20th Century-Fox Dynamo (June 3, 1939)

NEW DYNAMO RIO CONFAB ON! MR. KENT CHIEF SPEAKER 5 TRAFFIC PARALYZED IN SPRINGFIELD, ILL AS THOUSANDS CHEER “YOUNG MR. LINCOLN” BUT ORDER RULED Above picture was taken from the en- trance to the Abraham Lincoln Hotel in Springfield, 111. Because of the record turnout of people police gave orders that only vehicles carrying the city’s guests for the world premiere of the Zanuck entertainment classic would be allowed in the downtown streets. Never has Springfield known such crowds, but there were no accidents and peace ruled the day. DALLAS BASEBALL TEAM Z Beiersdorf, posing with the exchange aggregation which is giving a championship account of itself in the Southwest. Good luck, boys. EXTRA! 27 HOLDOVERS ON “ROSE” Telegraphic reports from the branches Fri- day morning indicated a total of 27 holdovers on “Rose of Washing- ton Square” in as many cities. This Zanuck musical is nationally and locally outgrossing the major specials of all other dis- tributors, according to reports from branch managers to Mr. Wob- ber. Meantime, to this de- partment came word of a continued stream of repeat bookings on “Jesse James.” WOBBER TO STUDIO FOR CONFERENCE Mr. Wobber is going to Movietone City next week for a production conference with Mr. Zanuck. The exact day when the sales chief will leave had not been fixed when this issue of New Dynamo was going to press at Spring- field, 111. Over the long distance tele- phone Mr. Wobber Friday stated he would remain on the Coast until after Drive leader M. A. Levy started on his first swing around the branches. Mr. Levy and Roger Ferri will leave for the Coast in two weeks, joining Mr. Wobber at the studio. Mr. Zanuck is making rapid progress on the K-7 lineup, with the first, “Stanley and Living- stone,” now in the cutting and editing department. However, there will be some six more weeks’ work on this super spe- cial. Louis Bromfield’s “The Rains Came” is in production. “Fall- ing Stars” with Alice Faye and Don Ameche was to be started this week. WEEK’S DIGEST P DDIE COLLINS, a grand old trouper, got off with a, bang at the world premiere of “Young Mr. Lincoln.” What a grand use he made of his first opportunity in meeting the public. By nightfall he was getting an ovation wherever he appeared. He was the talk of Springfield, 111. Every newspaper writer recorded the fact that he was a hit with the crowds. They couldn’t get enough of him. When he first made his appearance on the screen during the showing of “Young Mr. Lincoln,” he got a great, big hand. Eddie Collins will never forget the public acclaim he earned and got in Springfield. They just loved him—and his every move —and that was true with every type and age of person. Good work—and congratulations, Eddie! T> EIERSDORF’S Texans are on the verge of smacking Paul Wilson’s Atlantans out of first place. As a matter of fact, on the basis of K-7 contracts actually closed since the Chicago convention, the top berth belongs to Ira Cohn’s Pittsburghers. But the Dallas office has been making excellent progress in the past several weeks, with Atlanta, too, getting stronger. But offices like Indianapolis, Portland, Oklahoma City, Buffalo, Phila- delphia, New York, Chicago, Detroit and Montreal continue trail- ing the rest of the organization. Pending circuit deals should boost each of these combinations in the next month. • 'T'HERE are now only five salesmen who are officially charged A with not having sold a single K-7 feature product contract as of May 31. These are Toronto’s Bill Reid, Montreal’s Jim Pear- son, New York’s Schutzer, Detroit’s Knapp, Chicago’s Loeb and Chicago’s Grohe. All of these gentlemen, because of zone regula- tions, are among the last to get going. This has been the case for the past three years. Charles Krupp and Frank Scott of Win- nipeg and Calgary, respectively, used to be in the same situation, but they have changed it the past year. Krupp is nationally 17th on K-7 selling, while the Calgarian is tied with Diamond, Williams and Ware for the 33rd landing, although that position this week spelled a drop for Scott. INVITE SCHENCK, ZANUCK MANAGERS HAIL VISIT TO LATIN AMERICA BY STARS By Cable to New Dynamo RIO— (Friday) —The first South American sales convention of 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation got under way here yesterday. The convention continued today and will come to an official close Saturday. High government officials greeted S. R. Kent, President, on his arrival here. The company’s foreign sales head, Walter J. Hutchinson, who arrived here earlier in the week from England, was at the pier to meet Mr. and Mrs. Kent, who came down here on the SS. Brazil. Today (Friday) Messrs. Kent and Hutchinson were to be re- ceived by President Vargas and other Administration officials. President Vargas has made it publicly known that Brazil is very pleased with the interest taken by 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation in this coun- try and its announced intentions to expand Latin-American rela- tions. He was to inform Mr. Kent that the Brazilian govern- ment would co-operate to the fullest degree in successfully carrying out. whatever plans of expansion that company or the American industry might have. About two scores of mana- gers, salesmen and bookers from branches in Brazil, Argen- tina, Chile, Uruguay and Para- guay were here for the conven- tion. Arrangements for the af- fair were made by J. Carlos Bavetta, managing director of the Brazilian organization. Man- aging Directors Sidney S. Horen of Argentina and Arthur Rus- cica of Chile headed their re- spective delegations. Among the matters that came up for consideration was the 1939 S. R. Kent Drive. South America, like Europe, will have its own divisional Drive leader, a procedure that brought praise from Mr. Kent. HIS STATEMENT Rio de Janeiro newspaper men and correspondents of jour- nals in Buenos Aires, Santiago (Chile) and in America greeted Mr. and Mrs. Kent on their ar- rival. To them Mr. Kent made the following statement which he personally reiterated at the con- vention later in the day: “The company that I have the honor to head is interested in a reciprocal expansion. We want to develop further the motion picture possibilities of Latin- America. I am down here to find out just what we can do to bet- ter our relationship. “For years this industry has neglected the unlimited possibili- ties of development of the Latin- American market. But such de- velopment will have to benefit the people of South America as well as those of my country. We want to be helpful and co-oper- ative neighbors. “I will spend a few days here making a survey of the situa- tion. “I bring you the greetings of not only my company, but of the American motion picture in- dustry.” During his talk to the conven- tion delegates, Mr. Kent said that it is to Latin-American countries that the company’s Overseas department must look for further increases in business in the future. “But,” he added, “we realize our own responsibil- ity. We intend to furnish you with the means to increase your earnings. “I am glad to be among you because you are the men who have opened our eyes to the pos- sibilities of this market. You have shown us that we have not, in the past, devoted the atten- tion that should have been given this continent. That will be changed. “I bring you the greetings of not only our New York office, but of your studio, of Joe Schenck and Darryl Zanuck per- sonally.” Mr. Kent then outlined the corporation’s plans for 1939-40. Mr. Hutchinson was to outline the 1939-40 product that Mr. Zanuck will produce. Cables congratulating South American branches on their fine showing this season were sent by Messrs. Schenck, Zanuck, Goetz and Wurtzel. General Manager of Distribu- tion Herman Wobber cabled the greetings of the domestic organ- ization. PLAYER ANGLE Messrs. Bavetta and Horen informed Messrs. Kent and Hutchinson that the recent visits made to South America by our stars had done much to heighten interest in the company’s prod- uct. Both referred to the ac- claim that marked the recent tour of Tyrone Power. They and Chile’s Mr. Ruscica also referred to the popular interest in the present tour of Henry Fonda. The South American manag- ing directors made this signifi- cant observation: “It is all well and good for Washington to send high offi- cials to back its program of pan-Americanism, but the pres- ence of Hollywood stars is what the populace interprets as proof that the Presidential claims of closer relations will be carried out. “When these stars come here, instead of going to Europe, they create a good-will that no other group in the United States can develop. It is good for both America and for us down here. We hope more Hollywood stars will visit us—and we believe that Mr. Zanuck should continue to encourage our stars to come here. “We also extend an invita- tion to Messrs. Schenck and Zanuck to pay us a visit.”