The Film Daily (1937)

12 hum IP 1-YR, PROGRES COCHRAN {Continued from Page 1) the company's annual sales convention at its opening session yesterday at the Ambassador. He said, in part: "In all the years I have been an executive of Universal, I have never heard such expressions of friendship and understanding as I have heard about the New Universal during the past few months from the heads of all other companies. Some of them had already gone through reorganizations. So they knew what it meant to start all over again and they realized what a job Charles R. Rogers, J. Cheever Cowdin and I tackled. They have marvelled at what the new company has done in one year. Important men like Sidney Kent, Nick Schenck, Harry Warner, Adolph Zukor, Will Hays and others have said that we have done in one year what they thought it would require several years to do. And we have." "The production schedule for the season 1937-38 is the most pretentious the company has ever attempted," declared Cochrane. Cochrane characterized Rogers and Cowdin as the new Universalis two Rocks of Gibraltar. James R. Grainger, distribution head, called the convention to order and presented Cochrane. After the president's address, J. Cheever Cowdin, chairman of the board, welcomed the delegates and Grainger introduced a number of personalities and officials from Universal City. Late in the afternoon, Charles R. Rogers, production chieftain, began a talk on new season product. Rogers announcement that John M. Stahl will return to Universal under a term contract was heartily cheered by convention delegates. Rogers praised Hope Hampton and Daniella Derriaux, French star, who have just signed with Universal. He also introduced his studio's executives whom he praised highly, and declared every studio needs young players to develop into stars. He spoke highly of "The Road Back." Mahan Named Ad Head East Pittsburgh — S. D. Mahan has been appointed general advertising manager of the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, according to an announcement by G. H. Bucher, executive vice president. His headquarters will be in Mansfield, 0. Hay Managing Tower Houston — Raymond M. Hay, assistant director of the Metropolitan Theater, has been named manager of the Tower, succeeding the late Lloyd Finlay, it is announced by Al Lever, Interstate director in Houston. THE A MUtte. HOLLYWOOD T30RIS MORROS, head of Paramount's music department, and Kurt Weill, noted European composer, were guest speakers at the weekly session of the Friday Morning Club. They both spoke on the part that music plays in adding to visual entertainment. Weill will write the score for the Sylvia Sidney-George Raft co-starring picture, "You and Me," which Fritz Lang will direct. T T T Casting assignments — RKO: Ann Hovey, Jane Walsh, Marie Marks, William Corson, "Super Sleuth"; Barbara Pepper, Maxine Jennings, "Take the Heir"; Republic: Eleanor Stewart, "Range Defenders"; Goldwyn: Reri, "The Hurricane"; Warners: Frank McHugh, "Submarine 262"; Beverly Roberts, Hugh Herbert, Marie Wilson, "The Perfect Specimen"; Wanger: Stuff Smith, Jack White, Jerry Colonna, "52nd Street"; Columbia: Beatrice CUrtis, Eddie Hearn, George Hickman, "It Can't Last Forever"; Beatrice Blinn, John Tyrrell, Eddie Cobb, "White Heat." By RALPH WILK News o' the day — Universal films the signing of the Armistice today for "The Road Back," with Rupert Franklin playing Marshal Foch .... Sy Bartlett will script "Highway to Hell" for "U". . . M-G-M has signed Priscilla Lawson, Boyd Crawford and Douglas McPhail to new pacts .... Same studio has purchased film rights to "Witness to a Murder" .... Selznick has signed Doug. Fairbanks, Jr., to a picture-a-year pact .... Gypsy Rose Lee will be plain Louise Hovick on the screen. W. C. Fields says he has received more messages wishing him success and congratulating him since his radio broadcast than he did during all the time he was ill in the past rear. Fitra Productions has completed the first of a series of six fashion shorts in color. The cast included Grace Bradley, Merna Kennedy, Ann Rutherford, Ula Love and Marjorie Crawford. Dr. W. H. Voeller directed. Five New Industry Firms Get N. Y. State Charters Albany — Five new motion picture industry companies have been incorporated here. The list: The Negro Speaks, Inc., New York City; to deal in motion pictures. Coral B. Campbell, Romeo L. Dougherty, Elsie E. Dorsey are incorporators. Musucail Shorts, Inc., New York City; to distribute motion pictures. Irwin R. Gwirtz, Paula Nienaber, Helen Sherry, incorporators. B. Ward Beam, Inc., New York City; to exhibit theatrical products, .motion pictures, etc. B. Ward Beam, Richard M. Wright, Helen Bennett are incorporators. Schine Circuit, Inc., Gloversville ; to exhibit motion pictures. F. D. Thompson, Mark Benjamin, R. E. Wallace are incorporators. Nu-Art Films, Inc., New York City; to distribute motion picture films. Catherine Dardis, Sidney Goldstein, John A. Wilhelm are incorporators. Birr Made District Manager Cleveland — Thomas Sample, general sales manager for the Valley Forge Flag Co., has appointed Edmund Birr district manager of the northwest territory, with headquarters in Chicago. Ezella Adds 250 Seats Cleveland — The Ezella, belonging to the Scoville, Essick and Reif circuit, is being enlarged to provide 250 additional seats, making a total seating capacity of 950 seats. Schlesinger Organizes Fourth Unit for Shorts West Coast Bureau of .THE FILM DAILY Leon Schlesinger producer of "Merrie Melodie" and "Looney Tune" cartoons for Warners, has organized a fourth unit located at 9713 Santa Monica Blvd., in order to handle heavy 1938 production schedule, which calls for 36 short subjects. Raymond G. Katz, formerly assistant to Schlesinger at the Sunset plant, will supervise new unit consisting of 35 people. Katz will turn out 10 "Looney Tunes" in black and white, with the Sunset plant delivering 20 "Merrie Melodies" in Technicolor and six "Looney Tunes." Berg Succeeds Lane Detroit — Nat Sehnitzer, from the Boston office of Metro Premium Co., returned to Detroit to appoint Lew Berg, formerly of the St. Louis territory, as local representative. Berg succeeds Norman Lane, who goes into business for himself as Norman Lane Premiums. Fashion Film Completed Fiti'a Productions, Inc., has finished a 16 mm. sound film in color for Globe Fashion Studio featuring the latest Hollywood styles. Schedules for future productions in the series call for 35 and 16 mm. motion pictures in color to be released to theaters and department stores. Sonz Joins Monogram Cincinnati — Eddie Sonz, formerly with Theater Poster Supply Co., has joined Monogram sales force, working West Virginia. (Continued from Page 1) theater divorcement program, will talk on this subject. Other addresses scheduled for the same afternoon are "The Producer's Side of Selling," with the speaker as yet unannounced, and "The Effect of Television Upon Theaters," by T. F. Joyce of RCA Manufacturing Co. Another feature of the Thursday session will be a report of the committee on the national sales survey. At the opening session on Wednesday afternoon, P. S. Harrison will speak, E. R. Geib of National Carbon Co. will discuss "The Story of the Carbon Arc" and Richard T. Turner of Dictograph Products Co. will discuss, "How to Bring Back the Forgotten Audience." Unionization of the industry will also be taken up. Topics included in the program for the closing session Friday afternoon include "What the Distributor Can Do to Help Sell the Picture" and "Theater Air Conditioning." Bartman Joins Goldburg In Return to Film Field Ch-cago — Mort Goldburg, president of the GCS circuit of theaters, announces the return of Fred Bartman, president of the Hill Clothes Co., to the film field with his election as treasurer of the company. Bartman will continue as head of the Hill company. Goldburg's Drake Theater, Chicago, is getting a new cooling system, the Portage Theater a remodeled front and practically all houses of the circuit will be re-seated. Company now has six houses under its direct management and deals with Fox Wisconsin circuit on three houses at Menasha and Neenah, Wis. Plans for several other houses are being prepared. Reade Assails Hall Dog Racing Bill at Hearing Albany — Speaking at the hearing on the Hall dog racing bill held by Governor Lehman yesterday, Walter C. Reade declared that the operation of a dog track in a city of 35,000 for six weeks would take every free dollar out of the city. Opponents of the ineasure were introduce^ by former Senator J. Henry Walters, RKO counsel. Two Theaters Change Hands Cincinnati — Frank Deane andyv • sociates have taken over the the! , at Kanawah City, W. Va. The >id opera house at Jamestown, O., has been taken over by local people and will be completely remodeled and reopened.