Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1947)

MGM Promotes Five at Meeting MGM's five-day sales convention at the Hotel Astor in New York ended last Sunday with the announcement by William F. Rodgers, vice-president and distribution head, of four new appointments in the field, and one home office promotion. Named short subject sales manager was William B. Zoellner, who will continue as head of the company's reprint and foreign importation division. In his new assignment, Mr. Zoellner will take over duties formerly handled by E. W. Aaron, assistant sales manager. The other promotions involve Herman Ripps, district manager in Albany, named field assistant to John P. Byrne, eastern sales manager; Ralph W. Maw, Indianapolis district manager, field assistant to Burtus Bishop, Jr., midwestern sales manager ; John S. Allen, district manager in Washington, named assistant to Rudy Berger, southern sales manager; and Frank C. Hensler, Detroit district head, who will assist John J. Maloney, central sales manager. Kansas City has been added to Mr. Maloney's territory. Friday, Howard Dietz, vice-president and director of advertising, publicity and exploitation, pointed out the importance of his department's activities in getting people to attend theatres. He said MGM was using ex clusive spot announcements on 90 radio stations in 45 cities, with direct and cooperative advertising and teasers appearing in newspapers in 60 cities. MGM has 30 pictures in various stages of work or near completion and production at the Elstree studios in England will be started this autumn, he said. Silas F. Seadler, advertising director, discussed a number of pictures. William R. Ferguson, exploitation director, and Herbert Crooker, publicity manager, also addressed the convention. Other speakers included Ernest Emerling, advertising head for Loew theatres; Frank Walker and W. W. Early, general manager and sales manager for MGM records; H. M. Richey, head of exhibitor relations ; Fred C. Quimby, short subjects production chief; Charles O'Brien, of the personnel division ; Charles K. Stern, Loew's assistant treasurer ; Jay A. Gove ; M. L. Simons, and others. Paramount Opening Branch In Jacksonville, Fla. Paramount will reestablish its branch office in Jacksonville, Fla., June 1 and has pointed Al Duren, the company's Atlanta sales manager, as manager. Paramount has been operating a shipping station in Jacksonville since 1939. Prior to that it had a branch office there. William Holliday, Charlotte salesman will succeed Mr. Duren in Atlanta, while Lawrence Terrell, booking manager in Charlotte, will replace Mr. Holliday. Joe L. Cutrell, Charlotte booker, will succeed Mr. Terrell. Loew's 28Week Net $8,596,779 Net income of Loew's, Incorporated, and subsidiaries for the 28-week period ending March 13, 1947, was $8,596,779 after depreciation, taxes and other deductions, Charles C. Moskowitz, Loew vice-president and treasurer, announced this week. This figure is only slightly lower than the total earned for the same period in 1946, which amounted to $8,952,056. The 28-week figures are subject to yearend audit and equivalent to $1.67 per share of common stock as against $1.76 per share a year ago. Operating profit, including wholly and partly owned subsidiaries, after subsidiaries' preferred dividends, for the 28 weeks was $18,236,730 as against $20,282,403 for the same period in 1946. Gross sales and operating revenues for the 16 weeks ending March 13, 1947 were estimated at $56,655,000. Warners Set Dividend Warner Brother Pictures had declared a quarterly dividend of 37^ cents per share on its common stock, payable July 3, 1947, to stockholders of record June 6, 1947. The board has authorized the purchase by the company of shares of its common stock on the New York Stock Exchange.