Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

34d Motion Picture News O c / o /' / / . 193 o Tear Bombs, Cig Butts, Bottles, One Bad Dream ( c ontinued from Page 1 7 i management. Accordingly, the reporter followed the trail set down in a trade paper story alleging that Bill Saal, head film buyer for Publix, had been awakened at 2 A. M. by the screams of a hotel maid who had discovered and discharged a tear gas bomb while cleaning the room which had been occupied by Steffes. Saal was reported to have notified the management and summoned a house detective, and was alleged to have said the maid was later attended by a physician. The News representative first interrogated Burke, the hotel manager, who stated no report of the incident had reached him. Then, in the presence of the reporter, Burke questioned attaches of his office, all of whom disclaimed any knowledge of the incident. With the hotel's authorization, the reporter then questioned members of the house detective staff, the house physician and the chief of room service. None of these, each stated, knew or had heard of the alleged finding of a tear gas bomb in any room of the hotel. The chief of room service then summoned three maids assigned to floor G of the Congress Hotel Annex, where Steffes was quartered during the day. The maid who had cleaned the room occupied by Steffes was singled out. Sherlock Holmes Stuff "In cleaning Mr. Steffes' room, did you find anything unusual?" she was asked. "No, sir." "Did you make any outcry while working in the room?" "1 did not." "What, as nearly as you remember, was the condition of the room when you entered it?" "It was pretty neat, considering. The bed had not been slept in, and the rugs were kind of clean, though there was a lot of cigarette butts and ashes laying around and quite a few bottles and an ice bucket full of water." "But nothing else?" "No, sir." "And what time was ibis?" "I would say about 6 o'clock." (The trade paper account placed the time of the disturbance at 2 A.M.) "Was it daylight?" "Yes. It was." Turning to the reporter, the room service supervisor inquired, "Has Mr. Steffes any enemies ?" The reporter replied that be was not personally acquainted with any. "Somebody," mused the official, "must have had a bad dream." Dr. Lee De Forest to Wed Again, He States Hollywood — As soon as he determines when a divorce decree obtained by his sec ■ Hid wife becomes final, Dr. Lee DeForesI intends to marry Marie Mosquini, the in ventor declares, He is moving his laliorn lory to tin Coasl fur further research work in the development of talker and of radio, W. E. Cutting Chicago — In order to avoid further reductions in salaries of workers, and to provide continuous employment through the winter, Western Electric is considering inauguration of a fiveday week for the large shop and office staffs of its Hawthorne plant. It is reported a reduction in salaries is involved in the five-day week program. Academy Release Print to Reduce Replacements {Continued from Page 33) cal Bureau; I. James Wilkinson, chief film editor of Paramount-Publix West Coast Studios ; and Donald Gledhill of the Academy Technical Bureau, secretary. The committee attacked the problem and set about drawing up tentative specifications for release print practice which could be made uniform. The cooperation of the Academy and of the Association of Motion Picture Producers w'as extended to the project. The original group was constituted a sub-committee of the Producers-Technicians Committee of the Academy and representatives of the seventeen major studios were appointed to collaborate with them. During the subsequent months, various aspects of the problem were carefully studied by the committee, test reels were made, and a series of meetings with the studio, theatre and exchange representatives and conferences with smaller groups were held to insure that the specifications represent an efficient and practical solution. Terms on Chart Explained Detailed explanation of terms used by the Academy standards committee in the blue print specifications, which appear on pages 32^ and 33 follow: Sound Print-Film — A print with a photographic sound record integral with the print. Sound Print-Disc — A print with a disc sound record. Sound Print-Film and Disc — A print with a photographic sound record integral with the print and a corresponding disc sound record, either of which may be used. Silent Print — A print without a sound record. Leader — That part of the print from the beg inning to the first frame of picture. Picture — That part of the print between the leader and the runout. Runout — That part of the print from the last frame of the picture to the end. Gets Lonfi Term Pact Hollywood — Jo Swerling, playwright ami novelist, has signed a long-term contract with Columbia, lie ha completed adaptations or dialogue or both on 111 Columbia pictures in a many month-. Joseph Schenck Seeks Angel in Howard Hughes {Continued from Page 17) licularly the Pathe interest of 49 per cent in DuPont-Pathe and Pathe News. Now, with the Pathe stars really clicking, added incentive is seen as given the reported deal. The "general business depression" has severely affected United Artists, employes were notified when told that all receiving more than $30 weekly would have to take a 10 per cent cut. Speculation on the future of United Artists was a topic of discussion during the week in view of the retrenchment moves, which are regarded by some as certain to weaken morale, and the declared need of Schenck for new financing. Sap Stunt Starts Salary Slash Idea in Big Brain (Continued from Page 17) and finally the reporter piped: "Mr. So-andso, what do you think of the 10 per cent salary cut just ordered by United Artists?" "Did they do that?" asked the startled executive. He reached for a pad and pencil ami the reporter hurried out. Paramount Closes N. Y. Studio for Two Weeks I'aramount's New York studio has completed its current group of pictures and, except for a few shorts, there will be little activity at the studio for about two weeks. while plans for the new group of IS pictures are completed. "The Royal Family" marked windup of the current group. I'.. P. Schulberg, Walter Wan'ger and M. Jaffe arrive in New York Tuesday to survey studio operations. While the studios are virtually dark a number of renovations and improvements are to be made. Meanwhile. Clara Bow and Director Frank Turtle are en route to New York to make Manhattan scenes lot "No Limit." Rochester Yeggs Get $691 Rochester. N. Y. — Breaking into the Monroe, largest neighborhood film theatre in the city, for the second time since March, burglars chiseled open the safe and took $691 m cash. Their previous loot was $891. Elmer Lorritz. manager, told police the thieves had broken in two doors to reach bis office. He offered the opinion the burglars were the same who pulled the first job. An unsuccessful attempt was made to burglarize the Liberty, a North Side neigh borhood house, the same night. Fire Damages Theatre Frackville, Pa. — Lire of undetermined origin did damage of $24,000 to the firand here. The $9,000 organ an. I a large part of tin sound mechanism were destroyed. Buck Sent to Camden \. t i. Buck, for the last year manager of the picture-music department of RCA Photophone, has been appointed manager ol the record order and production division with headquarters at Camden, lie succeeds J. L. Crewe, Jr., resigned.