Variety (Dec 1929)

Wednesday, Becember 4. 1929 PICTURES VARIETY REFORMERS' ANNUAL IS DUE IN CAPITAL DEC. 13 WasWngtdn, Dec. 8. ■ They're at It again with Canon Chase doing, the leading. Mayflower jjotel here will again be the annual gathering place, with Canon ad- jpiittlng that he and; the other paid reformers have a hefty program for the new session of Congress. Date to Dec. 13. Subjects to be discussed: Censor- ship of pictures (all important); transfer of prohibition enforcement Irom the Treasury to Justice de- partment; Lankfbrd's bill for shut- ting Washington on Sunday as ah example to the rest of the coun- try;'Senator Cutting*^ amendment to the Tariff bill to take censorship of books out of the hands of cus- toms inspectors, and the > move to (let up a bureau of education. , On the same day and date Rep. G. M. Hudson (R), Mich., has issued Invitations fbr a Secretive meeting in his office to deviser wjtys and means to put acrogs his elaborated Brookhart bill. Invitations to thlj3 gathering are being sent out by reg- Jstered mail. .. Hudson wants censorship of films and federal control. In contrast to iBrookhart's idea of placing It all under the Federal Trade Commis- sion, Hudson wants the . Depart- ment of Commerce to do It. Fiffure SOO f6r'30-'31 Between 800 and 830 fea- tures will be the film indus- try's output for: 1930-31, an Increase of nearly 60% over '28-'29. The HAys office pro- vides the. quotation. At present few of the film companies have anything but tentative programs for the new .. selling era. It Is said that Warners and First National are figuring on duplicating the past sound sched.ule of 36 pic-, ture^ each, while F'ox Is count- ing on continuing feature pro- duction at the rate of one a •vreek. Survey of progress In pic* . tures during the current year, and plans for next year, are being prepared by the Hays office with a view of having th(B ■ film Industry included in Presi- dent Hoover's campaign for stimulating optimism regard-" Ing the nation's prosperity. TIays office report will in- clude the program for next year witiv total number of pic- tures to be produced in that I>erlod. SAME FOR Middle West, Southern, Mid- Ifiind Chain and Others East and West Arranged For Despite Market Con- dition-^20,000,000 Pass- ing in Cash or Stock ANNOYING REPORTS FOX BORROWS MUtHALL; INDICATES NEW POUCY _ Hollywood, Dec. 3. In accordance with a change in .policy whereby one or two well known picture names will be used to carry futurie productions. Instead of legits or new unknown. Fox has borrowed Jack Mulhall from First Nitlonal for '"The Golden Calf." On the Fox contract list of 60 players but 17 are screen people with reps, the balance being from the stage. Moe Sflvers Is Operator- For Warners on Coast Mbe Silvers will operate all War- ner theatres, on the.Coast. He leaves for the west with Jack Warner, who expects to leave New York between Dec. 7-10. One of the Skouras •pothers was to have had this post, but business in the east prevented the migration. .'. Warners will build a 3,500-seater in Oakland, Cal., and has acquired Bites in Whlttler, Pomona and other Pacific towns. Company Is also to erect a house In Milwaukee, R-K-O-PATHE DEAL, WITH R-K^ BUYING? Repeated rumors of late connect Radlo-Kelth-Orpheum with Pathe, and R-K-b as the possible pur- chaser p£ that picture producing company. It would give R-K-O an added producer to its own Radio Pictures. R-K-O Is bound to Pathe on a long term product contract. It was made between Pathe and Keith's before Radio entered Into Keith's control. This agreement obligates Keith's to play a certain number of Pathe releasee annually and runs, from account, ur;tll 1938. It is also said to guarantee Pathe a maxi- mum amount of rentals yearly from the Keith houses. With R-K-O recent theatre ex- pansion-and its- outline- appaxently- to add more houses to the chain, through purchase or building,' R- K-O may be considering adding another talker producer to meet its own screen demands. Can't Show *Sex Madness'; Chi Court Upholds Censors "Chicago, Dec.' 3, For the first time the local censor •board was upheld by the courts When Judge SteCEen refused a writ for the showing of "Sex Madness," produced by the Millard Picture Company. Film was booked for the Central 'theatre. Goulding Walks Hollywood, Dec. 3. Edmund Goulding Is out of Pathe ad a director. He walked last week, saying that he would not have his individuality Impaired in the fin- ishing of "Queen Kelly," Gloria Swanson picture. Goulding Is credited with "The Trespasser" and had rewritten 'Queen Kelly" to suit Miss Swan- son prior to starting on her next picture. . Studio now has Richard Boleslav- sky looking over the "Kelly" script. He Is a stage director recently brought on from New Tork. Bolesavsky starts this week to direct, with the hope of having the picture ready for final cutting around Christmas. AM theatre deals roady to be closed with William Fox have been set for riespectivie date««... This , was done by Mr, Fox, in person. Mon day, despite the stock marke^t situ- ation, orie of the reported. i^aions for. preyious postponements. The arr\ount . involved in the Various theatre buys made by Fox and yet to be closed reaches approx imately $20,000,000. This vvill be paid , where Fox Films stock is to be part of the consideration it is said, by Wiliiam Fox guaran teeing, that Fox Films will be quotisd iat 85 wjthin a year or he will take up the stock at that figure Or if all ^cash is called for in the transfer, it will be cash. ; Among the theatre deals are the Fox purchase of the Llbson circuit •In Clhclnnati and the middle west, the moist profitable chain of that section; the Midland^ circuit ot Kansas and Missouri, around 70 houses, the Interstate Circuit of Texas, valued at $7,000,000, and various other smaller deals east and west Several of tbe latter will be closed at once. The Midland's title will pass as quickly- as the final fig' ures are reached, with that at pres ent in progress^ January 12 has been set for the ILlbson closing, about 19,000,000, and the Interstate's may. go through before that date. Spreading Stories William Fox authorizes the an nouncement of the closing of his deals. Various reports arising through their postponements and the market condition were allowed to pass unnoticed by the Fox peo pie. As they spread, the stories be came magnified until annoying Mr, Fox and his executives. Publlx had virtually closed all of Its theatre deals before the Wall Street break. . Lately, It was report- ed, Piiblix decided to adjourn all theatre purchasing for a year. Big Receipts Inside reports say that Fox Films is in the midst of its most prosper ous^season, with a record rental In come weekly to It of $1,000,000. This Is stated to be the highest steady gross any distributor of films has ever received weekly. James R. Grainger, Fox gen. sales mgr., Is ^♦Angels*' $3,200,000 Hollywood, Dec. 3. After 25 months of actual shobtipg, on "Hull's Angels," at a cost now In excess Of $3,- . 200,000, Howard Hughes makes the final scene of the air pic- ture this week. This will com- ■ piete the picture with the ex- ception of adding airplane sound effects. Producer has already leased an. airpbrt where planes will be used 'to pro- duce the natural effect. It is estimated that this Will add another $BO,000 to the cost. Hughes found it necessary to step in and direct the dialog . version of the picture after James Whale had spent six , weeks on It, but who was called to Tiffany stmlios to di- rect "Journey^s End." / PATHE REDUCES TO ENLARGE' said to have quoted this, revenue iflgure to; associates In the Fox or- ganization. On the theatre end Fox, which holds the West Coast circuit 100%* wiU take down this year nearly $4,000,000 In profit from Its opera- tion under the guidance of Harold B. . Franklin. The Poll circuit of New England, also 100%, owned by Fox, and directed by Herschel Stew art, will Increase Its earning^ $460, 000 this year, reaching a net of nearly $1,000,000, Fox Metropolitan Theatres, In charge of Joe Leo, and operating only since last Septem her. Is said to be nrnt- showing a net of $70,000 weekly. William Fox expects to shortly leave for his usual winter vacation in Georgia. Hollywood, Dec. 3. Pathe will make fewer but more elaborate productions for 1930-:3l. Studio has taken off the elastic on production, iahd henceforth will have no rigid production budget in ad- vance. Company will also hereafter sell pictures individually arid not In block. Pathe will.not exercise options oa Carol Lombard, Jeannette Loft Marilyn Morgan, Alan ;Hale and Robert Armstrong, Latter two were offered a renewal on a 40-week guarantee, but refused to accept be- cause of . their present B2rWeek salary. Howard Jllggins and Gregory La- cava; directors, and Jack Jung- meyer, A. A. Kline and Dorothy Da,y, writers, leave at the expiration of their contracts. Firm is extending terms of Wil- liam Boyd, Ann Harding, Helen Twelvetrees, Eddie Qulllan, , Fred Scott and Harry Bannister ttmon« the players, and Paul Stein and Tay Garnett of the directors. Fox's Coast Chain Starts Operating 68 This T^eek Hollywood, Dec. 3. Fox Coast chain takes over the Midwest string of theatres in Kan- sas, known as - the MUler-Roden Circuit, for operation, this week with the payment of $1,3Q0,000 Headquarters of the 49-house cir- cuit are In Wichita, Kan. Fox .haa_ also taken, over, for actual operation the 19 houses In Illinois operated by Reed^ Yenn, and Hayes, Headquarters have been moved from Duqoln, III., to St. Louis, to be operated from that division with the Freslna Circuit, also an Illinois outfit taken over by the Fox group. Tom Reed will be in charge of all these houses. Kansas City, Dec. 3. Auditors are still working on the books of the Midland Circuit, of which M. B, Shanberg Is the head. Shanberg outfit wants $3,900,000 for the 63 houses in the group, which Include nine theatres In this city, while Fox Coast is deter- mined that $2,600,000 Is sufficient, Latter's axidltors are trying to con- vince the Midland crowd that the bigger amount is unwarranted. The Midland, local, leased to Loew, is not Included in this deal. VONCEIL VIKINa KILLED Hollywood, Dec. 3. Voncell Viking, 27; who two years ago secured a film Job with Uni- versal after riding a horse from New York to Los Angeles, was killed In an automobile accident yesterday (Monday). Miss Viking's skull was fractured "While her half-sister, Jane Wardy, riding in the same car, escaped injury. Miss Viking had appeared in one ■Hoot-=Glbson="west6rnT""-"""" =^ Cruze's Wide Angle Hollywood, Dec. 3. A new wide angle lens Is being developed here by an Inventor financed by James Cruze. Cruze plans to test Its practicability In filming mob istuff on "Circus Pa- rade," shortly to go Into production. Sam Zlerler, sales representative for Cruze, Is now here conferring with Nat Cordlsh on the current year's program^ Zlerler just re- turned from Europe. Jolson's Next in April 3rDecr"3r"= DDINEE FOR VETERANS Hollywood, Dec. 3. A dinner for Weber and Fields and a group of old-timers will be held Dec. lo at the Ambassador Hotel. Actors' branch of the Acad- emy of M. P. Arts and Sciences Is Riving It. Veteran.s are assembling for a Metro-Gold\vyn picture. ' "Los _ It has been set by the Warners that the next and final talker Al I Jolson will make for .the firm will commence In April next. Jolson's contract With the War- ners permit the latter to decide when the talker Is to be made. Following the completion of the Warner feature, Jolson will be at I liberty to take up his film making I agreement with United Artists. WiD Amalgamate All Music Subsidiaries-^StarrvVrP., at ■ Warners now. have First National in a position where it regards the government inquiry as a perfunc- tory move. More than ever, how- ever, are they determined to main- tain its trademark and identity, witnessed In the Warners carrying over the name as the title of the company which It Incorporated In Maryland. ^JWhlle-^dutles^ ot^ some^o£_^the^oJL^ fleers under the Madison avenue regime are reported lessened by the close Inter-relatlonshlp of this sub- sidy In the Warner home office, es- pecially since the 28% sell out by Fox, Herman Starr not only retains the presidency but haa had his duties with the brothers mul- tiplied. At the directors meeting Monday Starr, associated with the War- WARNER-FOX THEATRE nCHT IN WEST IMPENDS Los Angeles, Dec. S. Harold B. Franklin has declared a building war on Warners as a re- sult of the Warner accuniulation of theatres In Fox Coast territory. Franklin declares he is outlining plans to Invade various towns where WAmers have been negotiating tot sites and says Fox will build wher- ever Warners do. Franklin has left for Atlanta, Ga^ to supervise preparation for the Christmas Day opening of the new Fox house there. He returns via St. Louis and Kansas City. Grandeur On 48-Hn Notice Set for Fox Houses within 48 ^ours from the time they receive instructions, any Vox house can be physically set to show Grandeur pictures. Fox Is se forti- fied with Installations of the new projection apparatus being secretly made. Fox Metropolitan houses, during the period of rennovatlon after their acquisition by Fox, had their booths .widened to accomodate the new projectors with the heavier base. The last of these has,.been InijtaUed. SHEEEAN BACE W. R, Sheehan returned to New York yesterday (Tuesday) on the "Majeistlo." He had been on the other side for about'two months. After a brief stay east, Sheehan win go to the !Pox . studios on the coast. ners In various executive capacities for 10 years, was voted a ylce- presldency in the Warner company Simultaneously, Star*' was desig- nated to maintain an active super- visory part In building up the brothers' vast music publishing in terests. •. Starr in Charge. ' Starr's mission In the music, end is -to ^effect^co-ordination=-between that and pictures sO that the original purpose of the brothers in entering the publishing field will be realized. One of his first moves will be to study the personnel and keep it where it will be most valuable to the brothers. As the result many writers who have; remained In New York under the old regime will bo transferred to the West Const. Max Dreyfus will be in active SALLt AND HOOT AS ONE Hollywood, Diec. 3.. Hoot Gibson will lead Sally Eilcra to the altar during the Yuletido holidays. This will be the second marriage for the Universal cowboy, who was recently divorced. charge of the music subsidiaries, accountable only to Starr. Louis Warner and Buddy Morris, sons of the Warner president and general manager, respiectlvely, who were In complete charge ■ when the brothers first acquired Wltmark's, and-who later were-.able -to=contact- the publishing acquisitions which have followed, will, under the re- organization, devote more of their time to film Interests than music, it Is expected. The expansion of the music phase, with such companies as Harms, De- Sylva, Browti & Henderson, Davis, Coots & TOnpol, Remlck & Co., being fifldf'd lia.'i made it one of the most imj.)orLant of the brothers' activities.