The Film Daily (1935)

THE ■3W1 DAILV Wednesday, Dec. 11,1935 ST. LOUIS EQUITY SUIT MAY START JAN. 27 (Continued from Page 1) Molyneau of Minneapolis was agreed upon as the new judge to preside at the trial. President Judge Kimbrough Stone of the U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals has not yet issued the order for Judge Molyneau's appointment, but presumably will do so immediately. Carolina Comment Charlotte, N. C— United Artists exchange, managed by S. A. Rhors, has enlarged its quarters to take in the entire lower floor in the Ross Building. The Strand theater at Canton has been purchased by J. E. Massie from Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Sherrill. Massie operates another theater in Wanesville. Jesters' Club will stage its party for underprivileged children at the Broadway Theater on Dec. 23. The Varmville theater at Varmville, S. C, has been opened by Eugene Mills. Kings Mountain has the new Dixie theater in operation now. It was finished at an approximate cost of $35,000, being financed by the W. L. Plonk estate. C. E. and D. E. Cash will have complete charge of the house. Cross-Exam'd in Pittsburgh Suit Pittsburgh — Cross-examination of plaintiff Sam Friedman by Ed Rafferty, defense attorney, in the antitrust case against all major distributors here excepting Paramount, was the principal event in the second days' afternoon session yesterday in the U. S. District court. Raffer.ty managed to prove that Friedman did not abandon the operation of the Capitol Theater in Farrell in September, 1928, due to restraints of trade. He pointed out that only 30 per cent of the steel mills in that town were open at that time and that he was unable to pay M-G-M the prices for contracted pictures. Rafferty then turned to Friedman's Nuluna Theater in Sharon which he closed in February, 1929, and attempted to prove that the quality of pictures supplied near the closing period compared with those sold in previous years. GB to Make 26 Next Season, Says Balcon Including four pictures made by outside producers, the GB program for 1936-37 will consist of 26 pictures, said Michael Balcon, production executive, on his arrival in New York yesterday after a coast visit. Twenty-four of these pictures are slated for release in this country. Balcon declared that signing of about a dozen people, including players, writers and directors, was achieved through "the most genuine" cooperation of Hollywood studios and was not, in any sense "raiding". Although England will never match Hollywood from the standpoint of quantity production, asserted Balcon, British producers are now making rapid strides towards comparable quality. Balcon, with Mark Ostrer, Charles Reisner and Ralph Spence. will sail Saturday on the Aquitania for England. He plans to come to America again in six months. San Antonio Notes San Antonio — H. Phillips of Southwestern Theater Equipment Co., Houston, is in town and says he will make his headquarters here. Dan Oppenheimer, Jr., is now the new house manager of the Prince, formerly known as the Strand. Wanda Hall's new Rialto at Kerrville is scheduled to open Christmas Day. Fire of an unknown origin broke out underneath the stage at the Rialto, Beeville, Hall Industries theater headquarters. The owners will rebuild the house. Jose Bohr, actor-producer, will visit this city soon, according to J. J. Jiminez of the Latin American Film Exchange on North Flores St. Visitors from out-of-town: "Stout" Jackson, tent showman from Robstown; Kent Housmer out-door show man, St. Louis, and others. Salt Lake City Squibs Salt Lake City — A. B. Floor, manager of the Roxy and Star theaters, is the father of a boy. Lila Lee passed through here last week on her way from Los Angeles to Cleveland. Ed Kennedy, manager of the Sheffield-Republic exchange, won iirst prize in the Intermountain territory for amount of sales in the contest just closed. He is now on a trip to Idaho. Mercury Film Exchange, operated by Able Davis, has moved to new • ffices at 254 East First South St. on film row. Branch Manager Gene Marcus of Allied Pictures, who formerly occupied this address, has moved in with the Capitol offices on film row. Earl Bauer of the National Theater Supply personnel is back from a month's vacation with his people in Indiana. Philly Unit to Elect Dec. 19 Philadelphia — Combined membership of I.E.P.A. and M.P.T.O. meets at Broadwood Hotel, Dec. 19, to elect a president, two vice-presidents, a treasurer and a secretary of the new independent M.P.T.O. Board of Governors will number 21. Meeting is open to all independent exhibitors. Milwaukee Matters 'Shipmates' Opens New Manila Thea. Manila, P. I. — The newly built State Theater, opening today, will have for its inaugural program the Warner release, "Shipmates Forever." Milwaukee — Tommy Bartlett, former WISN announcer here and now with WBBM in Chicago, has been named to take charge of the Riverside Theater amateur show every Monday evening in Milwaukee. A district court jury has brought in a verdict of not guilty in the case of Norman Haacke, accused of operating a lottery by giving away merchandise prizes at the Grace, south side Milwaukee house, of which he is manager. As a result, a second warrant against Haacke and two against Charles Washicheck, owner of the theater, will be withdrawn, it was declared. Florida Flickers Miami — Tivoli Theater is offering free pony rides, on a lot across the street, to juvenile patrons throughout the day. Pheil Theater in St. Petersburg is reopening for the winter. Florida Theater in Daytona Beach is being reopened for the season with Sidney Landers as manager. Flagler Theater in Bunnell has reduced prices. Sparks circuit in Jacksonville has appointed R. J. (Dick) Ludwig manager of the Roxy. Fire recently damaged the Dixie Theater, Ocala. Manager Ted Chapin is making repairs. Saenger circuit of New Orleans, operating the Isis and Saenger in Pensacola, has bought the property on which the Isis is located. James Prentis, manager of the Granada, St. Cloud, has installed new seats. Chicago Chat Chicago — Frank Clifford, who was assistant to the late Tom Maloy, has been installed as business agent of the moving picture operators' union. Peter Shayne, operator at the Terminal Theater, has been elected president of the union. Glen Sweeney was elected vice-president, and Neal C. Bishop secretary. Following the purchase of a fourstory building at 615 Davis Street, Evanston, by Balahan & Katz, theater operators, plans have been filed for remodeling the two lower floors into a theater seating 825, at a cost of $110,000. For many years, until 1928, the lower floor of the building was occupied by the Hoyburn Theater. George Gehring, owner of the Rosewood Theater, north side house, has been freed of a charge of carrying concealed weapons growing out of an incident at a meeting of operators. Detroit Doings Detroit — Bondholders of Colwood Co., operating the Fox Theater building, have filed petition for reorganization under section 77B. Work on the W. S. Butterfield theater in Midland is scheduled to start in 60 days, according to Paul Axelrod of the company, which also plans houses in Lansing and Alpena. The present Parker-Kessler building in Albion is to be converted into a 1,000-seat theater and store building. OVERSEATING BARS RISE IN B.O. PRICES (Continued from Page 1) but no concerted upward movement is expected until purchasing power of the public has advanced in considerable measure, according to the financial survey. Less acceding to bank nights and other price-cutting stimulants also is seen with this development. Earnings outlook for the industry as a whole is promising for the months ahead, provided there is no letdown in film quality, says Standard, which points out that negative costs last year were 24 per cent higher than in 1933, and a further increase of 12 per cent for the industry as a whole is indicated for 1935, which means that any unexpected decline in receipts would adversely affect earnings because amortization costs would contract less promptly. Receipts from the foreign market at present amount to from 25 to 35 per cent of total film rentals, the survey adds, with no important change in prospect. In the exhibition field, further recovery is seen, although tax and depreciation costs are proving burdens. The industry's annual gross is estimated as near the $750,000,000 level. Cincinnati Chatter Cincinnati — W. A. V. Mack, former United Artists branch manager, has succeeded Hubert Knoepfle as manager of the local GB office. Father of Lester Rosenfeld, RKO representative, died recently in Kokomo. Max Stahl, U. A. manager, who on Sunday will marry Estelle Goldberg of the Cleveland U. A. office, is being given a bachelor dinner at the Netherland Plaza. Mr. and Mrs. William Chesbrough of the Chesbrough Circuit are taking a trip to Bermuda. Annual benefit party for kiddies will be staged Dec. 21 by the Queen City Variety Club. Harry "Pop" Wessel is the choice of both tickets for prexy of the Variety Club. Ralph Kinsler of RKO will be treasurer and Joe Rolling secretary. The Bradshaw Theater, Bradshaw, W. Va., has opened. Thomas Bros, have opened a new house, the Fayette, at Fayetteville, W. Va., with equipment supplied by National Theater Supply. J. E. Flynn, J. T. Donohue and Charles Aaron of M-G-M visited the local office a few days ago. Deadline on GTE Deposits Jan. 2 Deposits under the reorganization plan for General Theaters Equipment, Inc., must be made with the City Bank Farmers Trust Co., the depositary, before Jan. 2, it is announced. .