Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1939)

REPUBLIC WILL STEP OUT FOR NEW SEASON; FOUR HIGH BRACKET FILMS AMONG ITS FIFTY "Man of Conquest" Bow Company Springboard To the New Season Houston — Excited over “Man of Conquest,” its most important picture to date, Republic is determined to step out with the new season. Four “De Luxe Specials,” each one to be budgeted at a minimum of $750,000, will be the springboard. Details of the 1939-40 lineup of 26 features, 24 westerns and four serials were outlined to southern franchise holders, branch managers and their salesmen during a two-day regional meeting which got under way at the Rice Hotel, Friday. Opening of the sessions was preceded by the premiere of “Man of Conquest” Thursday night at the Majestic. Herbert J. Yates, chairman of the board; James R. Grainger, president of the company, and A1 Adams, director of advertising and publicity, came on from New York for the first public showing and the sales palavers. Republic’s jump toward bigger pictures and a wider market presage substantial increases in production budgets for the new season. The total of 50 features contemplated include: Four De Luxe Specials. Six Anniversary Specials. Sixteen Jubilee Productions. Eight Roy Rogers. Eight Gene Autry. Eight “The Three Mesquiteers,” with John Wayne in top billing. Chairman of the local sessions was Clair E. Hilgers, southern district sales manager. Yates speech highlighted the sessions when he discussed the future of the company. Moe J. Siegel, president of Republic Productions, talked on production, while William Saal, special representative, discussed the new program from various angles. Grainger pivoted his topic on “Selling the Program.” A1 Adams explained some of the plans in view on advertising, publicity and exploitation. Arthur C. Bromberg, William G. Underwood, Claude Ezell, Sol Davis, M. Lowenstein and B. F. Busby gave their views on “What Republic Means to Me.” Detail on the program follows, with no information released on casts for the major features: Four De Luxe Productions “Seven Million Dollars,” from the story by Sinclair Lewis. “The Dark Command,” by W. R. Burnett. “Two Orphans,” by R. D’Ennery. “Wagons Westward,” by Armstrong Sperry. Six Anniversary Specials “Lady From New Orleans,” by Beth Brown. “Tillie the Toiler,” from the cartoon strip by Russ Westover. “Storm Over India,” by Achmed Abdullah. They Look Toward 1939-40 — Republic men who completed the first of four regionals at Houston over the weekend. Above, to the left, is James R. Grainger, president, and to the right, Herbert J. Yates, chairman of the board. Below, left to right, are Clair E. Hilgers, southern district sales manager and chairman of the Houston session; Moe J. Siegel, president of Republic Productions ; William Saal, special representative, and Al Adams, director of advertising and publicity. “Guilty of Treason,” by Peter B. Kyne. “Gangs of Chicago,” author not listed. “The Crooked Road,” by Nat Ferber. Sixteen Jubilee Productions “Escape From Sing Sing,” by Louis Berg, based on his novel, “Revelations of a Prison Doctor.” “Call of the North,” by Jack London. “The Champ Maker,” by Kendal Evans and Frank Scully, based on the life of Tex Rickard. “Bengal Border Patrol,” by Adrian Johnson. “Forgotten Girls,” by Earl Felton. “Tom Sawyer Abroad,” by Mark Twain. “Wolf of New York,” by Nat Ferber. “Girl From God’s Country,” by Nell Shipman. “Bowery Boy,” by Sam Fuller. “A Sporting Chance,” by Richard Wormser. “Man of the Hour,” by George Broadhurst. “Here Come the Marines,” by Mildred Cram. Four Higgins Family films are included in the 16 Jubilee Productions, with titles as follows: “The Fighting Irish,” “A Day at the World’s Fair,” “We’re in the Money” and “Everybody’s Happy.” Additionally, there will be eight westerns starring Gene Autry, as follows: “When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain,” “Village Barn Dance,” “Just a Song at Twilight,” “Old Faithful,” “Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride,” “Round-Up Time in Reno,” “Down by the Old Mill Stream” and “Carolina Moon.” Also, eight starring Roy Rogers: “The Arizona Kid,” “Death Valley Days,” “In Old Cheyenne,” “Robinhood of the Pecos,” “Man From Rio,” “Washington Cowboy,” Days of ’49” and “Wyoming Wildcat.” And with “The Three Mesquiteers” will come “Cowboys From Texas,” “Sons of the Saddle,” “West of Santa Fe,” ‘“Oklahoma Outlaws,” “Rocky Mountain Rangers,” "Pioneers of the West, “Covered Wagon Days” and “Arizona Skies.” Four serials will include two SuperSpecials, “The Lone Texas Ranger” and “Drums of Fu Manchu,” and two Streamline Serials, “King of the Royal Mounted” and “Jimmy Valentine Strikes Again.” The Supers will have 15 chapters each, the Streamline, 12 chapters. (Attendance data on page 20) BOXOFFICE :: April 8, 1939 7