Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1940)

50 MOTION PICTURE HERALD April 27, I 940 UNIVERSAL SETS CONVENTION DATE; MORE LOCAL TALENT FOR MONOGRAM Universal's Regional Meetings at Atlantic City May 11-13 and in Chicago May 18-20; RKO Meets May 27-30 Fourth among the distributors to peg its 1940 sales convention date, Universal Pictures this week set two regionals, one for Atlantic City May 11-13, the second for Chicago May 18-20. Twentieth CenturyFox and Monogram already have held their conventions, Fox two weeks ago and Monogram last weekend. RKO is set for May 27-30. Paramount probably will meet in June, with Columbia, MGM, Republic, United Artists and Warners still to decide, although Republic and United Artists are expected to hold their annual sessions in May. Monogram's New Plans As Monogram's convention was opening in Dallas over the weekend, 1940-41 product plans were announced by W. Ray Johnston, highlighting a program of 26 features and 24 westerns, for which a $9,225,000 sales quota has been set. Titles and details of the first sessions were reported last week in Motion Picture Herald, on page 29. In the closing meetings the studio, home office and local franchise dealer delegates were told by Mr. Johnston that Monogram pictures would be designed also for the Latin American market, and that the company might produce eight westerns in Mexico, with native actors in support. The company's sales quota is $375,000 higher than last year's ; $3,000,000 higher than that of 1937, when the reorganized company held its first convention, Mr. Johnston noted. The chief speaker on Monday was Robert O'Donnell, of the Interstate circuit. Additional Speakers Other speakers on Monday were Edward Kuykendall, president of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, who asked that hatreds risen out of differences over the trade practices be abandoned, for the benefit of the industry as a whole; Mike Rice, counsel for the Robb and Rowley circuit, who discussed opportunities for independent production and distribution; Jack Kirsch, president of Illinois Allied, who pledged 173 Illinois theatres' support to the company; and Edward Golden, the company's general sales manager, who discussed tne new product. The Monogram franchise holders were told on Sunday that Ray "Crash" Corrigan, formerly of the "Three Mesquiteers" series of westerns, John King and Max Terhune would be teamed in a series of westerns titled "The Three Pals," by George Weeks, former Monogram sales executive. Additional speakers were Sam Dembow, of the Paramount theatre department ; Ed Rowley, circuit executive; R. E. Griffith, circuit operator; Colonel H. A. Cole, president of the National Allied States Association ; _ Scott R. Dunlap, Monogram's vice-nresident in charge of production, and Julius Gordon. Scully Announces Universal Dates Universal will hold two three-day regional sales conventions, William Scully, sales manager, announced on Monday. The first will be at the Ambassador hotel, Atlantic City, begin MAKE FEWER FILMS, WOOD TELLS SCHENCK If the large film companies would make fewer pictures, the exhibitors might be able to give them greater playing time, P. J. "Pete" Wood, business manager of the Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, said last week in a letter to Joseph M. Schenck, chair man of the board of Twentieth Century-Fox and former president of the Association of Motion Picture Producers. Last fall, with the beginning of war in Europe, Mr. Schenck asked exhibitors to extend playing time, and declared recently at the Fox sales convention in Chicago that exhibitors should share the distributors' burden. Mr. Wood told Mr. Schenck: "So long as the major companies follow the present system of forcing a large number of mediocre pictures upon the exhibitor, just so long will your repeated pleas for extended playing time be unheeded." ning May 11th; and the second at the Drake hotel in Chicago, starting May 18th. Fox Foreign Meeting In Havana Thursday Following its annual sales convention two weeks ago in Chicago, Twentieth Century-Fox was to start the first of its series of foreign . sales conventions, in Havana, on Thursday, this for the Central American and Caribbean territories. The convention was to last three days, with Walter Hutchinson, foreign sales director, presiding. Irving Maas, his assistant, supervised preparations. Mr. Hutchinson plans to leave New York for Europe on May 18th to meet the European leaders in Paris. The new manager for Peru is Charles Matzen ; for Colombia S. Chiesa, former Peruvian Manager ; for Venezuela, E. D. Cohen, former Ecuadorean manager ; for Ecuador, K. B. Knust, formerly of Panama. D. Cyril Steyn has been made publicity head for South Africa. Columbia Managers' Atlanta Meeting Branch managers of the Southern division of Columbia Pictures met on Monday at the Ainsley hotel, Atlanta, to plan the final weeks of the Montague Fifteenth Anniversary Campaign. Sam Moscow, head of the division, presided, with Mr. Montague. Branch managers were W. W. Anderson, Atlanta ; R. J. Ingram, Charlotte ; J. B. Underwood, Dallas ; J. J. Rogers, Memphis; C. A. Gibbs, Oklahoma City; H. Duvall, New Orleans. RKO Foreign Men At May Convention RKO's ninth international sales convention, May 27th to 30th, at the Hotel Waldorf-Astoria, New York, will be attended by a large number of the company's foreign sales representatives, Phil Reisman, general manager of the foreign department, said this week. In the foreign group will be Reginald Armour, general European manager ; Gus Schaefer, district manager of the Caribbean countries ; Max Gomez, manager for Mexico; F. S. Gulbransen, for Panama ; Pedro Saenz, for Cuba. Others in RKO's foreign department who will attend are Ned Seckler, home office representative ; Nick Ermolieff , foreign department representative of the Hollywood studios ; Ben Y. Cammack, assistant to Mr. Reisman ; R. K. Hawkinson, B. D. Lion, Michael Hoffay, Alfred Frank, Larry Ehrreich, Eddie Ugast and Arthur Rossum. Korda Leaving; Financing Set The new $3,600,000 financing deal, with which United Artists' British producer Alexander Korda may make two pictures in Hollywood and two in London, has been closed formally with the Security National Bank of Los Angeles and the Bankers' Trust Company in New York. Emanuel Silverstone, Mr. Korda's American representative, reported in New York on Monday following three weeks on the Coast. Mr. Korda was to arrive in New York by plane from the coast on Thursdav, preparatory to boarding a Pan-American Airways Clipper for Europe on Saturday. Mr. Silverstone said that credit of $3,200,000 had been allotted for four Korda pictures, and that an additional $400,000 would be lent to Mr. Korda and United Artists, the company through which he releases, in connection with the two pictures in London. Prefacing his trip to New York, Mr. Korda was negotiating for space at the General Service and Samuel Goldwyn studios, Mr. Silverstone said. Mr. Korda already has set up his organization in Hollywood, for the completion of "Thief of Bagdad," most of which was produced in Britain before the war started. Schlesinger's New Deal; Several Others Signed In Hollywood this week and last, producers continued to swell their talent rosters, in preparation for next season's pictures. The contract between Leon Schlesinger, cartoon producer, and Warner Brothers has been renewed for two years. The Schlesinger studios have scheduled 42 shorts for 1940-41. Twenty-six will be "Merrie Melodies" in color ; 16 will be "Looney Tunes" in black-and-white. The studio has completed 33 of its 42 cartoons for the 1939-40 season, one month ahead of schedule. On June 28th the plant will close for its annual two week vacation. While the RKO shorts will be numerically the same as last year's, there will be one new series, according to Harry Michalson, the short subjects sales manager. Leon Errol has signed with RKO, to appear in six pictures a year. Darryl Zanuck, in charge of production for Twentieth Century-Fox, on Monday appointed Milton Sperling, a writer for the company, to be associate producer. The company now has 11 associate producers. Franchot Tone, Paramount screen actor, who has been on the legitimate stage almost a year, will return to pictures in June, William Le Baron, managing director of production for the company, announced. Mr. Tone will play in "Virginia," with Madeline Carroll. Republic has signed Ona Munson for three pictures, the first to be "Wagons Westward" ; the second, "Lady from New Orleans." Columbia Pictures last week signed Constance Bennett.