The Exhibitor (Nov 1938-May 1939)

26 THE NATIONAL MIRROR Monogram Selling Force Meets in Chi. International Group Holds Convention With elaborate plans completed for the largest convention in its seven year history, Monogram home office and branch officials met in the Hotel Drake, Chicago, May 4, 5, 6. Final details for the business and entertainment sessions were set by a committee of arrangements headed by Louis S. Lifton, director of advertising and publicity, John S. Harrington, manager Monogram’s accessory department. Manny Reiner, home office, publicity department also made the trip. Delegates from Monogram’s 37 exchanges in the United States and Canada and representatives from Monogram’s Hollywood studios will address the three day sessions of the convention. As is the custom, W. Ray Johnston served as chairman of the meetings. Scott R. Dunlap, vice-president in charge of production, headed the group of producers, supervisors and actors arriving from the West Coast. RKO Meets Next Month RKO forces will meet in convention in New York City next month, with sessions at the Westchester Country Club, it was announced last week. This will be the first national meeting for the body in two years. Further details regarding the convention will be made later when complete plans are set. KAO Shows Profits B. F. Keith Corporation and KAO last week showed profits of $773,729.82 and 8987,3 87.46 respectively for the 5 2 weeks ended April 1. R’ARIN’ TO GO. Men of Monogram Pictures and Monogram Productions — the distribution and production branches of the company — are poised on the starting line for their seventh international sales convention, starting tomorrow in Chicago’s Drake Hotel. Here are (reading left to right, from the top of the column, to the left to the bottom) president W. Ray Johnston, distribution vice-president Edward A. Golden, production vice-president Scott R. Dunlap, sales vice-president George W. Weeks, pictures’ treasurer Leon Fromkess, advertising and publicity director Louis S. Lifton, associate producer E. B. Derr, general foreign manager Norton V. Ritchey, associate producer Edward F. Finney, productions’ treasurer J. P. Friedhoff, secretary M. S. White, film and accessory manager John S. Harrington, productions’ manager Charles Bigelow, associate producer William T. Lackey, associate producer Paul W. Malvern, productions’ foreign representative Ralph Bettinson, general sales manager’s assistant Lloyd Lind, productions’ publicity manager William L. Pierce, Jr. Convention closes Saturday. Distributors Study Exhib Parley Reactions Clarification of Arbitration Machinery Hue Distributor executives last week began a series of meetings which saw them studying reactions of exhibitors unit to the revised trade pact. Arbitration machinery was expected to be one of the big factors to be discussed. William F. Rodgers, Metro head, called the sessions. Replies from most of the independent exhibitor units throughout the country indicate a favorable opinion of the trade pact, it is said. Paramount Earns $1,300,000 Paramount Pictures, Inc., estimates its earnings after interest and all charges for the first quarter ended April 1, 1939 at $1,300,000, according to a report last week. This amount includes $678,000 representing Paramount’s direct and indirect net interest as a stockholder in the combined undistributed earnings for the quarter of partially owned non-consolidated subsidiaries. Earnings for the quarter ended April 2, 1938 were $830,866, including $806,000 representing Paramount’s direct and indirect net interest as a stockholder in the combined undistributed earnings for the quarter of partially owned non-consolidated subsidiaries. After deducting $296,523 of preferred dividends for the quarter, the remaining $5 34,343 of combined consolidated and share of undistributed earnings for the quarter represented $.22 per share on the common stock outstanding April 2, 193 8. Para Meeting Dates Changed Date of Paramount’s forthcoming sales convention in Los Angeles has been advanced from its original dates of June 12, 13, 14 to June 8, 9, 10, Neil Agnew, vice-president in charge of sales, announced last week. Change was made in order to avoid conflict with the meeting of the Allied Theatre Owners of America in Minneapolis. It is probable that several of the Paramount sales executives will attend the Allied convention following the film company’s meeting at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Variety Affair Attracts 800 Convention of Variety Clubs in Detroit, Michigan, last week attracted more than 800 guests, including delegates from all parts of the country and film executives from all departments of the industry. Three day session wound up with the national banquet. May 3, 1939