Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1939)

Name-to-Fit Role Policy Continues New York — Universal’s policy of signing important star names to fit the roles in outstanding productions will be continued next season, Matthew Fox, assistant to Nate J. Blumberg, president, told Boxoffice during his short visit here. He left Friday for the studios after a week at the home office lining up the new program with Blumberg and William A. Scully, general sales manager. During the current season, the plan has worked out so that exhibitors were given such names as Bing Crosby, W. C. Fields and Charlie McCarthy and Edgar Bergen who were not mentioned earlier in the season when the program was sold. Negotiations for star names begin when vehicles are lined up. Fox will not attend the regional sales meetings in Cincinnati and Chicago, but may attend the San Francisco session. Although no title has yet been conferred upon him, Jack Gross, former RKO coast division head and now on the Universal lot, will be business manager for the four series of westerns to be produced with Richard Arlen and Johnny Mack Brown. 20th-Fox Ties Derby and " Washington Square " New York — Twentieth Century-Fox steps back into radio with a onetime shot on behalf of “Rose of Washington Square” when the company will sponsor the nation-wide broadcast of the Kentucky Derby May 6 over the CBS web. The aircast will run for 30 minutes beginning 6:15 Eastern Daylight Time. This will mark the first time the noted turf event will be hooked to ballyhoo for a film. 20th-Fox Executives to Foreign Sales Parleys New York — Sidney K. Kent, president; Herman Wobber, general sales manager, and Walter J. Hutchinson, foreign head for 20th Century-Fox, sail on the Washington April 20 to attend the British and European sales conventions in London and Paris. R. Sutton Dawes, British sales director, will accompany the home office executives. Truman H. Talley, producer of Movietonews, and Sir Gordon Craig, in charge of the British Movietonews, will sail later in the month for the meeting. Following the sessions in London and Paris, Kent and Hutchinson will leave for Rio de Janeiro where the Latin-American sales force will meet, June 1-3. Then they will head for Trinidad where Central American managers will meet, June 21. The London sessions are scheduled for May 11-13. The Paris meetings, May 4-6. Baseballers Start New York— Loew’s and M-G-M’s baseball nine started practice at Inwood Park Saturday for the industry’s mound series which get under way shortly. Bingo Shifted; So Did Receipts Brooklyn — That women are notorious bargain hunters is a truism with which the management oi the Elton will readily agree. Wednesday is giveaway night at the theatre. Since it conflicted with Bingo in an adjacent church, the women complained to the proper authorities and the church shifted Bingo to Thursday night. "So what happens,” the manage-1 ment relates sadly, "the house is now empty Thursday nights.” 21st "Film Daily" Year Book Comprehensive New York — A comprehensive and authoritative summary of the industry, both American and world-wide, is contained in the 21st edition of the Film Daily Year Book for 1939, under editorship of Jack Alicoate. The 1,219-page reference book is both illuminating and purposeful. Pertinent data relative to every conceivable phase of the industry, here and foreign, is again presented irj its many departments. A new analytical format is employed for the first time to enhance the reference service. Among the highlights is an enlarged television section. Others include developments in the foreign field, the text of the British Films Act, an improved non-theatrical section and a treatise on the right of privacy. Of special interest in the statistical data, the Year Book notes a capital investment of $2,050,000,000 in the domestic industry, with the world-wide figure set at $3,000,000,000.— L. W. "Dodge City " Hangs Out Record Sign Early New York — Riding high on the wave of advance ballyhoo that has broken since its western premiere, “Dodge City” hung up new records in five pre-release engagements in New England. These are the first boxoffice tests to tip off the anticipated 600 bookings that will swamp the country during the first two weeks. Record-breaking business is reported by the home office at the Roger Sherman, New Haven; Strand, Hartford: Warner, Bridgeport; Warner, Worcester, and Capitol, Springfield. Rosenblatt <& Welt Chain Shifts Three Managers New York — Bernie Brooks, general manager of the Rosenblatt & Welt circuit, has made the following managerial changes: Joe Palenti from the Orpheum, Jersey City, to the Plaza, Bayonne; Eddie Rowe, from the Orient, J. C., to the Orpheum, same city; M. Levy from the Plaza, Bayonne, to the Orient, N. J. Renews Taylor Pact Hollywood — Metro has renewed its starring contract with Robert Taylor for a long term. Double Recognition Now for Doubles New York — Loew’s is going in where angels, in the vernacular, fear to tread. Where convention, of recent years, has dictated that double feature shows receive an almost apologetic acknowledgement on the part of exhibitor to patron, the metropolitan circuit is engaged in a frenzied ballyhoo of its dual film policy. The idea utilized to plus-sell eight weeks of unusually strong double bills revolves about two infants, who, pictorially, have aroused a large segment of usually blase theatregoers. The circuit is calling the babies Loew’s Twins. An entire series of photos, depicting the bouncing bambinos in attractive poses, mostly sans even baby garments, has been distributed where the publicity would do the most good. The entire campaign, for that matter, is wrapped around the twins. Twin features, twin screeno gags, twin bunny giveaways for Easter, teaser telephone, radio, decorative schemes, trailers, billposting, programs, twin bassinett lobby stunts and the formation of a Twins Club are all part of the approach. It all started in C. C. Moskowitz’s office, filtered through Oscar Doob’s and Ernie Emerling’s and has spread to the entire field staff with delightful enthusiasm. Weisman's Final Report As Fox Receiver In New York — Milton C. Weisman has submitted his final report as receiver of Fox Theatres in federal court, and has asked to be discharged as receiver. He also requests that assets of the corporation be formally turned over to him and Kenneth P. Steinreich, as co-trustees. The report discloses claims totaling $38,400,000 have been settled for $8,100,350 with two others still in negotiation. These are claims filed by William Fox for $7,186,627, and Alfred E. Fiegal for $248,047. The last was disallowed in federal court and is now up on appeal. The report ran 734 pages and also disclosed Fox Theatres has $119,415 in cash on hand. New Censor Recognizes Good Work of Films Philadelphia — “The motion picture industry helped America through the depression,” declared Mrs. Edna R. Carroll, new chairman of the Pennsylvania State Board of Motion Picture Censors. Mrs. Carroll met distributors and newsmen at a special luncheon, where she outlined her proposed policies. While intimating she is going to exercise her censorial powers with a certain degree of strictness, she also had praise for what the films are doing. “Motion pictures have taken Americans away from the sordid to the romantic,” she said. “If they have done nothing more than provide this relaxation for troubled minds, their work has been worth while.” 30 BOXOFFICE :: April 8, 1939