The Exhibitor (Jun-Oct 1943)

10 THE EXHIBITOR 20TH CENT.-FOX SETS 15 FOR PRODUCTION Hollywood — Fifteen pictures will make up the 20th Century-Fox production schedule for the coming four months, it was announced last week by Joseph M. Schenck. following a conference with Darryl F. Zanuck, who returned to the studio to resume charge of production, Schenck further announced the elimination from the 20th Century-Fox production sched¬ ule in future of all “B” and minor “A” pictures. The first Darryl Zanuck production, it was stated, will be “Wilson,” based on the story of Woodrow Wilson. Three musicals and three px*oductions to be filmed in Technicolor are included on the list announced. The schedule is as follows: “Wilson.” a Darryl F. Zanuck production, with scenario by Lamar Trotti based on the story of Woodrow Wilson; “Happy Land,” produced bv Kenneth Macgowan, directed by Irving Pichel, with a cast headed by Don .^meche, Frances Dee, Harry Carey, and Ann Rutherford : “Pin-Up Girl,” a musical with cast headed by Betty Grable, Martha Raye, and Joe E. Brown. Pro¬ ducer will be Wiliam LeHaron. Bruce Humbe stone will direct from story by Robert Ellis, Helen Logan, and Earl Baldwin : songs by Mack Gor¬ don and James Monaco. “Buffalo Bill,” a drama in Technicolor, to star Joel McCrea, and Maureen O’Hara, produced by Harry Sherman, and diiected by William Well¬ man ; “Tampico,” drama starring Edward G. Robinson, Lynn Bari, and Victor McLaglen, produced by Robert Bassler, directed by Lothar Mei'des ; “Lifeboat.” to be produced by Kenneth Macgowan. to be directed by Alfred Hitchcock, wiih cast including Tallulah Bankhead. Canada Lee. and Henry Hull. From the novel by John Steinbeck : “The Lodger,” mystery drama to b:' produced by Robert Basler, directed by John Brahm : “Ambassador Dodd’s Diary,” drama i)roduct>d by Otto Preminger, to be directed by Archie Mayo, with cast including Arne Baxter and Harry Carey; “Eve of St. Ma k,” ada])ted from T.auience Stallings’ ^tage hit to be produced by William Perlberg, directed by John Stahl : “Torpedo Squadron 8,” based on the heroic ctory of Ensign Gaye, produced by Walter Morosco, and directed by Henry Hathaway : “Keys Of vhe Kingdom,” director unassigned; “Four Jills and a Jeep,” featuring Carole Landis. Martha Kaye. Kay Francis, and Mitzi Mayfair, which Bryan Foy will i)roduce, and Lew Schreiber will direct. “Greenwich Village,” Technicolor musical with Carmen Miranda and Vivian Blaine, produced by William LeBaion, directed by Walter Lang ; “Moment For Music,” starring Benny Goodman in his own life story with William LeBaron acting as producer. Irving Cummings director; “Where Do We Go From Here?” Technicolor musical starring Betty Grable, to be produced by William Perlberg. Howard Black Introduced New York — Time, Inc., played host to a large delegation of the trade press as wed as representatives from 20th Century-Fox last week at a buffet supper in honor of Howard Black, newly appointed vicepresident, who will take charge of the March of Time sales and distribution poli¬ cies. Following the introduction, the lat¬ est MOT issue, “Bill Jack vs. Adolf Hitler,” was shown. Among those present from the 20th Century-Fox and Time organizations were: Howard Black. Tcm Connors, Rich¬ ard de Rochemont, George Roberts, Wil¬ liam Clark, Phil Williams, William Gehring, William Kupper, Martin Moskowitz, Murray Silverstone, Sam Schain, Dave Bader, and Mary Johnson, assistant to Black. Keep in touch With the Arbitra¬ tion Cases In Your Area By Consult¬ ing The Weekly Report on Progress in Your District. OWI As Liaison WASHINGTON — Uhic Bell, OWI Hollywood official, said last week that the OWI. with a skeleton staff, would definitely maintain liaison work be¬ tween Hollywood and Washington, and also clear film work of other govern¬ ment agencies. It is believed that the WAC will take on some of the work formerly done by OWI, aiding in matters of public release and the shorts program particularly. REPUBLIC HOLDS FIRST REGIONAL New York — First of Republic’s current series of regular quarterly sales confer¬ ences was held this week. Republic President J. R. Grainger pre¬ sided, and Maxwell Gillis and Sam Seplowin, eastern and central district sales managers, respectively, were present, as were exchange-men from these territories. Promotion plans for forthcoming pro¬ ductions, the concentrated publicity cam¬ paign on Roy Rogers, and current trends in audience entertainment in relation to future productions were discussed. Present were the following exchangemen: Arthur Newman, Albany; Jack Davis, Boston; Sam Seletsky, New Haven; Morris Epstein, Sidney Picker, New York; Joseph Engel, Philadelphia; Jack Bellman. Buffalo; S. P. Gorrel, Cleveland; G. H. Kirby, Cincinnati; I. H. Pollard, Detroit; L. W. Marriott, Indianapolis; and franchPe holders Jake Flax, Washington, and J'. H. Alexander, Sam Fineberg, Pitts¬ burgh. A. W. Perry, Paul Nalhanson, and A. J. Laurie represented Republic’s Canadian distributors. The home office contingent included Walter L. Titus, Jr., Grover C. Schaefer, Albert E. Schiller, Edward Seifert, Sey¬ mour Borus, and Charles Reed Jones, di¬ rector of advertising and publicity. The Service Kit’s the Season’s Hit. SEEN AT THE WARNER regional sales meeting in New York recently were: top to bottom, left to right: A. W. Schwalberg, Samuel Schneider. Mort Blumenstock, Joseph Bernhard, Ben Kalmenson; Kalmenson, Albert S. Howson, Arthur Sachson; Howard G. Minsky, Pittsburgh; Harry M. Kalmine; John A. Strauss, Jack Zurich, Ed Hinchy, Mike Dolid; Howard Levinson, Harry Goldberg, Sam E. Morris, Bert M. Steam, C. B. Bache, Philadelphia; R. S. Eichengreen, Philadelphia; A1 Her¬ man, New Haven; Charles Rich, central district manager; Norman Ayers, eastern district manager; Roy Haines, westemscuthern division sales manager; Robert Smeltzer, midAllantic district manager; T. N. Noble, branch manager William G Mansell, O. B. Guilfoil, all of Philadelphia; Sterling Wilson, Washington; Charles Beilan, Cleveland; Gordon F. Contee, G. P. Price, Washington; Joe Kaliski, Jack Kal¬ menson, E. Gatlin, Charles Dortic, all of Pittsburgh; Bostonites Eli Leavitt, Sol Ed¬ wards Jimmy Moore, Phil Engel, A. B. Cronin, branch manager George W, Horan, district manager Norman Ayres, H. G. Segal, A1 Daytz; Pittsburgh’s J. Wechsler, SCHINE CIRCUIT WOULD KEEP HOUSES Buffalo, N. Y. — The Schine circuit, in a final report made in accordance with the temporary federal court order of May 19, 1942, last week asked that the divestiture section be eliminated from the order, and asked also that it be permitted to keep 10 houses which have not yet been dis¬ posed of. The circuit charged that it was “an outrageous act of oppression for the goveinment to require it to sell 19 theatres it had acquired since the Department of Justice filed an anti-trust suit against it while producer-distributor defendants to the consent decree retained their houses.” Only six of the 16 houses have been transferred: Paramount, Glens Falls, N. Y.; Webster, Rochester, N. Y.; Clazel, Lyric Bowling Green, O.; Palace, Clifton Springs, N. Y.; and the Scotia, Scotia, N. Y. Houses still undisposed of include the Liberty, Pikeville, Ky.; Marjorie Grand, Harlan, Ky.; Strand, Cumberland, Md.; Plaza, Malone, N. Y.; Opera House, Lex¬ ington, Ky.; Memorial, Mt. Vernon, O.; Ada Meade, Lexington, Ky.; and State, Appalachian, Appalachian, Ky. The report declares that since the time of the consent decree. Paramount has in¬ creased its theatres from 1093 to 1210; Lcew’s has added four first runs; 20th Century-Fox has added 11 first runs and nine others; Warners added 15 first runs and 15 others; and RKO added 10 metro¬ politan first runs. Circuit totals are now given as: Paramount, 1210; Loew’s, 24 first runs; 20th Century-Fox, 30 metro¬ politan first runs, 508 others; Warners, 35 metropolitan first runs, 525 others; RKO, 29 metropolitan first runs. S. R. Mayer A Captain New York — Lieutenant Seymour R. Mayer, Army Overseas Special Service Division, has been advanced to the rank of captain, it was said last week. Mayer was formerly with Loew’s the¬ atres in New York as district division manager. Minsky, F. D. Moore, N. Marcus, C. L. Dortic; Fred W. Beiersdorf. Washington branch manager; Sachson, Mansell, Nor¬ man H. Moray, short subjects sales man¬ ager; Smeltzer, Roy Haines, Jules Lapidu=, Harry Seed. Sachson, Rich, Ayers; Albany and New Haven delegates: George Goldberg, R. S. Smith, Carl Goe, New Haven branch manager; Ayers, A1 Her¬ man, Paul S. Krumenacker, Albany branch manager; Mansell, Rich, Howard Levin¬ son, F. D. Moore, Smeltzer; Haines, Seed, I. F. Dolid, Nat Marcus, Howard G. Min¬ sky, Pittsburgh; Harry Decker; Charles Baily, assistant short subjects sales man¬ ager, Claude McKean, Indianapolis branch manager; Charles Beilan, Cleveland branch manager; Jules Lapidus, James Ambrose, Cincinnati branch manager; Bill Brumberg, field representative, Hinchy; Ayers and his Buffalo branch boys; branch manager Max Roth, Jack Zurich, L. Astrachan, Phil Engel, field represent¬ ative; John A. Strauss; Gothamites: Clar¬ ence Eiseman, New York branch manager; George Waldman, Irving Rothenberg, Lee Mayer, Leo Jacobi, Gus Solomon, and Joe Vergesslich. July 14, 1943