The Exhibitor (Jun-Oct 1939)

9 Neely Bill’s Future Now Up to The House No Action Expected at This Session Washington — Further progress of the Neely bill, passed by the Senate 462 8, as reported in The Exhibitor last issue, is not expected this session of Con¬ gress, it was indicated this week, but th: House of Representatives is certain to vote on the measure at the next session. Interstate Commerce chairman C. F. Lea has declared that his committee will not have a hearing on the measure at this time, and with Congress adjourning next month, the amended bill will un¬ doubtedly go over. U Clears Darrieux Picture New York City — In view of various statements appearing in the American and foreign press, regarding Danielle Darrieux, Universal last week released the following statement: "In order to reply to certain statements which have appeared in the American and foreign press, Universal Pictures Company, Inc., confirms that it has a contract signed on January 23, 1937, which confers on it the exclusive rights to the artistic services of Danielle Darrieux for all Eng¬ lish speaking films and an option on French speaking films. Universal never having been party to any legal process affecting Danielle Darrieux, no legal decision or award of any kind can have been made which affects the rights of Universal and the company is determined to defend its rights by all legal means in all coun¬ tries.” Shuford Back in Biz New York City — Stanley Shuford, ace advertising man, and once with War¬ ners, returns to the industry, it was an¬ nounced this week, with Lord and Thomas agency, under Jack Pegler, doing creative work on film accounts. RKO and Walter Wanger are the film accounts of the company. RKO Plan Approved New York City — The Circuit Court of Appeals last week affirmed Federal Judge William Bondy’s decision and ap¬ proved the RKO reorganization plan. Three appeals were denied by the judges. This finally takes RKO out of receiv¬ ership after several years. July 26, 1939 MPGY Expenditures Listed in Reports Campaign Ends With Profit Shown New York City — Income and outgo of the "Motion Pictures’ Greatest Year” campaign of last fall were officially re¬ ported last week by Lybrand, Ross Brothers, and Montgomery, the auditing company, revealing that, while the cam¬ paign as a whole was financially in the black — by $92,5 81.01 — accessories’ dis¬ bursements exceeded receipts by $13,153.01. Accountants’ summary follows: Receipts Producers and distributors $500,000.00 Affiliated exhibitors . 250,000.00 Independent exhibitors . 237,464.76 Sales taxes collected to be paid by city and state agencies . 678.3 0 Total receipts, excluding receipts from sales of accessories . $988,143.06 Disbursements Newspaper advertisements . $479,216.56 Movie Quiz contest prizes . 2 50,000.00 Movie Quiz contest fees and expenses 25,540.59 Exhibitors’ contest prizes and expenses 2,143.86 Short subject, "The World Is Ours” 26,097.71 Campaign pressbook . 12,462.76 New York office salaries . 39,437.00 New York office, regional, and local committee expenses . 34,645.28 Hollywood office, salaries and expenses 7,837.73 Salaries and expenses of traveling pub¬ licity promoters . 5,021.5 5 Total disbursements, exclusive ex¬ penditures for accessories . $882,403.04 Excess of receipts over disbursements, exclusive accessories . $105,740.02 Excess of accessory disbursements over receipts . 13,153.01 Cash on deposit in Chemical Bank and Trust Company, May IS, 1939 $92,587.01 Bourne-Griffis New York City — Miss Whitney Bourne, daughter of Mrs. Harvey D. Gibson and George G. Bourne, was mar¬ ried last week to Stanton Griffis, chair¬ man of the executive board of Para¬ mount Pictures. Ceremony was attended by members of the immediate families. Mr. and Mrs. Griffis sailed on the SS. Queen Mary for an extended honeymoon in Europe. THE EXHIBITOR RKO Theatres Head Lauds Encore Experiment Says Idea Helped Business At House New York City — Use of screen en¬ cores for special musical pictures was recommended last week to American producers by J. J. O’Connor, RKO the¬ atres head, in a discussion of the special encore performance of Universal’s "The Mikado” held at the Palace. O’Connor reported that the performance, in which favorite song numbers were repeated in response to applause, was hugely enjoyed by the audience. An increase in business was also noticed despite the fact that no advertising except one lobby display board was taken for the show. O’Connor declared: "Any innovation which appeals to the public as this one did to our Palace theatre audience, should be followed by the industry. Properly ad¬ vertised, instead of being put forth on a stunt basis, the encore showing has great sales power when used for the right picture. It can make a good grosser out of an otherwise average picture — especially a musical wh:ch has several outstand¬ ing good numbers but is just ordinary enter¬ tainment for the balance of its footage.” The Palace demonstration served to prove the mechanical feasibility of providing such encores during a picture without interfering with the continuity of the film, O’Connor reported. "There is no more hitch to repeating an applauded scene or number on the screen than is experienced in a stage show,” he said. "The encore footage is simply threaded into a different machine and by use of well-timed change-over is projected when demanded by applause. The balance of the film may then follow on the encore reel or by another change-over the continuity is picked up by the original machine.” A similar experiment was used in two Pennsylvania cities last weekend with success. Preference Sought in Suit New York City — Paul Williams, special asfistant to the United States Attorney General, was expected in town this week to confer with Federal Judge John C. Knox in an attempt to secure preference for the government’s action against the majors. If it turns out this way, the suit may start in November. Otherwise, it may not come up for a year. It developed last week that the equity suit has been on the calendar since March, 187 cases from the top of the calendar, with trial due in March or April if no preferential treatment were given. First anniversary of the filing of the suit was held last week. Columbia Declares Dividend New York City — Columbia an¬ nounced last week that the board of directors has declared a quarterly divi¬ dend of $.68-% per share on the $2.75 convertible preferred stock of the com¬ pany, payable August 1 5, 1939, to stock¬ holders of record August 1. QUAD.