The Exhibitor (Nov 1939-May 1940)

9 Production Plans “GWTW” Still Headliner Revealed for ’40-’41 As Engagements Pile Up Coast Bigwigs Arrive To Attend Meetings New York City — Some idea on how production is shaping up for 1940-1941 was apparent last week when Coast execs came to town. Jack L. Warner, Warners production chief, arrived to announce that his company’s product for 1940-1941 will range from a minimum negative cost of $350, 000-2,500,000. No “B’s” will be made, he said. Universal will make 43 pictures next season, it was announced by President Nate Blumberg and sales chief Bill Scully on their return from studio conferences. Forty will be made by U this year, with two due from Harry Eddington, now with RKO, to be delivered also. Y. Frank Freeman, Paramount production head, in town for a meeting, said that less pictures might be produced by the company on the 1940-1941 schedule. Louis B. Mayer, Metro exec, arriving here last week, said that 52 features were being planned for the new year. "Lincoln” Action Dismissed New York City — Supreme Court Justice Peter Schmuck dismissed last week a suit brought by Robert Sherwood and the Playwrights Producing Company, Inc., to restrain 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation from calling one of its motion pictures “Young Mr. Lincoln.” The plaintiffs claim that the picture and the title especially constituted unfair competition to their play “Abe Lincoln in Illinois.” The Court said: “Since the source of their material belongs to the public domain no exclusive right to the use thereof can be acquired, even though they were first to discover its value as a medium to awaken public interest. As only the unbelievably ignorant and unsophisticated could possibly confuse defendant’s photoplay with Sherwood’s drama and inasmuch as the title ‘Young Mr. Lincoln’ fails to conflict with ‘Abe Lincoln in Illinois’ the court cannot determine the defendant guilty of unfair competition.” Edwin Carewe Mourned Hollywood — Passing of Edwin Carewe. 57, one-time prominent director and producer, was mourned here last week. January 31, 1940 Grosses Still at Phenomenal Pace New York City — Rolling up the biggest advance sales in picture history for its first engagements outside of the seven key cities where it opened in December, Selznick International’s “Gone With the Wind” continues to set new box-office records in all parts of the country, a report showed last week. Prior to its opening in Baltimore, picture registered advance ticket sales to date of $43,000. Rochester reported $31,000 advance sale, Washington, D. C., $34,600. Capacity continued at the Astor and Capitol here. In Philadelphia, approximately $65,000 was charted for the whole week in two theatres on the basis of three days. Total bookings to date for the film are 207 in 190 cities. In 25 of the new situations the picture will be shown twice daily on a reserved seat basis. Some bookings are: February 2, Garden, Paterson, New Jersey; February 9, Garden, New London, Connecticut; Norwalk, Norwalk, Connecticut; Stamford, Stamford, Connecticut, moving one week later to the Avon, same city, for an indefinite run at the same policy; February 11, Capitol, Concord, New Hampshire; Palace, Olean, New York; February 23, Broadway, Lawrence, Massachusetts; Jefferson, Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania; March 1, Premier, Newburyport, Massachusetts. In the following engagements the picture will be shown three times daily with only the evening performance reserved, and twice on Sunday with seats reserved at both performances: February 8, American, Roanoke, Virginia; Empire, Portland, Maine. Housing Census Soon Washington — A comprehensive picture of housing and home ownership in the United States will be compiled from information to be gathered by the 120,000 Census enumerators in conjunction with the Sixteenth Decennial Census to be conducted by the United States Bureau of the Census in April. Data — in response to a schedule of 31 questions bearing on the type of structure, equipment, and ownership — will be obtained for each of the approximately 35,000,000 dwellings throughout the country. THE EXHIBITOR Universal Shows Profit First Time in Three Years Cowdin’s Statement to Stockholders Optimistic New York City — Pridefully pointing to the achievements of the company over the past three years, board chairman J. Cheever Cowdin, Universal Pictures Company, Inc., in his annual report to stockholders last week end, declared that the advances were attained “because of the active and whole-hearted co-operation of all units of the business working to a common end and in complete harmony.” Despite rising taxes (as a result, in part, of increased income) and a curtailment in foreign revenues, Cowdin indicates the following items as evidence that “the progress made last year [ended October 28, 1939] was gratifying”: Gross income from operations — $23,878,868 (1938, $20,190,117; 1937, $18,150, 876). Net operating income from operations — $1,587,078 (1938, $391,461 loss; 1937, $1,030,488 loss). New profit — $1,153,321 (1938, $591,178 loss; 1937, $1,084,998 loss) . Net working capital — $5,512,194 (approximately $900,000 over 1938). Studio modernization — $700,000 spent for two sound stages, other improvements. Sales — “Your company was able to command a constantly widening market and to obtain better terms generally for its product.” Foreign business — $8,987,128 (or 37.64 percent of the total business) . Simplification of Universal’s corporate structure is being studied by the heads of the company with a view to consolidating the parent company with Universal Pictures Company, it was said. Specific capitalization plan has not yet been formulated, it was announced, but something will be presented to stockholders soon. Mary Pickford in Comeback New York City — Mary Pickford announced last week that she is reorganizing her own production company and plans to make two pictures for release during the 1940-1941 season by United Artists. She also disclosed that she is considering returning to the screen, and said she was collaborating with Adele Rogers St. John on a story which is as yet untitled. She does not intend to personally produce this film; it probably will be made by one of the producers associated with United Artists. Gov’t Action Protested New York City — Columbia was expected to ask Federal Judge William Bond January 30 to vacate and set aside the government’s notice for oral examination of Harry Cohn, Jack Cohn and A. Montague in connection with the suit against the majors and other defendants. Notice asked for vacation of the examination on four grounds. QUAD.