Variety (May 1946)

Wednesday, May. 8, 1946 PICTURES 23 Metro Legiters Continued- Iron? page 3 = continue lor some time. Universal bought the Mm rights. • Show Boat" was angeled by M-G lo die extent of 75% ol what was the original estimate of the cost of biingin* it in. Company put up $172,500 for its three-fourths inter- est which it continues to hold des- pite the fact that when costs ex- ceeded the estimate the producers provided the additional coin. Metro iilroiidv owned the film rights to the musical, so it had a double rea- son for its investment. Success of the present revival of the show has maiiv limes increased the value of the 'rights and the company will eventually do a remake. "On The Town" Best Bet Metro's most successful pre-pro- duction deal was "On the Town." It financed the musical to the ex- tent of 22%%, for which it paid about $30,000. Then it arranged for picture rights for $100,000 down, with weekly payments averaging $5,000 as long as the show ran until a ceiling of $250,000 was reached. Company paid the whole $250,000. It got a portion of that money back, of course, in its role of investor in the production. Under DG rules, a 22investment would get. 11 Vt '.J. of the producers 40% of the screen riuhls money. That would be. $11.- 250. On the Town" being a solid hit. M-G got all the approximately $30,- , 000 back it put up to finance the pro- duction, plus profits which will con- tinue for some time. "Day Before Spring" was another which M-G helped finance and to which it bought screen rights prior to production. In the angel depart- ment, it paid $75,000 for a 50% in- terest. Then it gave $100,000 down for pic rights against a ceiling of $250,000. The musical was less than an unqualified success, however, and only ran 21 weeks, during which lime M-G paid 15% of the weekly gross' (as per DG rdles) toward the ceiling. This averaged about $2,500 a White House to Radio City Rewards for 24-Hr. Clab (Red Cross) Winnahs Topped by a meeting with Pres- ident Truman at the White House, members of the 24-Hour Club, com- posed of top collectors in the recent Red Cross Drive, will be rewarded with a full day of activity in Wash- ington tomorrow (Thursday). Club is composed of the exhib and film salesmen leaders in the drive, chosen by committees set up In each of the exchange areas. They will be individually, present- ed to President Truman by Spyros Skouias. national campaign director of the film industry's drive. Club members will then lunch at the Sut- ler with Basil O'Connor, national Red Cross director. Luncheon will be followed by a Potomac cruise to Mt. Vernon on a U. S. destroyer. In the evening, Skouras will host the group at a dinner in the Statler. ■ Group will leave Washington Friday morning to spend its 24 hours in N. Y. Arrangements have been made for a tour of Radio City. week, or a total of approximately $50,000. Show operated at a loss, so there was Ho return on the $75,000 invest- ment. That, plus the coin paid for film rishts (part of which it got back as an investor), means the total cost of the rights amounted to about $190,000. Value of screen privileges lo the show, of course, is an intan- gible and imponderable. However, it's believed M-G could have bought rights to this on the open market for less than the 190G. Metro's fifth venture of the sea- son as "The Rich Full Life," in which it put $25,000 for a half in- terest. Then it paid approximately: $85,000 for screen rights, of which it got back enough to make the net cost $75,000. It also received back $20,000 o( its investment in the pro- duction, making a loss of $5,000. That means, therefore, the total cost of screen rights was between $80,000 and $85,000, including incidentals. ^0&ty\kr got quite a sensatio n Wta aMfoilly asM Information: " IviantM high shoes Ma bag of chews- Axihseaton that there Constehtion . ♦Lockheed Constellations offer greater speed; greater comfort, greater safety than any other transport in service. Regular flights New York-Chicago, New York-Hollywood on TWA. Overseas via Pan American and TWA; Call airline or nearest travel agent. Ask for the CONSTELLATION Picture Grosses S Continued Irom page 12 ss DENVER "Virginian" (Par) (3d wk). Solid $12,500. Last week, big $15,000. Denver (Fox) (2,525; 35-74)— "Gilda" (Col) and "Night Editor" (Col), day-date with Esquire, Web- ber, Socko $21,000. Last week "Dragonwyck" . (20th) and "Gay Blades" (Rep), also Esquire, Web- ber, $20,000. Esquire (Fox) (878; 35-74)— "Gilda" (Col) and "Night Editor" (Col), also Denver. Webber. Fancy $4,000. Last week, "Dragonwyck" (20th) and "Gay Blades" (Rep), also Denver, Webber, big $5,000. Orpheum (RKO) (2,600; 35-74)— "Sailor Takes Wife" (M-G) and "Pillow of Death" (U). Fine $16,000. Last week, "This Day Forward" (RKO) and "Ding Dong Williams" (RKO), ditto. Paramount (Fox) (2,200; 35-74)— "Jesse James" (20th) and "Return Frank James" (20th) (reissues). Nice $11,000. Last week, "Tangier" (U) and "Man in Gray" (U), only $8,000. Rlalto (Fox) (878; 35-74)—"Sev- enth Veil" (U) and "God's Country" (FC), after week at Denver, Esquire, Webber, Aladdin. Good $3,500. Last week, "Saratoga Trunk" (WB) (m. o.), $4,000. Webber (Fox) (750; 35-74)— "Gilda" (Col) and "Night Editor" (Col), also Denver, Esquire. Fine $3,500. Last week, "Dragonwyck" (20th) and "Gay Blades" (Rep), also Denver, Esquire, $4,000. 30-40G MAY BE RAISED VIA TOYS RANCH' PREEM Amarillo, Texas, May 7. James Craig, star of Metro's "Boys Ranch," will attend the world premiere here tomorrow night (8), Story deals with the local sup- ported home.for delinquent and un- derprivileged boys at Tascosa, 24 miles from here. Tickets for the preem are selling from $10 to $1,000, and between $30,000 and $40,000 may be realized for operation of the ranch. The Va- riety Club of Texas has Bought ad- mission tickets at $10 each, for each of the 52 boys living at the ranch. Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, Burbank, California Spring Sloughs Cincy Albeit V Fine 9JG; 'Abilene' Okay at 12G Cincinnati, May 7. Strong holdovers, are helping this week because most new entries are mild. However, "Man in Grey" is giving Keith's a fat round. "So Goes My Love" is fairish, while "Abilene Town" is okay in the larger Albee and Palace, respectively. Gilda" is topping the repeat films with a sock figure. Estimates for This Week Albee (RKO) (3,100; 44-70)^"So Goes My Love" (U). Fairish $12,- 000. Last week. "Gilda" (Col), smash $24,500, and Cincy's best figure in weeks. Capitol (RKO) (2,000; 44-70)— "Ziegfeld Follies" (M-G) (4th wk). Sprightly $7,500 trailing hotsy $8,500 third round. Grand (RKO) (1,430; 44-70)- Gilda" (Col) (m.o.). Sockeroo $12, 000. Holds. Last week, "Wife of Monte Cristo" (PRC) (2d wk), mild $4,500. . Keith's (United) (1.500; 44-70)— "Man in Grey" (U). Big $9,500, war- ranting holdover. Last week, "Ef- fingham's Raid" (20th) and "People Are Funny" (Par), good $G,000. Lyric (RKO) (1,400; 44-70)— "Spider Woman Strikes Back" (U) and "House of Horrors" (U). All right $6,500. Last week, "Little Giant" (U) (m.o.), 4 days, slow $2,- 500. and "Journey Together" (In- die) with "Game of Death" (RKO), last half, so-so $3,500. Palace (RKO) (2.600; 44-70)—"Abi- lene Town" (UA). Okay $12,000. Last week, "Dragonwyck" (20th) (3d wk). big $11,000. Shubcrt (RKO) (2,100; 44-70)— "Dragonwyck" (20th) (m.o.). Third downtown sesh. Pleasing $5,500. Last week, "Waltz Time" (Indie), $4,500. H.0.s, Rain Bop Indpls., But 'Virginian' Hot 16G Indianapolis, May 7. With two extended runs in the deluxers, film biz is somewhat off from its recent pace, here this week. Delayed spring rains also have hurt. But "The Virginian" is a heavy grosser at Indiana to lead town in fine style. "Her Kind of Man" Is about average at the Circle. Estimates for This Week Circle (Katz-Dolle) (2.800: 35-55) —"Her Kind of Man" (WB) and "Smooth As Silk" (U). Oke $10,000. Last week, "Effingham's Raid" (20th) plus Glen Gray orch; Billy Gilbert, others, on stage, nice $16,500 at 55- 70c. scale. Indiana (Katz-Dolle) (3.300; 35-55) —"Virginian" (Par) and "Strange Impersonation" (Rep). Sock $16,000. Last week, "Sentimental Journey" (20th), dandy $13,500. Keith's (Indie) (1.200: 35-65) — "Girls of Big House" (Rep) (reis- sue) plus vaudo on stage. Oke $4,500 on weekend run. Last week, "Behind City Lights" (Rep) plus vaude, $4,- 200, ako weekend date. Loew's (Loew's) (2.450; 35-55) — "Ziegfeld Follies" (M-G) (2d wk). Fairish $9,000 after he(,ty $15,800 first week. Lyric (Katz-Dolle) (1,600; 35-55)— "Sentimental Journey" (20th). Fair $6,000 on moveover. Last week, "Ad- ventures Tom Sawyer" (UA) and "Prisoner of Zcnda" (UA) (reis- sues), $7,500. Mayor of Indianapolis Refuses to Ban 'Outlaw' Indianapolis, May 7. Mayor Robert H. Tyndall an- nounced he has "flatly refused" to ban Howard Hughes production, "The Outlaw," from opening en- gagement at Loew's here May 9. after attending private screening of controversial film. Mayor said he had seen worse films than "The Outlaw" from morals standpoint, but that only thing about it he enjoyed was the western scenery. Rt. Rev. Msgr. Henry E. Dugan, chancellor of the Archdiocese of In- dianapolis, wrote letters to Tyndall and Governor Ralph F. Gates re- questing that film not be shown "in the interest of public decency and due regard for our juvenile popula- tion who, no doubt, will be among the patrons of the film." : - Erbb's Joining Vanguard Realigns Par's Sales Territorial Divisions William Erbb, who leaves a divi- sion sales managership for Para- mount this Friday (10), joins Van- guard on or about June 1 in charge of the supervision of sales for this company in Great Britain, South Africa and Australia. He will head- quarter in London. Post marks his first in sales outside of the domestic market. With Paramount 23 years, mostly in New England, Erbb was brought into the homeoffice in June 1944 in charge of the northeastern branch zones. He had formerly for some years been district manager over New England with headquarters in Boston. Successor to Erbb in the Par h.o. will be Earle Sweigart, with Par since 1917 and the last few years district manager out of Philadelphia over that territory as well as Wash- ington ' and Pittsburgh areas. For many previous years he was branch manager in Philadelphia. Coincident with the change in di- vision- managers, of which Par has four, Charles M. Reagan, distribu- tion v.p., has reshaped the northeast- ern and southern divisions, while the central and western territories will remain the same under J. J. Donohue and George A. Smith, respectively, except that Donohue is relieved of three mid-eastern terri- tories. 6633 SUNSET BLVD. HOLLYWOOD. CALIPOINI* TEUTHOMI HIUSIM