Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1941)

New Preview System Already Is Cracking Less than a month old, the new preview system which went into effect December 15 and which was hailed as the logical solution to the “press” preview headache by the major studio publicity chiefs responsible for its adoption, has already during the past week given three evidences of cracking up. So that the trade and critical press would no longer be forced to play second fiddle in the matter of seats and coverage to a host of preview gate-crashers who had nothing to do with the fourth estate, the publicity directors had decided that after the middle of December there would be no more so-called “press” previews in theatres. They would all be held in studio projection rooms, the bulk of them in the afternoon, and exclusively for the press. But the rule was quickly broken in a mad scramble on the afternoon preceding New Year’s Eve, when tired reviewers looking forward to that annual celebration were confronted with the task of covering three pictures — all announced with a bare hour's notice — and all on the same afternoon. The offenders were Warner, unfurling “Father’s Son,” and 20th Century-Fox, which had a dual feature, no less — “Romance of the Rio Grande” and “Michael Shayne, Private Detective.” Studio attaches hastened to explain the situation was no fault of theirs; that they had been forced to stage the screenings for the press because their respective exchanges had booked the features into various houses throughout the city as “New Year’s Previews.” And so the weary critics (2lnematlc5 were given their option : To cover the films that afternoon or spend New Year’s Eve in a theatre looking at the pictures there. Rabbit punch number two was struck at the new “system” when Paramount, one of the studios aiding in its promulgation, chose the evening of January 9, and an unannounced theatre, to debut “Virginia” for the press. Invitations attempted to camouflage the break by dubbing it the “first sneak press preview,” and by announcing the studio was keeping the theatre chosen a secret. For that reason reviewers were guests at dinner at the studio and were transported to and from the preview in chartered buses. Maintaining it was “making a genuine effort to make press previews just what the name implies” by inviting only the press, the announcement forebore any explanation of why a theatre, and not Paramount’s own projection room, was utilized. Loew-Lewin Protest Then the reeling “system" almost went down for the count when Producers David Loew and Albert Lewin used the pretext that projection-room previews are “another ill-timed move to rob Hollywood of its color” to announce the press showing of “So Ends Our Night” would be January 21, in the evening, at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. This refusal to become a party to the agreement eliminating night previews they explained by charging it is unfair to any picture dependent upon audience reaction for its "mood” and “feeling” to show it in a small room before a small group. "Take away the previews and the premieres,” they assert, “and you have robbed Hollywood of a portion of its most marketable product, glamour.” On their recent personal appearance tour, Anna Neagle and Producer-Director Herbert Wilcox topped all their previous records, covering 9,000 miles, making 20 appearances and two radio guest shots all within 13 days. * Failing to rally as per schedule from an influenza attack, Director Les Goodwins has been removed to the Madison Hospital in Santa Monica, where attending physicians report that, while his condition is riot worse, his improvement has not been as rapid as desired. : k Gene Autry has planed out for Philadelphia to line up a rodeo appearance for next summer . . . Rene Clair, French directorial import, met the Hollywood press at a cocktail party tossed by Universal on the set of the Marlene Dietrich starrer, “Flame of New Orleans,” which Clair is piloting as his first Hollywood assignment. Producer Joe Pasternak and the entire cast of the picture also attended. * James Roosevelt has reported back to the San Diego marine base after a tenday leave. He spent New Year’s in Hollywood checking on the progress being made in filming his first Globe production, “Pot O’ Gold’’ . . . Producer Lou Brock of RKO Radio spent the holidays in Montana with his son. * Reinhold Schunzel, accompanied by a staff of writers, has gone to Palm Springs to work on the script of “New Wine,” which he will direct for Producer Alexander Korda. ★ At a Sound Stage Dedication — The past mingled with the present in Hollywood when Republic dedicated its new $250,000 sound stage to the memory of the late Mabel Normand, silent-screen comedienne. The occasion called for a party on the sound stage, to which scores of film capital notables were invited. Here the cameraman catches, left to right: Y. Frank Freeman of Paramount; William Farnum, one of the chief speakers; Gene Autry; Mrs. Freeman; Mr. and Mrs. Sol C. Siegel, and George “Gabby” Hayes. Judy Canova, Republic star, unveiled a bronze plaque dedicated to Mabel’s memory, following which one of the late comedienne’s greatest successes, “Mickey,” was projected. Among those attending were Noah Beery, Mae Busch, Chester Conklin, Edgar Kennedy, Raymond Hatton, Charles Ray, Jack Mulhall, Charlie Murray, Louise Fazenda, M. J. Siegel, head of Republic production; Walter Abel, Wallace Reid jr., Ann Miller, Eddie Quillan, John H. Auer, Erie C. Kenton, Roy Del Ruth, Wallace MacDonald, Joseph Santley, Frank McDonald, James R. Grainger and dozens of others. George Cukor vacationed at Lake Arrowhead over the weekend before checking in at M-G-M to begin preparations for his next directorial assignment . . . J. Walter Ruben and his wife, Virginia Bruce, are holidaying in New York for ten days, catching the new shows. * Paramount’s studio camera club will hold its fifth grand salon, dinner and presentation of prizes January 16 at the lot’s Continental Cafe . . . Ann Rutherford will leave for New York shortly for a two-week vacation. * Leo Devaney, Canadian division sales manager for RKO Radio, and Harry Gittelson, who edits “Flash,” the company’s house organ, will check in early next week for studio conferences . . . Jack Dailey has planed back to Dallas after advertising -exploitation huddles at Paramount with Robert Gillham. * J. Carrol Naish and his wife and daughter are back in town after an eight-day vacation at Naish’s mountain home at Lake Arrowhead . . . Delphine Meyer, daughter of Fred S. Meyer of 20th Century-Fox, was married the day after Christmas to Harold Raymond Shire. Ceremony took place in Yuma. 32 BOXOFFICE January 11, 1941