Boxoffice (Jul-Sep 1938)

(Hollywood Office — Suite 219 at 6404 Hollywood Blvd.; Ivan Spear, Western Manager) PRODUCTION BOUNDS HIGH AS WEEK BEGINS Nothing to Do With Universal One of John Hay Whitney's first official acts following his arrival here for a fourweek visit at Selznick-International was to emphatically deny rumors current in certain quarters that he was one of the principals in a reported attempt to engineer a financial deal involving Selznick-International and Universal. This denial came in the form of the following statement: "There is absolutely no truth in the stories that have appeared to the effect that I am interested in a deal involving Universal Pictures. Furthermore, I am not a member of any group which has an interest in any negotiations involving that company." Whitney, chairman of the S-I board of directors, trained in over the week-end. Production Cheers; Employment Jumps The upturn in production pace and studio employment was continuing steadily this week, business managers of most unions and crafts reporting dwindling idleness on their membership roles, and studio personnel changes being limited predominantly to those occupying higherbracket positions. The firmer employment outlook was even more cheeringly painted when Technicolor, Inc., predicted that a rush of orders for color prints on a number of forthcoming films would place that company’s laboratory at peak activity during the early fall months, necessitating the employment of scores of workers and extra and overtime work for those now on the payroll. Paramount, M-G-M, 20th Century-Fox, Selznick International and several commercial film producers, all with Technicolor films before the cameras or in preparatory stages, will place heavy print orders during the fall and winter. As a by-product of the recent boom in production, the Motion Picture Painters Local at a membership meeting Monday night voted to resume full payment of sick benefits, which had been cut in half during the depth of the recession, which resumption has been made possible, according to Herbert Sorrell, business manager, because of the recent increase in dues. The Warner studio was the scene of a minor executive shakeup during the week, with Joe Gilpin, studio business manager, turning in his resignation after ten years with the company because of a disagreement with studio executives over policies. Carroll Sax, a unit manager, has stepped into Gilpin’s job, under the supervision of Tennant Wright, production manager. Also leaving the lot, on an “indefinite vacation,” was P. A. Chase, who has been comptroller since the company’s inception. His assistant, Cy Wilder, is sitting in. Milton H. Feld, who recently resigned an associate producership at 20th Century-Fox, has aligned himself with Universal as executive assistant to Cliff Work and Matty Fox, effective immediately. He had been with the Westwood organization for two-and-a-half years. In the face of printed reports that J. P. Normanly, vice-president and business manager at Universal, had terminated his contract following his return from a leave of absence, spent in New York, studio officials asserted that Normanly remains with the company, but has been granted an additional 30-day holiday. Paramount cut its list of contract players by one by failing to option the services of Georges Rigaud, South American matinee idol, who had been on the payroll for nearly a year without receiving an assignment. Rigaud had been pencilled in for several parts but failed to get before the cameras. William H. Wright reported to the Marathon Street lot on Monday to begin his new duties as associate producer. “Disbarred” is his first assignment — a Gail Patrick-Randolph Scott co-starrer. Major Studios Have 48 In Work With Ten Lined Up Production shot skyward in the film capital as the week opened, bringing new cheer and hope to technicians and talent, and from every indication will continue to climb for several weeks to come. The major lots had a total of 48 pictures rolling, a gain of five over last week, with an additional ten set to crowd the stages during the week. Busiest, again, was Paramount, with ten features in production, one a new start. This equals last week’s pace at the Marathon Street plant, which, additionally, has another quartet slated for starts during the remainder of July. Harry Sherman put “Silver Trail Patrol,” a “Hopalong Cassidy” western, before the cameras as the week opened. Coming up are “Escape From Yesterday,” to co-star Frances Farmer and Akim Tamiroff; “King of Chinatown” and “Illegal Traffic,” action features; and “Thanks for the Memory,” to co-star Bob Hope and Martha Raye, a musical. On Paramount’s pace-setting heels is 20th Century-Fox. One new start held the Westwood plant at an eight-picture total, two less than last week. Producer Edward Kaufman gave the nod to “By the Dawn’s Early Light,” starring Alice Faye, with Gregory Ratoff directing. A new “Charlie Chan” detective thriller, “Charlie Chan in Honolulu”; the first in the new “Camera Daredevils” series, untitled, and the super-special, “Jesse James,” will hit the cameras within six weeks. Warner was to launch “Heart of the North” this week, to register seven pictures in production, one more than last week. In preparatory stages are “Maximilian and Juarez”; a re-make of “The Dawn Patrol”; “Park Victory” and others. Tied in fourth position are Columbia and M-G-M. The former claims one new start through the launching, by Coronet Pictures, of “The Phantom Trail,” a Buck Jones western, which Columbia will release, and has six in production. M-G-M, listing no new starts for the week, will gun “Honolulu,” an Eleanor Powell mu(Continued on page 34) BOXOFFICE :: July 16, 1938 H 29