Canadian Film Weekly (Jun 6, 1945)

Page 8 — Canadian FILM WEEKLY June 6, 1945 ——— ee —— Upward and Onward tor PRC Rise of PRC to Industry Prominence is Reflection of Astute Direction and Use of Sure Film Showmanship HE fifth year of Producers | Releasing Corporation finds that company, under the keen guidance of lLeon Fromkess, moving upward quickly and surely into the major ranks through expansion of its facilities, development of stars, emphasis on technical excellence and inclusion of the quality of surefire showmanship in all its pictures. The company will deliver 40 films during the next season, an ambitious program which has won support from exhibitors, as is evident by the great increase in its accounts. Reflecting this support is the present activity of the studio, for within a threeweek period beginning June 11 seven feature films will go before the cameras. The seven all bear boxoffice titles and the studio has handpicked the subject matter, public preference being its guide. The films are ‘‘Wife of Monte Cristo; “The Flying Serpent,” a horror picture produced by Sig Nuefeld; “Detour,” a Martin Mooney production, “Queen of Burlesque;’’ “Corky,” a second Mooney film; “Bombshell from Brazil,” a Jack Schwartz production; and ‘The Clock Struck Five.” * * * T the First Annual Conven tion of PRC, held at the Congress Hotel, Chicago, II. March 22-24, 1941, the company announced 42 pictures—24 Features and 18 Westerns. Deliveries were made 100 per cent — as promised. With increasing demand and growing prestige, expansion along all lines was inevitable. The company was progressing at a pace that demanded greater resources. In Dec. 1941, Pathe, Inc. acquired all the stock in PRC. The purchase of this stock brought into association the oldest and the newest corporate names in the film industry. Expansions of all operations followed. September, 1943, marked the most significant expansive step Situation Wanted Experienced Mgr. or Ass’tMgr. available for Motion Picture Theatre. in Advertising Experienced and Personnel work. Military Exempt. Apply Nat. Selective Service, App. No. 2224. Nelson, B.C. taken by PRC since its inception. This was the consummation of the deal whereby the company acquired property and buildings of the Fine Arts Studios, in LEON FROMKESS Under his leadership the expansion of PRC and the growth in popularity of its product is evidence in the eyes of the trade of a place in the major ranks in the near future. Hollywood, and the zsormation of the PRC Studios Corporation to operate the plant. PRC took formal possession on October 15th. With the taking over of Fine Arts Studios, the reorganization of the company’s executive setup got under way. Leon Fromkess was elected President of PRC Pictures, Inc. Leo J. McCarthy was appointed General Sales Manager. Under the company’s expanding production activities, Martin Mooney was made associate producer. In the sales field, McCarthy revealed that the staff had been increased 50%. * * % AC its 4th Annual Convention, New York, June 26, 1944, the company announced the merger of PRC Pictures, PRC Productions, and PRC Studios, with Pathe Laboratories, Pathe Management and the Terminal-Shaker Heights Realty Co., into Pathe Industries, Inc, The announcement of 40 pictures on the 1944-45 program emphasized the tremendous strides production had made toward major status. The product set forth in the company’s annual announcement presaged an ambitious array of showmanship pictures budgeted 100% to 800% in excess of any previous year, with outstanding stars heading the casts. The pictures completed and released to date bear out every promise made in that announcement. ‘Bluebeard,’ “The Great Mike” and “The Town Went Wild,” have been acclaimed as setting a new standard for PRC production; with ‘Dixie Jamboree,” “Swing Hostess,” “I Accuse My Parents’ and “I’m From Arkansas” proving definitely box office; and “Strange TIllusion” and “Crime, Inc.,” two of the highest budgeted Specials on the program ready for preview re * lease. * * * Wes a ciear cut perspective of production requirements and a definite program of forthcoming pictures in the making, the company has acquired more than twenty important story properties now in various stages of preparation, in addition to a backlog of more than this number of fictional properties for future screen adaptation. The properties now in work include five best selling novels, one magazine short story and fifteen originals. Fromkess, president of PRC arid Producer of PRC Productions, has as his associate producers Martin Mooney, Al Herman, Herman Boxer, Fred Jackson, and the Roth-GreeneRouse trio whose first picture for PRC, ‘‘The Town Went Wild,” proved a sensational success. Mooney, who was _ associate producer of “Bluebeard,” has just completed “Crime, Inc.,” based on his own novel exposing the notorious rackets in New York i decade ago. The roster of independent producers contributing to the PRC program include Jack Schwartz, who made “Dixie Jamboree,” and now is producing the company’s first all-color picture ‘‘Enchanted Forest”; Sigmund Neufeld, producer of “Swing Hostess,” ‘The Kid Sister’ and the Buster Crabbe-Al St. John Westerns; Alexander-Stern, who made “I Accuse My Parents,” and producers of the Dave O’Brien-Tex Ritter Westerns; B. K. Blake, Harry Gourfain, Harry Brash and I. E. Chadwick Productions, all of whom have important pictures scheduled. During the International Celebration of its Fifth Anniversary, which extended through a fiveweek period starting March 1, the greatest number of theatres in the history of the company are expected to play PRC product. x x xk LIMAXING the most eventful years of its history was the consummation, November 20, of the deal whereby PRC formed PRC Film Exchanges to acquire, as the first step in the operation of its own distribution, eight key domestic exchanges, viz; Los Angeles, Dallas, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Omaha and Des Moines. The acquisition and operation .of these exchanges is the forerunner to the taking over and operation of a major portion of its domestic distribution by May 1, 1945. Further evidence of expansion was the announcement that PRC will enter the field of exhibition as well as distribution. The Board of Directors at this time also approved plans for major producing units not heretofore connected with the company to distribute their product through PRC exchanges. These details marked the most important step in the history of PRC toward the ultimate goal of emerging as a major producing, distributing and exhibition company. With every promise made since its inception fulfilled, PRC enters its fifth year with an enviable record of Achievement. Harry Allen is President and Dave Griesdorf General Sales Manager of PRC’s Canadian company. Award to MGM Pic MGM’s “Valley of Decision’ has won Scholastic Magazine's blue ribbon award for May. In addition it has been given three checks, which signifies “tops, don’t miss!” Pan-Americ Musical “Pan-American Sensations of 1946” will be a top budget musical combining the star talent of both Americas and filmed in part in South America. It will be a United Artists release, ¢