Showmen's Trade Review (Jul-Sep 1945)

8 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW September 1, 1945 Studio Strike Fails to Put Dentjn Backlog of Product The Hollywood studio strike, now in its 2Sth week, has cost producers millions of dollars in filming costs (which eventually will be tacked onto the bills paid for film rentals by exhibitors), but apparently the jurisdictional dispute, which has been worsening steadily since its beginning in mid-March, has had little effect on the general situation as regards product supply, due to a heavy backlog of finished pictures. This condition is emphasized by figures compiled from the production and booking data published by Showmen's Trade Review in its everyweek booking guide service. A first-blush comparison of new pictures started during the period of the strike (up to the current week) shows that there were 63 less new pictures started in 1945 than in the comparable period of the preceding year. This seeming drop, however, becomes a plus rather than a minus sign in the product situation when it is considered that only 6 re-issues appear in the number of pictures released during the current year as against a total of 17 re-issues last year. In 1945 (Jan. 1 to Aug. 31) the 11 companies released 235 features and westerns, while putting into production during that period a total of 229 pictures ; thus showing a margin of 14 less started than released for the period. The figures for 1944 are : released — 263 ; started in production—267 (Jan. 1 to Aug. 31, 1944). Threat of Theatre Picketing This optimistic situation from the product standpoint is not maintained throughout the current strike picture. The spectre hovering in the background of the strike that has driven a wedge between unions with which the industry must make contracts, is the threat of picketing at theatres if not a strike that may someday arise right in the theatre field. Furthermore, there has been a virtual stoppage of the "prerelease" publicity on pictures now in production because of the strike by the Screen Publicists Guild, one of the IS local unions involved in the Hollywood strike which was initiated by Set Designers Local 1421 of the Painters' Union. Basis of the trouble is a jurisdictional dispute between unions, with the lATSE holding firm to its initial stand that the strike by the Conference of Studio Unions headed by Herbert Sorrell was an outlaw move by a union having no jurisdiction so far as the lATSE is concerned. The producers hardest hit by the strike, apparently, are the independents. One outstanding example of how the strike has cost producers lots of money is the stoppage for many weeks of production by David O. Selznick on his picture "Duel in the Sun." That very costly western drama was about midway through its shooting stages when the strike hit like a thunderbolt. The entire production was stopped for weeks while the situation as regarded the Selznick forces was clarified and work could go ahead. INDEX TO DEPARTMENTS Box-Office Slants 22 Current Product Summary 61 Feature Booking Guide 57 Feature Guide Title Index 60 Hollywood 44 Newsreel Synopses 22 Regional Newsreel 29 Selling the Picture 16 Shorts Booking Guide 62 Short Subject Reviews 56 The Show Builder 51 Comparison of productions started and number of pictures released during eight-month period Jan. 1 to Aug. 31, 1945, 1944 and last pre-war year, 1941: 1945 1944 1941 Productions Started 229 267 357 Pictures Released 235 263 339 (Comparison period mid-March, start of cvu:rent strike, to present with same months last year) : Productions started 1944 — 212 Productions started 1945 — 149 Plans Discussed to Make CIE A Single National Organization Plans to make the Conference of Independent Exhibitors a permanent and national organization, which would in effect make the organization the single independent association, were discussed at the Allied and CIE board meeting in Pittsburgh last week. While still in the foetal stage, such a plan would make each independent unit autonomous. A national panel would be elected by having one or two trustees or directors from each unit. Leadership plans were also discussed and it is reported several independent delegates said they favored the employment of a nationally known figure at a large salary. It is not believed that any plans for the promulgation of the idea will be forthcoming until the Los Angeles convention of the Pacific Coast Conference in April, at which time exhibitor units will send delegates. U. S.-French Distribution May Be Settled When De Gaulle Returns A settlement of the controversy over distribution of American films in France may be concluded upon the return to Paris of General Charles De Gaulle. It was reported in New York this week that De Gaulle and his advisors are agreeable to American distributors' minimum demand for the release of 108 U. S. films Der year. The total of 108 is set up on the basis of 12 each for the eight majors and the remaining 12 for the group of independent producers. General De Gaulle is reported to have informed Gov. Carl Milliken of the MPPDA and heads of the foreign departments of the companies who discussed the situation with De Gaulle here, that the terms must be submitted to French producers for approval as well as French Government officials. Both De Gaulle and his economic advisor, M. Alphand, are reported to have told the American representatives that they, in private capacities and not as executives of the French State, approve the agreement in essence. Finestone Leaves for Coast Al Finestone, trade paper contact at the Paramount home office, left for the coast over the weekend where he will work in the publicity department under George Brown. Dowden Speaks on 'Movies at War' Edward C. Dowden of Loew's, chairman of the New York City WAC Public Relations Committee, addressed the Mt. Vernon Kiwanis Club this week on "Movies At War." Present were George Miner of Loew's Theatre, Mt. Vernon; James Grady, district manager, and Saul Handwerger of the publicity department. 20th-Fox Sales Division ! Enlarged; Schlaifer Out Resignation of L. J. Schlaifer as central sales manager of 20th Century-Fox was announced this week by Tom Connors, vice-president in charge of distribution. At the same time, Connors revealed that henceforth four, instead of three, sales managers would function under William J. Kupper, general sales manager. The , four are W. C. Gehring, central and Canadian sales manager ; A. W. Smith, Jr., eastern sales manager ; Herman Wobber, west coast sales manager, and Harry G. Ballance, southern sales manager. Wobber and Ballance were formerly division managers in San Francisco and Atlanta, where they will remain in their new executive posts. Gehring and Smith will continue to work out of the home office, Connors said. Smith's eastern division will embrace New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, D. C, Boston, New Haven, Albany, Buffalo. Gehring's central and Canadian division will ' embrace Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Des Moines, Minneapolis, Omaha, Kansas City, St. Louis, Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, St. John, Vancouver, Winnipeg. Coming under Wobber's west coast division will be San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Denver. Ballance's southern division will include Atlanta, Charlotte, New Orleans, Dallas, Oklahoma City, Memphis. 20th Concludes Regional Sales Meets in Chicago, Des Moines Twentieth Century-Fox this week concluded its third and fourth Victory Year sales meetings this week in Chicago and Des Moines, respectively. Two more meetings are scheduled for Kansas City and San Francisco, the latter on September 7, winding up the sessions. Tom Connors, vice-president in charge of distribution, accompanied by W. C. Gehring, central and Canadian sales manager, and Morris Caplan, branch coordinator, attended both meetings. 'District and branch managers from Chicago, Milwaukee, D'etroit, Buffalo, Cincinnati and Cleveland attended the Chicago meet,; and Des Moines, Minneapolis and Omaha representatives were present at Des Moines. Evergreen to Build in Oregon The Evergreen Theatre Circuit is reported to have contracted for additional houses to be erected in new spots in Oregon. Numerous war service personnel are expected to return to their former jobs in the near future. Belkin Made Warner Salesman Max Belkin, recently discharged from the RCAF after seeing service in Germany and Italy, has been appointed a salesman at the' Warner Calgary branch by Haskell M. Masters, company district manager. Belkin was formerly booker at the exchange. SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW Title and Trade Mark Registered U. S. Patent Offu< Published every Friday by Showmen's Trade Revie* Inc., 1501 Broadway, New York 18, N. Y. TeUphoot BRyant 9-5606. Charles E. "Chick" Lewis, Editor eni Publisher; Tom Kennedy, Associate Editor; Jamei A. Cron, General Manager; Ralph Cokain, ManaKine Editor; Dodd Coster, Equipment Advertising Manager; West Coast Office, 6777 Hollywoed Boulevard. Hollywood 28, California; Telephone Hollywood 20SS. Ann Lewis, manager. London Representative, Milton Deane, 185 Fleet St., London E.C. 4; Australian Representative, Gordon V. Curie, 1 Elliott St., Hom^uih, Sydney, Australia. Member Audit Bureau of Circulations. All contents copyright 1945 by Showmen's Trade Review, Inc. Address all correspondence to the New York office. Subscription rates: $2.00 pec year in Che United States and Canada; Foreign, $5.00. Sinci* copies, ten cents.