Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1939)

Nicholas Schenck Sees No Need for Jitters V. A TrwMte to the Motion Picture Industry /( is the year 1889. Chicago is still recovering from the eHects ol its great fire. Plans are being made for the World's Columbian Exposition. Beniamin Harrison has been in the White House less than a year. The aeroplane lives only in the minds ol "loots.” No one has dared to dream ol the radio. The automobile is a thing ol the luture. This is 1889. In a backyard workshop in West Orange. New jersey, a man prematurely gray makes the linal adjustment on a large black box. He stands a second in meditation, then calmly adjusts the eye-piece to his vision. Seconds pass. He smiles. Thomas Alva Edison has invented and seen the world's Jirst motion picture. The motion picture industry was a child of poverty. That first motion picture was really a peep show. It feebly portrayed a man taking a few steps and the entire'show lasted less than 15 seconds. From this humble beginning, motion pictures have grown to be one of the nation's griaitest industries. Perhaps no drama ever filmed is more inspiring, has more romance, more adventure and more thrills, than has the true story— the rags' to riches story — of the film industry itself. Today motion pictures are a vital factor in the social, economic and political life of the people of the United States . . . and of most of the civilized world. Each week, in this nation alpne, an estimated eighty-five million persons attend motion picture theaters. More than 2&S,000 persons are directly employed by this giant industry. Hundreds of thousands of others indirectly profit through the dimes and quarters and dollars paid for admission at motion picture theaters. The man in Chicago who makes the mold that makes the form that makes the gears that are a vital part of a motion picture camera is not an employee of the motion picture industry. l)Ut the motion picture industry is responsible for his employment The motion picture industry is the nation’s largest single customer of the furniture and printing trades. Tn the past few years the motion picture industry ITas purchased more than a billion dollars worth of steel, stone, cement and lumber. Last year the motion picture industry spent more than a hundred million dollars for advertising. This giant industry has made the world style conscious . . .j has brought the light of advanced thinking to people in the most remote sections of the world. It. has "made people conscious of their manners, conscious of their grammar, conscious of the living habits of persons in all walks of life. Through its newsreels it has supplemented 'newspapers in informing the public. Through its travel features it has acquainted people with faraway places. This industry has come a long way since that dark day In. October. 1889. In 50 years — half a century — it has iceompUshed miracles. It will continue to accomplish miracles. Chicago has, throughout these 50 years, played an important part in the motion picture industry. For ten years or more it was the cinema capital of the world. Today Chicago boasts some of the nation’s finest motion picture theaters. Today Chicago offers the public modem, air-conditioned, comfortable theaters. It offers the best productions of a bilUon-dolIar industry— the best productions of an industry 50 yearsyoung. This is the Golden Jubilee of motion pictures. This is the industry's 50th anniversary. Commemorate this great event See a movie . . . tonighti CHICAGO HERALD -AMERICAN Readable and Reliable Chicago — Still certain there is no need for the jitters “at this time” over production or distribution plans, Nicholas M. Schenck passed through here on what he termed “just one of my regular trips.” “Of course,” he said, “we will stick to our policy of making the best pictures possible as economically as possible, and there is nothing that warrants changing our production plans or cutting down on announced budgets at this time.” He added that, as he sees it, there is no need at present for any company to make radical changes in plans. He said M-G-M and Loew’s plan no personnel changes for the present and that Metro would try to meet the war situation by producing the best possible pictures they know how so as to realize maximum revenues. “Good pictures,” he emphasized, “always do good business and mean healthy boxoffice returns.” Regular $1,621/2 Dividend On Loew's Preferred New York — The regular $1,621/2 cents on the preferred stock, payable November 15, has been declared by Loew’s directors at a postponed meeting. His presence on the coast prevented Nicholas M. Schenck, president, from attending the session. J. Robert Rubin, general counsel for M-G-M, presided. Schenck is due back Monday. "Ninotchka" First Garbo Film Into Music Hall New York — Although tentatively set for the Capitol, “Ninotchka” will follow “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” into the Music Hall. The “Ninotchka” booking marks the first Greta Garbo film to play the Hall. The Press Recognizes a Jubilee — Chicago — What is thought to have been the most thorough coverage of the 50th anniversary of the motion picture industi-y in any one city in the country was that engineered by the publicity department of the B&K circuit in Chicago. All of the daily newspapers in the city cooperated fully with the department, working under the direction of Publicity Head William K. Hollander. The Tribune ran an editorial complimenting the industry, while Mae Tinee, film critic, used a full page in the Sunday edition reviewing the history of the industry, with statistics showing its importance to the country. Full-page advertisements were carried by the HeraldAmerican and Times, while the film editors of the two papers, Dorothy Deere and Doris Arden, respectively, ran special features and art layouts. The Daily News ran a full page showing the history of the film industry in terms of Chicago participation. Radio announcements were carried by stations WIND and WJJD, with Hal Tate, the “movie tattler,” using a special morning program over the latter station. A special proclamation was obtained from Mayor Edward J. Kelly giving full recognition to “movie week.” New York — Enthusiastic activity on the part of exhibitors and local film organizations in San Francisco, Greenville, S. C., Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Los Angeles, Cleveland, Columbus, Milwaukee, Dallas, El Paso, Tacoma, Buffalo, Rochester, Houghton, Port Wayne and Elkhart, Ind., Cleveland and Zanesville, Ohio, is reported by the Hays office committee in charge of the jubilee. Roach Decides Against Transferring Seltzer Hollywood — Frank Seltzer, studio publicity and advertising head for Hal E. Roach, is not being transfen’ed east after all, Roach having changed his mind the last minute about replacing Tom Walker, eastern sales representative. Walker continues in the east for the time being with Grace Rosenfield remaining as talent and publicity contact. "Drums Along Mohawk" Premiere in Five Cities New York — Five cities in the Mohawk Valley will hold simultaneous premieres of “Drums Along the Mohawk” on November 2. The Technicolor special will be shown in 14 reels at the Palace, Albany; Proctor’s, Schenectady; Rialto, Amsterdam; Glove, Gloversville and Olympic, Utica. 12 BOXOFFICE ; ; October 21, 1939