Boxoffice (Jul-Sep 1938)

NEW PRODUCT BUYING TAKES SUDDEN SPURT AS CIRCUIT HEADS CONVERGE IN NEW YORK Paramount Interests Top Vanguard of Buyers; Others Are Due Showmanship Industry's Big Requisite, Reminds Zanuck New York — Film buying took a sudden spurt this week as important circuit heads and buyers converged here from all parts of the country to discuss new product deals. Accompanying some of the men were district managers of two companies, E. T. Gomersall, Universal midwest sales head with headquarters in Chicago, and Charles E. Kessnich, M-G-M southern district manager with offices at Atlanta. The tide of film buyers flowing into Times Square, in the majority, represented Paramount interests. They will remain until next week to follow up preliminary talks with Y. Frank Freeman, operating head of Paramount’s circuit. He returns Monday from a vacation at Highland, N. C., which was followed by an auto tour to Charlotte and Atlanta where he surveyed theatres affiliated with the company. He has been away a month. Among those in town for product palavers are Joe Clemmons, president, and Sol Gordon, partner and general counsel for Jefferson Amusement Co., Beaumont, Tex.; E. J. Sparks of the Sparks circuit with headquarters in Miami; R. E. Griffith of the Griffith circuit in Oklahoma City; M. Kermit and M. Stengel of the Sudekum circuit with headquarters in Nashville. R. W. Wilby of the Wilby-Kincey circuit with main offices in Atlanta returned from an extensive vacation on the continent and is spending a few days here for conferences before returning south. Fred Dolle of the Dolle circuit of Louisville and Indianapolis is here discussing new picture deals with Dave Chatkin and Harry Katz of the Monarch circuit. The two circuits have a pooling arrangement in a number of midwest towns. Sam Sosna of Manhattan, Kan., left Wednesday night after talking with sales heads of major companies. Next week another quota of out-of-town buyers are expected. The weather has lost much of its humidity and sales executives are in the mood for talking. Spyros Skouras and William T. Powers returned from National Theatres’ regional meetings in Kansas City and Los Angeles, leaving J. J. Sullivan behind in California to vacation with his family. Resumption of deals with United Artists and Universal have begun, which means cleaning up the only two remaining major product deals for the circuit. In contrast to the out-of-town buyer interest in making new deals, local independent circuit operators are marking time. Few deals of any importance have been closed in the local area, the indica Hollywood — “The industry will always be a business for the showman,” Darryl F. Zanuck, production head of 20th Century-Fox, told a group of circuit men here. “There is no place in it for one without showmanship,” he added. “If any person has not the desire and ambition to advance in the line of showmanship he might as well get out of the industry. Showmanship extends from the individual, separate organizations to the industry as a whole.” Reminding exhibitors that the development of new personalities must start with “so-called smaller pictures,” Zanuck asserted that unless showmen “do their part producers are handicapped at the very outset.” Adhering to a plea of showmanship in exhibition as well as showmanship in production, Zanuck declared that “established policies and principles have changed rapidly in our industry. “There is no set policy in making, distributing and exhibiting pictures. The industry has become more than ever a business in which the individual effort, individual ambition and individual showmanship can show its mettle. “No organization can exist alone on epics,” he continued. “There must be a steadily sold turnover throughout the year on each picture. You must respect the little ones as well as the big ones. Re tion being that not much will be done until October or November when Loew’s, RKO, Randforce and Skouras complete final working agreements for the new season. Eight RKO district managers met here for a routine discussion on new season selling and reported the majority of possibilities have already been sold, with only independent accounts remaining to be closed. District managers returned to respective territories Thursday after a one-day session at the Waldorf-Astoria, presided over by Jules Levy, general sales manager. Some men will hold meetings in their branches to familiarize sales personnel with what occurred here. There was an exchange of ideas on how those present could best aid in furthering the industry business drive. From the field were District Managers J. H. MacIntyre, northeast; Nat Levy, central; W. E. Branson, midwest; H. M. Lyons, southeast; S. M. Sachs, southwest; H. C. Cohen, west; and L. M. Devaney, Canada. Also Cresson E. Smith, western spect each picture in the category for which it was produced. If exhibitors recognize this and a fair return is made to producers then when we lay out the budget at the end of the year we can find next year worth while gambling on. “Producers must have encouragement from exhibitors and distributors. We can’t find it unless we feel that you fight for the smallest pictures.” Paul Terry Increases Technicolor Shorts Setup New York — Altering his plans, Paul Terry, head of Terry Toons, intends to produce 13 animations in all-Technicolor as part of his contribution to the 20th Century-Fox short subject schedule next season. He originally announced 10 in color. “Alexander" Ahead ol “In Old Chicago" Gross New York — “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” is running 60 per cent ahead of “In Old Chicago” grosses, according to 20th Century-Fox, in the same situations where the two pictures played. Rental earnings on the Irving Berlin musical will run more than 85 per cent of the company’s share of moneys attracted by “In Old Chicago.” Van Beveren Joins J. E. Otter son's Inter-Allied New York — W. Willems Van Beveren, formerly head of American Tobis, has joined Inter-Allied, headed by John E. Otterson, as exclusively disclosed in Boxoffice three weeks ago. He will be in charge of adaptations for French pictures selected by Otterson for American distribution. and southern sales manager, E. L. McEvoy, eastern and Canadian sales manager; Leo Spitz, Ned E. Depinet, W. H. Clark, Harry Michalson, S. Barret McCormick, A. A. Schubart, William McShea, Sid Kramer, Lou Gauderau, Ralph Rolan, Harry Gittleson, Mike Poller and Rutgers Neilson from the home office. Guests included Frederic Ullman jr., and Frank Donovan of RKO Pathe News; Hal Horne, Disney Enterprises, and John Wood and Louis de Rochemont of March of Time. BOXOFFICE :; August 27, 1938 E 15