Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1940)

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IS MOTION -PICTURE HERALD April 6, 1940 CONVENTION AND PRODUCT PLANS (Continued from preceding page) ten by Mr. Butler, James Kern and James Edward Grant. The same men prepared the screen play. May Convention for Universal Universal plans one or more sales conventions in May, according to William A. Scully, general sales manager. It has not yet been determined whether a national convention or regional meetings will be held. Mr. Scully and William J. Heineman, western sales manager for Universal, have arrived at the studio for conferences on the new season's product. Sears on West Coast Gradwell L. Sears, Warner Brothers general sales manager, left Monday for studio conferences to formulate plans for the annual convention and decided on sales policies for the remaining pictures on this season's schedule. Mr. Sears said that "plans for what well may be the most unique sales convention in the history of the motion picture industry will be the subject of discussion with Burbank executives this week and ready for announcement in complete detail upon my return." Mr. Sears was accompanied to the Coast by Samuel Schneider, home office executive. Forthcoming release on which sales policies are to be settled include : "The Sea Hawk," Errol Flynn ; "All This and Heaven, Too," Bette Davis and Charles Boyer ; "Torrid Zone," James Cagney, Ann Sheridan and Pat O'Brien ; " 'Til We Meet Again," Merle Oberon, George Brent and Pat O'Brien ; "Saturday's Children," John Garfield, Anne Shirley and Claude Rains ; "It All Came True," Ann Sheridan, Humphrey Bogart and Jeffrey Lynn. "Sante Fe," starring Errol Flynn, is to be the 1941 successor to "Virginia City," according to an announcement by Warner Brothers. Robert Buckner, author of "Virginia City" will write the screen play. Bronston with Roosevelt Samuel Bronston's new production company has closed a deal with James Roosevelt's Globe Productions, involving financing for Globe, according to Wall Street reports. Globe Productions will be released through United Artists. Negotiations are underway for William Anthony McGuire to form his own producing company and release through United Artists. The first of the proposed pictures is "Faith, Hope and Mary Potter," and Claudette Colbert would be sought for the lead. Charles Feldman, agent for Mr. McGuire, has opened negotiations with United Artists. Mr. McGuire is now a writerproducer for Twentieth Century-Fox, working on a life of Sam Dreben. MGM Managers' Session Thomas J. Connors, Eastern, Southern and Canadian division manager for MGM, held a two day meeting this week for district managers at the home office. Those scheduled to attend were E. K. O'Shea, New York ; John J. Maloney, Pittsburgh ; Robert Lynch, Philadelphia ; Maurice Wolf, Boston ; Charles E. Kessnich, Atlanta ; Henry Nathason, general manager of Regal Films, Toronto or Gordon Lightsone, Regal sales manager. "Gone With the Wind" sales, Summer sales drive and other matters were to be discussed. MGM has announced that Katharine Hepburn has signed a contract to play in "The Philadelphia Story," the Philip Barry play which has just completed a year's engagement at the Shubert theatre. Columbia Sales Meeting Columbia district managers and managers of branches without district supervision met Friday CALL CURRENCY AND QUOTA BAR IN SPAIN Foreign department executives of the large companies last week heard reports on trade conditions in Spain from Ben Miggins of Twentieth Century Fox and Fred Lange of Paramount, both of whom were in New York on annual home office visits. The reports of both foreign representatives are said to have pointed out continuing obstacles to American film distribution there. It was indicated that the currency embargo would stay on indefinitely. In addition, it was said, Spain's production quota requirement is a serious handicap due to the reported absence of necessary production facilities and equipment in the country. Under existing conditions, it was explained, it does not appear possible to make a type of quota product in Spain which could be marketed profitably in other Spanish language markets. at the Gothham Hotel in New York for a conference with home office executives. A. Montague, general manager, presided. The "Montague Fifteenth Anniversary Campaign" has passed the half way point and Columbia reports that it has exceeded expectations. District and branch managers scheduled to be present were Phil Dunas, midwestern division manager ; Carl Shalit, central division manager ; Sam Galanty, mideast division manager ; Jerome Safron, western division manager; Nat Cohn, New York division manager, and the following branch managers : Phil Fox, Albany ; Joe Miller, Buffalo; H. E. Weiner, Philadelphia and Irving Wormser, New York. Home office executives attending were Rube Jackter, Lou Weinberg, Louis Astor and Max Weisfeldt. Three films will be made in England for Columbia by the Two Cities Film Company. The first film, based on a story concerning the use of radio in Germany will be produced by Mario Zampi, directed by Anthony Asquith and will star Clive Brook and Diana Wynyard. Columbia will distribute "The Accidental Father" which Nat Ross will produce at the Biograph studio in New York. The picture will star Constance Bennett. Production is scheduled to begin in May. Richard Wallace will direct and Grover Jones will write the script. John Stahl, after 10 years with Universal, has reported to Columbia for his first picture. He will have a voice in the selection of the story and of the stars to appear in the film. New War, Foreign Product Jesse L. Lasky, pioneer in motion pictures, at present a radio impresario, and intent upon resuming independent production through a major distributor, last week signed a contract with Sergeant Alvin C. York, World War hero, in Nashville, Tennessee. There probably will be a picture based on York's life ; he will be technical adviser ; Gene Fowler will write the story, Mr. Lasky said. In the Twentieth Century-Fox Movietone News newsreel issues for the first part of this week, are footage taken by George Mejat, Movietone camerman now with the French Army, of Truman H. Talley, managing director of the newsreel, and Russell Muth, its European manager, touring the Maginot Line. Edgar Lloyd is readying, in New York, a I national release of the Czech historical film, ) "The Maidens' Guild of Kutna Hora." MGM is expected to release "The Stars Look j Down," British picture from the pen of A. J. ; Cronin, produced by I. Goldsmith, and starring j Michael Redgrave and Margaret Lockwood. j World Pictures Corporation, in New York, has acquired distribution rights to the Lenauer International's French films, including "Pearls j of The Crown," "The Puritans," "Crime and Punishment" and "Pasteur." RKO will distribute the French picture < "Double Crime in the Maginot Line" in all foreign areas except Canada, England and j Europe. The French Cinema Center has acquired the j U. S. distribution rights to the French picture. "Heroes of the Marne," from Variety Film Distributors. Rodner Sets Production For Will Rogers Film Harold Rodner, Warner Brothers execu| tive and vice-president of the Will Rogers ! Memorial Hospital at Saranac Lake, N. Y., returned to New York this week from the coast, where he arranged for the production > of the one-reel film which will be shown in theatres in the Will Rogers National Theatre Week, April 18 to 25. About 3,000 prints of the subject will be' distributed to theatres. All major studios^ participated in the production of the film i which will feature Kay Kyser, Bette Davis, Judy Garland, Bing Crosby and others. Columbia Wins Title Dispute Over Metro Columbia Pictures may use the title, "Three Weeks Together," the title registra-l tion committee of the Motion Picture Pro-, ducers and Distributors ruled on Tuesday,! over an MGM protest. The latter has the title right to "Three Weeks," the novel by Elinor Glynn, and it served notice, on Tuesday, that it would appeal from the commit j tee's decision, to the MPPDA board of directors. Columbia wants the title, "Three WeeksTogether," for a British-made picture, starring Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier, , which was known as "21 Days." Ginsberg General Manager of Studio pi Henry Ginsberg, for the past month as , sistant to Y. Frank Freeman, vice-presidenl in charge of Paramount studio operations in Hollywood, Tuesday. Mr. Freeman said Ij Mr. Ginsberg's duties would not conflicf to with those of George Bagnall, who is vice P' president and executive studio manager, noi 11 with those of T. Keith Glennan, managet 6:1 of operations. ! llli RKO Signs Hinsdell Oliver Hinsdell has been signed to take * full charge of the dramatic training of all] ,t RKO contract players. !