Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1945)

Monday, March 26, 1945 Motion Picture Daily 7 20th-Fox 30th Anniversary in April Third Decade Celebration For 20th-Fox Joseph M. Schenck (Continued from page 1) Schenck, executive head of production ; Darryl F. Zanuck, vice-president in charge of production, and Tom Connors, vice president in charge of sales. In its early years the company introduced full-length Western pictures with Tom • Mix as the star, made William Farnum a rival of Douglas Fairbanks in dashing romantic films, and introduced star teams such as Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell, and the lusty pair, Edmund Lowe and Victor McLaglen in "What Price Glory" and "The Cockeyed World." The studio today is following that tradition in essaying new trends in production. The history of 20th Century-Fox has been one of steady growth despite the many vicissitudes that have to be overcome in a young and growing industry. Following a period of shifting financial interests, which are the birth pangs of any embryonic organization, the old Fox Film Corp. did not take up its corporate form until February, 1915, but it actually got its start 12 years earlier when William Fox opened a small theatre in Brooklyn. Soon more theatres were added and then came the palaces which were the forerunners of the modern theatres. Charles Skouras heads National Theatres, the company's present-day exhibition affiliate. With the addition of a chain of theatres the problem of supplying them with film arose. In 1913 the Box Office Attractions Co. was organized as the production unit for the rapidly growing Fox theatre interests, turning out 35 pictures to supply the theatres' demands. The first picture produced at the small studio at Fort Lee, N. J., was "Life's Shop Window," starring Claire Whitney, for release Nov. 19, 1914. The picture cost $14,700 and grossed $54,000. On Februarv 1st. 1915, Fox Film Corp. was i n c o r p o rated with headquarters at 130 West 46th St., New York City and with studios at Fort Lee. rheda Bara became the company's first star in the production "A Fool There Was," released on Jan. 14, 1915. This picture, Darryl Zanuok filmed at a cost of $29,500, grossed $137,000, an unheard of gross at that time. Soon after, the production schedule was increased to 52 pictures a year. Alore studio space was required so the company acquired the Wonderful Play and Players studio in the Pathe Freres Building in Jersey City. "Children of the Ghetto," the Israel Zangwill book, was filmed there and it beat the box office receipts of "A Fool There Was." Having more pictures now than they needed to supply their own theatres, it was decided to establish a system of trim exchanges to sell pictures to theatres other than their own. From a. beginning of a dozen branches scattered throughout the United States in April, 1915, there are now 37 film exchanges throughout the country and Canada, and before World War II, 44 branches scattered throughout the world. 1915 Coast Start In 1915, an office was opened in Los Angeles and four studios, the Pathe, Kalem, Life Photo Studio and the Selig Studio, all in Los Angeles, were leased for production, and the company began building a roster of its own stars, by adding the names of William Farnum, Annette Kellerman and Robert Mantell. These stars moved into the company's own studio in 1917. It was located at Sunset Boulevard and Western Avenue in Hollywood and is still in use. Winfield Sheehan was appointed general manager of the company and expansion in the foreign field began. Later he became production chief in Hollywood. Now fully intrenched in production, distribution and exhibition fields, Fox Film in 1917 made the first million-dollar picture, "The Daughter of the Gods," starring the Australian swimm e r, Annette ette Kellerman, and directed by Herbert Brenon. Soon after came "Cleopatra," starring T h e d a Bara, 'Riders of the Purple Sage," with William Farnum. Later Tom Mix joined the roster of stars and was destined to become one of the most popular and profitable Western stars ever to come to the screen. In 1919 the studio and home offices on 56th Street and Tenth Ave., New York were built. The Fox newsreel was also established that year. Then followed such pictures as "Over the Hill," in 1921 ; "If Winter Comes," in 1923 ; "Seventh Heaven" in 1927, and then sound pictures. In 1926 the Fox officials were approached by Theodore Case and Earl I. Sponable who said they were working on a sound-on-film invention by means of electric flashes on the film. By 1928 their experiments were crowned with success and Movietone was born. "Sunrise" was the first picture to have an accompanying musical score on the film and "In Old Arizona" was the first outdoor pic (liarles Skouras ture produced with sound. On April 1st, 1932, Sidney R. Kent joined the company in the capacity of executive vice-president in charge of operations, and two weeks later became the company's president. He immediately started the work of reorganizing the company, saving it from bankruptcy and putting it on a sound . perating basis. In 1935 the company had completely emerged from its economic difficulties and was again a force in the industry. Merger with 20th Une uay m April, IVoo, bidney xvenc nau luncn with josepn jvl. oenencK, men piesiaent ot iwenuetn century pictuies, and their topic oi conversation was .uarryl Z.anucK, tiic upshot Demg tne merger ot iwenuetn century Jrnms ana tne tox tilm Corp. (Jn August 22, iyj3, this arrangement was ratmea by tne stockuoiuers. iience tne year iy43 marks not omy tne >5Utn anniversary ot tne cumpany but also the 10th anniversary ui tne merger ot twentieth Century and tox. ine advent of Darryl Zanuck as production head of the newly merged companies, marked one of the most important forward steps in the company s history. 1 he vast studio of 96 acres at Movietone City came under the direction of Zanuck. I he only stars on the lot at that period were bmrley Temple, Will Rogers and Janet Gaynor. His first task was to augment this star contingent and he soon had such screen names as Tyrone Power, Sonja Henie, Don Ameche, Warner Baxter, Alice Faye and Henry Fonda. Zanuck's First Zanuck's first picture for the new company was "Metropolitan," starring .Lawrence Tibbett, and then in succession he produced "Alexander's Rag lime Band" (1938) ; "Grapes of Wrath" (.1940) ; "How Green Was My Valley" (1941) ; "Song of Bernadette" (1944) ; "Wilson" and "Winged Victory." With declaration of war, following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the company was faced with the problem of building new stars to take the place of Tyrone Power, Henry Fonda, Cesar Romero, George Montgomery, Richard Green, John Sutton and Victor Mature, who joined the United States armed forces. Not only was the star roster depleted by the patriotic enlistment of stellar players but the ranks of producers, directors, cameramen and technicians also were cut by the demands of of our armed forces. Zanuck was commissioned a colonel in the Army Signal Corps and was away from the studio for nearly two years on active military duty. New players and new technicians were groomed to take the places of those who were off to war. Naturally most of them were girls : such promising actresses as June Haver, Vivian Blaine, Jeanne Crain, Anne Baxter and Jane Ball. Among the new male stars developed were Dana Andrews, William Eythe, and Dick Haymes. Sidney Kent's Death On the death of Sidney Kent in 1942, the board of directors looked about to fill that vacancy and the unanimous choice was that of Spyros Skouras who had made an enviable reputation as one of the foremost the Connors Sets 28 Releases From20th-Fox Tom Connors Tom Connors, vice-president in charge of sales of 20th CenturyFox, in commemorating the company's 30th anniversary, announces a release schedule of 28 pictures from now to the end of the year. Heading the releases for April, the company's birthday month, will be Ernst Lub i t s c h ' s 'A Royal Scandal," "Molly and Me," and the popular priced run of 'The Song of Bernadette." The screen version of Betty Smith's "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn," a special March release, also will be current during the anniversary month. Anniversary Releases Among the 30th anniversary releases of the next few months will be the following: "Thunderhead" and "Circumstantial Evidence" (March) ; "A Royal Scandal," "Molly and Me" and popularpriced release of "Song of Bernadette" (April) ; "Diamond Horseshoe" and "The Bull Fighters" (May) ; "Where Do We Go from Here?" and "Colonel Effingham's Raid" (June) ; "Nob Hill" and "Don Juan Quilligan" (July) ; "A Bell for Adano," "State Fair" and popularpriced release of "Wilson" (August) ; "The Dolly Sisters" and two Bryan Foy productions (September) ; "Fallen Angel" and "Captain Eddie" (October) ; "Dragonwyck" and two Bryan Foy productions (November) ; "Junior Miss" and "Little Horse" ( December) . Of the twenty-eight films scheduled for release between now and next January, nine will be in Technicolor. Of these, four will be musicals. atre operators in the United States. A short time later Wendell Willkie was elected chairman of the board of directors of the company, a berth he held until his death late in 1944. With its background of 30 years of progress in production and distribution 20th Century-Fox looks to the future. Officials of the company feel that in the post war period the importance of motion pictures, not only as entertainment but also in the fields of education and international relations, will be greater than ever before and plans are now being formulated to meet this opportunity.