The Film Daily (1939)

Wednesday, June 7, 1939 IDE DAILY 7 PIX FIRMS' PROFIT IN 1937, $41,000,000 (Continued from Page 11 ;. published yesterday by the SEC. : Report lists data on 10 film corpora] tions registered, as of June 30, 1938. with SEC for the years 1934, 1935, 1936 and 1937. Companies are Colun-„ '% Educational, Grand National, ' LoeT^, Monogram, Paramount, 20th■ Fox, Universal Corp., Universal Pictures Co., Inc., and Warners. New York SEC office reported that RKO ] is temporarily exempt from registration. Comparable data, according to the report, were not available for all of the companies for the four years, but such information was available for seven of the companies (all but I Grand National, Monogram, and Uni ' versal Corp.), for the three years 'ended Dec. 31, 1937. Totals for ' these seven companies show com : bined volume of business totaling 8407,000,000 for 1937, $376,000,000 for 1936 and $337,000,000 for 1935. Combined operating profit of $41, ^ 000,000 or 10.1 per cent of sales, was 'reported for 1937; figures were $33, 000,000 or 8.7 per cent of sales in 1936 and $24,000,000 or 7.2 per cent . of sales for 1935. Of the seven com : panies, six reported operating profits nand one an operating loss for the three years. Other facts pointed out show the return on invested capital at book value, based on a total net profit before prior claims, interest and income taxes of $49,000,000 was 10.6 per cent in 1937, 9.2 per cent in 1936 and 5.9 per cent in 1935. Combined totals for the five selected expense items shown separately in the reports studied amounted to approximately $60,000,000 in 1937, $54,000,000 in 1936 and $51,000,000 in 1935. Dividends paid out by the seven companies totaled $22,000,000 in 1937 .compared with a combined profit af,ter all charges of $34,000,000. Dividends in 1936 were $14,000,000, profit ~was $27,000,000. For 1935, dividends were $6,000,000 and profits $13,000,,000. Combined total for all surplus accounts increased approximately $49,^"000,000 during the three years. Combined balance sheet assets totaled $530,000,000 at the end of 1937, compared with $512,000,000 in 1936 ,and $497,000,000 in 1935. Liabilities show a steady increase from $37,000,000 in 1935 to $55,000,*000 in 1937. Current ratio based on totals for the seven companies was 3.12:1 at Daily News* Tip New York Daily News, calling attention editorially yesterday to the tact that Hollywood now is taking up the Lincoln cycle "with 'Young Mr. Lincoln' first under the wire and drawing a four-star rating from The News critic, Kate Cameron," suggests that screen and stage tackle George Washington as a young man. News particularly advances "a play turning on Washington's despair after the Braddock disaster." The Twenty -seventh FILM DAILY GOLF TOURNAMENT Thursday, June 22, 1939— Rye Country Club, Rye, N. Y. THE FILM DAILY, 1501 Broadway, N. Y. C. Here is my entry and $10.00 for the 1939 Golf Tournament. (Entry fee will be $1200 if not paid before June 22). Name Address LAST THREE SCORES CLUB HANDICAP □ □ □ □ CLUB: Prizes and More Prizes for That Golf Tourney (Continued from Page 1) thing from a piano to a peanut. You're just as likely to cop something as those inexperienced guys who keep an honest count. In fact, more so. There will be a special prize for the most obnoxious, irrelevant and premeditated squawk on the Committee's handicaps. There will also be other prizes and trophies in addition to those already announced. RKO Radio Pictures has come through with a beautiful trophy. Consolidated Film Industries puts up a gold putter. Monogram Pictures donates golf balls. National Theater Supply Company will be there with a handsome trophy. National Carbon Co. donates nice pen flashlights to each entry. The Greater New York Carpet Co. presents a handsome rug. Get your entry in now. It's $10 before the show. If you wait till you reach the gate, it will cost you two extra iron men. So send in your bid. Levy Names Committees for RKO's Sales Conclaves Mednikow Acquires Indie Pic Chicago — Johnny Mednikow, of Trailer-Made, has acquired "Germany Surrenders," an independent picture, for distribution in four states. the end of 1937, a 3.52:1 in 1936 and 3.90:1 in 1935. Report consists of 15 tables comparing the 10 companies. Tables are headed: General Survey, Parents and Subsidiaries of Each Registrant, Combined Balance Sheet, Security Issues Outstanding in Combined Balance Sheet, Combined Profit and Loss Statement, Classification of Combined Selected Expenses., Combined Surplus Reconciliation, Individual Balance Sheets, Principal Profit and Loss Items, Individual Surplus Reconciliations, Individual Asset and Liability Items as a Per Cent of Total Assets and Liabilities, Individual Profit and Loss Items as a Per Cent of Total Sales, Selected Asset and Income Relationships, Remuneration Data and an Index of Companies. (Continued from Page 1) A. S. Schubart, M. G. Poller, W. J. McShea, Harry Gittleson and S. Barret McCormick. Reception: A. A. Schubart, William McShea, M. G. Poller, Bob Wolff, Frank L. Drumm, Phil Hodes, Jack Ellis, Lou Kutinsky, Eddie Carroll, Harry Zeitels and Jack Dacey. Foreign reception: Phil Reisman, B. D. Lion, Michael Hoffay and R. K. Hawkinson. Publicity: S. Barret McCormick, Rutgers Neilson, Harry Gittleson and Michael Hoffay. Decorations: Leon Bamberger and Lou Gaudreau. Transportation: W. J. McShea and William Gegenbach. Meanwhile, Gus Schaefer, district manager for Central America and Mexico, arrived yesterday for the convention, while Nat Liebeskind, district manager for Argentina and southern South America, is due to arrive today. Levy Heads Bowlers Pittsburgh — Arthur H. Levy, branch manager of the local Columbia exchange, has been unanimously elected president of the Film Row Bowling League for the 1939-40 season. He succeeds Bob Klingensmith, who held the post the past two years. Two Chi. Houses to Close Chicago — The Rosette Theater of the Goodman and Harrison circuit and the Standard Theater of the Louis Brecka circuit plan summer closing. CEA Office Moves Chicago — The office of the Chicago Exhibitors Association has been moved from the State Lake Building to the Balaban & Katz Chicago Theater offices. B-K Newsreel Theater? Chicago — Plans for a B & K newsreel theater are under discussion. «REVJ€UJS» "Climbing High" with Jessie Matthews, Michael Redgrave 20th Century-Fox 67 Mins. MINOR BRITISH ATTEMPT AT LIGHT COMEDY FAILS TO JELL FOR AMERICAN AUDIENCES. An overseas studio attempt to duplicate the kidding and spoofing style of the popular Hollywood semi-zaney films. The result is something less than successful. True, there are many situations that carry comedy values, but they are all handled in a rather stodgy fashion. The attractive Jessie Matthews is practically wasted on a story that does not call upon her to dance, and that is something which Miss Matthews does superlatively well. Trying to make a comedienne of her with the heavy material fails to show her in an attractive light. The plot is too involved for something that is intended to be light spoofing comedy. It wanders from the Canadian northwoods, to London, and then winds up in the Swiss Alps. The story concerns an advertising model working for a commercial photographer, who meets a rich youth who poses as a penniless chap in order to be near her. He is almost engaged to a London girl of the aristocracy who is doing her darndest with the help of mother to land him. But of course the poor little girl wins him in the end. The acting is far superior to the direction and scripting, even Miss Matthews in her miscast part managing to rise above the material. Michael Redgrave is excellent, also Noel Madison, his pal. CAST: Jessie Matthews, Michael Redgrave, Noel Madison, Margaret Vyner, Alistair Sim, Tucker McGuire, Torin Thatcher, Francis L. Sullivan, Mary Clare, Enid Taylor, Leo Pokorny, Basil Radford. CREDITS: Director, Carol Reed; Authors, Lesser Samuels, Marion Dix; Cameraman, Mutz Greenbaum. DIRECTION, Weak. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Studio Execs. With Band to Meet Para. Special Train Salt Lake City— Y. Frank Freeman, William LeBaron, Robert Gillham, Terry De Lapp and other studio staff members are meeting the Paramount special train at San Bernardino with a band uniformed as Foreign Legionaires. On arrival in Hollywood today, 275 delegates will parade, in Foreign Legion hats plugging "Beau Geste," to the Paramount studio for a gala flag raising ceremony and then go to a hotel. En route to the hotel by motor bus, the delegates will be shown the new Paramount studio site. The company plans screenings during convention of "Beau Geste," "Jamaica Inn," "What a Life," "The Starmaker," and part of "Ruler of the Sea." W-T Hits Censors New York World-Telegram has opened fire on film censorship via a series of news feature stories by Douglas Cilbert, staff writer. Series will span the present week and articles appear on the first page of the second section.