The Film Daily (1938)

DAILY Tuesday, August 2, 193? BIZ DRIVE MEETS SET IN MIDWESTERN CITIES (Continued from Page 1) press conference, made formal announcement that virtually all of the important assignments in connection with the campaign's preparation are completed, Howard Dietz, promotion chairman having delegated to the task of compiling the press book to his co-committeemen Monroe Greenthal, who will be in charge of the volume's exploitation section, and S. Barret McCormick the publicity section, while Dietz himself, serving as ex-officio on all committees will take over the responsibility of fashioning the advertising section of the press book. Al Wilkie has accepted the appointment to take charge of all phases of motion picture stills for the drive, and also to head the committee which is to place promotion in monthly and weekly magazines. A committee of circuit promotion heads is also on the way to completion, comprising its chairman, Oscar H. Doob, and Harry Goldberg and John Dowd, together with a number of indie circuits' publicity chieftains who have been invited by letter to serve. Initial list of subscribers to the campaign fund among the indie theater circuit operators totals 33, with the group representing 744 houses whose seating capacity is approximately 750,000. They are: S. J. Switow, 13 theaters; Elmore Heins, 4; John Danz, 28; Ed Dubinsky, 12; A. P. Archer, 7; W. S. Wilder, 6; Lewen Pizor, 9; J. M. Seider, 31; Edwin Silverman, 27; Arthur Schoenstadt. 16; Jack Kirsch, Villa Theater, Chicago, 1; Van Nomikos, 10; M. Manos, 8; Rinzler & Frisch, 44; John Harris, 9; R. E. and L. C. Griffith, 166; S. H. Fabian, 23; George Skouras, 64; Walter Vincent, 19; C. A. Schultz, 28; J. Von Herberg, 4; Sam Dembow (F & M), 12; Ben Amsterdam, 9; Alex Manta, 27; L. F. Gran, 11; H. B. Robb, 91; Fred Wehrenberg, 5; M. B. Horwitz, 6; Sidney Lust, 8; Nathan Yamins, 5; D. J. Chatkin, 10; Glen W. Dickenson, 24, and A. R. Boyd, 7. Seven ad agencies, serving film distribs, namely the Biow Co., Inc.; Blaine-Thompson; Buchanan & Co.; Donahue & Coe; J. Walter Thompson; Lord & Thomas, and KaytonSpiero Co., have combined their contribution to the large industry campaign which will be placed this Autumn. Donahue & Coe has been WIS Pace Is Fastest West Coast Bur., THE FILM DAILY Burbank — Production at Warners reaches a new high of the year this week when two more pictures go before the cameras, bringing the total to 10 films actually in work. "Dawn Patrol," with Errol Flynn, starts rolling Friday and "Going Places," the new Dick Powell picture, swings info action Wednesday. 24 x 20 Inch Tele. Image on Home Sets London (By Cable) — Scophony plans to show at Radiolympia, which opens Aug. 24, a home television set with a receiver giving pictures 24 by 20 inches in size. Other companies are reported at work on enlargement of pictures which can be shown on their home sets. Conn. MPTO Golf Tourney Draws From Three States New Haven — From New York, Massachusetts and all parts of Connecticut exhibitors, distribs and representatives of allied industries have sent in reservations for the third annual Connecticut MPTO golf tournament to be held at Racebrook Country Club today. Irving C. Jacocks, Jr., chairman, has announced a nine-holf qualifying round to start at 10 a.m., with luncheon at the club house. The afternoon will include the 18-hole tournament, as well as putting and driving contests for nongolfers, followed by dinner, entertainment and awarding of more than 25 valuable prizes, including silver trays, crystal decanters, radios, clocks, cups, golf equipment and other items. Among the New Yorkers to be present are William A. Scully of Universal, Col. Jack Alicoate of The Film Daily, Louis Astor of Columbia, and Edward McEvoy, of RKOA large Boston contingent will include Al Kane, Paramount, Maurice N. Wolfe and Jack Byrne, Metro, I. H. Rogovin, Columbia, E. X. Callahan, 20th-Fox, Joe Cohen, of the Pouzzner circuit, Hy Fine, and Phil Selesky, of M & P Theaters, E. C. Callahan, of Columbia, Chester Grenier, printer. Nathan Yamins, of Fall River, Allied prexy, and Donald Jacocks, Warner New Jersey zone manager will also attend. selected to handle all advertising details and the placement of copy. Well-informed industry sources expressed the view yesterday that a formal invitation will be dispatched to the various better films councils throughout the country seeking their co-operation in making the drive thoroughly successful. These groups, it is hoped, will put speakers into various public places on behalf of the drive, and materially assist by carrying the campaign's messages into the schools. Booklets, outlining the terms of the Movie Quiz contest, are expected; it is said, to greatly exceed the 25,000,000 estimate, and plans are currently being formulated to issue 100,000,000 during the phases of the contest. Star P.A.'s for Film Biz Drive Has Been Discarded West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — The plan to send out a trainload of stars to make personal appearances for "The Movies Are Your Best Entertainment" campaign has been discarded by the Coast branch of the committee. Impossibility of working out a schedule of free time of well known players was the stumbling block. Gary Suit Quiz Touches All Distribution Phases (Continued from Page 1) affiliated circuits in connection with the anti-trust suit brought by the Palace Theater in Gary. The defendants must file their answers by Aug. 9. Prepared by the law firms of David & Fainman of Chicago and Gavit, Hall, Smith & Gavit of Gary, the interrogatories appear to delve into the entire system of distribution. Among the questions asked are: Do the defendants, with the exception of Balaban & Katz and Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp., control the production and distribution of not less than 85 p.c. of all feature length motion picture films exhibited and available for exhibition in the U. S. A.? If said defendants do not control the production and distribution of not less than 85 p.c. of the motion picture films referred to, what percentage thereof do they thus control? What, if any, first-run motion picture theaters in the Chicago loop are not operated by Balaban & Katz Corp.? How many, if any, of the shares of common capital stock of Balaban & Katz Corp. is owned by Paramount Pictures, Inc.? Are all motion pictures exhibited by plaintiff in the Palace Theater in Gary obtained from one or more of the defendants to this action, excepting only B & K and Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp.? Do the producing and distributing defendants maintain with respect to the exhibition of their product in the Palace Theater, Gary, any clearance or protection policy? Do the producing and distributing defendants refuse to permit the exhibition of their product in the Palace Theater in Gary except upon the basis of a clearance in favor of Chicago loop theaters and Chicago "A" theaters over the Palace Theater ? What, if any, damage does plaintiff suffer by reason of the enforcement against its Palace Theater, Gary, of clearances in favor of Chicago loop theaters and Chicago "A" theaters ? Chicago — RKO Radio Pictures, Inc., was served yesterday in the Gary Theater Co. suit, completing the court service on all defendants. Company has until Aug. 20 to file its answer. Orlando's New Alliance Joe Orlando is now associated with Walter Guaipe, representing Motion Picture Talent. SECOND BID FOR GN EXPECTED ON COAST (Continued from Page 1) published reports that any optio had been granted to Hammons t buy GN outright. They stated-' ha, the proposed deal called t^.straight merger. E. W. Hammons yesterday als denied Coast reports that he ha1 been given an option to buy Gran National, pointing out that truj tees have no power to grant options Hammons said that he had not dit cussed the deal with anybody excer parties directly concerned, addin that a number of reports printe elsewhere had been speculative an' largely inaccurate. "We are trying to work out : proposal that will be beneficial an acceptable to the trustees, court an creditors," Hammons said. "Asic from that I have nothing to say ui til the deal is completed." Asked about the report that oth interests were seeking Grand N< tional, Hammons said that a nu ber of parties have made proposal " Say Lloyd to Star Fields The Pickwick Papers in (Continued from Page 1) will produce. The picture will £ into production in the late Fall : General Service Studio. Releasing arrangements are now being workt out by Lloyd. Lloyd, entraining for the Coa last night, was non-committal whe asked to elaborate upon the reportq tie-up with Fields. It was state ; however, that no new deal had bet made with Paramount. "Too hot in New York to ta] business; going back to Holly woe to cool off and decide what's what> was the Lloyd attitude. Resort Likes "Crowd Roars^ Best biz in two years, topped onby "Saratoga," was recorded \ "The Crowd Roars" when it open*5 last week-end at the Apollo Th ater, Atlantic City, M-G-M report yesterday. The picture, starrii Robert Taylor, will follow "Lo: Finds Andy Hardy" into the Capit on Thursday. Production Is Off West Coast Bur., THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Production has shown a drop and only 38 pictures are now before Hollywood cameras. Warner Bros, are shooting eight; M-G-M, six; 20th Century-Fox, five; Paramount and Rl£0, four each; Universal is making three and Columbia two. Goldwyn, Roach, Republic, Darmour, Fine Arts and Grand National, one each.