Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1939)

20th-Fox Convention Notes This was a strictly business convention — no fanfare, the company taking the attitude this was a get-together of business men assembled for serious consideration of vital business problems to themselves and the industry, and not a joy excursion. * Morton A. Levy, new Kent Drive leader, must have had his hand bandaged receiving congratulations from field men on his appointment to the post for the 1939 drive . . . Incidentally, the 1937 and 1938 drive leader, Jim O'Loghlin of Toronto, was presented a bronze plaque by Wobber, in recognition of his leadership during those drives. ★ Because of the projectionists’ strike in New York which held them back a day, Ed Hatrick of Cosmopolitan productions, and Louis Reid, Cosmopolitan publicity manager, had to fly in to make the convention on time. ★ The delegate who traveled the longest distance to attend was Clarence V. Hake of Australia. From the now extinct Czechoslovakia came Leo Brandfeld, who is making frantic efforts to bring his family, now in Prague, to this country. He’s assigned to the home office now. ★ Sir Gordon Craig, producer of British Movietone News, spent his first time at a company convention in the states. He will remain in the U. S. until April 20, when he returns to England with Truman Talley, preparatory to the British Movietone News convention in London, late in April. R. Sutton Dawes, British sales director, was also at the convention. * Greetings came to the convention via cable from England’s F. J. Harley, Europe’s Ben Miggins, the Far East’s Dell Goodman, Brazil’s Carlo Bavetta, and Argentine’s S. S. Horen. ★ The conventioneers saw the sneak preview at the Chicago Tribune on Thursday night of “The Story of Alexander Graham Bell.” .... Incidentally, B&K gave the boys a royal welcome, presenting the men with complimentary passes for any B&K theatre good during their entire stay in the Windy City. ★ Joseph M. Schenck and Sidney R. Kent arrived together from Los Angeles aboard the Union Pacific’s streamliner, City of Los Angeles, Wednesday morning. After the convention Schenck continues on to New York and then to Europe for a brief vacation . . . Darryl Zanuck sent his greetings to the convention from Movietone City, where pressure of production activities kept him at his labors. He had planned to fly in to the convention after the San Francisco premiere of “Alexander Graham Bell.” ★ Irving Maas, foreign service director, missed his first vacation, because he is still convalescing from a recent operation. The delegates were to pull out late Satday for home. The three division manager "Bills” — Sussman, Kupper and Gehring — held divisional meetings Saturday morning. ★ Among those who attended Friday’s session where the 1939-40 product was outlined to the men, was B&K Publicity Director Bill Hollander . . . John Balaban was about renewing acquaintances. ★ Stanley J. Mayer, Des Moines branch manager, was a proud delegate, for his office led the company on revenue to date this season. Incidentally, he is just back from a Florida vacation, minus 35 pounds of avoirdupois . . . Which reminded A. M. VanDyke, Chicago office manager, that Mayer and two of his star salesmen, Harry Gottlieb and Eddie O’Neill, together tip the scales at something near a half ton — or enough to cut them up and have enough salesmen for three branch offices. ★ Checks on the 1938 drive went to 20 branch managers for 31 prizes. The plums were passed out by Jim O’Loghlin. Some 350 employes share in the money ... By the way, for the first time in the history of the Chicago exchange, Branch Manager Clyde Eckhardt was privileged to step to the rostrum and collect a check representing his personnel’s spoils in the 1938 Kent Drive. * Arthur Ruscica of Santiago, Chile, came to America on his honeymoon — but when he got to New York they detoured him to the convention in Chicago. * Western Division Manager William J. Kupper was spokesman for the delegates from the 37 branches in the U. S. and Canada, and gave Wobber a pledge on their behalf that they would set new sales records for 1939-40. * It was Jim Pearson’s first convention as a salesman. He was promoted last year from booker to the sales post at Montreal. Taking his place was Carl Brault, former ad sales manager there, who also got in on the convention trip. * During the convention, Schenck, Kent and Wobber took time off to inspect the site of the new Chicago exchange, which will be the last word in branch offices. All will have special offices in the new structure. ★ New Orleans Manager Ernest V. Landaiche was particularly proud when Wobber announced plans of Darryl Zanuck to elevate Mary Healy to stardom. Just a year ago Mary was Landaiche’s secretary in New Orleans. She makes her bow as a featured player with Tyrone Power, Sonja Henie and Rudy Vallee in Irving Berlin’s “Second Fiddle.” Incidentally, the Hollywood columnists have been rumoring Rudy is “that-a-way” about little Mary. ie Clarence Hill, Jack Bloom, Issy Lincer, Jim Grady, Sam Wheeler, Sam Gross and A1 Davis spent every available minute in what turned out to be a long-distance bridge tournament. They took time out for eating and business only. ★ “Silent” Edgar Moss of Philadelphia was strutting about — he’s a grandpappy now. Joining the grand-daddy ranks this year, too, were Chicago’s Ernie Grohe, Jack Sichelman of the home office, and Clyde Eckhardt, Chicago exchange head, whose son, Bill, who works in the studio, became a pappy. * Lew Lehr of “cwazy pipples” fame, came in Wednesday with the rest of the newsreel crew, but flew back Thursday right after his convention speech. He had to be in New York for his Sunday night radio broadcast rehearsal with Ben Bernie. Lehr and Truman Talley tried to trip up the photographer when the newsmen tried to get pictures of them when they left New York. It was all a kidding gesture, of course. ★ The guy hiding behind all those mountains of papers was none other than Contract Manager Jack Bloom ... By the way, Bloom, Jack Sichelman and Bill Sussman were among those still sporting a Florida sun-tan. ★ Abe Eskin, George Moore, Austin Interrante, Jerry Murphy, Sam Diamond, Glenn Gribble, Chick Kellenberg, Bill Humphries and Ben Tolmas were among the salesmen with that “100 per cent smile,” having sold up all 1938-39 possibilities in their territories. * Kansas City branch manager, George W. Fuller, was congratulated by Wobber for his office showed the highest percentage of territorial revenue increase for the first three months of this year. Ward Scott’s midwest district led the districts in percentage of increase during the same period. * Newspaper reporters en route to Dodge City, Kas., for Warner’s “Dodge City” preview, including Boxoffice’s Red Kann, stopped off and mingled with the delegates Friday morning — in time to hear the talks of Schenck and Kent. * Roger Ferri was doing his dynamic stunts again with the Dynamo. Besides the preview extra that came to the boys Thursday with soundphoto pictures of the showing of “The Story of Alexander Graham Bell” in San Francisco and Washington on Wednesday night, he put out another regular convention special. ★ Vyvyan Donner, Movietone News fashion and woman’s editor, celebrated her tenth anniversary with the newsreel, during the convention . . . Other feminine delegates included Elizabeth LeGendre, Denver; Sarah Young, Washington; Florence Patke, St. Louis; Rae Telfers, San Francisco; and Hettie Grey Baker, New York. 26 BOXOFF1CE :: April 1, 1939