Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

NEW YOBK MAJOR dRCOTTS LEAO WIDENING SWING BACK TO GDIS Chains Reinstating Cash Plans After Month Without Hypos New York — Believed to indicate an increase nationally in giveaway schemes, chance games are due to return to New York circuit theatres within two weeks. Less than four months after Loew’s RKO led the parade in eliminating cash promotions among circuits in the metropolitan area, they are reviving the policy, with the probable starting date June 18. Screeno will be reinstated in 44 Loew’s theatres, 35 RKO units, 20 Skouras houses and 15 Century circuit theatres, with the prospect that there will be additional “converts,” according to George West, Screeno’s eastern distributor. Loew’s and RKO also plan to start Bank Night in a number of houses on June 22. While Loew and RKO theatre officials were reluctant to discuss the matter, Boxoffice learned that plans were under way this week to put the chance promotion in with cash prizes not to exceed $50 per operation from one to three times a week, night. When Loew’s and RKO officially banned Screeno and Bank Night in all their metropolitan theatres on February 24, C. C. Moskowitz, Loew’s theatre executive, said his organization had “the feeling that the public is fed up with them.” He also said Loew’s went into the idea “reluctantly.” and “only after most other theatres in our neighborhoods had started the practice.” UNIVERSAL LOSS LESS IN SECOND QUARTER New York — A consolidated net loss of $105,069 was reported by Universal Pictures Co., Inc., and subsidiary companies for the second quarter of its fiscal year, covering the 13 weeks to May 1, 1937. This amount was after all charges, federal and foreign income taxes, and provision of $78,234 for depreciation of capital assets. This compares with a net loss of $403,966 in the preceding quarter and a net loss of $730,751 in the final quarter of the fiscal year ended October 31, 1936, before writeoffs of $293,369 on certain of the company’s foreign interests. In the corresponding quarter a year ago, the net loss, before crediting a profit on the sale of the entire capital stock of its British subsidiary, was $404,752. "Right to Sue" New York — The right of Sam Katz, former Paramoimt theatre executive, to sue for damages in the termination of his contract by the company was upheld this week by the U. S. circuit court of appeals in the first test of the modified state corporations law. Katz is demanding $265,498. RKO to Announce 54 at Meet lune 16 New York — A schedule of 54 features is expected to he announced at RKO's national sales convention which gets under way Wednesday at the Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles, for five days. This is the same quantity as for the 1936-37 season, and the planned complement of 202 shorts, including 104 issues of Pathe News, also is identical with the current year’s. Details of two major additions will he announced at the convention hy sales executives. Condor Productions, a new producing company organized hy Van Beuren-Hirliman-M. H. Hoffman interests, is scheduled to contribute at least six features and 18 of Walt Disney’s product are to be released for the first time through RKO. COLUMBIA ANNOUNCES SWEEPSTAKE WINNERS New York — Leaders in the final awards of the Columbia Montague Sweepstakes sales contest which started January 17 and ended May 1 are announced by the home office as follows: J. J. Rogers, Memphis, and Phil Dunas, Chicago, 15-week billing and collection drive; Harry Weiner, Philadelphia, and Sam Galanty, Washington, general performance; Sam Moscow, southern division, divisional managers’ contest; C. Patterson, Charlotte, and G. S. Vojae, Cleveland, short subject unit shipments contest; J. J. Rogers, Memphis, and Lester Zucker, Cleveland, branch managers’ four-week collection drive, and salesmen and bookers of the New Orleans and Pittsburgh exchanges in the four-week billing contest. Vol. 31 No 3 Reg. U. S. Pat. Office CONTENTS Editorial News Briefs Boxoffice Barometer Blue Ribbon Award Film . Eastern Sectioji Exploitation Previews Feature Reviews Short Subject Reviews Selling Seats First Run Reports Production Index Section Hollywood Section New England Section Mideast Section Central Section Midwest Section Southern Section June 12 1937 , 3 . 9 .10 ,12 .13 .21 ,25 .27 ,28 .30 .31 .41 .53 .61 .69 .73 83 Trade Bills in Seven Still-Open Hoppers New York — Of the seven state legislatures still in session this week, all were concerned with bills affecting the motion picture industry. Michigan leads in interest with a theatre “divorcement” measure, another regulating the construction of theatres, two tax proposals, and a bill that would create a censor board. Other states still considering new laws are Illinois, New Hampshire and Wisconsin. Minnesota, Texas and New Jersey are holding special sessions, although New Jersey has recessed until June 28. METRO WILL REMAKE JEAN HARLOW'S LAST Hollywood — M-G-M’s “Saratoga,” in which Jean Harlow was working at the time of her sudden and unexpected death early this week, will be taken off the production schedule for an indefinite period and the footage already shot will be discarded, Louis B. Mayer, production chief, revealed this week. A check of the company’s shooting schedule revealed that the film, under Jack Conway’s direction, was nearing completion, having been in work for nearly six weeks. It will be remade in its entirety, with another contract player replacing the blonde actress, whose sudden death by uremic poisoning shocked Hollywood. Director Conway had been shooting around the star in scenes for “Saratoga” since she was stricken early last week. STEFFES AWAITS NOD FOR TRADE HUDDLES Minneapolis — President W. A. Steffes of Northwest Allied States will decide upon the place and set the date for the proposed independent exhibitors-producers’ peace conference as soon as acceptances are received from the producers, he said this week. The invitations went out last week to the producers to meet with the national Allied States defense committee of which he is chairman at a roundtable to settle present differences regarding invasion, producer-operation of theatres, chain theatre expansion, percentage pictures, zoning, etc., in a friendly way. G BOXOFFICE :: June 12, 1937.