Showmen's Trade Review (Jul-Sep 1942)

6 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW July 11, 1942 Goefz Renews Contract William Goetz has signed a new 10-year contract to act as vice-president in charge of studio operations of 20th Century-Fox, it was announced last week-end by Spyros Skouras, president. The new contract signed by Goetz will run concurrently with that of Col. Darryl F. Zanuck, vice-president in charge of production, it was reported. Goetz and Zanuck have been associated since the formation of 20th Century Pictures, which later was merged with Fox Film to form the present 20th Century-Fox corporation. PRC Regional Meetings To Open in New York Arthur Greenblatt, vice-president in charge of sales for Producers Releasing Corp., will preside at a series of regional sales meetings of the company beginning next week. The first meeting will be held in New York, with subsequent gatherings in Chicago (July 25-26) ; Cleveland (Aug. 1-2); Atlanta (Aug. 8-9); Dallas (Aug. 15-16) ; San Francisco (Aug. 22-23). Attending the New York meeting will be: Lt. Commander Bert Kulick, Sidney Kulick, Larry Kulick, New York ; Harry Asher, Harry Goldman, Sam Levine, Max Farber, New Haven ; Harry Gibbs, Boston ; Herbert Given, ■Ralph Unkes, Philadelphia ; Sam Milberg, Bernard Mills, Albany ; Jack Berkson, Harry Berman, Michael Wolfish, Buf¥alo ; George Gill, W. P. Smith, Barry Goldman, Washington. Charter for Publicists' Guild President Lewis Merrill of the United Office and Professional Workers of America presented a charter Thursday to the Screen Publicists' Guild of New York, making the union officially an affiliate of the CIO. Ullman Elected RKO Pathe News President N. Peter Rathvon, president of RKO Corp., was elected chairman of the board of RKOPathe News, and Frederic Ullman, Jr., vicepresident since 1941, was elected president of the nevvsreel subsidiary of RKO, at a meeting of the corporation's board of directors last Monday. Both posts previously had been held by George J. Schaefer, resigned. Ullman has been associated with Pathe News for the past 1 1 years, five of them as the company's vice-president. At the same meeting, Walton C. Ament, who joined Pathe News in 1937, becoming its news editor in 1939 and editor in 1940, was elected vice-president of Pathe News, Inc., and witli Gordon E. Youngman was also elected a director of the corporation. Kalmenson, Bernhard, Blumenstock Address W. B. District Managers Warner Bros, district managers attended a two-day conference in New York Thursday and Friday of this week. Ben Kalmenson, general sales manager, presided at the sessions, which heard addresses by Joseph Bernhard, vicepresident and general manager, and an outline of publicity plans by Mort Blumenstock, in charge of advertising and publicity in the East. Other home office executives who took part in the meetings were : Norman H. Moray, Roy Haines, Arthur Sachson and A. W. Schwalberg. District managers who attended the meet were : Wolfe Cohen, Toronto ; Henry Herhel, Los Angeles ; Ralph L. McCoy, Atlanta ; Robert Smeltzer, Washington, William Shartin, Chicago; Norman Ayers, Boston; Hall Walsh, St. Louis ; Harry Sett, Pittsburgh ; Sam Lefkowitz, New York. $250,000 for the Army Boys Major Albert Warner turns over to Major General Irving J. Phillipson, U. S. Army, Warner Bros.' check for $250,000 as first installment of the Army Emergency Relief Fund's share of the profits from the film version of 'This Is the Army," Irving Berlin's all-soldier review, screen rights to which Warners acquired last week-end. In the center is Mr. Berlin, who will supervise the adaptation of the show to the screen. Production of the screen version of 'This Is the Army" will commence shortly following the limited run of the stage show — which on its opening night established itself as the outstanding current hit on Broadway. Preview of Kern Score Sets Musical Precedent Setting a new precedent in connection with music composed for a motion picture show, the Jerome Kern score for Columbia's "You Were Never Lovelier" will be presented to the public via radio three months in advance of release of the picture, in which Rita Hayworth and Fred Astaire will be starred. The Kern music will be included on Andre Kostelanetz's program this Sunday. Astaire and Miss Hayworth will be heard on the program. Two days later Xavier Cugat's orchestra will play the picture score at a special, preview for the music trade at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York. U. A. Distributing "Kukan" United Artists will distribute "Kukan," Rey Scott's documentary filmed in color and dramatizing China's war on the Japanese invader. The producer traveled more than 10,000 miles throughout the interior of China in making the scenes presented in the picture. The NewYork opening will be at the Central Theatre, July 18. Neeley To Run For Senate Matthew M. Neeley, who vacated his U. S. Senate seat last year, announces that he will again seek the West Virginia nomination at the coming Democratic Primary. Neeley authored the blind selling and block booking iiill during his many terms as senate solon. Columbia Dividend Declared The Board of Directors of Columbia Pictures Corporation at a meeting June 30 declared a quarterly dividend of $.68^ per share on the $2.75 Convertible Preferred Stock of the company, payable August 15, 1942, to stockholders of record, August 1, 1942. Harrison District Manager Edward Harrison, formerly manager of the Court Square Theatre, Springfield, Mass., has been appointed district manager of the E. H Loew circuit for the district embracing Springfield, Worcester and North Adams, Mass., and Hartford, Conn. NOTABLES TURN OUT FOR NEW YORK PREMIERE The New York premiere of Walter Wanger's "Eagle Squadron" attracted diplomats, military notables and prominent industry people. At top, Walter Wanger's donation check of $10,000 to the RAF Benevolent Fund is presented to British Consul General, the Hon. Godfrey Haggard, by Col. Melvin E. Gillett, S.C. At left is Flying Officer John Hill of the Eagle Squadron, and at right, Charles Prutzman, vice-president of Universal. Left above. Sir Samuel and Lady Salvage of the British Embassy. Center, William A. Scully, vicepresident and general sales manager of Universal and Mrs. Scully. Right, Maurice Bergman, Eastern advertising manager, Jim Jordan and William J. Heinman, assistant general sales manager, of Universal.