Paramount Around the World (1931)

Published in the interests of Paramounteers in every part of the globe; designed to reflect their aims, efforts and sentiments: and with its contents, of course, strictly confidential! Editorial Council Editorial Staff J. H. Seidelman George Weltner 0. R. Geyer Charles Gartner John B. Nathan Jose Cunha J. L. de Betancourt Samuel Cohen, Editor J. Ventura Sureda {Spanish) Arthur Coelho (Portuguese) N. Vandensteen (Dutch) Gertrud Wiethake (German ) Luigi Luraschi (Italian) F. J. Merckx (French) Vol. 4 JANUARY, 1931 No. 1 “Happy Ending ITH this issue we ring down the curtain on the 1930 “Studio-Sponsored” Contest — the most dramatic chapter in the history of the Foreign Legion. The hnal hgures, given on another page, emphasize how magnificently you legionnaires rose to the business emergencies of the last twelve months and how successfully you weathered the major crisis of a worldwide economic depression. If your showing had been merely good, it would still have deserved generous applause, considering that it was a year of extraordinary stress and strain. But when the figures indicate that, despite the unfavorable conditions and terrific odds, you established a brand new record in dollars-and-cents revenue, your achievement is little short of miraculous. In the light of your unparalleled performance, the moral of 1930 is this : Nothing neither hard times nor slumps in exchange, neither disastrous earthquakes nor political revolutions, neither governmental barriers nor unfair legislation, neither stupid censorship nor restrictive contingents nothing, I repeat, can dampen the wholesouled enthusiasm nr destroy the fighting spirit of the Foreign Legion! It is heartening to your executives to know that every member of our far-flung organization keenly realizes ' his obligations and responsibilities to our company. d'he comforting knowledge that the Foreign Legion can be depended upon to deliver, regardless of what obstacles stand in its way, gives them the courage to initiate policies for expansion and development, and to invest millions and millions of dollars in pictures and studios and theatres, to the end that Paramount may continue to maintain its leadership in the industry. I want you to know that I am proud of each and everv one of you, and I also want you to know there is no doubt in mv mind that you will use your achievements of 1930 as a foundation on which to build bigger and better records during 1931 ! MR. SEIDELMAN OFF TO “HALL OF FAME” Mr. t. h. seidfxman is scheduled to sail for Euro])C on January 30. for im|iurtant conferences with foreign iiroduction and distriliution executi\es on the Continent regarding the n e w year's line-uii of jiroduct. He will lake with him two “Hall of Fame” pins, which he will personally present to John C. Graham in London and Cav. .Vrrigo Bocchi in Rome, as tangible EUROPE— WILL PRESENT PINS PERSONALLY emblems of their membership in the Eoreign Legion’s honorary society. The pin is made X of 14 karat gold and, as the illustration shows, is octagonal in shai)e. On the obverse side is the w'ording, iMember Foreign Legion “Hall of Fame,” with a I’ara: mount trademark and the lettering. Paramount Pictures, in the center. The reverse side carries the name of the member and the year of his election. A Banner Year! 1 NTO the life of nearly every organization there comes ^ a peak year in which its natural ability, resources and manpower are keyed to a perfect pitch. Ambition surges through its system. The outlook is bright with promise. And it starts out to scale the heights and succeeds in putting all past performances in the shade. We, in Paramount, firmly believe that 1931 will be such a year for our company — that the coming twelve months will usher in a new and shining era of prosperity. That is why we are hailing it as our “Banner Year.” YTen I say we, I mean every executive at Home (Jtfice, from the president on down. Mr. Zukor believes it, and has publicly announced that Paramount in 1931 will spend more than $25, 000, 000 on the production of the greatest program of pictures in the history of this business. Mr. Lasky believes it, and is right now personally supervising the biggest and most ambitious studio drive in the annals of our company. xMr. Kent believes it, and has launched a spirited contest in our domestic sales department that has all the ear-marks of a record-hreaker. Mr. Katz believes it, and as a result, the entire energy of our theatre circuit’s manpower is concentrated on getting the greatest possible grosses out of every picture through intensive and aggressive merchandising and showmanship. My reasons for believing it are three in number. First, my supreme faith in the Foreign Legion manpower. Second, a deep-seated conviction that business conditions will be distinctly more favorable this year. Third, the knowledge that the product we have to sell is more suitable for foreign audiences because our production department is now following the “silent” formula in making talking pictures, that is to say, more action and less dialogue. With these American-made pictures plus superimposed titles as the backbone of our program,reinforced by a strong, quality lineup of foreign language films, the Foreign Legion may confidently look forward to ^ a positive “Banner Year.” Cp