The Film Daily (1939)

10 Monday, September 25, 1939 SCHENCK ASKS EXHIBS, EXTEND PLAYING TIME (Continued from Page 1) profits, but of preservation of the present quality standards of the entire motion picture industry, theaters as well as studios," he said. "The millions of dollars invested in theaters throughout America would be just so much brick and mortar if the structure of film production collapsed. The exhibitor, must, therefore, share responsibility of seeing that studios derive enough rentals to permit them to continue in operation. Those pictures playing for one week, whenever possible, should be held over for a second week, and a picture which definitely rates a twoweek run should be extended for a third week. "Likewise, in subsequent runs, three-day pictures be held over for five and six days. In order to justify this, exhibitors will find it necessary to display greater showmanship and introduce new ideas." Schenck points out that producers are keeping operating costs as low as possible, but no economy measures by studios alone could offset the great loss of European revenue if a high standard of quality is to be maintained. Yates Confident England to Continue Remittances West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — That England will continue to send money due American distributors was the belief expressed by H. J. Yates at a press conference here. Yates said that not more than 20 per cent of Republic's income comes from foreign sources and that England represents 16 per cent of this income. Yates said that he believes the gross on "Man of Conquest" will reach $1,250,000 and announced "The Hit Parade" has been delayed. In its stead "Wagons Westward" will start Oct. 25 with a cast headed by John Wayne and with a budget comparable to that on "Man of Conquest." He believes Republic will sell 10,000 accounts in United States for 1939-40 season; that the American public does not want war pictures and that war newsreels will be more thrilling and authentic than studiomade war pictures. Yates announced England has already ordered eight Gene Autrys to be shown for entertainment of its soldiers; that bookings of Autry pictures have increased 35 per cent in England. Republic will put 10 pictures in ITOA Condemns Censorship by State's 3M.P. Div. ITOA again has condemned openly film censorship by the Motion Picture Division of the New York State Department of Education. The organization renewed its attack at a meeting last week when it declared that the reversal by the Board of Regents of the censor board's action in banning "Harvest" was conclusive proof that the censors were "inconsistent and incompetent and expensive to the theater owners of the state." SWG Executive Board Meets Today on Goldwyn Proposal (Continued from Page 1) fact-finding committee be created to study industry problems arising from the war in Europe. Meanwhile, Frank Morgan, president of the Screen Actors Guild, has written Goldwyn that he believes Guild members "Have a sincere confidence in your integrity and believe that any round table conference negotiated by you will be handled with complete honesty and fairness to all concerned." Morgan adds: "I am aware that our industry must recognize and adjust iself to current conditions and I can assure you that our organization is willing to do its part at all times to protect and safeguard this industry because we know that any neglect of this duty would mean neglecting the best interests of our own people." A Couple of Firsts Richmond, Va. — Al Nowitsky, publicity director for the Wilmer & Vincent Theaters, secured his private pilot's license last week and his first passenger was Royal Thayer, 75-year-old doorman of the Colonial and National Theaters. It was the latter's first flight. 10 Metro Field Employes Win Free Trips to Studio Ten M-G-M field employees, two from each of five branches, have won a trip to the San Francisco Fair and the company's Culver City studio for winning the company's efficiency contest which ended Aug. 31. The winners will meet in Chicago Oct. 13 and travel together to the Coast. The winners of the free trips were: — Cincinnati: Estelle Schilferth, office manager's secretary, and Henry Cordes, building custodian; Washington: Esther Blendman, assistant bookkeeper, and Elizabeth Wyatt, film inspector; New York: Elizabeth Hoffman, booker's clerk, and Joseph Lalima, night film inspector; New Orleans: Augusta Woolverton, stenographer, and Rosemary McElroy, film inspector; Charlotte: Blanche Carr, cashier, and Jewel Terry, chief film inspector. Biograph Studio Plans Operations Suspension By the end of the present month, the Biograph Studio, 807 East 175th St., will at least temporarily suspend operations, it was learned on the week-end. The studio, which has been prominent in Eastern production activities over a long period of time, has been managed by W. J. O'Sullivan, who, it is asserted, will announce shortly a new affiliation. production to be delivered by Jan. 1 and they will include two or three Autrys and three "anniversary specials," Yates disclosed. He added Republic will not change its type of stories, concentrating on action pictures and including a few comedies. St. Louis Operators Threaten Fanchon & Marco Strike St. Louis — Projectionists' strike against Fanchon & Marco's three de luxe houses, Ambassador, Fox and Missouri, and 25 nabes of the St. Louis Amusement Co., operated by F & M, over a wage dispute, is being held in abeyance pending efforts of William F. White, Federal Labor Conciliator, to iron out the differences. White has held one session with the disputing bodies and will hold others. Local 143 by a vote of 94 to 0, authorized local execs, to call a strike but Robert Thomsen, president, is awaiting White's efforts to bring about a settlement. The wage contract between Local 143 and F & M expired Sept. 1 and negotiations for a new one were broken off when F & M, according to Thomsen, submitted a proposal to retain exclusive jurisdiction of all employes. The union charges that F & M has retained five projectionists suspended because they accepted positions to which they were not assigned by the local. The local charges F & M's proposal to retain exclusive jurisdiction of employes is a violation of IATSE's constitution and a bar to collective bargaining. Four New Film Theaters for Columbus Territory Columbus, O. — Changes in the theater picture in this territory include: John Robertson has bought the Arcade. Georgetown, and has started work on a new 600-seat theater in Fairfield. Charlie Dixon is building a new 300-seater in Beverly. Ted Pekras is planning to build a 800-seat house on the Hilltop. He was formerly owner of the nabe Ritz theater, but for past nine months has been inactive. Si James is preparing plans for a second house in Eaton. New Wellman Contract We<t Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Honywood — Paramount has signed a new one year contract with producer-director William A. Wellman which becomes effective in April. First production under new deal will be "FOB Detroit," a novel by Wessell Smitter. Dwight Taylor has been signed by Paramount to write the screen play. Record "Old Maid" Gross "The Old Maid" grossed $258,723 in its six weeks at the New York Strand. This is new high at the house, the previous high being set by "Angels with Dirty Faces" which grossed $177,420 in a four week period. RKO BOARD APPROVES WAR EMERGENCY PLAN (Continued from Page 1) temporary reductions in salaries, but such reductions will be confined to employes in the higher brackets. According to an announcement on Friday by President George J. Schaefer, no employe receiving $4,500 per year or less will be'afeir^ed. From this point upward, a grao?ei«ed scale will apply so that the largest salaries will receive the largest percentage cuts, some more than 35 per cent. In explaining the move, Schaefer said: "I have withheld any comment on RKO plans to meet the emergency created by the war in Europe until I could review the situation thoroughly. I was unwilling to make a statement that we would not curtail production unless I was reasonably confident that such a course was possible. "Already there has been a drastic falling off in foreign revenue, which I believe will continue throughout the duration of the war. In view of the drop in foreign exchange and possible restrictions on transfer of funds, the limited reopening of theaters in England and France leads to no certain conviction that substantial revenues will be available from these countries and we in RKO have felt it necessary to find means of effecting economies at home which will enable us, without dependence on income from the United Kingdom and France, to maintain our production program with quality and entertainment value unimpaired. "The program which we have devised to meet the war emergency, including the salary reductions, was approved at meetings today of RKO Radio Pictures, Inc. and RKO Service Corporation. "It is my confident belief that with the fine morale now being shown throughout the organization our nlans will be successful and that the RKO program will be completed without the least sacrifice of quality or entertainment value." Garver Terre Haute Houses Pass to Alliance Circuit Chicago — The Alliance Theater circuit, successor to the Gregory chain, has started its long delayed expansion program by the addition of the Garver Theater circuit in Terre Haute, Ind. The houses added are the Orpheum, the Swan, Idaho and the Virginia theaters. Improvements will be made in these houses. "Exhibit No. 13" Lincoln, Neb. — Cene Buck's personal contract with Ascap, both as its president and as a contributor, was offered in evidence in the anti-Ascap test case here. Ominously marked "Exhibit No. 13."