The Exhibitor (Nov 1938-May 1939)

THE NATIONAL MIRROR v Adolph Zukor Reports on Europe Paramount Exec Returns To Country Adolph Zukor returned to New York last week after having completed his European survey for Paramount. He will spend approximately one month in New York conferring with the other executives of Paramount before starting for Australia by way of Hollywood. After his West Coast conferences with Y. Frank Freeman and William LeBaron, Zukor, accompanied by John Hicks, Jr., will first visit Australia and subsequently will tour the key cities of South America. Back in his Paramount Building office after a four-month junket through Europe, Zukor announced to the press that he will attempt to incorporate his findings as to European tastes in future Paramount product. Zukor returned on the Queen Mary, Thursday, following visits to branch offices in the British Isles, France, Belgium, Holland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark. When asked if he visited Germany, he replied that "it was not my territory.” "The Scandinavian countries,” claimed Zukor, "is an outstanding field for Paramount although Sweden, Finland are making quite a number of their own films.” He expects to reopen business in Spain as soon as that war-torn country returns to a semblance or normality. Commenting on English product, Zukor stated that Londoners are turning out better films than ever, should produce about 3 5 "good” motion pictures this year. Paramount plans to do six features there, but will go over that number if, when a good story, cast is available. "The reason for better English product.” he said, "was because some years back there was an overabundance of money, too little planning ability, all of which resulted in disaster for the films made on that basis. English producers, having been stung before, are more careful now.” Europeans’ vital interest in motion pictures was the most impressive thing Zukor discovered during his trip. "They plan going to the movies,” he asserted, "in much the same way we plan to take in the opera, or go to a legitimate show.” Their tastes, preferences do not differ much, but action seems to be more preferable than clever, witty dialogue. Picture audiences, he observed, are growing tremendously. "Hollywood,” answered Zukor when asked if he thought the time was ripe for making pictures dealing with current problems, "should be mainly concerned with entertainment, should make films to that end, not for social, political significance. It is all right to do it if has entertainment value, but the screen is not for preaching or for propaganda.” Because his trek through Europe prevented him from keeping up with movie news, he could give no definite statement on the Neely Bill, the new trade pact, except to say that the motion picture industry differs so radically from other industries that only people in the business can settle their own problems. Legislating against block booking is legislating against something that is hurting no one, he stated. "In the final Paramount’s Zukor Reports on Europe analysis,” Zukor averred, "if they (producers, exhibitors) sit around a table, talk things over, they can do away with all evils in the industry. The exhibitors should give producers every encouragement to make box office pictures — the only thing both can thrive on. Where the exhibitors can benefit by putting hardships on the producer is beyond my conception.” Zukor declared that he did not think television would be a menace to the motion picture industry. Grand National Spurts Ahead Two-week series of conferences between E. W. Hammons, president, Grand National Pictures, Inc., Jeffrey Bernerd and Maurice J. Wilson, co-managing directors, Grand National Pictures, Ltd., of England, and Franklyn Warner, head, Fine Arts Productions, came to a close last week with announcement of an agreement to resume immediately the production of Fine Arts pictures for Grand National release. "Panama Patrol,” was shipped from Los Angeles. Casting of two features begins, the first of which will go into camera work within 10 days. Daylight Saving Time April 30 For those theatremen, whose audiences are clock-wise, only the briefest of suggestion will be necessary to remind them that at 2 A.M., Sunday, April 30, Eastern Daylight Saving Time will be inaugurated for the 1939 season, ending at 2 A.M., Sunday, September 24. U to Spend $1,000,000 "Universal Pictures will spend a million dollars in advertising during 193940 with most of this fund earmarked for newspaper media,” it was announced by W. A. Scully, vice-president, sales manager, at the company’s mid-west convention in Chicago last week. An increase in sales of 20.43 percent for this year over last year was reported to the convention. Nate Blumberg, president, Universal, analyzed the product plans of the company and explained how present pictures have swung the company into the profit side of the ledger and assured a continuance of this state in the future. Matthews Motiograph Head Appointment of H. Thorwell Matthews as president and general manager of Motiograph, Inc., was announced last week by the company’s board of directors. Matthews has been secretary of Motiograph for the past two years, replaces Joseph B. Kleckner, who resigned. Matthews explained that the management shift would not involve any alteration of the company’s policies or operation. MPTOA Decision Soon Ed Kuykendall, MPTOA head, in a statement last week asserted that members of his board were studying the trade pact proposals and that while first results were friendly toward acceptance, no decision would be made until a full report was given. Completion of the arbitration clause and minor changes were advocated. Generally, however, it is expected that MPTOA approval will be forthcoming. 20th-Fox Execs Re-elected All 20th Century Fox; executives, headed by president Sidney R. Kent, board chairman Joseph M. Schenck were last week re-elected, following re-election of company directors. New Columbia Shorts Series Plans for a new series of six one-reel short subjects — bearing the general title "Fools Who Made History” — to be produced and released by Columbia as part of the 1939-1940 program were announced last week. Para International Meet Set David E. Rose, managing director, Paramount Film Service, Ltd., of Great Britain and Ireland, announced last week he will hold his first general sales convention in London, May 5, 6 and 7. April 26, 19)9 QUAD