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

DES MOINES RECOVERS THRONE! SUCCEEDS CHICAGO ON DELIVERY Winnipeg Still Haunt- ing the Leaders! Mayer’s Des Moines has recov- ered the throne in the 52 weeks’ total delivery prize race! But Clyde Eckhardt’s Chicagoans this week were heating quota and are insisting they will again force the lowans to abdicate. From this point on the K-6 total delivery race should be far more interest- ing than it has been in the past two months. While Des Moines and Chicago continue to fight for first place, Phil Long- don’s Charlotte cannot be ignored by either delega- tion. The North Carolinians are looking forward to the biggest June and July in their history. If Longdon’s hopes and plans materialize into delivery, then both Des Moines and Chicago will have plenty about which to worry. The Carolinians, who ex- ceeded quota last week, are now in seventh place, but that is within 3.4 of Des Moines and 2.7 of Chicago. Charlotte has finally snatched Southern accumulated delivery leadership from Landaiche’s New Orleans. But, before it can overtake either Chicago or Des Moines, the Carolinians will have to beat Huber’s Winnipeg, March’s St. John, English’s Montreal and Podoloff’s Minneapolis. Among that quartet, most dan- gerous, insofar as Charlotte is concerned, looms Minneapolis. But the Gophers are only three- tenths of a point ahead of the Tarheels. O’Loughlin’s Canadian offices are battling with all their might to remain in prize-paying berths, but this task is seemingly be- coming increasingly difficult (Continued on page 2) ///() EXTRA! RIO DE JANEIRO—(By Cable) — The South Ameri- can branches, through their managing directors and man- agers, pledged President S. R. Kent here today (Friday) that they would increase their 1939-40 delivery 25%. June 3, 1939 No. 11 YANKEE SQUAD ALMOST NABS SOUTH O N K-7 SELLING! Boston, Albany Push District Within 5 Points Of Leader On Feature Sales—Faster Pace—Milwaukee Advances Five—Midwest Up! Snssman’s East, gradually nearing its record mark for the period, was boosting its K-7 sales register to a level where it definitely menaced the leadership enjoyed by Kupper’s West because of carry-over franchises closed last season. On the matter of post-convention K-7 deals negotiated, the Westerners made substantial progress over the past fortnight, but it did rank in volume with that obtained by the Eastern divisoin. As a result the two divisions are now parted by only five points. ROYALLY WELCOMED AT “YOUNG MR. LINCOLN” PREMIERE Lowell Thomas (second from left) and stars from Movietone City were royally received by thousands who jammed Springfield, 111., Memorial Day to participate in the festivites that marked the world premiere of Zanuck’s second Cosmopolitan K-6 production, “Young Mr. Lin- coln.” Here the stars are pictured on the stage of the Lincoln theatre just before the nation- wide broadcast. Left to right: Alice Brady, Mr. Thomas, Arleen Whelan, Binnie Barnes, Cesar Romero and Eddie Collins. RECORD SUMMER PRODUCTION INVESTMENT A DEFINITE CHALLENGE TO EARNING POWER Representative of the largest investment any company has made in Summer releases, the June and July productions are, from every angle, a challenge to the earning power of the field distributing organization. That is the interpretation General Manager of Distribution Her- man Wobber placed on the release in the next eight weeks of “Young Mr. Lincoln,” “Second Fiddle,” “Susannah of the Mounties,” “Frontier Marshal” and other productions marking the completion of the K-6 season. With “Young Mr. Lincoln” an unquestioned box office smash-hit, if field force and exhibitors properly exploit and present it, Mr. Wobber this week instructed division, district and branch managers to supervise a vigorous campaign to see that these productions are not only properly booked for a right length of time, but also given an effective local advertising support. “These are times,” said Mr. Wobber, “when it becomes the duty of field force and exhibitor to apply an extra advertising effort to the local introduction and exploitation of such costly attractions as we are releasing. “The company increased its investment in its Summer releases fully cognizant of what might develop economically plus its knowl- edge that extraordinarily attractive vehicles would have to be made available to magnetize ticket-buyers in the sufficiently large num- bers to produce the grosses and rentals it saw possible in the final weeks of the season. “We were consulted before this increased investment was made. You were asked at the district managers’ meeting in Los Angeles and New York whether the company could feel safe in making this investment. Your answer was an emphatic affirmative. Now we must assume the responsibility of obtaining the revenue that justi- fied that production policy. “The studio has done its part—and very well. It rightly looks to us to fulfill its obligation, to get for these attractions the revenue they are entitled to receive. “In view of our superior box office power, I believe your com- pany has every right to expect June and July to be the greatest revenue-producing months of the 1938-39 (K-6) season. I know none will fail to plav his part in this job.” Levy’s Prairies, losing no opportunity to go into the coming Kent Drive at maxi- mum strength, were doing the hest selling job for Gehring’s Centrals. The latter were 3.8 points be- hind the Easterners. Carry- over franchises have given the Centrals a faster start, basically, than they had in either last, or the prior, year! Although still in last place among the districts, the Great Lakes made headway. But it was principally Milwaukee that fattened in the Great Lakes. Lorentz’s Brewers made the most effective territorial place gain on K-7 feature product sales. The Brewers rushed from 14th to eighth position. Circuit selling in the U. S. ter- ritories took on a substantial gain in velocity during the past week. Tom Bailey’s Northeasterners now stand as a definite threat to Ballance’s South. Northeast’s post - convention selling has been more active than that of any other district. The Yankees, as a unit, are only eight points behind the South- erners. The Northeasterners rocketed from sixth to second place, truly tragic news for Moss’ Atlantics, Levy’s Prairie and the Coast. Meantime, Scott’s Midwest advanced from fifth to fourth place, now standing six-tenths of a point behind the Atlantics. The latter are just 1.6 behind the Yankees. Prairie needed only one-tenth of a point to nab the Midwest- erners and led Coast by three- tenths. O’Loughlin’s Canadians, thanks to faster individual sell- ing on the part of Winnipeg’s Krupp and Calgary’s Frank Scott, plus carryover fran- chises, are seventh, 2.3 behind the Prairies. (Continued on page 3) MEMPHIS DELIVERS 529% OF SHORTS QUOTA! Story on Page 4