Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1934)

8 MOTION PICTU RE HERALD November 10, 1934 THIS WEEK-- FILM COUNCILS When the National Council of Women, in Canada, recently passed a sweeping resolution noting the influence of the motion picture and urging character-developing films, the Whig-Standard, Kingston, Ontario newspaper, was moved to editorialize: ". . . films cannot be produced down to the level of the child mind. . . . The majority of films are for adults, and . . . are good. . . . The trouble is often not with the pictures, but with the parents. . . ." Also a letter to the paper from the local Council of Women of Kingston commended manager E. O. Smithies of the Capitol for his children's matinees, interpreted as an answer to such resolutions. . . . LUBITSCH ART Andrew R. Kelley, speaking out in the Washington Times, says: "Director Ernst Lubitsch is among those who complain that the new production code hobbles art. ! began to take this seriously until I read further and discovered he had the same conception of art as Mr. Earl Carroll. This is the kind of art that Minsky burlesque parades in strip numbers and that is shown in Its highest form on French post-cards." ELECTION DAY ,._Jn Its usual annual effort to cut into the strong radio competition which is offered film houses over the country on Election Day when returns are broadcast throughout the evening, theatres this week offered returns from their stages, the largest single group being In New York where 90 local houses, in a tieup with the h^earst New York American, announced the swing of the public voice. . . . STAGE UNITS Soundly successful appears the switch by Edward M. Fay, wellknown Providence circuit head, from old-style vaudeville to modified musical comedy stage presentations as an adjunct to feature pictures. Regular bookings are expected to follow the Initial experimentation. . . . NOT "ROXY" Meeting to reach a final decision, a first mortgage bondholders' committee for the Roxy theatre in New York last week determined that Samuel Lionel (Roxy) Rothafel was not their choice to return to the theatre as its operating chief. . . . RECOVERY AID With Maurice F. Barr In charge of distribution, New Orleans exhibitors in large numbers are cooperating In the exhibition of a three-minute trailer supporting the recent statement of President Roosevelt that the aid of the nation's local community chests Is Indispensable to the recovery program. . . . NUDITY AND JAIL Of little avail was the old standby plea of attorneys of "artistic and educational" when the Seattle censor board in Its first prosecution In many a year hailed Into court Spencer Fox, manager of the Star, charging him with showing allegedly obscene films. The sentence: $100 fine, 30 days in jail, the jail sentence suspended on his promise to discontinue the showings. Two one-reelers was the cause, one "art" poses of a nude girl, the other depicting a Hawaiian "strip-tease" dancer. . . . AN RKO ASSISTANT To South America to develop RKO's Brazilian and Argentinian business shortly will go Ben J. Cammack, former Warner St. Louis manager recently appointed assistant to Phil Relsman, vice-president of RKO Export. James Winn succeeds Mr. Cammack In St. Louis, Hall Walsh remaining as assistant. . . . LANGUAGE LESSONS Adding a new note to Its educationallysponsored selected features, the Fine Arts theatre in Boston offers free lessons in modern languages following the performance on certain nights of the week. In connection with the showing of "The Blue Light," lessons in German were presented, with future similar instruction appropriate to the film planned. . . . In This Issue Supreme court, granting review of patent case, halts Fox — Tri-Ergon attack Page 9 First and exclusive story of the Inventors of the Tri-Ergon patents Page I I 2,000 in 20 Fan Clubs organize to stop false stories concerning stars Page 15 There Aint Gonna Be No English Page 16 FEATURES Editorial The Camera Reports J. C. Jenkins — His Colyum The Hollywood Scene The Cutting Room De Casseres on the new plays DEPARTMENTS What the Picture Did for Me Showmen's Reviews Managers' Round Table Technological The Release Chart Code Question Box Short Features on Broadway Box Office Receipts Classified Advertising Page 7 Page 13 Page 60 Page 50 Page 46 Page 33 Page 61 Page 38 Page 67 Page 52 Page 75 Page 54 Page 65 Page 56 Page 80 TAX BATTLE A descent en masse on the state legislature, demanding repeal of the 10 per cent amusement tax (plus a 2 per cent sales tax) is the plan of the MPTO of Mississippi. Meeting In Jackson last week In semiannual session, the organization heard president Ed Kuykendall of the MPTOA, principal speaker. Retaining their offices are: R. X. Williams, Jr., president; J. E. Alford, first vice-president; J. A. West, second vice-president; W. E. Elkin, secretarytreasurer. . . . LOST OPPORTUNITY Forced by ill health and physician's orders to six m^onths of recuperation In Tahitian seclusion, Ann Harding thus loses her opportunity to be the first actress to star In a full length feature done in the new Technicolor process, V/alter Wanger's production of "Peacock Feather" for Paramount release. . . . IN WARNER POST Groomed for two years by Harry Charnas, managing director of Warner Metropolitan houses, Irving Windlsch has been appointed advertising and publicity manager for the Warner Broadway houses, succeeding Charles Curran. Dividing the duties will be Zeb Epstein, manager for I I years of the Strand on Broadway. . . . MALOY HOME LOOTED Kidnaping a deputy sheriff to induce entrance, five gunmen recently looted the Michigan City, Ind., home of Tom Maloy, veteran head of the Chicago operators' union, of $50,000 in cash and $13,000 In jewelry. The often-headlined Mr. Maloy is at the moment under federal scrutiny for alleged income tax evasion. . . . EXPERIMENTATION Sponsored by Radio Pictures at the Palace theatre in New York recently was an experimental reel, developing a premise of Mary E. Bute, Houston artist and music student, that enabling an audience to "see" as well as hear screen music In theatres not having orchestras should hold audience Interest in overture selections. . . . PERENNIAL "HEAVY" Unique is the clause in the new contract signed with MGM by Harvey Stephens, a player, which stipulates that the actor shall not be trained for leading roles, since he plans to remain a "heavy" type In all his screen appearances. . . . "SHORT" PRESS BOOK In preparation by Warner are press books concerning the new short subject series, "See America First." The books accompanying the 13 subjects will be Identical with those prepared for features.