The Film Daily (1938)

Wednesday, November 2, 1938 DAILY PARA.EGONOMYWON'T REDUCE PIX BUDGETS (Continued from Page 1) they are on the Coast, but picture bu^L^ts will not be cut nor will anything be done that will in any way impair the quality of the company's product," Neil F. Agnew, Paramount vice-president and distribution head, told The Film Daily yesterday. Agnew was optimistic about the company's business outlook, stating that the studio had encountered fewer production problems this year than in the past, while returns on recently released pictures had been more than satisfactory. "Business is considerably improved as compared with last year," he said. He credited the industry drive with helping grosses since its inception, and asserted that from opinions he had heard expressed it appeared that exhibitors in general had benefited. Agnew returned to the home office last week after a trip to the studio. Agnew said that an announcement regarding next year's product plans would probably be ready in three or four weeks after further studio conferences. Agnew said that Balaban and Griffis would probably remain on the Coast for another two weeks Caribbean Film Outlook Generally Satisfactory (.Continued from Page 1) revenue when the strong features showing currently in the U. S. reach those outlets, it is declared by Karl Macdonald, Warner supervisor for Latin-America, who returned to New York yesterday, following an 18day trip which took him to Cuba, Puerto Rico and Trinidad, in each of which locales Warners have a branch office, and to Venezuela and Curacao, where company has representation. In the instance of WB's outlook for the new releasing year in the territory, which corresponds closely with the calendar year, Macdonald expressed the conviction that, with action pictures in great demand amoner Caribbean audiences, the 1938-39 lineup should evoke unusually large grosses. Most of his trip was made by plane, including the final stage which brought him to New York via Miami. l/A Set to Cash In Set to cash in on the furore created by the Orson Welles Mercury Theater of the Air broadcast of H. G. Wells' "War of the Worlds" last Sunday, Korda's "Things to Come," also a Wells fantasy, bows in Friday at the Sam H. Harris Theater for an indefinite run. Other bookings are being arranged in New York and New Jersey and a nation-wide revival is in prospect. UA releases the pix. ALONG THE wiTtH PHIL M. DALY T T T • • • CONTESTUPENDOUS crashing over in the N. Y. Journal-American on the Selznick picture, "The Young In Heart" the newspaper sure is giving the contest a big play with 18,000 type cards on newsstands two-sheets on all their delivery trucks they expect 100,000 replies and they no doubt will get them lor here is a contest that has an appealing personal angle giving folks a chance to talk about THEMSELVES and you know how you yourself can be got when given a chance like that it's human nature T T ▼ • • • IT IS known as a Problem Forum competition in the film, Gaynor, Fairbanks and Paulette Goddard are confronted by a problem of love and money that they solve so the idea is for the readers of the newspaper to write and show how they solved some personal problem money prizes totaling $500 are the reward the contest is timed to ballyhoo the opening of the picture at the Music Hall tomorrow it will run for two weeks literary skill does not count a boy or girl may win the first prize with a very human story of a personal problem solved ▼ T T • • • THIS IS getting the contest thing down to a sane basis and will probably set a new style in newspaper tie-ups another ballyhoo will be a preview of this United Artists release on the Kate Smith program Thursday eve hooked up over 100 stations Lynn Famol's ad and pub dep't has started this Selznick film off with intelligent showmanship ▼ ▼ ▼ • • • UNUSUAL feat in theater construction at Loew's State in White Plains, N. Y the theater has been practically reconstructed without interfering with a single performance this face-lifting job including the removal of all supporting posts, installation of a 100-foot beam to support the balcony, ripping out of side-boxes, proscenium and stage to permit installation of 400 additional seats, redecorating interior, a job well over $100,000 was supervised by Harry Moskowitz, Construction Chief for Loew's ▼ ▼ T • • • $135,000,000 Worth of Shadows that is the eyearresting caption of a brilliant full-page ad prepared as one of a series by the New York Sun "to create a broader understanding and appreciation of industrial America's contribution to the advancement of our civilization and our social and economic well-being" the ad occupied a full page of yesterday's Sun in all editions showing in graphic words how these motion picture shadows provide a livelihood for 250.000 people flood one city alone with an $85,000,000 payroll and call upon 276 different arts, sciences and industries to supply needed goods and services shadows that rock you with laughter, and wring you with tears shadows that are a great teacher a great cultural influence a world unifying force here is one of the finest tributes ever paid our industry no doubt inspired by the industry Drive T T T • • • ATTENTION-GETTING Ad that one in last Sunday's New York papers "Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Are Your Best Entertainment" showing Leo taking over Broadway with five shows. . . • A special screening of "Submarine Patrol" at the home office of 20th-Fox on Nov. nth, for World War vets of the submarine chaser fleet and Navy officials. SGHAEFER PLEDGES MPTOA RKO'S GO-OP (Continued from Page 1) tionships between his company and exhibitors. Schaefer based his speech primarily on the industry business drive, outlining its purpose and the progress it has made. He said that the contributions by indie exhibitors were only a few thousand dollars short of the pledged $250,000 and that the entire goal was expected to be reached before the end of the contest. Schaefer explained that cost of printing the 37,000,000 movie quiz booklets amounted to $150,000 and that the fee of the contest company for conducting the quiz was $75,000. The drive, he said, has resulted in a finer relationship between the press and the industry and that the country's dailies were taking a new and more favorable slant on the motion picture business. Schaefer defended high salaries in the industry on the grounds that the keen competition for all types of talent made it necessary to bid high for desirable services. Schaefer left for Dallas yesterday afternoon and intends to fly back to New York today. 70 Delegates to Attend Columbia Chi. Sessions Columbia will hold the first of a series of divisional sales meetings at the Blackstone Hotel, Chicago, on Saturday and Sunday, with more than 70 delegates slated to attend from the Midwestern, Central and Mid-East divisions. Following sales execs from the home office will attend the two-day meet: A. Montague, Rube Jackter, Louis Astor, Louis Weinberg, Max Weisfeldt, Hank Kaufman, George Josephs, Milton Hannock and Maurice Grad. Montague leaves today to attend the trade practice conferences with Allied and will remain in Chicago to preside at the divisional meetings. The remainder of the home office contingent takes the Century on Friday. Division Managers Sam Galanty, Phil Dunas and Carl Shalit will head the delegates from the field. Meetings will be devoted to discussion of product scheduled for early release as well as to the carry-over runs on "You Can't Take It With You." Pix, in Los Angeles, goes into its sixth day-and-date week at the Pantages and Hill Street for a record. Six for a Quarter Omaha — Local exhib. is playing six pix on one bill for 25 cents. Film Row suspects he wants to -clean up his biz in a hurry before those invading Martians reach Kansas from Jersey.