Motion Picture Daily (July–Sept 1938)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Graetz and Lopert Oppose Scramble for French Films 2 i Purely Personal ► DON AMECHE, accompanied by Mrs. Ameche, will arrive tomorrow on the Rex, spend one day in the city and then continue on to Hollywood where he will be starred in "Kentucky" by 20th Century-Fox. • David Bernstein, vice-president and treasurer of Loew's, Inc., returned yesterday on the Normandie from a European vacation. He was accompanied by Mrs. Bernstein. • Max Herschman, special service representative for National Screen Service, is the father of a seven-pound boy, born at Jewish Hospital, Brooklyn. John L. Day, Jr., general manager of Paramount's distribution in South America, will arrive from France today aboard the Aquitania. • J. W. Piper, Paramount manager in Japan, is here for conferences with John W. Hicks, Jr., general manager of the foreign department. • Fred Astaire arrived in town yesterday morning. His latest is "Carefree," in which he is again costarred with Ginger Rogers. 0 Norma Shearer will arrive in New York this morning to attend the premiere of "Marie Antoinette" at the Astor this evening. • Louis Phillips of Paramount will arrive in New York today on the Orizaba from Vera Cruz, Mexico, after an annual vacation. • Arthur Willi, talent scout for RKO, is on a three-week talent search among New England summer stock companies. Americo Aboaf, Paramount's managing director in Italy, on Sunday will leave New York for a visit at the studios. Jack Haney, Movietone News assignment editor, has returned from a three-week vacation at Marblehead, Mass. • Dr. Saul C. Colin, president of Continental Productions, will return from Hollywood next Monday. • Stanley Hand, special representative of Altec Service Corp., has left on a business trip to Philadelphia. • Harmon Gilbert of Dupont left over the weekend for a two-week vacation in New Hampshire. • Arthur Lee and Arthur Jarratt of G. B. are expected in New York tonight from Montreal. • James C. Dunn, Rivoli house manager, is doubling as press agent for the house. P. M. Hamilton of Dufaycolor will return from Boston today. • Gabriel Pascal is due here tonight from the coast by plane. The scramble by American foreign film distributors for French pictures has reached "ridiculous" heights and has created "a terrible situation" because inferior product is being brought in by distributors who think that anything French will go, in the opinion of Paul Graetz, head of ParisExportfilm, who arrived in New York yesterday. Of 110 features scheduled for production in France this year, only 10 will have box-office potentialities for the American market, he estimated. Many of the French pictures being imported cannot make the grade in Paris and are shunted to the smaller towns, he said. "Unless American importers concentrate on the A' product, the market will be demoralized for everybody," he said. During his present visits he will attempt to stabilize the Showmanship Static, Says Herman Wobber Production has made great progress in the past five years, but the exploitation and presentation of films by exhibitors has remained static, in the opinion of Herman Wobber, 20th Century-Fox distribution chief. "Just as we look to the studio for box-office pictures of superior earning power and quality, so does the studio look to us for the means to continue to make big, money-making productions," he says in a message to his sales force. "That support does not stop with the sale and booking of pictures. It goes beyond that. It is our definite responsibility to see that our productions are properly presented, effectively exploited, not just in a few spots, but in every single situation." Localized efforts by exhibitors to get "the last possible dollar out of every picture," must be more emphatic this season than ever before, Mr. Wobber says. An "honest inventory" of exhibitors' showmanship efforts over the last five years' would show that this phase has not progressed, and, in fact, "many exhibitors have not held their own," he added. Confirm Death of Frank Truman H. Talley, head of Movietone News, yesterday received a cable from Berlin verifying the death of Harold Frank, attached to the Prague office, and his wife, in the crash Saturday of a Czechoslovak airliner near Kiehl, Germany. The plane was en route from Prague to Paris. Sixteen persons were killed, including Grit Haid, Vienna film actress. Mr. Frank was a sound man. Warner Dines Executives Hollywood, Aug. 15. — D. C. Dobie and J. W. Brown, First National and Warner Bros, sales managers in Great Britain, were guests of Jack Warner at a dinner tonight at the Vendome Restaurant. The affair was attended by 125 Hollywood personalities. The two executives arrived in Hollywood this morning for studio conferences and will leave for New York Thursday. situation and will negotiate a deal for the distribution of eight films through one channel. Two of these are Danielle Darrieux pictures. Another comment on the situation was given by E. I. Lopert, head of Pax Film, who returned from Paris yesterday. Mr. Lopert said the American demand has shot the price of American rights to French films to a prohibitive level. Mr. Lopert plans to make a picture here next year, with Seymour Nebenzahl, who made "Mayerling" and "M," as the producer. The film will be in English, and a story is being sought. He arranged to import two Nebenzahl pictures, "Hostages" and "Werther." The Paris market at present offers little for America, he said, but he predicts that the quality of French films will be better in the fall and winter. James R. Grainger, Republic president, left for Gloversville last night to complete a new season deal with the Schine circuit. Discussions were started there last week with Myer and Louis Schine and George Lynch, film buyer. Jack Berkowitz and Nat Lefton, Buffalo franchise owners, are assisting Mr. Grainger, who will return tomorrow. A 1938-'39 deal for Republic films has been closed with the Affiliated circuit which has 12 theatres in Philadelphia, Westchester, Pa., and Atlantic City. Ryan Not Going West Boston, Aug. 15. — George S. Ryan, local attorney heading the A. B. Momand anti-trust action, will not be present in Oklahoma City on Friday when motions are heard in the U. S. District Court in connection with the case. Mr. Ryan indicated that the matter is not of sufficient importance for him to leave the taking of depositions in New York in connection with the action of Morse & Rothenberg, in which he is the attorney. Open Drive-In Theatre Washington, Aug. 15. — The Mount Vernon Theatre, new drive-in open air theatre, opened tonight. The house is the newest link in the E. M. Loew circuit of outdoor film houses. A staff of 40 is employed to handle cars and park them. The screen is largest in the south — 60 by 40 feet. Harold Gould is manager. Diamond West Aug. 29 Lou Diamond, manager of Paramount's short subject department, will leave New York to arrive in Hollywood, Aug. 29. He will make his headquarters at the Paramount studio, where he will view the short subject material of independent producers. Heads Monogram Office Pittsburgh, Aug. 15. — Mark Goldman has resigned as manager of the GB branch here to manage the Monogram exchange. He fills the post vacated by the death of D. J. Selznick. Tuesday, August 16, 19 Warner Men Discus Selling of 3 Filn Merchandising plans on three W; ner films were set yesterday at a d trict managers' meeting at the hoi office after they had been screened i the officials. The pictures are "Fc Daughters," "Garden of the Moc and "Valley of the Giants," the 1; ter in Technicolor. Plans were discussed with Gradw L. Sears, general sales manager ; C; Leserman, assistant to Mr. Sears ; E Haines, eastern and Canadian -** chief ; Ben Kalmenson, in char^ J the western and southern territori and Mort Blumenstock, eastern ; vertising chief. The district managers will le; today for their territories. Attei ing are Ed Schnitzer, eastern disti manager ; Robert Smeltzer, Washii ton; Rud Lohrenz, Chicago; F: Jack, Dallas ; W. E. Callaway, 1 Angeles, and Wolfe Cohen, Toror Extend Nathanson', Option to Buy Stot Toronto, Aug. 15. — The option h by N. L. Nathanson, president of ] mous Players Canadian Corp., for purchase of a block of 1,000 comri shares at $14 per share, to be ex cised on July 1 last, has been exten by the company to December, acco ing to T. J. Bragg, secretary-treas er. Under a five-year agreement tween Mr. Nathanson and the c< pany, effective last year, he is pi ileged to buy 1,000 snares annually a sliding scale starting with the pi of $13 per share in 1937. The op1 was used before July 1 last year, current market quotation on Fam Players common on the Ton Stock Exchange is $35 per share. MOTION PICTURE DAILY (Registered U. S. Patent Office) MARTIN QUIGLEY, Editor-in-Chief and ] lisher; J. M. JERAULD. Managing El JAMES A. CRON, Advertising Manager. I TORIAL STAFF: Charles S. Aaronson. Jack ] ner. Al Finestone. Thomas Fitzsimraons. She A. Kane. Irene Kuhn, Joseph Priore. Published daily except Sunday and boll Sept. to May and daily except Saturday. Su and holidays June. July and Aug. by Qui Publishing Company, Inc.. 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