Motion Picture News (Jul - Sep 1930)

July 5, 1930 M o t i o n P i c t a r e X e w s 15 What's Putting the Skids Bankers Are Preparing to on Grosses? Ask Leaders Nothing But the Truth Hollywood — Discovered, an actor who doesn't mind being farmed out to another producer for considerably more than his contracted agreement calls for, without receiving a penny of the boss producer's profit. Yep, they say that Lew Ayres, said to be in $200 a week class, brought $2,500 per week from Warners, who paid Universal that sum weekly for Ayres' services on a borrowing arrangement. And they say that Lew was tickled to death. Well, maybe. What a Racket Censors Pull on Portland Indies! Portland, Ore. — There's always something new in censorship. The latest wrinkle allows pictures to be shown in downtown first runs and bars them from subsequent stands. The Allied Exhibitors of the Northwest raised havoc in a letter to Mayor Baker. The latter, himself a showman of the good old days before censors and narrow-backed bluenoses, agreed that the independents were fully justified and told them that he would have the city council call the censors "on the mat" for their unfair actions. The freak practice is a result of censors being sold the idea by downtown houses to await public opinion at the first showing before sharpening the shears, which gives the first runs on the main stem spicy dishes and the indies plates of hash. Canada Holdouts Holding The Bag in Publix Sale Montreal — Holders of Famous Players Canadian common who failed to turn in their shares for Paramount Publix stock, following purchase of the Canadian chain by the Zukor organization, are in a sad way. No trading in the old shares has been reported for some time and in brokerage circles, the belief prevails that the stock can no longer be unloaded. Paramount now has considerable of F. P. common in its possession, but a number of shares are still outstanding. It looks as if they will remain that way. Paramount, recently listed on the stock exchange here, is very active, selling currently around 55, or 15 points under the listed price of 70 at which the issue was admitted to trading on May 26. Some Queries, Pertinent and Perhaps Impertinent, Are Heading Industry's Way Wall Street bankers who have their money invested in the picture industry are asking themselves some questions. A little later on those same questions, plus others which may prove extremely embarassing, will be dumped into the laps of the executives of several leading companies accompanied by a three-lettered word* that spells "Why?" Fast year, when talkers were still a boxoffice novelty, earnings jumped skyward. This year, the bottom has been dented, if not punctured ; receipts are off even for the summer and the bankers are on the trail of the reason or reasons why. After the Lowdown The financial giants are of the opinion that sound has resulted in a vastly improved entertainment medium. If that is so, they argue, why should business be off this year as against last. The dope, percolating through Times Square from downtown, is that the bankers don't know themselves, but propose to have the executives, whose organizations they are financing, answer the moot question for them. They have some ideas. One of them concerns the calibre of production, for word has seeped downtown that pictures, in general, are afflicted with too much of the sameness to persistently bring in the public. Another revolves around showmanship and the whole question of whether or not current regimes are sufficiently strong in manpower to keep their business institutions going at a proper level in profits. In the meantime, the impression prevails the bankers will be sufficiently chary about new financing Until they can reassure themselves that everything is under control. Jack Oakie's Kin Dies Kansas City — Mrs. Harriet Jump, 85, grandmother of Jack Oakie, is dead at her home here. Paralysis Takes Another Sock at L. A, Exhibitors Fos Angeles — A light outbreak of infantile paralysis in the county of Fos Angeles now adds to the woes of local i licit re operators. The health department, stating need for great care to prevent general spread of the isolated cases now current, has issued warnings to parents against allowing children to attend large assemblies. This naturally includes theatres, with houses suffering considerably, especially in the neighborhoods. The unusual number of cases, listed at 60 during the past few weeks, resulted in school authorities calling off graduation exercises in all grammar schools. No Secret Now Several years ago Rupert Julian finished the direction of "Merry Go Round" for Universal, after von Stroheim had started the picture. At the time, it was reported that Julian demanded he get no directorial credit if he took over the picture — but when it was completed and proved a success, Rupert dusted off the old horn to broadcast his accomplishments. Now Julian has been signed again by Universal to direct the talker remake of "Merry Go Round," and this time he can take all bows for the production without having Von in the background. Garbage Cans or No Garbage Cans, "We Want Dough" This is the time o' year when chains go to work on advertising budgets for their theatres, an operation which usually results in more than one headache — at the home office and in managers' headquarters. Managers of houses controlled by one of the biggest chains in the country this week received their new 1930-31 figures, which are made up according to the district office's record of the fixed advertising charges against the theatres, plus what is considered a "reasonable figure to be spent as the managers see fit." And, along with the meticulously laid out budget plan appeared this neat little note : "Your advertising budgets are here ! "Box office results will be the gauge. Whether you spend your budget money on screaming heralds or oil paintings on garbage cans means nothing to us — if the results show at the box-office." Brutallv frank. Query Why Films Were Not Included in Survey Washington — Somewhere in the shuffle, motion pictures in particular and amusements at large were left out of the reckoning when Julius H. Barnes, chairman of the National Business Survey Conference, made his report on conditions in 37 important industries. The report covered May and, in some instances, the first five months of the year. The range of industries ran from electric railroads to shipbuilding, but not a line about pictures. Doug Receives Tax Rebate Fos Angeles — Board of tax appeals at Washington has notified Douglas Fairbanks that it has granted his tax appeal, which automatically turns back to Doug $385,035 for an overassessment in 1917.