Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1934)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Thursday, March 22, 1934 Coast Agents, Actors Draft Labor Pact (Continued from page 1) Creem, Commissioner of the California State Division of Legislation and Statistical Law Enforcement and Industrial Employment Relations in San Francisco. A committee of three, composed of Austin Sherman, chairman, Martin Gang and Ralph Blum, represented about 95 per cent of the agents, while Thomas Barker, Chief Deputy from Los Angeles of the State Labor Bureau, and Charles F. Lowy and George L. Schaumer, attorneys, represented the Labor Bureau. Highlights of Pact Among the highlights of the new rules and laws are those which state that certain provisions must be embodied in all contracts between artists and agents which give the right to the artist to enter into contract with the agent and the right to cancellation of this contract if the agent doesn't perform that which he agreed to. Another rule states that under any oral contract, in order for the agent to collect his fee, he must first prove that he secured the job for his client. It was further ruled that all contracts entered into between an agent and an artist must be submitted to the local Labor Bureau for approval, and that all controversies arising out of, or in connection with, contracts between agents and artists, involving the new proposed Employment Agency Act, or the rules, must also be submitted to the Labor Bureau for determination. The new draft was considered by both the Labor Bureau and the attorneys representing the agents to be a great achievement, and all concerned are gratified that the State and the agents can now coordinate in solving many problems that have heretofore caused considerable legal battles over various contracts used by different agents. The agents committee was given the power to represent the agents by 13 lawyers representing 95 per cent of the agents. 3 on Way to New York Hollywood, March 21. — Emanuel Cohen left for the east tonight for conferences with home office executives on new product. Others also on their way east are Robert Montgomery, who is on a three-week vacation, and Nick Foran, recently signed by Fox to a long termer, who will confer with his manager in New York on a stage engagement. The latter will return here April 8 to resume picture work, later hiking back to Broadway for stage work, his contract permitting him to divide his time between stage and screen. > „ . Protests Receiver Bill Albany, March 21. — Federal Judge John C. Knox protested" to Governor Lehman today against signing of the McNaboe bill designed to prevent the appointment of the Irving Trust Go. as receiver in Federal cases. The Governor vetoed a similar bill last year. Code Complaints to Be Aired at Hearing (Continued from page 1) adversely affecting independent interests. The board was created by an executive order issued March 7 by the President "to ascertain and report to the President whether any code or codes of fair competition approved under authority of Title I of the National Industrial Recovery Act are designed to promote monopolies or to eliminate or oppress small enterprises or operate to discriminate against them, or will permit monopolies or monopolistic practices." If in any instance the board finds in the affirmative it is to recommend such changes as, in its opinion, will rectify or eliminate such results. Officials of the board stated that so many complaints have been received that it has been impossible as yet to catalog them, although cursory examination disclosed that they touched upon a number of provisions of the code. The complaints, filed by the socalled independent interests, have been formal and informal, the former being received on official forms made available by the board. Names of complainants and details of their charges have not been made public. Another Para. Rent Claim Is Expunged (Continued from page 1) Theatre, Buffalo, was ordered expunged yesterdav by Referee Henry K. Davis. Referee Davis's order followed closely on the action of the U. S. District Court here in sustaining Davis's action in disallowing a similar claim of $619,805 filed against Publix Enterprises on behalf of the Paramount at Steubenville, Ohio. The expunging of both claims is based on a recent decision of the U. S. Supreme Court, holding that future rent claims are not provable against bankrupts. A total of more than $100,000,000 of such claims have been filed against Paramount Publix and Publix Enterprises, all of which, it is now regarded as certain, will be disallowed by the bankruptcy court as rapidly as the claims are heard. RKO Picks Muchnic To Succeed Nolan (Continued from page 1) who leaves for the coast today to sta.rt work as assistant to B. B. Kahane. president of RKO Radio Studios, Inc. Muchnic has been in the company's audit control department for the past year and a half, and before that was connected with RKO theatres. Thomas Quinn has been named head of the claim department, which will be established as a separate unit ; E. J. Smith, formerly assistant to Muchnic, succeeds him in charge of audit control ; Frank Alford leaves the statistical department to become assistant to Smith; Joseph Skelly, manager of branch' operations, will add the handling of exchange leases to his duties. Postpone P. -P. Meet Continued examination of Paramount Publix executives in bankruptcy proceedings before Referee Henry K. Davis, scheduled for yesterday, , was postponed to April 3. No Decision Reached On N. Y. Boards Because of differences of opinion among members of the committee on selections for clearance and zoning and grievance boards yesterday, no decision was reached on recommendations for the Greater New York boards. It is understood certain members of the committee are for setting up three separate clearance and zoning and three separate grievance boards, each with equal authority to act. Other members are understood favoring strict adherence to the provisions of the code which provide for only one of each type of board. Unanimous approval of any plan must be recorded in order to be adopted. The matter will be put up to Code Authority for determination at its meeting this afternoon. Certain recommendations were made for the Philadelphia boards, but, it is believed, some committeemen are at variance with the tentative selections. This may hold up final announcement of the Quaker City setups today. Suggestions for replacements on the Minneapolis and other boards were made yesterday and probably will be approved today. Division Administrator Sol A. Rosenblatt is expected to announce the impartial members of the Minneapolis boards as well. New York and Philadelphia government observers will be appointed, provided the Code Authority comes to an agreement on the rest of the personnel of the boards. Rosenblatt may be asked to rule on the New York situation if Code Authority cannot reach a unanimous decision. Rosenblatt Receives $7,060 in NRA Post (Continued from page 1) officials of the NRA, with a salary of $7,060 a year. Information regarding Rosenblatt's salary was contained in a report filed with the Senate in response to a resolution adopted last month. General Counsel Donald A. Richberg receives more than any other NRA official, his gross salary being listed as $14,120, while Administrator Johnson receives $7,060, and Frances M. Robinson, his executive assistant, gets $6,800. Alvin Brown, executive officer, also receives more than Johnson, having a salary of $8,470. Lesser Will Repeat 'Tarzan' Experiment (Continued from page 1) Principal sets into production "Chandu" in about four weeks, enough footage will be taken to make a feature in addition to a serial. Gayne Whitman will be starred. If an exhibitor wants the picture, he can follow with eight two-reel chapters. If he wants to play the serial alone, 12 two-reel episodes will be available. Lesser will follow "Chandu" with "Peck's Bad Boy," with Jackie Cooper. A Year More Looms of Tax On Admission (Continued from page 1) months hence. The action of the committee means that in all probability there will be no change in the admission tax until 1936 unless the position of the Government so improves this year as to permit of renewed tax consideration next session. Under Senator Harrison's plan a number of the nuisance taxes were to be repealed, the $95,000,000 in revenue which would be lost to be offset by the continuance of the capital stock and excess profits taxes. The most important of the taxes selected for elimination from the standpoint of revenue return was that on admissions, estimated at $17,200,000 a year. The Finance Committee refused to» make any changes whatever in the| admission tax provision, turning deaf ear to appeals for relief from th< circus industry. Richmond Women in New Film Movement Richmond, March 21.— The M. P Research Council's campaign agains block booking under the managemenl of Rev. William P. Short has reache this city in the form of a movemen to organize the M. P. Forum. Mrs Channing M. Ward is active in th< effort. Among its plans is the formatia of a review board to view all picture; coming to the city and make recom mendations in advance of showing Airs. August Belmont declined an in vitation to attend an organizatioi meeting and invitations are to be sen; to Short and to Division Administra tor Sol A. Rosenblatt for anothei meeting to be held in April. Three Bills Aimed At N. Y. Censorship (Continued from page 1) tax, to reduce the $2 positive tax a $1.50 per 1,000 feet, to abolish til censorship board and to transfer thl tax collection functions from the StaJ Education Department to the Depart! ment of Audit and Control. A third bill, sponsored by Assembly! man Irving D. Neustein, is intendeJ to permit the showing of newsreel and educational and scientific filml without the payment of fees. Patman Bill Target j Of Baltimore Womail Baltimore, March 21. — Congress man Patman's Federal censorship bi I is denounced as "another form of prcl hibition and just as sure to be a flop,! by Mrs. William Bauernschmidt, seel retary of the Public School Ass'rl here. Mrs. Bauernschmidt believes that lc || cal censorship by state boards ha I proved itself useless and that the pass i age of the Patman bill would do ver I little more than create another grou || of official meddlers.