Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1934)

Friday, January 5, 1934 MOTION PICTURE DAILY Radio Starting 11 Films This Month Hollywood, Jan. 4. — Radio will put 11 features into work this month. Three are already under way. They are: "Success Story," "Transient Love" and "So You Won't Sing, Eh?" Those to start are: "Finishing School," "Strictly Dynamite," "Family Man," "The Crime Doctor," "I Love An Actress," "Three Stand Alone," "Escape to Paradise," "My Gal Sal." Goldberg Ampa Hit Lou Goldberg's debut as chairman of the Ampa was a huge success yesterday. Eddie Peabody entertained with a banjo solo, Harry Hershfield told a few funny stories, Hector Fuller praised the Hoys organization, the Ampa and J. J. McCarthy on the results of the clean advertising campaign. George Bancroft spoke briefly, as did Charles Judels, Bernhard H. Ritter. publisher of the Staats-Zeitung and Journal of Commerce, Dudley Field Malone, Marshal Neilan and Mrs. Helen Ogden Reid of the HeraldTribune. Indianapolis Keith Dark Indianapolis, Jan. 4.— Keith's, operated by the Switow brothers and Ike Libson of Cincinnati, has been closed. The house, operated since last September with second run, Grade B pictures, was formerly a legitimate spot. James D. Kennedy has been manager. Hollywood By BILL Hollywood, Jan. 4. — For some reason or other producers cannot break away from the tradition of "mob psychology" in the selection of stories. M-G-M is rushing preparation for another "spy" story with Marion Davies and Gary Cooper to be costarred in a play to be taken from the Robert W. Chambers' novel, "Operator 13." Miss Davies will portray the sensational role of the "Mata Hari of the Civil War," and Cooper her soldier lover. • Several "under cover" agents are now operating in Hollywood for home-office executives of the various major organizations. Their job is chiefly to cover previews and report the audience reaction. • After building a complete auto camp on the desert of Victorville at considerable cost for summer atmosphere for "Heat Lightning," Warners were forced to abandon the location and reproduce the locale on one of the closed stages at the studio where they could control the exhaling of foggy breaths from the actors on the desert location. • Speaking of air express service, a studio executive blew up when he discovered it took only 20 hours for a can of film to reach the Glendale airport from New York, a distance of 3,000 miles, but required five hours to deliver from the airport to Hollywood, a distance of eight miles. On Parade SWIG ART Cartoon shorts have become so popular on the Pacific Coast that several of the neighborhood houses are playing Saturday morning matinee cartoon programs one hour long. These matinees have met with successful response from the juvenile attendance. • Joe Riley, director of public safety for the Fox studios, has assigned one of his burly policeman to watch over George White, who is inclined to be somewhat negligent in keeping his appointments with the production unit now engaged in transferring his "Scandals" to celluloid. The producer will invariably order everyone on the set at a certain time then forget to show up. The copper is detailed to shadow him and keep him informed of pending appointments. • OiVE MIGHT BE SURPRISED TO LEARN that someone sent Ricardo Cortez a black face ham to his wedding shower upon learning of a reported feud with Al Jolson. . . . Charity seems to be the keynote for fame and fortune. . . . Marion Davies entertained and supplied baskets and toys to more than 1,000 families and children at the M-G-M lot. . . . June Knight is clothing and feeding three families. . . . Baby Le Roy received so many presents from his admirers on the Paramount lot that he shared them with the children of the Hollywood Community Hospital. II Des Moines Takes Leap for Year End Des Moines, Jan. 4. — Aided by midnight shows in all the first runs and a stage show, this town closed the old year with a big $32,000. The old high for seven days was $31,000. The Paramount had the best take, $8,500 on "Lady Killer" and the stage show, "Artists' Models." The Des Moines was next in line, taking $8,000 on "Mr. Skitch," again proving Des Moines is a Will Rogers town. The biggest increase over average was scored by the Orpheum on "Flying Down to Rio," $7,500, compared with an average of $3,000. The Garden was up $1,000 above its average, taking $4,000 on "Too Much Harmony." Estimated takings for the week ending Dec. 30: "LADY KILLER" (Warners) PARAMOUNT — (2,300), 10c-35c-50c, 7 days. Stage: "Artists Models." Gross: $8,500. (Average, $7,000.) "MR. SKITCH" (Fox) DES MOINES— (2,200), 10c-3Sc-50c, 7 days. Gross: $8,000. (Average, $6,000.) "WHOOPEE" (U. A.) STRAND— (1,900), 10c-25c-35c, 7 days. Gross: $4,000. (Average, $3,500.) "TOO MUCH HARMONY" (Para.) GARDEN— (1,300), 10c-25c-35c, 7 days. Gross: $4,000. (Average, $3,000.) "FLYING DOWN TO RIO" (Radio) ORPHEUM— (2,300), 10c-35c-50c, 7 days. Gross: $7,500. (Average, $4,500.) Minnesota Houses Open Minneapolis, Jan. 4. — That business in this territory is on the mend is evidenced by the report from the Film Board of Trade that only one theatre has closed and 18 have opened the past 30 days. "THE MAD AGE" Pre-release title, "This Is America" Produced by FREDERIC ULLMAN, Jr. Now playing in the Metropolitan area in 40 LOEW THEATRES State Right Territory Available BEEKMAN FILM CORPORATION 35 West 45th Street, New York Phone: BRyant 9-1300 Available to exhibitors in New York, Buffalo, Philadelphia and Washington territories through Hollywood Film Exchanges, Inc*