Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1939)

Scattered Premieres Growing Popular Forced by the exigencies of war and lost foreign grosses to woo and win the domestic market to a degree never before necessary, major film makers are staging a revival of the recently-popular practice of premiering their more pretentious offerings in out-of-Hollywood locales — particularly those cities having some connection, however remote, with the story, cast or other element in the film. Now definitely set to make its screen bow in Atlanta, Georgia — home of Margaret Mitchell, author of the Civil War best seller on December 15, is Metro’s release of the Selznick International production, “Gone With the Wind.’’ Clark (Rhett Butler) Gable and Vivien (Scarlett O’Hara) Leigh will be on hand and other extensive ballyhoo is being drafted by Howard Dietz, Metro’s advertising publicity chief, and William Hebert, foi’mer S-I publicity director. The premiere will be followed by roadshow engagements throughout the country. RKO Radio is in the process of selecting various key cities as locales for sectional premieres of “Abe Lincoln in Illinois,” which executives have decided to roadshow sometime in mid-January. Bids for the premieres and long-run engagements have been received from Washington, D. C., where the Pulitzer Prize stage play first opened; and Toronto, Canada, birthplace of Raymond Massey, star of both the stage and screen versions. Paramount is slating out-of-town premieres for two of its forthcoming features. Simultaneous showings in three theatres in two cities have been scheduled on November 24 for “Geronimo!” its saga of the Apache reign of terror in the Southwest in the 1870’s. Premieres are set for the Orpheum and Rialto theatres in Phoenix and the State in ’Tucson, Ariz., and will (2ln6mailc6 John Monk jr. and Fred Finkelhoffe have returned from a New York vacation and have checked in at M-G-M to begin a writing assignment . . . Preceding her husband by a month, Mrs. David Rose, wife of Paramount’s English production chief, arrived in the film capital with her 16-month-old son. * Don Ashbaugh of Paramount’s publicity staff suffered head injuries and bruises in an automobile mishap . . . Director George Archainbaud has returned to Paramount after a holiday in New York . . . George Seitz, Metro megaphonist, headed east after completing his latest studio assignment. John Howard has endowed a chair in the drama at Western Reserve university, his alma mater, in Cleveland, where a new campus theatre and drama college have been constructed. * Jane Bryan left for New York to attend the world premiere of her latest Warner starrer . . . Paramount’s Office Employes be followed by pre-release openings, starting December 1, in Albuquerque, Denver, Salt Lake City, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Boise, Ogden, Spokane, Reno and Sacramento. Premieres and pre-date engagements are being handled by a special exploitation staff under the direction of Cliff Lewis. The same studio will world-premiere “The Great Victor Herbert” in Wetherford, Tex., home of Mary Martin, who costars with Allan Jones in the feature. Date for the occasion will be selected when Miss Martin’s scheduled start in a Broadway play has been decided upon. Ass’n will hold its annual banquet December 11 at the Nikabob Cafe. * Ending a week’s vacation trip to Vancouver, B. C., with her director-husband, John Farrow, Maureen O’Sullivan has reported back to M-G-M to await assignment. ★ John Huston, Warner writer, returned to the studio after a hunting trip to Idaho . . . Charles Laughton left for New York to join his business associate, Erich Pommer, with whom he will spend two weeks in the east before returning here . . . Heading in the same direction on a two-week holiday was George Sherman, Republic director . . . Scouting locations for his next Republic assignment, Armand Schaefer has been sizing up Yuma and surrounding territory. ★ Sol Lesser has gone to New York for conferences with Thornton Wilder, author of “Our Town,” concerning Lesser’s plans for bringing it to the screen. He also planned to catch a few Broadway plays and test talent for possible film work . . . Lee Marcus has checked back at RKO Radio after a trip to New York and Washington . . . Vincent Sherman and Lee Katz, Warner writers, are holidaying in Mexico City . . . Bette Davis is in from the east after a stopover in Toronto . . . Completing a Warner assignment, James Cagney has left for his home at Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. * Producer Robert Fellows and Scenarist Robert Rosson have returned to the Warner lot from Flagstaff, Ariz., where they checked on exterior sequences for a current picture. Two Awards and A Lobby Chat — On the left, Gordon Hollingshead, Warner producer, is receiving a gold statuette from the hands of Gregory Carter, manager of the Hollywood Teleview Newsreel Theatre for his production of ‘‘Lincoln in the White House.” The military handshake that Samuel Goldwyn is receiving from Horace Shidler, commander of Bear Post No. 2386, VFW, followed bestowal of the Post’s American Citizenship medal upon the producer for ‘‘outstanding American citizenship.” The lobby conversationalists on the right, leaving the press preview of “We Are Not Alone,” Paul Muni starrer, at Warner’s Hollywood, are Mervyn LeRoy, Hal B. Wallis and Harry M. Warner. BOXOFFICE :: November 18, 1939 33