Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1934)

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The Leading Daily Newspaper of the Motiortfl Picture Industry MOTION PICTURE DAILY Alert, Intelligent and -"m Faithful | 1 Service to' the Industry in All Branches VOL. 35. NO. 6 NEW YORK, MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 1934 TEN CENTS Personalities With Stories Needed— Kent Lack of Names Held Cause Of Many "Flops" Two primary problems face production today. Sidney R. Kent told Motion Picture Daily yesterday. One is a crying need for new personalities and the second a sustained supply of good stories. Back from the coast, where he checked into and discussed Fox production, Kent expressed h i s concern over production on these two counts. In supporting his argument on the need for a fresh supply of personali (Continued oil page 2) Coast Putting 31 Features in Work Hollywood, Jan. 7. — Production will take a decided upward swing this week with 31 pictures going into \vork. This will end a lull which has oeen unusual for this season of the ear. Last week closed with only 26 'features and five shorts actually shooting. The score for the preceding week howed 31 features and six shorts in (Continued on page 2) Federation Ad Code Comes Up This Week Codes of ethics for independent production and advertising as planned by the Federation of the M. P. Industry were delayed when a scheduled meeting of the organization's • tandards committee failed to mateialize last week. The committee is (Continued on page 6) Charging They're Receiving Cuts, Operators File Kicks Washington, Jan. 7. — Operators' locals in many sections of the country are understood to have filed protests with the NRA, charging their members are facing, or have been compelled to take, wage cuts counter to the spirit of the Recovery Administration's program. The complaints are reported to tie in with an official statement sent throughout the country by William C. Elliott, president of the I.A.T.S.E., in which he said : "If at the present time you have a signed contract with a theatre to fur (Continued on page 6) BVay Duals In Fight for Films, Trade A price war among double featuring subsequent runs in the Times Square area is growing, in addition to a product shortage for these houses, as a result of the spread of the dual bill policy at 15 cents along the Broadway front. Loew's New York, which for some time enjoyed the Times Square subsequent run trade virtually alone, gives evidence of feeling the effect of the increasing competition both on product availability and admissions, by switching this week from a daily change to (Continued on page 6) Reading Wrong Book Hollywood, Jan. 7. — Warners came in for a nifty publicity break on the M-G-M lot when the latter studio completed a poll of the most popular novel among its stars and players. The survey showed that 44 of 52 contract performers voted in favor of "Anthony Adverse," the 1,200-odd page tome by Hervey Allen. Warners will produce it. Vacancies on Authority to Await Appeals Appointment of the two remaining government Code Authority representatives is not expected until appeals from grievance boards are brought to the attention of the authority. The complaints, naturally, will await establishment of the 32 boards. It is pointed out that the Code Authority is now in process of organization with Division Administrator Sol A. Rosenblatt supervising as a government representative. Rosenblatt has no vote in the proceedings, (Continued on page 6) Roxy Taxes Will Be Paid in Small Sums Having already paid $65,000 of the -218,000 in back taxes due the city, Howard S. Cullman, receiver for the (Continued on page 6) Let's Clean UP as Well As ON Pictures— Mickey By ICKEMAY OUSEMAY Wring out the old! Ring in the new ! It's a Disney world after all ! It took "Three Little Pigs" to bring home the bacon. And exhibitors learned that instead of chasing The Big Bad Wolf from the door, it's more profitable to invite him into the house. Nineteen thirtythree taught us that Walt draws as well as ever, that the Silly Symphonies in color draw as well as Walt, that Minnie and I are still draws — as nice a pair of draws as any exhibitor ever put on — his screen. Nineteen thirty-three also taught us that the public still craves wholesome entertainment — "Gallant Ladies" and "Little Women" — instead of wild ones. Let's clean up — as well as on — motion pictures. Nineteen thirty-four looms up gloriously. The storm is stilled. With cool mind and steady hand, our captain, F. D., is guiding the Ship of State to the Port of Recovery. We in the motion picture business are doing our part by giving work to (Continued on page 2) Publicity on Code Choices Set for Start First List of Nominees Out Tomorrow Start of a publicity campaign on names received by the Code Authority for nominations to the 64 clearance and zoning and grievance boards gets under way tomorrow when the first batch of 400 recommendations by industry representatives throughout the country will be released officially by the body. The recommendations, which have been pouring in, will be card indexed by zones and listed in the files of Executive Secretary John C. Flinn. Endorsements or other comments on names recommended for the various posts must be sent to Flinn's office. Nominations for appointments on the two boards close at midnight, Jan. 20, and all code assents must be in the mail by Jan. 31. The preliminary work of choosing names for the clearance and zoning and grievance boards will get under way Jan. 21 and all selections (Continued on page 6) No Famous Theatre Creditor Dividend No cash dividend will be paid to outside creditors of Publix Enterprises by Famous Theatres Corp., its successor, prior to Feb. 10, at which time a current offer to satisfy approved claims of creditors by an exchange of securities of Famous Theatres will expire. All of the approved intercompany claims against Publix Enterprises are being satisfied in this way. Approximately $600,000 of outside creditors' claims have been approved, the largest of which is that of Com (Continued on page 6) Slender Hope Held For ITOA-306 Deal Slight hope is seen for the success of the efforts by Local 306 and the I.T.O.A. to establish a basic wage scale for local theatres. Several meetings between the union and exhibitor unit have been held and another is slated for Thursday at Milton C. Weisman's office. He is attorney for the I.T.O.A. At the last meeting, Harry Sherman, president of Local 306, sub (Continued on page 6)