Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1939)

Republic Budget Increased by Americanism in Ace $1, 500, 000 to $2, 000, 000 Campaign Role New York — Republic’s budget for next season will be hiked $1,500,000 to $2,000,000 with a total of $7,000,000 to $8,000,000 to be spent on the 50 features and four serials, Herbert J. Yates told Boxoffice during the regional meetings held Wednesday to Friday at the Park Central. There will be ten top bracket pictures, four in one group and six in the second, he added. Plans to bolster the star, director and producer roster will be continued, based on the record of the individuals. With ten publicity and exploitation men in the field now, another ten are being added for important key cities, Yates stated. These men are building the name of Republic and the experience during the past year indicates the employment of additional men from time to time and on a permanent basis is more than warranted, he added. A1 Gregg of the Cleveland office was among the exploiteers attending the convention. Absence of franchise holders and sales staffs from Albany, Buffalo and Detroit was described by Yates as meaning new franchise holders are being lined up in these territories. Although scheduled for the meeting, M. J. Siegel, president of Republic Productions, was unable to attend due to illness. Speakers included Yates, James R. Grainger, William Saal, A1 Adams, Herman Gluckman, Herman Rifkin, Nat Lefton, Sam Flax, J. Alexander, Paul Nathanson, A. W. Perry and Walter Vincent. In addition to home office representatives which included George C. Shaefer, J. O’Connell, A. Pindat, Charles Jones and D. Whalen, the following from the field force were on hand: Boston — Herman Rifkin, franchise owner; M. E. Morey, manager; Sam Seletsky, Jack Davis, A1 Fecke, Jack Jennings, Charles Wilson. Cincinnati — Max Margolies, manager; C. Weinberg, C. Liftman, G. Kirby. Cleveland — Nat Lefton, franchise holder; S. P. Gorrel, manager, A. Lefton, A1 Gregg, F. Belles, J. Lefton, R. Norton, L. Mishkind. New Haven — G. Rabinowitz, manager. New York — Herman Gluckman, franchise holder; Morris Epstein, branch manager; Sidney Picker, Dave Sohmer, Dave Black, Anthony Ricci, Robert Fannon. Philadelphia — Max Gillis, manager; F. Hammerman, G. Fishman, W. Karrer, N. Silverman, J. Lewis. Pittsburgh — J. Alexander, S. Fineberg, G. Collins, franchise owners; H. Wheeler, L. Hanna. Washington — Sam Flax, Jake Flax, franchise owners; Morris Oletsky, Ed Martin. Canada — Paul Nathanson, franchise owner; A. W. Perry, general manager. Denver — Americanism, which is playing an important part in the theme of films produced today, will also play a major role in the National Theatres’ 13-week showmanship campaign dedicated to Spyros Skouras, operating head. In fact, it will be the backbone of the campaign now in its second week, according to Arch Bowles, field marshal, who recently spoke to 150 district and theatre managers and local home office personnel of Fox Intermountain, which embraces units in Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, Idaho, Montana, Utah and New Mexico. Supplementing the word-of-mouth movement, the spirit of liberty and freedom of speech will be ballyhooed with unstinted vigor in the form of special programs and advertising, both on theatre fronts and on the screen. Bowles’ talk to the local National Theatres men was well received by the press. The Denver Post gave the story a twocolumn front page display, but more than that the men who listened apparently were impressed with the keynote and are now carrying on where Bowles left off. Rick Ricketson heads the local division. “Don’t waste time trying to unsell Americans on foreign countries,” Bowles told the theatre men from the local division. “Get in there and sell them American and Americanism! “If agitators loudly ridicule the American system, it’s up to you to shout louder about the priceless benefits of American freedom! What this country needs right now is a good stiff dose of old-fashioned flag-waving, and the theatre men of America are the logical people to get it started!” Special features will drive home the message that America is in truth the “Sweet Land of Liberty,” Bowles added. Patriotic music will be part of the campaign to teach Americans it is a privilege to live in America. Every device known to showmanship will be employed to combat ridicule and criticism of American traditions, the field marshal stated. “The freedom of the screen is still a sacred trust in the hands of theatre owners and managers in this country and they have not allowed that screen to become contaminated by alien isms. “By intelligent use of that powerful medium, we can screen good Americanism and we can assemble the weight of public opinion in defense of our freedom. We can be the leaders in an attack that will thwart the efforts of these enemies and agitators. We can, by bristling with the patriotism and fervor of good Americanism, make un-Americanism very unpopular in community, state and nation!” Crashes the Capitol New York — Marking an unusual booking for Republic, Loew’s has booked “Man of Conquest” into the Capitol on Broadway starting April 27. The picture also is being held for a second week at the Majestic, Houston, where it had a world premiere. Republic Holds Palaver Here — — Photos by Cosmo-Sileo Above, Herbert J. Yates, in consultation with James R. Grainger, Republic’s president, at the company’s eastern regional. Below, the New York exchange force. Left to right and seated: Jack Bellman, eastern district sales manager; Herman Gluckman, local franchise holder; Morris Epstein, branch manager, and Dave Sohmer. Standing in the same order: Dave Black, Anthony Ricci, Sidney Picker and Robert Fannon. 58 BOXOFFICE :: April 15, 1939