The Exhibitor (Nov 1939-May 1940)

9 Cohn Examination Leads Producers List Testifies in Oral Questioning New York City — Beginning of the oral examinations of company executives in connection with the government suit was recorded last week with president Harry Cohn, Columbia, on the stand. He told Special Assistant Attorney General Robert L. Wright that Columbia had never considered the advisability of purchasing theatres. Cohn was asked whether he considered it necessary for a producer to own theatres, but attorneys for Columbia objected. Cohn refused to answer, and Wright reserved the question for decision by a Federal judge. Cohn’s examination, which was completed after several hours, took place before attorneys representing all major companies. Wright was assisted by Thomas Lynch and William P. Farnsworth. Cohn described his duties and gave a short history of his activities since 1918 when he first connected himself with the film industry. His first feature, he said, was called “More to be Pitied than Scorned,” and cost about $20,000. In 1924, he said, Columbia was organized as a successor of his former company. Columbia made no effort from 1924 to 1929 to secure release of films through any of the majors, he continued. In 1929, Columbia, through the purchase of a number of states rights exchanges, set up its own distribution system, he said. The company, he stated, had loaned talent to independents since 1930 in 86 instances. Wright attempted to obtain an admission from Cohn that these loans were made to producers who released through one of the major companies. Cohn refused to concede this and declared that Columbia was not interested in who released pictures, but merely in whether it I would be paid, the billing of stars and the type of story for which the player was loaned. Wright and Cohn differed on whether a producer lost his independent status when he released through a major. Columbia had not borrowed from independents because they had no talent to lend, Cohn said. Bernhard Operated On New York City — Joseph Bernhard, general manager, Warner Brothers theatres, was operated upon last week at the Lenox Hill Hospital for gallstones. Changes in Holdings Reported by Film Men Regular SEC Report Indicates Shifts Washington — Semi monthly summary of security transactions and holdings by the Securities Exchange Commission revealed many changes in industry stock ownership last week. William Goetz disposed of 6,300 shares of 20th Century-Fox common stock, now holding 178,343 of common, as well as 55,284 of cumulative preferred. Leopold Friedman disposed of 100 shares of Loews’ Inc., now holding 712. Sam Katz disposed of 750 shares of Loew’s common, now holding two shares, with J. Robert Rubin disposing of 1,400 shares of common, holding 30,015 shares. Morris Wolf disposed of 500 shares of Warners common, holding 450 shares directly and 167 in trust. Malcolm Kinsberg acquired 300 shares of K-A-O seven percent cumulative convertible preferred, now holding 500 all told. M. J. Meehan disposed of 300 shares, now holding 26,504 shares. A. Schenider added 100 common voting trust certificates of Columbia, now holding 504. Allan A. Kirby has 2,100 shares of common, and 5,000 shares through two holding companies. He also holds 600 shares in trust. Charles Prutzman acquired 200 common voting trust certificates of Universal, now holding 900. "Siege” “Siege,” RKO-Pathe’s one reel presentation of highlights of the films taken in war-stricken Poland by Julien Bryan during the period in which the Germans were battering at Warsaw, is one of the highlights of the shorts season. Never before has the screen seen such a pictorial representation of a people’s suffering. We suggest that this be given unusual attention, with possible screening before playing. No exhibitor can look at it and not know that it is something way above the average. A bow is due Bryan, RKO-Pathe’s Fred Ullman, Jr., and the others responsible for its being issued. -J. E. Warner Sales Force Hears Production Plans Capra Deal Confirmed at Chicago Meeting Chicago — Confirmation of the deal bringing Frank Capra and Robert Riskin to Warners’ production staff, with their first release to be “The Life and Death of John Doe,” was announced by Gradwell L. Sears, Warners’ distribution chief, to the assemblage of the company’s district and branch managers and field publicity representatives during the midseason meet at the Hotel Blackstone here last week. Charles Einfeld, director of advertising and publicity, also addressed the body and paid high tribute to Jack L. Warner and Hal B. Wallis for their production genius. Einfeld also made special mention of the recognition the entire industry accorded to Wallis in his winning of the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award offered for the most consistent high quality of production by an individual producer for the year 1938. Einfeld reviewed plans for “Dr. Ehrlich’s Magic Bullet,” with Edward G. Robinson; “Three Cheers for the Irish,” with Priscilla Lane; “Virginia City,” with Errol Flynn and Miriam Hopkins, which gets a special world premiere in Virginia City, Nevada; “Till We Meet Again,” with Merle Oberon and George Brent; “It All Came True,” with Ann Sheridan and Jeffrey Lynn; “Saturday’s Children,” with John Garfield and Anne Shirley; “The Sea Hawk,” starring Errol Flynn; “All This and Heaven, Too,” co-starring Bette Davis and Charles Boyer; Rex Beach’s “Flowing Gold”; “The Sentence,” by W. Somerset Maugham; Jack London’s “Burning Daylight”; “They Died with Their Boots On,” starring James Cagney; “Tahiti,” by Nordhoff and Hall; “The House on the Hill,” starring Merle Oberon and George Brent; “Captain Horatio Hornblower,” starring Errol Flynn; “Reuters,” starring Edward G. Robinson; “The Constant Nymph,” with Merle Oberon and George Brent; “January Heights,” starring Miriam Hopkins and Fred McMurray; “The Patent Leather Kid,” starring George Raft and Priscilla Lane; Jack London’s “The Sea Wolf”; “Torrid Zone,” with James Cagney, Pat O’Brien and Ann Sheridan; “The Spirit of Knute Rockne,” with Pat O’Brien; “Brother Orchid,” with Edward G. Robinson, Wayne Morris and Gale Page; “Stuff of Heroes,” starring Jimmy Stewart; “City of Conquest,” starring James Cagney and Priscilla Lane; “Four Mothers,” with Priscilla Lane, Rosemary Lane, Lola Lane and Gale Page; “An Angel from Texas,” with Priscilla Lane, Eddie Albert, Wayne Morris, Jane Wyman and Ronald Reagan. Norman Moray, Vitaphone short subjects sales manager, pointed out the growing interest of the nation’s exhibitors in short subjects as evidenced by the good response to his recent questionnaire. At the meeting Gradwell L. Sears, general sales manager, received a wire from Wallis describing the company’s production plans for the remainder of the 1940 season. February 14, 1940 THE EXHIBITOR QUAD.