Boxoffice (Jul-Sep 1939)

Exchanges Overseas Forsake Big Cities New York — All distributors have virtually abandoned their overseas offices in cities that may be enemy targets in the event war becomes general throughout Europe. Prints, negatives, supplies and personnel that have not been called for military duty have been shifted to points from 50 to 100 miles out of key points. The shift is said to have been made in orderly fashion. since most companies selected bombproof vaults in isolated areas either during or immediately after the Czechoslovakian crisis last fall. Spokesmen for the five newsreel companies say their cameramen are functioning as normal, but admit that an open conflict would place these men under orders of the governments in the countries in which they are working. Newsreel executives declare they have been denied the request to send American cameramen to replace their European men in case the latter are taken from their assignments by respective governments. Foreign managers, as of mid-week, had no direct information as to which of their employes in English, French and Polish offices have been called up as reservists. It was said at UA that Georges Rouvier, manager, and three salesmen from the Paris office reported for military duty, but that Rouvier continues to supervise operations. Universal’s manager in Warsaw has entered military duty and others are expected to follow. Should the situation become acute, it is believed most men in film offices in England, France and Poland will fall in line. Operations will be left to skeleton staffs that have been schooled in “doubling in brass,” an executive said. “There has been some slight disorganization in our foreign offices,” a Paramount spokesman declared, “but we are functioning as usual. All supplies are being shipped from here, with a slight disturbance, of course, as though there was nothing to be alarmed about.” All Polish prints are prepared in Paris, with Polish titles and sent to a shipping station in Kattowica, Poland, via Berlin. This custom is said to hold with all companies. However, with the severance of train service between Paris and Berlin it is unlikely that Warsaw offices will receive any new prints. “If Poland will have any use for films in the event of a crisis,” an executive declared, “it will have to subsist on the product it now has on hand.” Temporary offices well outside Paris were occupied early this week with little inconvenience. This was accomplished with comparative ease because film shipping is not permitted within the city limits, most of the shipping posts being normally located on the outskirts. Foreign managers say they have been urged by government authorities to exert every possible precaution for preserving film, in recognition of their value as both entertainment and propaganda. For this reason, each company has sought to locate rather isolated spots in which to set Yes Man Hearst Sees "Red" — Reduced hy approxunately ojie-half, this is a reproduction of a cartoon which appeared recently on the editorial page of the New York JournalAmerican. Hearst editorialists offered no explayiation heyojid this. [See ‘‘Notes to You,” page 12] up temporary headquarters outside large cities. This is stated to hold true in the following cities in England: London, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle and Cardiff, Wales. The same procedure is understood to have been followed in these French cities: Paris, Marseilles, Bordeaux, Lille, Lyons and Strasbourg, and in Warsaw and Lwow in Poland. WB Closes 78% of Circuit Possibilities, Says Sears New York — Warner has closed deals for the 1939-40 season with 78 per cent of its total circuit possibilities, Gradwell L. Sears, general sales manager, declares. This compares with 63 per cent closed for the same period last year, he adds, despite a sales policy revision that calls for higher rentals to meet increased costs. Seek Theatremen's Advice on Product New York — In a declared policy move to promote “closer relationship between producer-distributors and exhibitors,” Columbia embarks on a series of conferences designed to “bring the theatre operator’s viewpoint into production policy.” A discussion of what audiences want in their entertainment was the focal point of the first meeting here between Columbia executives and leading operators. Harry Cohn, president: Jack Cohn, vicepresident, and Abe Montague, general sales manager, represented Columbia, while Izzy Rappaport, Hippodrome, Baltimore; Charles Heyman, Lafayette, Buffalo; Si Fabian, Fabian Circuit, New York; Harry Arthur, F&M, St. Louis, and David Chatkin, Monarch Theatres, were the exhibitors. The company will sponsor similar sessions in the immediate future, a spokesman said, in the belief the conferences will prove “an important factor in enhancing the boxoffice quality of the company’s forthcoming product.” Columbia Seeking Story For Jessel to Make New York — Columbia is looking for a story, of comedy content, which George Jessel would produce. If a property is found the comedian will make it in Hollywood. Detroit Is Wary But Is Willing to Be Shown (Continued from page 14) Variety Club and manager of the Adams, first run house operated by the Balaban interests. He thinks: “The new policy is a very good thing. It gives a clearer understanding than has hitherto been embodied in any trade statement on several points. I think the other companies should follow suit. “It appears to me to put any distributing companies that might not be sincere, ‘on the spot,’ because this is an open declaration by an individual company, and not just a collective statement, such as we have had before. “There is nothing in this statement for the company to hide behind, whereas in a collective code statement, you do not know with how much enthusiasm each company entered into the code.” "Hawaiian Nights" Is UniversaVs "Hawaiian Nights," reviewed August 26, was erroneously credited to Republic. It is a Universal release. Running time: 64 minutes. Release date: September 15. 22 BOXOmCE : : September 2, 1939