The Daily Alaska empire., 1938-06-09
OLD SUCCESSES
 !. ON SCREEN ARE BEING REVIVED
Film Companies Are Bring ing Back Hits of
 FormerDays
By ROBBIN COONS

HOLLYWOOD, Cal, June 9.-The average pictures life on the screen is finished in a year or less. The exceptional picture can expect a small taste of something like im- mortality.
 Currently on the screens of the nation are 20-odd pictures that did well enough on first release to warrant a second life. Some others, however, are going forth in an eff fort to make up for what they failed to do on first showings.
 Product shortage, result of Hol- lywood's recent production calm, is not entirely responsible for the re- vivals, although a contributing fac- tor. The main reason is the confi- dence that the fans will welcome back their old movie friends.
 Tt Happened One Night" 1934's prize winning picture, is probably the most popular revival. New prints have been issued, one IS playing in a first-run Broadway house, and in at least dozen thea ters of the Southern California area Tt Happened One Night IS drawing patrons. To date this IS Columbia's most profitable film The same studio is re-issuing "A Mans Castle"-on the strength of Spencer Tracy's victory in the academy awards, plus Loretta Young's growing popularity.
 Some New Old ones
 "One Way Passage" was sue cessfully revived by Warner Bros. but this studio has no current re- issues on the screens. unless in isolated spots. United Artists is profiting on new showings of 'The Count of Monte Cristo"-here they even e-previewed it!-and will revive q Cover the Waterfront Metros new "old ones" include David Copperfield, Treasure Is- land" and Viva Villa" with 'Mutiny on the Bounty" and Cap tains Courageous in prospect Paramount has Lives of Bengal Lancer" "A Farewell to Arms" and "Ruggles of Red Gap and Univer- sal has put forth 'Frankenstein, v Love Before Breakfast 'Dracula' and Lady Tubbs." Twentieth Gen. tury- Fox's only reissues are the perennially popular Will Rogers films. two a year. RKO has frequent exhibitor calls for King Kong Little Women" and "The Inform er," but the reissues are not yet on a national basis. Katharine Hep burns early film, 'Spitfire, is being shown in some spots with Bob Burns featured He played a minor role in the picture.
 The Case of 'Ben-Hur'
 Frequently a picture has to be revived to come "out of the red. . Most notable recent example was "The Informer," a money-loser un- til the academy award and subse- quent reyivals put it in the black. Paramount may revive Make Way for Tomorrow, which lost money but was building in popularity when withdrawn.
 Perhaps the most notable in- stance of a long uphill struggle at the box-office was "Ben-Hur." Ire mendously popular when released in 1926, the film had to clear its origin al cost of nearly $4,000,000. Through continuous showings ere and abroad, through release in 1881, "Ben-Hur" not only left the red but is now on the credit side of the Metro ledger. "Hell's Angels had a similar experience, cleared out more quickly.
 Longest lived feature, however. is still "The Birth of a Nation. v Made in 1914, it has played continu- ously-somewhere in the world ever since. Synchronized for sound and music, it was re-released in 1850 with some success.
 Most exhibitors seem to welcome revivals-especially if they can choose between a one-time hit and a new feature of uncertain quality and many make re-showings a regular practice. With a revival, at least, they know what they're sell ing and how the public has bought it before.