Showmen's Trade Review (Jul-Sep 1945)

September 1, 1945 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW 9 MGM's 19-Point Sales Policy Is Meant for Customers, Salesmen .MGM's 19-poiiit sales policy was not proposed by tlie company as a formula for the industry and was made only so that the company's exhibitor customers might know clearly how MGM Ijroposes to conduct its business and to make certain that the points are understood thoroughly by the company's sales force, William F. Rodgers, vice-president and general sales manager, declared this week. Criticism has been attached to trade paper statements at the Allied meeting last week that 28 exhibitor groups including Allied, had written Rodgers and endorsed the policies. Allied directors said in Pittsburgh that they believed the 19-poin't program had good and bad parts and under the circumstances could not endorse it completely, officially or otherwise. Rodgers' statement was made to clear up the misunderstanding and emphasize that the program was for the covenience of his customers and salesmen alone, and not intended as an industry yardstick. Cuba's Exhibitors Hard Hit by Edict Forcing Flesh Shows A move by approximately 200 stage actors, vaudeville performers, musicians and stage hands has just about succeeded in putting 460 Cuban motion picture theatres out of business, according to Ramon Garcia, Universal's Cuban general manager, who arrived in New York this week. Garcia referred to a decree by Cuba's President Grau San Martin, directing all first-run theatres to play stage acts every day and all subsequent runs to play them a ininimum of 10 days each month. Over 45 exhibitors were jailed when Cuban theatres shut down several weeks ago in protest, Garcia said. Film theatres are forced to pay about 25 per cent of the gross for the vaudeville which does not draw, and appro.ximately 40 per cent additional in film rental, leaving the exhibitor in the red. An appeal, calling the decree unconstitutional, will come before the Cuban Supreme Court in about six months and in the interim exhibitors have agreed to play ball the Government's way for 60 to 90 days and show they are operating in the red. It is hoped the decree will be withdrawn voluntarily, since the Government will lose money under the present setup of taxing jjrofits on theatres. Universal to Build 10 New Stages Universal Studios will construct 10 new sound stages at an initial outlay of $2 million to meet stepped up production requirements, it has been announced by W. A. Scully, vice-president and general sales manager. In addition, an administration building, bungalows and exchange buildings throughout the country will also be built. Chicago construction of an exchange building will start soon. July Admission Taxes $33,332,578 Total admission tax collections in the United States for the month of July were $33,332,578, an increase of $1,988,849 over the same period in 1944, statistics released by the Bureau of Internal Revenue of the Treasury Department reveals. In New York, July collections totaled $4,236,632 against $4,057,120 in July, 1944. Praises Paramount Short Contract Ed Kuykendall, president of the MPTOA, has sent c®ngratulations to .A.ustin Keough and Charles Reagan, Paramount legal head and sales manager respectively, on the decision to ofifer an understandable and shorter contract form to exhibitors. Kuykendall termed the step a "progressive and constructive development in our industry." Paramount Adopts Simplified Contract Paramount has adopted a short and simplified form of feature exhibition contract starting immediately, it has been announced by Charles M. Reagan, vice-president and general sales manager. The new form, only 11 inches in length, was devised by Austin C. Keough, vice-president and general counsel. It is in larger and more readable type and is contained on one letter-size sheet of paper with not more than five features listed on each contract. Reagan declared that "theatre owners for years have complained about the length and involved phraseology of contracts and have long sought a substitute more acceptable to the layman. We are glad to respond with this streamlined form of agreement which covers the deal in the simplest language and with implied confidence in the good faith of both parties." A shorter and more simplified form of contract for short subjects and newsreels also has been adopted. 55 Features, 7 Westerns, 4 Serials and 162 Shorts Set by Universal for 1945-46 Fifty company-made features and seven westerns, plus five specials from outside producers, including Walter Wanger, Diana Productions (Fritz Lang, Wanger, Joan Bennett), and J. H. Skirball-Bruce Manning Productions, will comprise Universal's feature picture output for the 1945-46 season, it was announced this week by W. A. Scully, vice-president and general sales manager. The first picture to be produced by Mark Hellinger, who recently brought his unit to Universal, will be announced shortly, Scully said. Universal's short subject lineup for the new season comprises four serials, 42 one-reelers, 15 two-reelers and 104 issues of Universal News (see page 51 for details). The company's own product includes two Deanna Durbins, two Abbott & Costello comedies two Yvonne de Carlo films in Technicolor, one Maria Montez, four Showmen Exploitation Specials, one Joan Davis comedy and three Sherlock Holmes mysteries, m addition to other features described as topical subjects aimed at the trends of the times and to meet current box-office demands. Two of the five specials from outside producers will be Technicolor productions from the Wanger unit. The first, "Night in Paradise, stars Merle Oberon and Turban Bey with Arthur Lubin directing, while the second, "Canyon Passage," adapted from Ernest Haycox's Saturday Evening Post story, will feature Dana Andrews, Brian Donlevy, Susan Hayward, Patricia Roc, Andy Devine and Hoagy Carmichael under Jacques Tourneur's direction. Diana Productions will make "Scarlet Street," produced and directed by Fritz Lang, and starring Edward G. Robinson and Joan Bennett with Dan Duryea. Skirball-Manning will contribute two features. The first, "Genius in the Family," an adaptation of the book by Hiram Percy Maxim, will star Myrna Loy and Don Ameche, with Frank Ryan directing. The second, an original by Bruce Manning, will co-star Claudette Colbert and Don Ameche. Leading the company-made product are tvvo Deanna Durbin pictures to be produced by Felix V Budget Up $10 Million Universal will increase its production budget $10 million for 1945-46, it has been announced by W. A. Scully, vicepresident and general sales manager, at the last regional sales meeting this week in New York. "We definitely feel the next few years will see the maintenance of high theatre attendance and that a good share of the entertainment dollar will go into motion picture box-offices," Scully said. Jackson. In the first, "Because of Him," she co-stars with Charles Laughton and Franchot Tone, with Richard Wallace directing. In the second, "Letters of an Unknown Woman," she will co-star with a top-ranking male star. "Boy Wonder," adapted from a screenplay by Bruce Manning, and "Buck Privates Come Home" comprise the two Abbott & Costello comedies. William A. Seiter will direct the latter. The two Yvonne De Carlo Technicolor films will be "Frontier Gal" and "Heat Wave." Charles Lamont will direct the former for writer-producers Michael Fessier and Ernest Pagano, with Howard Benedict as executive producer, while the latter will be written and directed by Walter Reisch, with Edward Kaufifman producing. "Tangier" will present Maria Montez in her first modern screen role. The George Waggner production will be produced by Paul Malvern « and directed by Waggner, with Joe Gershenson as executive producer. "As It Was Before," adapted from the Luigi Pirandello play, stars Merle Oberon, Claude Rains and Charles Korvin, with William Dieterle and Howard Benedict as director and producer, respectively. "Time Out of Mind," from the novel by Rachel Field, will be produced by Jane Murfin. No cast has yet been assigned. "Shady Lady," already completed, co-stars Charles Coburn, Ginny Simms and Robert Paige. George Waggner produced and directed, with Joe Gershenson as executive producer. "The Daltons Ride Again," sequel to "When the Daltons Rode," will star Alan Curtis, Martha O'Driscoll, Lon Chaney, Kent Taylor and others under the direction of Ray Taylor. "Men in Her Diary" has Peggy Ryan costarred with Jon Hall and Louise Allbritton. Charles Barton produced and directed, with Howard Welsch as executive producer. Four Showman Exploitation Specials, for which the studio and sales department will set up a special exploitation department, include "House of Dracula," starring Boris Karloff, with Erie Kenton directing for Producer Paul Malvern; "Brute Man," introducing a new character, with Ben Pivar as executive producer ; "Bad Sister" and "Flame of the Klondike." Three Sherlock Holmes features scheduled include "The Fugitive," "Prelude to Murder" and "Terror by Night." Starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, the subjects will be produced and directed by Roy William Neill. Also scheduled are "Hero Wanted," costarring Jack Oakie, Peggy Ryan and Ann Blyth, and a Joan Davis comedy titled "That's My Baby." Wallace Fox will produce and direct seven westerns starring Kirby Grant and featuring Fuzzy Knight.