Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (Sep 1935 - Aug 1936)

8 INDEPENDENT EXHIBITOR FILM BULLETIN INFERIOR PRODUCT IRKING PARA; KENNEDY ZUKOR MAY HEAD CO. AWAKENING THE 'SLEEPERS' (Continued from page 2) HELEN (Frankie) MORGAN and CHESTER (Johnnie) MORRIS "He Was Her Man But He Done Her Wrong" verses from the ballad. It will stop them and make them read. The play-dates, etc. can be small. If you use a special herald — and you should — fill the cover pages, front and back, with verses. They will take that herald home and give it more attention than anything you've distributed in years! There it is. We're tellin' you to sell a song — one of the most famous barroom ballads ever yodelled through a bushy drooper, wet with beer. It's got flavor, guys, but I mean! "Frankie and Johnnie" can be made into a real money-getter if you shake your shoes and pull just one or two smart stunts with the ballad. $ ^ $ $ ^ Warners Denied New Trial In Cagney Suit Hollywood. — Warners have been denied a new trial in the James Cagney suit for release from his contract. Judge Charles Bogue in Superior Court heard the studio's plea that the actor had violated his contract before a local theatre affiliated with the producer failed to give him proper billing. This was the reason for the decision favoring Cagney. Warners are appealing to the State Supreme Court. OTTERSON OUT? . . . Continued failure to show any marked improvement in the studio's product is reported to be disturbing Paramount money men to the extent that they are contemplating a sweeping change in the executive and production setups. There is an outside chance that these switches will be announced following Thursday's (30th) meeting of the Board in New York. Joseph P. Kennedy, head of the Securities Exchange Commission, is being prominently mentioned as the next president of Paramount. Two possible hitches may forestall his selection, however. He is reported to be in line for a post in the next Roosevelt cabinet, providing the Administration is returned to office. Secondly, his insistence on an absolutely free hand in reorganizing the company's affairs and personnel may not meet with the approval of the powers that be. ZUKOR MAY HEAD PRODUCTION . . . On the production end, moves have been made frequently of late in an effort to bolster the quality of the product. These may culminate in the selection of the veteran Adolph Zukor to take complete charge REPORT ST. L. CASE NEAR SETTLEMENT VICTORY FOR GOV'T . . . Authoritative reports from New York and Washington have the famed St. Louis case nearing a settlement. While the terms of the negotiations between representatives of Warners, RKO and Paramount, the Fanchon and Marco interests and Department of Justice officials are being guarded, it is believed that the settlement will be a victory for the Government, despite the fact that it has been unsuccessful in the two actions it started in St. Louis. Warners may be asked to give up their theatre interests in St. Louis and the other defendants required to guarantee their products to F & M for a number of years. In return, the Government may use its influence to remove action recently instituted by the Missouri Attorney General to have the defendants' state charters revoked. Gable To Warners Hollywood. — Clark Gable has been borrowed by Warners to co-star with Marion Davies in "Cain and Mabel." of the studios, both on the coast and in the east. Zukor is being credited with being responsible for whatever improvement recent releases have shown. Despite the fact that others have been the nominal heads of production, the ex-president and present chairman of the board has actually been guiding studio matters lately. Emanuel Cohen returns to Paramount on a three year deal to handle a unit. P. B. Schulberg will also come back to his old studio as a unit producer. The rumored change of sentiment by Walter Wanger, who was said to have decided to stay with Paramount, was apparently without foundation and he moves over to the United Artists' lot about June 1st. These additions and subtractions from the companys' production assets leave it about where it was before they took place and add to the general impression that some radical move must be made if Paramount Pictures are to be returned to the confidence of exhibitors. All of which adds credence to the prospect that Zukor will again become top man, at least in studio affairs. Nat'i Screen Acc. Opens Phila. Display Showroom The newly organized National Screen Accessories Corp., successor to American Display Corp., opened its Philadelphia showroom at 1319 Vine Street Monday. The company is offering theatres complete lobby and front displays, including frames, on a weekly service basis. Prices of the service are based on the size of the display and the theatre's run. George Dembow, National Screen Service official, and Jack Levy of the company's New York office wrere present for the opening. Local sales will be handled by the trailer staff, Lou Blaustein and Stanley Goldberg, and Milt Smith, formerly of American Display. Harry Thomas Plans New Indie Exchange Outfit Harry Thomas, who resigned his position as president of First Division Exchange this week, following the taking over of that company by Grand National Pictures, is planning the organization of a group of independent film exchanges, it was learned. One of the foremost veterans in the indie distribution field, Thomas is said to have a number of state rights operators interested in his proposed setup.