Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1939)

Study Plans for New Paramount Studio First definite details of Paramount’s new studio, to be constructed in West Los Angeles, are being studied by department heads, T. Keith Glennan, operations manager, having submitted drawings of plot plans. Executives, who are also perusing a brochure by W. L. Pereira, architect in charge of the project, have been asked to submit criticisms and suggestions to be incorporated in final plans. Statistics reveal the new studio will represent nearly six times the 26-acre area of the present Marathon Street plant. Total area, including outdoor shooting areas, will be 150 acres. To be incorporated is a system of traffic control, segregated into three zones — actual production; control, planning, scheduling and inspection, and service and fabrication. Anti-Nazi League to Keep Using Radio in Campaign Terming the venture an unqualified success, the Hollywood Anti-Nazi League will continue to carry its message to a potentially enormous listening audience via radio at least once every two weeks, following the presentation of its initial program over Station KFVD November 9. The ether waves were utilized as a means of carrying on the League’s program of exposing fascist activities in the Hollywood-Los Angeles sector and took the form of an interview in which Sonja Dahl, executive secretary, quizzed Michael Elkins, special investigator. The expose was originally launched at a general HANL membership meeting some days earlier, at which a detailed report on operations of anti-democratic organizations was presented a capacity audience by Elkins. Other speakers included Edward Chodorov, Metro producer, Mary Wilding Leases Space at GN for a Commercial Wilding Productions, commercial film unit, has leased space at Grand National to produce a feature-length advertising feature. Deal was negotiated by Dick Pearl, GN studio manager, who has ordered immediate construction of suitable sets. McCall jr., scenarist, and H. S. Kraft, who was chairman. Next important liberal affair has been scheduled for November 22, when the HANL’s Youth Commission will hold an open meeting to discuss the subject, “Keep America Out of War.’’ Outstanding authorities on world affairs, and industry figures including Melvyn Douglas, Virginia Bruce and Irving Pichel, have promised to be on hand. Extended Run Plea Voiced by Zanuck Apparently piqued because Si Fabian, operator of Proctor’s Theatre in Schenectady, New York, pulled “Drums Along the Mohawk’’ out after six days, despite record grosses, Darryl Zanuck, 20th Century-Fox production executive, in an open letter to Fabian voiced an appeal to showmen in general to extend the fullest cooperation to studios and to do their utmost to increase domestic boxoffice revenues by extending runs wherever possible. He imged that exhibitors attune themselves to a sympathetic grasp of the difficut financial situation in which film-makers are finding themselves as a result of the European War, which Zanuck claims has already inflicted a loss of one-third in the year’s gross. Zanuck’s missive pointed out that higher wage scales and increased costs of building material and equipment have doubled the price of producing motion pictures in the past 18 months. The Westwood studio executive warned that “if producers find that they cannot break even, then naturally, they cannot be expected to take the fabulous financial gambles that we are forced to take today. Must Have Exhibitor Cooperation “If the rest of the American exhibitors,’’ Zanuck continued, “pull any picture when it is doing legitimately fine business, then, in my opinion, they will be cutting their own throats because the producers are eventually going to come to the realization that they will have to depend upon smaller, lower price pictures, as it is impossible to expect us to take the gamble without fullest cooperation from every exhibitor and theatre manager in the nation.” Zanuck charged there was “no conceivable excuse” for Fabian’s action in withdrawing “Drums Along the Mohawk.” The studio mogul cited the fact that the Claudette Colbert-Henry Fonda co-starrer had grossed $6,812 in the house in its six-day run — a bigger take than that recorded for “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” biggest grosser of 1938. He also pointed out that “Drums” brought in more business in its six-day run than “Alexander” did in seven. Further, Zanuck declared that Fabian was aided in opening the picture by the studio, which sent contract personalities to the locale for the first-day engagement. Si Fabian Keeps Silent on Zanuck "Drums" Charge New York — Si Fabian, head of the Fabian circuit, is maintaining a “no comment” attitude toward Darryl F. Zanuck’s “open letter.” However, sources close to the upstate operator hint Fabian is incensed at the action of Zanuck in releasing his statement to the press before seeking an explanation via private correspondence. This is said to have prompted Fabian to remark he does not intend “to be used as a sounding board for Zanuck to reach exhibitors on a controvery that should not be decided in the press.” A New Theatre Opens: New Film Bows — The opening of the new FWC Academy Theatre in Inglewood housed the press preview of Metro’s “Another Thin Man” arid brought out the above aggregation. At the top are Louis B. and Mrs. Mayer. Below are Charles P. Skouras, William Powell, Hunt Stromberg, Myrna Loy and Mayer. 32 BOXOFFICE :: November 18, 1939