The Film Daily (1946)

DAILY Wednesday, August 7, 1',, Warner Pledges Full Production at Burban Soaring Production Costs Industry's Most Serious Problem, Convention Told (ConMnued from Page 1) at large, as well as Warners, the WB production chief declared opportunities wex-e never brighter, but he frankly warned that their capitalization was dependent upon certain specific factors. "We must," Warner pointed out, "quit day-dreaming and bickering, face realities and really dig in to work for the peace we all realize we must have and the prosperity it is within our power to achieve." Warners, he continued, was not announcing any definite number of pix either for production or release, but would adhere to the established flexible schedule policy. "We will, however," the studio head told the attentive sales audience, "keep our studios operating to the full extent of their great physical and creative capacities." Turning to soaring production costs, Warner branded them as the industry's most serious problem of the day. Said he: "The danger line soon will be reached unless the production and distribution divisions can hold their efforts to practical, common sense understanding of elementary business principles. "Filming costs have risen 150% since prewar days because the studios must pay for stories, talent, labor, materials, and the average shooting time has more than doubled as the result of more big-scale productions. "There is only one solution, and that is to more than match the increased costs with increased quality which will bring greater income. That means honest, intelligent work all along the line. Our creative talent is striving for perfection of prouct and increased efficiency to keep costs to levels which will permit us to continue making pictures of ever increasing excellence. Distribution and exhibition efforts must match those of production." Warner urged the distribution men at the Atlantic City gathering to FAMOUS FIRSTS TAIKING FILMS THE first sound and talking motion pic ] ' ture to win an award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was "The Jazr Singer." In the first group of "Oscars" to be presented by the Academy, I the first Warner Bros.' production with spoken dialogue was honored "For Making an Epoch in Motion Picture History." I l.\ .\E\V IIVIIUSTRY IMK<«T!>( WADE DRAKE, assistant to Worth Stewart, Stewart-Everette Theater Enterprises, Dunn, N. C. ARTHUR K. DAME, manager. State, Presque Isle, Me. RICHARD MELVIN, Universal office manager, Washington. WALTER BANCS, Universal cashier, Washington. FRANK MEADOWS, UA branch manager, New Haven. BORCE IVERSEN, manager, Fort, Rock Island, III. FRANCIS CILLON, manager, State, Cedar Rapids, la. HORACE SPENCER, manager. Garden, Davenport, la. VERNON KINKHEAD, assistant manager. Paramount, Cedar Rapids, la. AL PICKENS, to PRC salesman for Dallas, Fort Worth and In northern Texas. GILBERT GIEBEL, manager. Fowler, Fowler, Ind. N. HERNANDEZ, manager, RItz, Tampa, Fla. E. J. LAMGEMFELD, manager. Embassy, Chicago. PETER NEPOTE, manager, Arcadia, Olney, III. ROBERT MOORE, assistant manager, RKO-OrI pheum, Kansas City. MIKE ROSENSTEIN, PRC country salesman, Chicago. MILT BROWN, manager, Orpheum, Calesburg, WILLIAM T. HASTINGS, manager, RKO-Orphe um, Denver. LOUIS NAPLES, manager. Palace, Troy. EDWARD LINDEMANN, relief manager, Newark Newsreel, Newark, N. J. CHARLES BROWN, manager. West, Calesburg, III. GEORGE PAPPAS, city manager. Alliance theaters, Peru, Ind. read the signs already posted by the public. He declared: "The motion picture audience is in a hard-headed shopping phase. The public is the boss and it cannot be fooled. Both production and distribution needs of the motion picture industry must realize today the hard reality of the public appraisal of films. The progress of the past 20 years, artistically and technically, has been made under the presure of public desire for better product. We have created an obligation which must be accepted by every member of our company and the entire motion picture industry. "The motion picture industry has an unparalleled opportunity to set a pattern for harmonious co-operation not only to other industries but to the nations of the world. "We embrace all branches of the arts and sciences. Our industrial fabric is composed of 47 diversified crafts. These widely divergent talents have established what on the whole is a magnificent record of teamwork. If authors and labor, musicians and technicians, actors and electricians can work together in harmony, there is no reason why peoples of all nationalities can't do likewise. "I strongly believe that the men and women who comprise our industry, and the peoples the world over who are entertained by our product, are determined to work together for the two great goals of peace and prosperity." Yesterday's morning session of the convention was devoted to introduction of delegates to the three Warner brothers, Harry M., Col. Jack L. and Major Albert, who made their first joint appearance in years at a sales meeting. Preceding the session was screening of 15 trailers on new product, plus the showing of a featurette titled "Okay for Pictures" star ring Ronald Reagan and showing scenes from six pictures now in production. Company Execs. Speak In the course of introductions of the delegates by Ben Kalmenson, vice-president and general sales manager who is presiding at the three-day convention, brief talks were made by Max Milder, Wolfe Cohen, Harry M. Kalmine, Mort Blumenstock, Robert W. Perkins, Samuel Schneider, Joseph Bernhard, Norman H. Moray and others. Harry M. Warner, who speaks again today, gave a preliminary talk iri a reminiscent mood in which he praised individual members of organization and said it was their combined effort that made possible the twentieth anniversary of talking pictures. Both Col. Warner, whose talk on product was a feature of the afternoon session, and Major Warner also spoke briefly at the morning session. Citation from Philly Club Highlight of last evening was the banquet at which Poor Richard Club of Philadelphia presented a citation of merit to Warners, marking the first time this famed Philadelphia organization has left its home state to make an award. Presentation was made to Harry Warner by Benjamin Franklin James, president of the club, with Roger Clipp, president of Station WFIL and past-president of the club, also present. EBF Has Traveling Art Exhibit Ready to Tour Chicago — Encyclopedia Britanniea Films has its traveling art exhibition, consisting of 116 Kodachrome slides, ready to cover the country, H. R. Lissack, vice-president, announced at the company's two-day meeting at the home oflSce here. EBF will offer next month its new slide film for student participation. Eighty EBF representatives from this country and abroad attended the meeting at which plans for overall sales policies for the Fall and Winter were approved. | RKO Quarterly Net Up to $3,205,398 (Continued from Page 1) lent (after allowing for divi^' \ the 6% preferred stock) to -c^yro mately 38c per share on the 2,873,(' shares of common outstanding at i end of that quarter. Consolidated net profit for first half of 1946 was $6,881, .S after taxes and all other charg equivalent to approximately $1 per share on the 3,818,422 shares common outstanding at the end the first half, as compared with c solidated net profit for the first h of 1945 of $2,421,778, after ta: and all other charges, equival(after allowing for dividends on 6% preferred) to approximately : per share on the 2,873,053 sha of common outstanding at June 1945. On June 29 last, net working Cc ital was $39,030,000 and cash a U. S. Government securities agg gated $24,400,000, as compared w net working capital of $22, 725, ( and cash and Government securit of $15,400,000 at June 30, 1945. I provement in the net working ca tal and cash positions resulted par from profitable operations and pa ly from the refinancing progr; consummated in February of tl year, it was pointed out. Sees Early Disposal Of German Patents Wushinyton Bureau of THE FILM UAI Washington— Disposition of Gi man patents, including many j patents in Germany, will be effect soon, Acting Secretary of State De Acheson said yesterday. Acheson said this Government now preparing its policy for disj sition of the patents and a decisi will be forthcoming soon from t Allied Control Commission in Berl Decision on disposition of the pj ents will affect many pix items a may precipitate a squabble ov Ansco's color-film process. It was recalled that a group U. S. pix experts studied this pi cess in Germany and returned wi many German documents aft quizzing German scientists cc nected with its development. Russij! officials protested this action, poiri' ing out that the color-film pla; was in the Russian zone of occup tion. The Russians, it is understoc are now operating the plant. Recent moves by the State D partment and the Department Justice have indicated that this Go ernment is anxious to get the who' question of German patents clear up so many war-developed paten may be put to general use.