The Exhibitor (Nov 1939-May 1940)

12 THE EXHIBITOR Worien Stokes’ HOLLYWOOD NEWSREEL • THE 1940 HEADLINES from Hollywood are heralding a more prosperous season through definite promises of better grade product. Significant is the statement from Warner Brothers announcing the complete elimination of “B” pictures in favor of a program of 48 “A” features. In line with this program comes the promotion of Bryan Foy, former “King of the B’s,” to the post of assistant to Hal B. Wallis, executive producer. To make a long story short, Bryan Foy, who turned out some better “B’s” than a lot of Hollywood’s so-called “A’s”, will supply some of that “B” technique to improve the quality of the forthcoming “A’s.” "B” a Misnomer • THE TERM “B” PICTURES is a misnomer. In the strict sense of the word, or the letter, “B” refers not to the quality of the production but the smaller budget allotted to that product which must be completed on a smaller amount of coin. Many a “B” picture has come out of Hollywood to clock more paying customers through the theatre turnstiles than the more expensive and widely touted “A’s.” The “B” producer, one who must be able to finish a picture on schedule, in most cases at less than one-third the cost of the higher ranking producers, is a most valuable individual to this industry. In most cases he is a graduate from the independent field where he has learned to eliminate, through financial necessity, all excessive waste. He has a reputation for putting it on the screen and not on the cutting room floor. About "Big Ones” • SOME OF THE COLOSSALS coming out of movieland would have little to show for the money spent in their making if stripped of lavish backgrounds and big mob scenes. Few of them, if subjected to this treatment, would retain enough entertainment to merit a “B” label. The so-called “B” producer has had to depend upon his ingenuity to create entertainment without the use of massive backgrounds. He has been hampered with a small cast; because the script called for a small cast, his story was tabbed mediocre to begin with, and the big surprise came when this so-called little program picture clicked at the box office. It has taken Hollywood a long time to learn that million dollar backgrounds no longer constitute the backbone of genuine entertainment; that superfluous footage is not IRWIN SEATING famous for its “NECK TO KNEE COMFORT” AND SNAPPY APPEARANCE Distributed by National Theatres Supply Co. conductive to entertainment values and that the “B” producer is the conscientious craftsman who, by virtue of his training, gets dollar for dollar on the screen, and can, if given his just rights, solve to a great extent the perplexing problem of production waste within studio gates. Bryan Foy is a striking example. His promotion is well earned. There are others. With proven box-office records and by putting some of these proven low budget producers into the top brackets, Hollywood can eliminate most of the “B” productions and improve “A’s” while cutting production costs to a new low, reaching in many cases a new high in entertainment values. Not Exhib Conscious • THE COMMERCIAL ANGLE of the picture business has seldom entered into the minds of Hollywood’s Cinema Critica. By the same token, folks within the studio gates have not yet become altogether exhibitor conscious. Slowly but surely, however, they are learning that their continued success depends not upon what the local critics have to say but what the company’s books have to say regarding the earnings of their pictures at the nation’s theatres. A glance at some of the widely touted pictures for the past year; pictures the critics labeled as superfine, and those they labeled not so good, will prove that the Hollywood slant is a very poor barometer. The Best in 193 9 • THE YEAR’S BEST TEN, in all departments, show a lot of surprises. The widely touted performances of male and female stars echoed from Hollywood have failed to show at the box office and the year’s biggest surprise is Mickey Rooney, who, incidentally has reached the top in a series of family pictures, in the lower budget classification, proving our contention that good down-to-earth entertainment without the colossal backgrounds pays off at the nation’s theatres. Another surprise is the comeback of Marlene Dietrich in “Destry Rides Again,” after the wise acres lost no time telling the world that she was washed up. Every producer in Hollywood is now trying to get her name on the dotted line. Marlene’s case only proves many others. Hollywood washes all its personalities up through its typing process. Wearing them out in the same roles picture after picture. A Resolution • A NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION by the producers to give their contract personalities an opportunity to display more individuality through different types of roles seems to be in order. This would give them longer life at the box office through greater public interest and, in the long run, prove a more profitable investment for the respective producing companies. 1940 is likely to be a year of many surprises and many changes. The Neely Bill appears to be the big headache of the moment. Everyone is afraid that it is going to pass, but nobody seems to know what effect it will have on the industry. I’ve got a headache, too. I can’t make it any worse than it is so a toast to you and yours. MY SINCERE WISHES FOR A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR. Brief Glances At PRODUCTION HAPPENINGS West Coast News Items Hollywood — So that its readers may keep abreast of the times, be in the know on the major developments and interesting sidelights, The Exhibitor offers the following items from the various lots. Columbia Rita Hayworth gets a featured role in "Blondie on a Budget,” fifth in the series of comedies based on the funny-paper strip. Penny Singleton, Arthur Lake, Larry “Baby Dumpling” Simms and Daisy, the dog, retain their original roles. . . . William Farnum, star of the silent screen, gets a boost on the come-back trail with a featured role in “Convicted Woman.” Alexander Hall will direct “The Doctor Takes a Wife.” . . . Bruce Bennett, Sam Ash, and Jack Rice were planted in "Five Little Peppers at Home.” "The First Woman Doctor” will star Irene Dunne. . . . Production has started on “Too Many Husbands.” . . . Claire Rochelle, Dorthy Fay, and Marion Pope have been added to “Convicted Women.” . . . Herbert Rawlinson goes into “Five Little Peppers at Home.” . . . “Texas Express” is the title of the new Charles Starret that recently went into production. . . . Robert Fiske, J. Paul Jones, and Jack Ingram have been added to “The Shadow.” Metro-Goldivyn-Mayer Victor Fleming has re-signed . . . “Strange Cargo” is the final title for “Not Too Deep, Not Too Narrow.” . . . Diana Lewis and Leni Lynn have joined “Forty Little Mothers.” . . . “The First Captain of Industry, Eli Whitney,” by Ann Morgan, has been purchased. . . . Writers Lenore Coffee, Lynn Root, and Frank Fenton have been re-signed. . . . Verree Teasdale, Kent Taylor, Frances Drake, and Dalies Frantz have joined “I Take This Woman.” . . . Dalies Frantz has been re-signed. . . . John Nesbitt’s next will be “The Secret Seven.” . . . Location scenes for “Florian” were filmed at Winfield Sheehan’s ranch. Ralph Morgan has been cast for an important role in “Forty Little Mothers,” starring Eddie Cantor. Busby Berkeley is directing. . . . Pete Smith’s latest Specialty, “Woman Proposes,” is now before the cameras, with Johnny Hines, former silent star, directing his own leap year story. Sally Payne and Billy Newell have the leading roles in this one-reeler. . . . James A. FitzPatrick’s next screen geography lesson will tell about Colombia. Latest of the noted traveller-commentator’s Technicolor one-reelers, “Calling on Colombia,” presents a pictorial treat of the nation’s industry, people, leading cities, traditions, and landmarks. Douglas McPhail has been added to “Broadway Melody of 1940.” . . . Bonita January 3, 1940