Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1941)

Two More Demanding And Many More Are Arbitration Action New York — The American Arbitration Ass’n reports the following complaints were filed during the week: New York — Hilary Theatre Corp., operating the Regent, 1215 Fulton St., Brooklyn, complaining against Paramount, Warner, 20th Century-Fox, RKO and M-G-M. Albert Margulies, secretary of Hilary, charges the Apollo, purportedly one mile from the Regent, holds seven days clearance over the Regent. Margulies seeks equal availability. He claims that the Regent held seven days clearance ahead of the Apollo years ago, but this was upset during the NRA. He also claims the Regent at present charges five cents higher admission than the Apollo. New Orleans — The Modern Theatre Corp., of which Charles F. Woolner is president, operating a Drive-In theatre at 7201 Canal Boulevard, complaining against Paramount. Woolner seeks “some run,” charging Paramount with refusal to license. New York — Spyros Skouras has set March 10 as the starting date of the week’s annual convention of National Theatres divisional heads on the coast. The date, it is pointed out, is subject to change although home office executives believe it will be the final one. March 6 had previously been set. While winners of the recent National Theatres drive in honor of Skouras will not be officially made public until the annual get-together, it is learned Harry Huffman’s district under Rick Ricketson, Denver division head, is the leading zone while Charles Thall, who supervises a district in San Francisco under Arch Bowles, reached number two spot. Hughes Names Boh Savini Eastern Representative New York — Robert M. Savini, head of Astor Pictures, has been named eastern representative for Howard Hughes, producer of “The Outlaw” for 20th-Fox. The first of two pictures Hughes will make for the company will be ready for sale as a special next month. What the Studios Are Doing Schaefer Coast Stay Plans Promote Talk of Changes Hollywood — Possibility that changes in RKO Radio’s studio executive setup may be impending, although neither officially confirmed nor denied, is being voiced following an announcement by George J. Schaefer, company president, that he has assumed full charge of all studio activity and will remain in Hollywood indefinitely, with J. J. Nolan as his assistant . . . Schaefer’s declaration closely followed an earlier denial by him of rumors that Ned E. Depinet, distribution head, was to be placed in charge of the studio, and was made just prior to the launching of product and sales parleys in which he, Depinet, Nolan and Harry E. Edington, executive producer, were to participate . . . RKO Radio head also expressed optimism as to prospects for the coming year. Y. Frank Freeman Again Heads Producers Ass'n Producers association has elected Y. Frank Freeman, Paramount vice-president, as its president for a second term. E. J. Mannix, Cliff Work and Fred Beetson, other officers, were also re-elected . . . Will H. Hays, MPPDA president now here, spoke briefly on the foreign and domestic situation at the organization’s annual meeting and various industry problems were also discussed. Record Production Pace Shows No Letup Sign With 48 features now before the cameras, all signs point to a continuation of this blistering film-making pace during the balance of this month and in March. A minimum of 35 films are scheduled for camera work before April 1 . . . Universal is launching the most sustained production drive in its history, with a minimum of seven pictures to be rolling continuously until November . . . 20th Century-Fox has added 12 more musicals to its schedule for early production, in addition to three already in work. Roosevelt Is Headliner For Academy Banquet Headliner at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 13th annual Awards banquet February 27 will be President Franklin D. Roosevelt, speaking by radio over the three national networks on a 15-minute hookup . . . Walter F. Wanger, Academy president, made the arrangements during a recent trip to Washington . . . Bob Hope will emcee the banquet and Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne will present best-actor and best-actress awards. Monta Bell to ParamountExtras' Earnings Dwindle Monta Bell, veteran producer-directorwriter, has joined Paramount as an associate producer . . . Jobs and earnings for extra players reached a new low in January, dropping $35,000 under January, 1940, Central Casting reported . . . Warner signed Marlene Dietrich to co-star with George Raft in “Hard to Get” . . . Michael Curtiz will direct that studio’s “Dive Bomber,” starring Errol Flynn . . . Bob Hope’s next for Paramount will be “Back Home and Broke” . . . Columbia loaned Rita Hayworth to 20th Century-Fox for a topline in “Blood and Sand” . . . David Hempstead will produce “Joan of Paris,” starring Michele Morgan, for RKO Radio . . . Same studio signed Adolphe Menjou for a major role in “The Father Takes a Wife.” Yet to Be Named New York — In most instances, arbitration panels made public by the AAA during the week are not complete. Furthermore, four cities — Albany, Indianapolis, New Haven and Seattle — are currently among the missing. But as far as it goes, panels to the appended totals have been named in the following cities: Atlanta . Boston Buiialo Charlotte Chicago Cincinnati Cleveland Dallas Denver Des Moines Detroit Kansas City Los Angeles . Memphis Milwaukee Minneapolis .... New Orleans .. New York .. Oklahoma City Omaha Philadelphia Pittsburgh Portland St. Louis Salt Lake City San Francisco Washington 11 12 23 21 .12 .13 17 9 14 15 .15 . 9 18 . 8 .19 .10 10 53 10 .14 .28 9 .20 21 18 10 14 Total .433 Jack /. Sullivan Rites Held in Los Angeles Los Angeles — Funeral services were held at St. Paul’s Cathedral here for Jack J. Sullivan, 56, chief film buyer for National Theatres. He had been ill on and off for the past 10 years and inactive for the past few years. He made his last trip east about two years ago and on his return was confined to a local hospital, from which he had been discharged a few months ago, living thereafter in seclusion except for visits by his wife, two sons and two daughters who survive him. His death had been more or less expected. Recent reports had him seriously ill with little hope for recovery. Business kept Spyros Skouras in New York, but Milton S. Hossfeld, home office booker, attended the services. Hossfeld has been here several weeks on vacation and business. No successor is expected to be named. Larry Kent has been handling most of Sullivan’s duties with Fred Stein assisting. 14 BOXOFFICE :: February 22, 1941