Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1943)

July 24, 1943 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 35 PARAMOUNT TO RELEASE 30 ON FLEXIBLE PROGRAM A pledge that Paramount's product in the new season will "top anything it has delivered" was given by Barney Balaban, president, at the company's sales meeting, last week, in New York. Shown on the dais on the Hotel Pierre Roof are (left to right) George Smith, western division manager; Hugh Owen, eastern division manager; Neil Agnew, general sales manager, who conducted the meeting; Charles M. Reagan, assistant general sales manager, who is directing the sale and release of "For Whom the Bell Tolls", and Barney Balaban, president. Schedule To Be Geared to Meet Changing Tastes, Sales Session Told Paramount Pictures will release 30 features in a "flexible schedule" next season, Neil Agnew, general sales manager, announced Tuesday following conclusion of the company's semi-annual three-day sales meeting in New York last Saturday at the Hotel Pierre. Emphasizing that the trend toward "pictures of greater magnitude has been in evidence for the last several years," Mr. Agnew said the Paramount schedule would be "flexible to meet the needs of the times as they develop. As has been demonstrated, in war times the public taste changes, and changes rapidly. And with conditions in flux, Paramount's program will be geared to meet any situation that may arise." At least one-third of the 1943-44 schedule will be in Technicolor, representing a larger number of Technicolor features to be produced by the company than ever before. Important Features for Season Are Listed Among the important features Mr. Agnew listed for forthcoming release, in addition to "For Whom the Bell Tolls," are the following : Lady in the Dark, in Technicolor, based on the Broadway musical play, starring Ginger Rogers, Ray Milland, Warner Baxter and Jon Hall. Frenchman's Creek, in Technicolor, based on the Daphne du Maurier best-seller, with a cast headed by Joan Fontaine, Arturo de Cordova, Ralph Forbes, Basil Rathbone and Sir Cedric Hardwicke. No Time for Love, romantic comedy; a Mitchel Leisen production starring Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray, with Ilka Chase, June Havoc and Richard Haydn. The Uninvited, based on the thriller novel by Dorothy Macardle; starring Ray Milland, Ruth Hussey, Donald Crisp, with stage stars Cornelia Otis Skinner and Dorothy Stickney. Charles Brackett is the producer. Story of Dr. Wassell" Will Be In Color The Story of Dr. Wassell, in Technicolor; the Cecil B. DeMille production starring Gary Cooper, Laraine Day and Signe Hasso. This is the film based on the life story of Lt. Commander Wassell. Riding High, in Technicolor ; adapted from the Broadway musical with Dorothy Lamour, Dick Powell and Victor Moore. ^ So Proudly We Hail, the Mark Sandrich production starring Claudette Colbert, Paulette Goddard and Veronica Lake ; the story of Army nurses on Bataan and Corregidor, which is scheduled to follow RKO's "Mr. Lucky" at the Radio City Music Hall. True to Life, comedy, starring Mary Martin, Franchot Tone, Dick Powell and Victor Moore. The Miracle of Morgan's Creek, com edy, starring Eddie Bracken and Betty Hutton; written and directed by Preston Sturges. For 1943-44, Paramount announced 64 shorts, of which six will be two-reel subjects and the balance single reels. A total of 75 per cent of the program will be in Technicolor. Of the nine series to be released, three are new, including "Little Lulu," "Noveltoons" and "Musical Parade," all of which will be in color. The company's first block of five pictures for the new season was announced Tuesday by Mr. Agnew. They are : "Let's Face It," musical comedy, starring Bob Hope and Betty Hutton ; "True to Life," "Hostages," starring Luise Rainer, Arturo de Cordova, William Bendix and Paul Lukas, with a cast including Katina Paxinou and Oscar Homolka ; "The Good Fellows," comedy-drama, with Helen Walker, James Brown and Cecil Kellaway, and "Tornado," starring Chester Morris and Nancy Kelly. Will Be Eventful Year, Balaban Predicts Predicting that "this year may well be the most important one in our lives" and that^ it may see the end of the war, Barney Balaban, president of Paramount, told the delegates at the company's sales meeting last week that "the war in Europe which started 10 years ago with the invasion of Manchukuo" brought wide economic disaster, "but it gave all of us the opportunity to help rebuild." Next year, he said, will be eventful for Paramount, in that it will see financial independence for the company, with the elimination of all senior securities. "The product in the year to come, I promise you, will top anything we have had this year," the president said. Adolph Zukor, chairman of the board, addressed the delegates, expressing confidence in the company's sales and production organization. B. G. DeSylva, executive producer who came east for the premiere of "For Whom the Bell Tolls," gave highlights of future production plans and predicted that Hollywood would swing to all-out production of escapist pictures. Mr. DeSylva said more than $1,000,000 worth of war stories would be shelved because of the shift in the public's attitude toward war pictures. Y. Frank Freeman, vice-president in charge of the studio, expressed appreciation, in a telegram addressed to the delegates, for their efforts in the past year. Personnel and exchange problems were discussed by C J. Scollard, executive assistant to Mr. Agnew in charge of exchange operations. Other speakers included: Oscar Morgan, general sales manager of short subjects ; Claude Lee, director of public relations ; Robert M. Gillham, advertising and publicity director ; Stanley Shuford, advertising manager ; Alec Moss, exploitation manager ; George Brown, studio publicity manager ; Louis Phillips of the legal department, and J. A. Walsh, assistant to Mr. Agnew in charge of accounting and statistics. Pictures screened for the sales force were : "Let's Face It," "True to Life" and "Mardi Gras," which is a two-reel Technicolor short. Appointment of M. R. (Duke) Clark, Los Angeles branch manager to serve temporarily during the illness of Harry Goldstein as district manager for Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit and Indianapolis, was announced by Mr. Agnew on Tuesday. Mr. Goldstein has been granted a six-month leave of absence. Headquarters of the district are in Cleveland. Chester J. Bell, Denver branch manager, has been promoted to succeed Mr. Clark in the Los Angeles post. Mr. Bell's successor will be announced shortly. With sales to 3,202 independents in the first three weeks, Paramount's salesmen set an alltime record on the sixth Paramount block, Mr. Agnew disclosed Wednesday. Four Pittsburgh Theatres Raise Admission Scale The Harris, Senator, Warner and Ritz theatres in Pittsburgh have raised their admission prices from 30, 40 and 55 cents weekdays to 35, 44 and 60 cents. Sunday rates have been increased from 55 to 60 cents. The top price at the Fulton remains the same, 55 cents. "Canteen" Has $63,000 Gross Day-and-date runs of "Stage Door Canteen" at the Chinese, Loew's State, Carthay and Ritz theatres in Hollywood set a new weekly record of $63,000, it was announced last week by Bruce Fowler, Fox West Coast division manager.