H. Giannini, president of the corporation. Alexander Korda, UA producer in London, made the trip to Hollywood for the conferences, and Samuel Goldwyn, David O. Selznick, Walter Wanger, and other UA executives are attending the stockholders’ meetings, due to terminate early next week. HOLLYWOOD LOOKS TO MORE SALES MEETINGS With three of the scheduled film sales conventions to be held this year in Hollywood already down the river, the film capital’s attention is turning to the remaining confabs, all to be staged here within the next few weeks. Next one up is the national sales meeting of 20th Century-Fox, which begins May 31 at the Ambassador Hotel, with every unit of the organization in attendance. Domestic distribution forces, theatre holding corporations and overseas corporations will be represented at the affair, for which plans are now in process at the studio. A five-day program is being arranged. Columbia Selects Coast Columbia, last major hold-out in the announcement of its convention plans, capitulated to Hollywood this week and announced that its sales sessions would be held here at the Ambassador Hotel beginning June 21. The decision was reached by President Harry Cohn after conferences with Abe Montague, general sales manager, and Jack Cohn, Columbia vice-president. Two hundred and fifty sales representatives from the United States and Canada will attend the three-day meeting. Republic follows on 20th Century-Fox’s heels by bringing its sales representatives here for a three-day session beginning June 1. Homeoffice and studio executives will meet at the Roosevelt Hotel for the huddles, which will bring all franchise holders to the coast for the first time. A western regional sales confab will be held in San Francisco two weeks later. Plan Entertainment Various studio representatives are laying plans for the entertainment of their respective delegates when Paramount holds its convention at the Ambassador Hotel June 10-13; RKO Radio welcoming its sales force June 16 and Gaumont British holding a regional sales meeting here at an indefinite date to wind up Hollywood’s quota of visiting firemen. Schubert Assigned Bernard Schubert will collaborate with Gertrude Berg on the screenplay of “Make a Wish,” Bobby Breen starrer at Principal. A1 Boasberg is doing comedy interludes for the script. Filming begins late this month with Kurt Neumann directing. UNIVERSAL EXECUTIVES AT SALES CONVENTION R. H. COCHKANK President of Universal ,1. f'HKEVKK COWDIN Chairman of the Board J. K. GRAINGER General Sales Manag:er P. D. COCHRANE Direetor Advertising and Ihibllcity EDWARD BONNS Short Subject Sales Manager E. J. A. McCarthy Eastern Sales Manager 32 BOXOFTICE :: May 22, 1937