20th Century-Fox Dynamo (April 18, 1953)

DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN FIELD SALES HEADS APPRAISE THE FUTURE Press Time News From The Studio "Hell And High Water,” another Cinemascope production, will go be- fore the cameras in June. This be- came known this week when it was an- nounced that Charles Boyer had been added to the cast of principals who included Richard Widmark and the new French star, Bela Darvi. “Hell and High Water” is the dram- atic story of three people stranded on an island. They overhear an atomic plot against the United States. The action centers around their clever way in nipping the plot in its bud. Frances Dee, wife of Joel McCrea, is coming out of retirement to play the feminine lead in "Be Prepared,” the comedy that Leonard Goldstein will produce in 35mm. Cliftoa Webb tops the cast that also includes young George (Foghorn) Winslow. Because of postponement of film- ing of "Assignment In Stockholm,” Henry King will be available to direct "King Of The Khyber Rifles" this sum- mer. This Cinemascope special is scheduled for 1954 release. "Prince Of Players,” that Sol Siegel will produce as a CinemaScope special, has climbed to the No. 3 po- sition among the best-selling non- fiction books. This is the fabulous story of the great actor, Edwin Booth, the brilliant brother of the man who assassinated Abraham Lincoln, and his fantastic domestic life. Page 11 That there is a vital job of liquidation to be done through- out the world between now and October by this company’s forces of dis- tribution was conceded at a joint meeting of domestic and foreign division managers and eight U. S. branch mana- gers who we nt to the coast re- cently to see CinemaScopein action. The joint meeting is pictured at the left. This session was presided over by Executive Assistant Gen- eral Sales Man- ager W.C. Geh- ring. Bonus Re-Issues Campaign Demanding More Action, If Goal Is To Materialize!! Returns so far in the foirth bonus re-issue campaign have not been up to par. In fact, as the end of the fourth week of this campaign accu- mulated revenue was 23% under the third drive, 62% under the second push and 38% ahead of the first effort. However, in the first drive on the bonus re-issues that started on June of last year, there were nowhere near as many re-releases bookable as in any of the succeeding three and certainly nothing like the number the field has to work with in the present drive. The first four weeks of the current bonus re-issue drive averaged $26,114, against a weekly par of $32,398 for the third campaign. The high mark in the series of 13-week drives on the bonus re-issues was reached in the second bout when the weekly average attained $42,284. The first drive hit an average of $16,692. What with more drive-ins opening up weekly, the remaining weeks of this fourth drive on the bonus re-issues should effect a substantial in- crease in revenue over that accumulated in the past month. Easter Week gave evidence of materialization of such a hope, judging from press-time reports from the field. However, the fourth campaign so far has been a dis- appointment to Home Office sales executives, but their hope is pinned on a boost with the advent of spring. No combination of offices in the United States can take a bow for what has been developed in the form of revenue from re-issues in the past five weeks. Canada is an exception, but the Dominions, too, can not shout too loudly, for their March re tuns were below those for the prior three months. Navy Men Acclaim "Titanic” NORFOLK, VA. - Two chartered planes, one from the Coast and another from New York, brought stars from the studio and trade paper rep- resentatives, respectively, to attend a preview of "Titanic” at the Navy Yard here for the Navy Relief Fimd. "Brass” from Washington also was on hand. In fact, there were three previews of “Titanic” during the afternoon and another just before the gala ball. The re- action was exceedingly en- thusiastic, with the trade paper critics particularly elated over its mass-audience appeal and box office poten- tialities. The stars, including Debra Paget, Charles Coburn, Byron Palmer, Anne Francis, and Jeffrey Hunter, were royally received and entertained by officers of the Navy Base. They were given an ovation not only at the ball, but where- ver they appeared. NEW YORK—A special preview of “Titanic” is sche- duled for this week at the Home Office for a small band of men and women who su- vived the sinking of the lux- ury liner 41 years ago this month. The survivors hailed from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Around the table, up left, across and down right: Clyde W. Eckhardt, retired, former Los Angeles manager; Midwestern Division Manager M.A.I Levy, Canadian Division Manager Peter Myers, New York manager Abe Dickstein, Mexico managing director Allyn Noye, Foreign Publicity Mana-| ger Leslie Whelan, Roger Ferri, Latin American managing director Edward] Cohen, European managing director Albert Cornfield, Atlantic Division Man- ager Glenn Norris, Empire State Division Manager Martin Moskowitz, Bos-; ton manager J.M. Connolly, Central Division Manager Tom McCleaster, Assistant Southern Division Manager Paul Wilson, Southern Division Man-| ager Harry Ballance, H.O. Representative Alex Harrison, Eastern-Canadian Area Sales Manager Arthur Silverstone, Executive Assistant General Sales | Manager W.C. Gehring (who presided), Western-Southern Area Sales Mana- ger Edwin W. Aaron, 20th Century-Fox International President Murray Silverstone, Vice-President Charles Einfeld, Western Division Manager Herman Wobber, Branch Managers Jack Burk of Seattle, Kenneth Lloyd of Salt Lake City and Morris Sudmin of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Sales Man- ager Rev Kniffen, Branch Managers Jim Dugan of Denver and Jack Erickson of San Francisco, Spyros D. Skouras of Greece, 20th Century-Fox Inter- national Vice-President and General Sales Manager Emanuel Silverstone, Western Exploitation Representative Ed Yarbrough (standing), British Isles Managing Director W.J. Kupper, Australia’s Hoyt’s circuit head Ernest Turnbull, New Zealand managing director Eric Rutledge, Far Eas- tern Managing Director Edward Ugast, John Bodnar and Portland manager Charles F. Powers.