The Film Daily (1938)

12 THI DAILY Monday, August 15, 19: SEE EDUG-GN MERGER NETTING NINTH MAJOR (Continued from Page 1) solidated companies will seek membership in the Hays organization. . Although New Grand National Pictures has been mentioned as a possible name for the new organization, indications are that another name will be selected. The Educational trade mark, one of the best known in the industry, will be retained. Hammons this week is expected to plunge into the task of completing his short subjects program and lay the groundwork for the lineup of features to be produced and distributed by the new company. A group of well known producers and writers, according to reports from the Coast, is seeking to become associated with the new unit. At the same time, it is authoritatively reported that important British financial interests may become identified with the Hammons organization. Warner District Managers Arrive for H. 0. Confabs (.Continued from Page 1) Ed Schnitzer eastern district manager with headquarters in New York; Robert Smeltzer, central district manager with headquarters in Washington; Rud Lohrenz, acting district manager for the midwest with headquarters in Chicago; Fred Jack, southern district manager with headquarters in Dallas; W. E. Callaway, western district manager with headquarters in Los Angeles, and Wolfe Cohen, Canadian district manager with headquarters in Toronto. Home office heads participating in the confabs will be Gradwell L. Sears, general sales manager; Carl Leserman, assistant general sales manager; Roy Haines, eastern and Canadian sales manager; Ben Kalmenson, southern and western sales chief, and Mort Blumenstock, in charge of advertising and publicity in the East. Pictures to be discussed include: "Four Daughters," "Boy Meets Girl," "Four's a Crowd," "Valley of the Giants," "Garden of the Moon" and "Sisters." Dallas Territory Exhibs. Hear Drive Plans Today The industry's million-dollar advertising campaign will be explained today to exhibitors in the Dallas territory. The regional meeting will be conducted by R. E. Griffith. Warner Managers Meet Cleveland — Col. Nat Wolf, Warner zone manager, will hold two meetings. The Southern division theater managers will meet in Columbus today and Tuesday. The Northern division will meet in Cleveland on Wednesday and Thursday. THE WEEK IN REVIEW GN-Educ. Merger Set — Deutsch to Canada? DOMESTIC (Continued from Page 1) Hammons, president of Educational. Only legal formalities remain. * * * On the industry's labor front: An exclusive interview with Elmer F. Andrews by The Film Daily revealed that the newly appointed administrator of the wages and hours bill does not consider the film industry will be affected to any extent by the law. Meeting in New York of the signatories of the basic studio agreement was set for today, after several postponements from regular meeting date in April. The National Labor Relations Board certified the Screen Writers' Guild as exclusive bargaining agency for 13 film companies. * * * Home office announcements included two of special import. Product lineup for 1938-39 was announced by RKO, with 54 pictures listed for release. Paramount disclosed that it would enter television field through acquisition of an interest in the Dumont Laboratories. Para, will advance money to the lab., according to an announcement by President Barney Balaban. * * * Biggest performance by a picture in some time fell to 20th-Fox "Alexander's Ragtime Band," with the film toppling all house records at the Roxy, New York, and setting records in other key debuts. & * * A contest for exhibitors was announced by the committee heading the industry's monster business drive. "Motion Pictures Are Your Best Entertainment," campaign slogan, rapidly came to front with companies using slogan on mail. Harold B. Franklin was named business manager of the industry's advertising drive, while Mort Blumenstock, of Warners, named chairman of radio committee by George J. Schaefer, campaign leader. Addenda . . . Eastman Kodak showed a net profit of $7,051,673 for first 24 weeks of year . . . Allied Theaters of New York drafts bill to limit activities of ASCAP in this state . . A new deal between Atlas and RKO loomed on the horizon for acquisition of additional RCA stock. After long negotiations, Selznick International reached an oral agreement with M-G-M for distribution of "GWTW." . . . Warner Bros, and First National expect increase of 22% per cent in British biz, companies' sales execs, stated upon arrival here for visit. FOREIGN (Continued from Page 1) ada in the near future. His trip is understood to tie in with plans for an Empire-wide circuit. * * * London is looking forward to the biggest season it has had in four years in the variety field. Numerous undertakings are in progress and at least one major picture circuit will add variety acts to its programs, it is reported. Expected other cinema houses will follow suit. * * * Dan Michalove, assistant to President Sidney R. Kent of 20th-Fox, left last night on first lap of journey to Australia to survev Hoyt theater holdings there for National Theaters, which is interested in the company. Plans for the industry's advertising campaign are being perfected' in Canada, with seven regional meetings set to discuss plans. Canadian exhibs, give complete endorsement to plan, establish headquarters in Toronto. * * * Pending deal between Herbert Wilcox, British producer, and United Artists is said to be nearing conclusion in London. It is reported that Wilcox will make four pictures a year if and when he joins the UA producer ranks. * * * Paramount will produce "Lawrence in Arabia" in England, it was announced during the week. Picture will be fourth on company's production lineup for that country. * * * In Toronto, an Empire-wide trade agreement with the United States was urged by Sir Earle Page, Australian Minister of Commerce. He arrives here shortly after for conferences in New York and Washington. Speculation at the week-end was rife in Washington as to whether or not films would be included under the reciprocal trade treaty between U. S. and Australia, if and when it materializes. Kent's Presence Expected To Bring Reform Confabs (Continued from Page 1) exhibitors until after Labor Day, it is understood that further meetings are to be called for the purpose of discussing certain details of the proposal. Breen in Frisco P.A. For "Breaking the Ice" West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAIL/ Hollywood — The world premiere of "Breaking the Ice" will be held at the Golden Gate Theater, San Francisco, Aug. 24, with Bobby Breen making a personal appearance for a week. ORGANIZE TO BOOST FILMS IN EDUCATIO (Continued from Page 1) chairman of the Commission of H man Relations, Progressive Educ tion Association; Dr. Luther Gulic director of the Institute of Pub Administration; Kenneth D. WkH mer, director of the Committer/) Neighborhood Health Developmtr New York City Department Health; Fanning Hearon, direct of the recently formed Associati of School Film Libraries, Inc. Slesinger, now director of Educ tion of the New York World's Fa 1939, was formerly professor of la at Yale and Dean in the Division the Social Sciences at the Universi of Chicago. The Center will not engage actual production. Confining its a; tivities to consultation, researc supervision and planning, it wl work with, and through existh units, in the educational and th atrical fields. During the first six months of i activities, the Film Center is to 1 assisted in meeting its expenditur by a small grant-in-aid of the Rock feller Foundation. Counsel for the Center is H. Wil Fitelson, film attorney. "Sing You Sinners" Debut Attracts Racing Audienc Saratoga Springs — Eastern prer| iere of Para's "Sing You Sinners" the Community theater here Satu day midnight drew a fashionab racing audience as well as tra< paper reps, who trained up from Ne I York as the company's guests. Honors for Paramount were doi by Barney Balaban, prexy, Robe M. Gillham, ad-publicity chief, ai: other execs. In the audience were Mr. and Mi Robert Ogden Goolet, Mr. and Mi Daniel Topping, Arline Judge, M' and Mrs. Cornelius Whitney, F. Skii dy von Stade, Carlton Burke, head i the California Racing Commissioi George H. Bull and house party; Mr Dodge Sloane and house party; M. and Mrs. Seth Morton, Mr. and Mr Algernon Dangerfield, Mrs. Avert Clark, Mrs. Edgars Scott, John 1 Morris, secretary of the racing a sociation; Mr. and Mrs. Walter Sa| mon, Herbert Bayard Swope, Jot; Hertz and party, Morton Schwart * Mrs. Clarbelle Walsh, Peter A. ] Widener and house party; Vincei King, head of the New York Tu Writers; Mr. and Mrs. Richaf Dwight, Douglas Paige, Milton Ho den, Raymond Guest, Arnold Hange Mr. and Mrs. Harry Stevens, Cc and Mrs. Phil Chinn, Mr. and Mt Thomas Bragg. Jossey Takes ScreenO' Cleveland — J. S. Jossey has bee appointed distributor for Screeno i Ohio, West Virginia and Kentuck;