20th Century-Fox Dynamo (August 5, 1939)

14 NEW DYNAMO WOBBER ADDRESSES SHOWMEN’S CONVENTIONS IN CANADA AND NEW YORK HIS PRODUCT STORY MAKES GREAT IMPRESSION ON EXHIBS Sales managers of competitive distributing com- panies were amazed by the completeness of the prod- uct story for 1939-40 that this company is able to tell today. Their astonishment was apparent on two different occa- sions during the past fortnight. It was evident on the first occasion at the annual convention of the Canadian Famous Players circuit executives, departmental heads and theatre managers at Niagara Falls, Ont., last week. Again these sales experts were flabbergasted by the recitation of production facts by General Manager of Distribution Herman Wob- ber at the annual convention of the Schine circuit managers at Gloversville, N. Y., on Wednesday of this week. _ The two circuits invited the sales heads of every major producing- distributing company to address FINANCIAL REPORT FOR FIRST 26 ’39 WEEKS PROFIT WAS $2,325,525 SECOND ’39 QUARTER NET PROFIT WAS $1,101,275 Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation this week reported a consolidated net operating profit of $2,325,525 after all charges including Federal income taxes for the twenty-six (26) weeks ended July 1, 1939. This compares with a profit of $3,419,658 for the first twenty-six (26) weeks of 1938. For the second quarter ended July 1, 1939, the consoli- dated net operating profit, after all charges, was $1,101,- 275, compared with the first quarter profit of $1,224,250 and a profit of $1,778,121 for the second quarter of 1938. No dividends were received from National Theatres Corporation during the first half of either year. After allowing for the Preferred dividends for the half year, there remained a profit for the half year equivalent to $ 93 per share on the 1,741,988 shares of Common stock outstanding at July 1, 1939. For the quarter ended July 1, 1939, after f flowing for the Preferred dividend, profit amounted to $.43 per share on the 1,741,988 shares of Common stock outstanding at July 1, 1939. Following is the consolidated statement of the corporation and its wholly-owned subsidiary companies, with the exception of the Roxy Theatre, Inc., for the 26-week period, ended July 1, 1939: Income: Gross income from sales and rentals of film and accessories $27,200,458.84 Dividend income 66,100.80 Other income 579,648.78 $27,846,208.42 Expenses: Operating expenses of exchanges, head office and administration expenses, etc $ 6,931,701.31 Amortization of production costs 15.848,478.11 Participation in film rentals 2,301,615.64 $25,081,795.06 Net operating profit before interest, depreciation and depreciation and Federal income taxes $ 2,764,413.36 Deduct: Interest expense $ 8,464.21 Depreciation of fixed assets, not including depre- ciation of studio buildings and equipment of $420,361.14 absorbed in production costs 144,423.21 $ 152,887.42 Net operating profit before Federal income taxes $ 2,611,525.94 Provision for Federal income taxes 286,000.00 Net operating profit $ 2,325,525.94 their managers on their com- pany’s production plans for the new season. Only Mr. Wobber was able to outline the stories and plans for Zanuck’s 24 super specials as well as Wurtzel’s output, but to mention casts, directorial as- signments and to give further significant and informative facts. At the Niagara Falls session, the sales head of one of the ma- jor companies, with only meagre facts concerning his own studio’s plans, was overheard to say to- ward the end of Mr. Wobber’s talk: “What is he outlining, a two seasons’ output?” That gives the rerder an idea of the superior and stronger po- sition of this company concern- ing the new season’s product. The meetings were intended to furnish showmen with “inside” angles on what the major pro- ducers-distributors plan doing next season. BIG MEETING IN CANADA NIAGARA FALLS, ONT.— N. L. Nathanson, head of Cana- dian Famous Players circuit, and his departmental heads and ex- hibitors, were amazed at the ex- traordinary wealth of production facts they gathered from Mr. Wobber’s K-7 product talk. While other companies’ sales heads had to confine their re- marks to mere announcements of the planning of this and that picture, the 20th Century-Fox sales chief was able to go into minute detail on every important production. As a matter of fact, Mr. Wob- ber analyzed the entire product, outlining plans for 24 Zanuck specials, including five Techni- color productions; 24 Wurtzel productions including the all- star Jane Withers releases and the new “Cisco Kid” series, and the four pictures that will come from his company’s London studios. In addition to Mr. Wobber, this company’s representatives in attendance also included Cen- tral Division Manager W. C. Gehring and Canadian District Manager J. P. O’Loghlin. Hon. M. F. Hepburn, Premier of the Province of Ontario, and Hon. J. Earl Lanson of the Fed- eral Parliament were the distin- guished guests who addressed the some 150 showmen and film men in attendance at the con- vention held at the General Brook Hotel here. SCHINE SESSION VERY INTERESTING GLOVERSVILLE, N. Y. — Closer co-operation between cir- cuit operators and their theatre managers with territorial branch managers of the film companies and the heads of the distributors’ publicity departments came in for detailed discussion at the convention of Schine circuit managers here Wednesday and Thursday. Sales heads of all the major j Third Week for j ! "The Ware Case" ! | j j On Friday morning the j 2 management of the Carne- ! ! gie Theatre in New York ! | announced that it would | j hold the Gaumont-IIritish j ! hit, “The Ware Case,” over S | for a third week. > j Notwithstanding the ex- j ! treme heat of the second j | week, the picture was g i drawing as splendidly as it j j did in the first stanza, ac- s I cording to the Carnegie ! | manager. j distributing companies were in attendance, as the guests of the Schine brothers. General Manager of Distribu- tion Herman Wobber’s detailed analysis of the 20th Century- Fox’s output of 52 productions for 1939-40 release was one of the major features of the get- together. Mr. Wobber confined his re- marks not only to a recitation of his company’s product plans, but also to Darryl Zanuck’s star- power development campaign. He listed the stars the latter has developed and also singled out the personalities he expects to attain stardom this coming sea- son. He particularly mentioned Linda Darnell who makes her debut in “Elsa Maxwell’s Hotel for Women” and Brenda Joyce who appears in the all-star cast in “The Rains Came.” The sales chief also referred to the studio’s plans regarding the Jane Withers series, listing the stars that have been em- ployed to co-star with her in fu- ture releases, specifying the Ritz Brothers and Gene Autry. He also announced that his company would produce a mini- mum of five all-star Technicolor productions, listing “Hollywood Cavalcade,” “Drums Along the Mohawk,” Swanee River,” “Mark of Zorro” and Maeter- linck’s “The Blue Bird.” He made a plea for more ac- tive exploitation on the part of circuits and theatre managers not only as regards productions, but new people as well. Mr. Wobber also reiterated that his company will not per- mit its stars to appear on either radio or television programs. He said, in part: “Our company will do every- thing possible to keep stars that belong on the screen and that were made by motion pictures from appearing on either radio or television programs. Person- ally, I am strongly against their appearances on the air. The stars are yours, you help make them and they should remain yours.” Mr. Wobber particularly stressed the importance of “Drums Along the Mohawk” to the Schine managers. The action of that best-selling story takes place in northern New York State. Mr. Wobber stated a gala world premiere would probably be held in this region. In addition to Mr. Wobber, this company was represented by Eastern Division Manager William Sussman, Mid-Eastern District Managers George A. Roberts and Tom H. Bailey, Branch Managers Sidney Sam- son, Moe Grassgreen and I. J. Schmertz of Cleveland, and Rod- ney Bush, publicity manager, who representing Publicity and Advertising Director C. E. Mc- Carthy who was called to the studio for conferences with Mr. Zanuck and Studio Publicity Di- rector Harry Brand, outlined the promotion activities planned on a national scope. “STANLEY” GETS OVATION AT PREVIEW Continued from Page 3 behavior woven around the heart of the narrative thread supplied by Philip Dunne and Julien Jo- sephson in their eloquent screen play. Bolstering the tale is the elaborate historical research worked into story outline by Hal Long and Sam Heilman. . . . “The picture was two years in the making on a heavy budget and stands as one of the most pretentious and carefully organ- ized entertainment ventures ever turned out by Darryl F. Zanuck. Kenneth Macgowan acted as pro- duction lieutenant and amply de- serves his share of the distin- guished result. . . . “IT’S THE TOPS” “Suiperb in its reticence, its simple direct statement, its vital comprehension of the characters dealt with and its maneuvering of the story’s physical progress with the spiritual implications, is the direction of Henry King. Honesty, dignity, a complete sense of reality mark it through- out, and always foremost is the primary factor of mass enter- tainment. . . . “What the magnificent pho- tography of George Barnes does for the eye, the excellent musi- cal direction of Louis Silvers with its primitive motif does for the ear. A grand job is done by Alfred Bruzlin and Roger He- man on the sound.” The Hollywood Reporter said: “20th Century-Fox’s ‘Stan- ley and Livingstone’ coura- geously chronicles the ex- ploration saga against a broad spectacle panorama while its leading characters are depicted with rare craft. Thus it has bigness, both in eye-appeal and in idealistic feeling, and it will impress additionally because of its strongly suggested docu- mentary texture. Honestly sold on these angles, ‘Stan- ley and Livingstone’ should give wide satisfaction. Its boxoffice returns should grow accordingly, aided, of course, by the expected ac- cumulation of interest from its title. . . . LAUDS CAST “The picture is rich in colorful uackgrounds, both authentic and contrived. These are, however, so craftfully interlaced that the whole has a scrupulous appear- ance of authenticity. This is con- tributed to also by the method of presentation in some portions in simple narrator style. . . . “Spencer Tracy gives a dis- tinguished performance as Henry M. Stanley, the American news- paper reporter who, in search- ing for and finding Doctor Liv- ingstone, becomes inspired to carry on the latter’s explorations and humanitarian crusade in then little known Africa. He is unusually masterful in closing scenes when he realizes impo- tently that disbelief of his story of the finding of Livingstone will rob the latter of his justly earned note as a discoverer. The scene in which he defends him- self, but in Livingstone’s behalf —gives Tracy an unusual foren- sic opportunity, and one of which he makes much. . . . “S ; r Cedric Hardwicke is wholly adequate in the role of Livingstone ,kindly, visionary and philosophically dedicated to building a new civilization among savages. . . . “Charles Coburn is superb as the pompous publisher of the London Globe and militant spearhead in plot to discredit Stanley’s story of the finding of Livingstone: kindly, visionary ably cast as a frontier Indian scout who accompanies Stanley on his arduous search. . . . “The romantic theme is kept in minor key throughout, with Nancy Kelly attractively set as an English girl who serves as added inspiration to Tracy. Third point of the triangle is Richard Greene, himself unsuccessful in his search for Livingstone but Tracy’s champion neverthe- less. . . . “Henry Hull in the character of Pioneer American publisher James Gordon Bennett Jr., Hen- ry Trivers and others contribute key performances. . . . “Henry King’s direction is unvaryingly adept in making the most of situa- tions so subdued in dramatic text as to require unusual handling. He has succeeded in making the painful trek through the African veldt, encounters with natives, and sundry other incident mate- rially part and parcel with an intimate story of a man finding himself and working out his peculiar destiny. . . . “Kenneth Macgowan has made extraordinary use of his backgrounds, and in this he is materially aided by the photography of George Barnes. Art direction by William Darling and George Dudley, the musical direc- tion by Louis Silvers and other production assets are meritoriously employed.” Jimmy Starr in The Los An- geles Herald and Express said: “Rich and powerful with the spirit of true adventure, Darryl Zanuck’s production of ‘Stanley and Livingstone’ excitingly tells a marvelous story of courage. Based on historical facts, with but a few bits of fiction used as connecting links, this superb production is by far the best to come from the hit-pro- ducing 20th Century-Fox studio. “Spencer Tracy, always a can- didate for an Academy award, again strikes a histrionic bulls- eye with an excellent, restrained portrayal of that intrepid news- paperman, Henry M. Stanley. And for once we find on the screen a real newspaperman. “I urge you to see ‘Stanley and Livingstone.’ It is an out- standing production that joins the few ‘greats’ of the movie in- dustry.”