Boxoffice (Jul-Sep 1938)

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Mr. Dietz Goes to Town New York — This was a week for Howard Dietz. And here is why: 1. — He became a father. His first child and a girl. 2. — The “Marie Antoinette” museum opened at the Astor Theatre and, in its very early stages, already established itself as a pip of an exploitation stunt, a la the grandiloquent Metro-GoldwynMayer manner. 3. — He walked off with four of the five honors in the third annual AMPA awards when the returns were divulged with fitting pomp and circumstance at a WaldorfAstoria luncheon on Thursday. So there up above is Dietz looking pleasant while nestling on the right is a vision of the grand plaque which went to his company, through him, for winning the best all-around campaign on any picture released from January 1, 1937, to the end of that calendar year on “Good Earth.” Trailing the grand plaque came three others. They went to M-G-M and Dietz as well for first position with the same film for the best campaign direct to the public, and the best campaign direct to the trade while the third was garnered for the best publicity campaign on “Saratoga,” aided as it was, of course, by the death of Jean Harlow. Ten companies were in the competition, the major standout being 20th CenturyPox which, although invited, declined to participate. Each distributor was asked to put his best foot, or feet, forward and, because it was a free-for-all arrangement open to all comers, Lenauer International entered with “Mayerling.” The basis of the voting was a cross-section of some of the nation’s best showmen and, the committee composed of Ralph Rolan, Si Seadler and Alec Moss declare, independents were accorded substantial representation and affiliated operators enough, but not anything resembling too much. Here are the results: Best All-Around Campaign — “Good Earth,” “Hurricane” with “Wells Fargo” and “The Life of Emile Zola” tied for third. “Good Earth” outstripped “Hurricane” by 100 per cent and “Hurricane” licked the ties for third by 30 per cent. “Lost Horizon” lost by a very narrow margin. Best Campaign Direct to the Public — “Good Earth,” “The Life of Emile Zola” and “Wells Fargo.” The winner won over “Zola” by 22 per cent while “Wells Fargo” succumbed to “Zola” by the barest of leads. “Hurricane,” in turn, lost to “Wells Fargo” by a fraction. Best Campaign Direct to the Trade — “Good Earth,” “Alcatraz” and “Lost Horizon.” The winner outdistanced “Alcatraz” by only 15 per cent while “Lost Horizon” garnered third over “Stage Door” by the skin of its teeth. Best Publicity Campaign — “Saratoga,” “Good Earth” and “The Life of Emile Zola.” The winner ran 18 per cent ahead of “Good Earth.” On the other hand, “Zola” just managed to squeeze out “Hurricane” for third spot. Best Display Material — “Hurricane,” "Wells Fargo” and “Good Earth.” The winner grabbed top spot by a mere ten per cent as “Wells Fargo” took second over “Good Earth” by the identical margin. In the best all-around campaign the group listed above ran 200 per cent ahead of other contestants in that division. In the other four, the top trio in each classification ran about 100 per cent ahead of its rivals. The second and third designations in the best all-around group were presented with small plaques. Monroe Greenthal drew one for United Artists for capturing second place with “Hurricane;” Mort Blumenstock for Warners for third place with “Zola” and A1 Wilkie for Robert M. Gillham and Paramount for tying third place with “Wells Fargo.” For third spot in with the same picture in the best campaign direct to the public, Wilkie also was given a parchment and Blumenstock parchments for second place in the best campaign di rect to the public on “Zola” and second spot for the best campaign direct to the trade on “Alcatraz.” For having won third choice with “Lost Horizon” in the best campaign direct to the trade, Maurice Bergman for Columbia, likewise gets a parchment. Dietz, in addition to chief honors, gets a parchment for second choice among the best publicity campaigns for “Good Earth” and another for third choice in the best display material group with the same film. Runners-up in the best all-arounds, alphabetically ari'anged, are: “Alcatraz,” “Awful Truth,” “Dick Tracy,” serial; “Lost Horizon,” “Plainsman,” “Saratoga,” “Shall We Dance,” “Souls at Sea,” “Stage Door,” “Star Is Born,” “Stella Dallas.” Runners-up in the best campaigns direct to the public: “Awful Truth,” “Broadway Melody 1938,” “Day at the Races,” “Hurricane,” “Lost Horizon,” “100 Men and a Girl,” “Plainsman,” “Saratoga,” “Star Is Born,” “Stella Dallas.” Runners-up in the best campaigns direct to the trade: “Awful Truth,” “Boy of the Streets,” “Broadway Melody 1938,” “Hurricane,” “Life of Emile Zola,” “MerryGo-Round 1938,” “100 Men and a Girl,” “Plainsman,” “Prisoner of Zenda,” “Saratoga,” “Shall We Dance,” “Souls at Sea,” “Stage Door,” “Star Is Born,” “Stella Dallas.” Runners-up in the best publicity campaigns: “Alcatraz,” “Artists and Models,” "Disney series,” “Hurricane,” “Lost Horizon,” "100 Men and a Girl,” “Plainsman,” “Shall We Dance,” “Stage Door,” “Star Is Born,” “Wells Fargo.” Runners-up in best display material: “Alcatraz,” “Artists and Models,” “Broadway Melody 1938,” “Day at the Races,” "Life of Emile Zola,” “Lost Horizon,” “Marked Woman,” “Plainsman,” “Saratoga,” “Shall We Dance,” “Stage Door,” “Star Is Born,” “Submarine D-l.” In the best all-around division, a “ten best” group was set up, each designee getting a parchment. These were: M-G-M for “Good Earth” and “Saratoga.” Paramount for “Wells Fargo” and “The Plainsman.” Warners for “Zola” and “Alcatraz.” United Artists for “Hurricane” and “Star Is Bom.” RKO for “Shall We Dance?” Columbia for “Lost Horizon.” The judges, 80 per cent of whom voted, were: John Nolan, Comerford-Publix, Scranton; Myer Schine and George Lynch, Schine Enterprises, Gloversville, N. Y.; Ted Schlanger and Jules Seltzer, Warner Theatres, Philadelphia; Vincent R. McFaul, Buffalo Theatres; George and Charles Skouras, National Theatres; Harry Brandt, Brandt Theatres; Sidney Samuel son, Allied of New Jersey; John Balaban and William K. Hollander, B&K, Chicago; Jules Rubens, Great States Theatres, Chicago; Sid Dannenberg, Warner Theatres, Cleveland; E. P. Dinerman, RKO Albee, Cincinnati; Earl J. Hudson, United Detroit Theatres; E. C. Beatty, Butterfield Circuit, Detroit; John L. Friedl, and Charles Winchell, Minnesota Amusement Co., Minneapolis; Elmer C. Rhoden, Fox Midwest, Kansas City; Dean Hyskell, Fox 24-B BOXOFFICE :: July 16, 1938