The Film Daily (1936)

THE DAILY Wednesday, Nov. 11,1936 126 PLAYS HAVE BEEN SOLD FOR PICTURES (Continued from Page 11 during the period this year as compared with 129 last year, Howard About 75 members attended the on. at which the following were elected members of the council to e until 1939: George Abbott. Maxwell Anderson, Gene Buck, Russell Crouse, Owen Davis. Jules Eckert Goodman, Samuel Spewack, Lillian Helman, George Middleton and Bertrand Robinson. Drafting of a basic agreement for DM in dealing with film companies on the sale of motion picture rights to nnproduced plays is contemplated bv the Dramatists' Guild. The contract will be similar in some respects, to the basic agreement between the Guild and the producing managers covering production of P SUrt of work on the agreement i« being held up pending settlement of differences between the dramatists and the picture companies over its play contract provisions governing sale of screen rights. Imperial "Radio Previews" Plan Links 225 Stations (Continued from Page 1) Have Music," with Jack Hylton and June Clyde. Innovation is the brainchild of Leon Lee, trailer pioneer, now with Imperial, who sees in it one possible answer to the industry's how-to-use radio problem. Lee already has lined up 225 co-operating independent radio stations in all parts of the U. S. Transcription-, which will be used as two 1 5 minute program or as a single 30-minute broadcast, embrace highlights of the picture— •icenes. musical numbers, etc. — as in a screen trailer, with a radio commentator tying them together to give essential continuity. Norman Brokenshire functions as narrator for the "She Shall Have Music" records, tested suct'ulljr in Seattle and Detroit sectors. Imperial's regulatory provisions and safeguards are designed to assure maximum value to the exhibitor. Transcription releases are spotted simultaneously with playdates, and records are to l<e used a week in advance <al openings. Further, they may not he played during box office hours, fixed at 7:S6-9 p.m. Stations are permitted to sell sponsorship to their local commercial accounts in co-operation with exhibitors. Independent stations thus stand to benefit two ways — through established movie "names" on their programs, frequently weak, and through advertising rev rnue. Quick response of stations to Im perial's proposition is thus explained. Second Imperial release to be so exploited will be "Broken Blossoms" with Dolly Haas and Emlyn Williams. I vS(W ?&$Hh RKO Certifs. Up 42 Points In the first sale in months, RKO 6s 41 part paid certificates sold yesterday at 200, rise of 42 points above the last sale. The certificate includes a $1,000 debenture and 150 shares of common stock. The price of both the RKO stock and debentures has risen since the last purchase of the part paid certificates. • • • GLANCING BACK thru the files . . . .we ran across a column written two years ago. ...... .on Nov 5, 1934 to be exact . in which we were so bold as to state that British pictures as represented by the GB product were breaking into the American market in a big way ^through the grand work of an American organization manned by American lads and we more than hinted that the advertising organization headed by A. P. Waxman and the sales force captained bv George Weeks if given half a fighting chance would crash the GB banner over impressively in the important situations throughout the United States • • • AND WE distinctly recall that at the time we were kidded by a lot of wise guys for writing such an Optimistic Story about British productions well, what has happened in the past two years ? George Weeks' sales organization a real sales force of 100 men has sold every important situation in the nation and every important circuit backed up by the splendid work of A. P. Waxman's advertising and publicity staff T T T • • • IT WAS not a pushover these sales lads went out and did a real Selling Job against all kinds of heartbreaking obstacles breaking down a tradition that British pix were a taboo article with the American public and in the past few months they have had an additional battle to fight the battle of weakened morale with all sorts of rumors afloat as to what was going to happen to the company who was going to take it over, and if so, what would happen. . . . • • • NOW ALL these battles are in the memory book the sales boys are out fighting to complete the structure they have erected so sturdily in the past two years and every last one of 'em has but one prayer on his lips what is it? that John Maxwell who is now in the saddle will see to it that they get Product B. O. Product not the routine British product a salesman can't offer that against the impressive Hollywood product and expect to get away with it neither can John Maxwell expect him to do so he's got to get films as good or better than "ThirtyNine Steps," "Transatlantic Tunnel," "It's Love Again" anything less is just no dice for the American theatergoer and if the British heads can't see to it that such salable product is released on this side, then all the splendid work of the American sales and advertising staffs of the past two years is simply kicked right in the old ashcan but we're betting Mister Maxwell, being Scotch, will back up the American office with PRODUCT for a Scotty never yet let go of something he has in the bag and the American Market is in the bag right now f or GB IF they keep delivering ▼ Y ▼ • • • A NEW outfit in agency biz Artists Syndicate of America with offices in the RKO building composed of Matthew Rosen, handling pictures and theatricals Lester Lee, radio William Miller, nite clubs ... •Interviewing patrons of the Strand after they see "Charge of the Light Brigade," and broadcast over WMCA this afternoon and Thursday between 3:15 and 3:30 .. . • That Marion Davies cocktail party at the Warwick tomorrow afternoon promises to be the talk of the town • • • TODAY IS the day the American Red Cross starts its Roll Call today Armistice Day to Thanksgiving five million Americans wanted to join up membership dues $1 at your local Red Cross Chapter JOIN' GOV'T GALLS INDUSTRY HEADS TO WASH'GT'N (Continued from Page 1) 20th Century-Fox Films, RKO Corporation, MG-M, Paramount, Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, Allied States Association, Motion Picture Laboratory Association, League of New York Theaters, J. J. Murdock, and former N. R. A. Code Administrator Sol Rosenblatt. It is expected the conference will take place the week of Dec. 6. In making public the list, Major Berry told The Film Daily it was never expected there would be a revival of the old N.R.A. since that was an emergency measure and the period of emergency is definitely passed. A good many of the recommendations which were made last year when a similar attempt was made on the part of Major Berry to get a cross section of the industry, were contrary to Administration policy, it was pointed out. It is understood the Council will act in the present instance as an independent body, gathering its own data and making whatever recommendations appear to be essential following full study of the results of the meeting. The Council is highly optimistic concerning attitude of motion picture industry representatives. "They were more than cooperative before," The Film Daily was told, "and the interest at the present time is greater than ever." Secretary Roper's business advisory council which incidentally meets next week, is as far as can be ascertained without a representative of the motion picture industry. Skouras Injunction Trial Expected in a Fortnight (Continued from Page 1) 81st St. theater will be reached in the New York State Supreme Court in two weeks, according to attorneys working on the case. The plaintiff claims that certain 20th Century-Fox pictures should have played RKO houses in the same neighborhood seven days after its theaters showed them. Damages are also sought in the action. « « « » » » Kussell and Lewis Named Captains in Zukor Drive M. S. Kussell and Myke Lewis, Paramount District Managers, have been named by Neil F. Agnew, VicePresident in Charge of Sales for Paramount, as captains of the East and West Sales divisions, respectively, in connection with the forthcoming Adolph Zukor Silver Jubilee Drive to be held by the company beginning in January. Both Kussell and Lewis are now making a tour of the exchanges in their respective divisions.