The Film Daily (1937)

THE -gtm DAILY Saturday, April 17, 1937 KANSAS CENSORS GUT OUT WHEELER'S LINES (Continued from Page 1) of Senator Wheeler's remarks, critical of the Roosevelt administration's proposals for Court reform, the Board of Review said, "We feel this dialogue is partisan and biased". In the speech to which the censors took objection the Senator said: "You can say that the privilege of appointing Postmasters will not be accorded to me. You can say that I'll get no more projects for my state. You can say what you please, but I say to you and to Mr. Farley, to everybody else, that I will vote against this proposition because it is morally wrong; it is morally unsound; it is a dangerous proceeding." Orders to cut the speech were received by T. R. Thompson, branch manager of RKO Radio Pictures Inc. in charge of distribution of "The March of Time" in this territory. Commenting on the Kansas action, Louis de Rochemont, producer of "The March of Time," said last night: "The elimination which the Kansas State Board of Review has ordered will distort the impartiality of March of Time's complete review of the Supreme Court controversy. The cut eliminates a speech by the U. S. Senator from Montana, Burton K. Wheeler, opposing the proposed plan to enlarge the Supreme Court but leaves intact scenes supporting the plan including President Roosevelt at his fireside chat when he presented the plan to the nation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a statement on a national political issue by an accredited authority like a U. S. Senator has been censored from the screen by a State Board." More than 250 feet of the court controversy episode underwent reediting and re-scoring this week, following the Wagner Act decisions. Booked for national release April 16, the news feature's 356 prints had already been shipped from New York, but all RKO Radio branches Thursday received by air express the substitute footage bringing the story up to the minute. Ask Minnesota Hearing on Classifying Bill {Continued from Page 1) for a public hearing on the measure, understood to be sponsored by Allied. So far no date has been set, although the body is expected to adjourn sine die late this month. Also pending in the Minnesota Legislature is an Allied-backed theater divorcement measure. Stage Shows Ending in N. 0. New Orleans — Stage shows will be out in this city after April 29 when the St. Charles returns to a straight film policy and drops its admission to a lower schedule. A "£Ml" (nun "Ms // By RALPH WILK HOLLYWOOD LOUIS KING'S initial directorial assignment at Paramount is "Tightwad," which will feature Edward Everett Horton and Lynn Overman. King directed several pictures for Warner Bros., before joining Paramount. » T » Darryl F. Zanuck, has turned the researching eye of His cameras on the record of the Company of Gentlemen Adventurers Trading into Hudson's Bay, better known as the Hudson Bay Company. Under Associate Producer Kenneth Macgowan, "Hudson Bay" will go into production during the summer as one of the foremost undertakings of the 20th Century-Fox studio for the new season. Art Arthur, Richard Collins and, Michael Jacoby have been assigned to prepare the script. T T T Plans to produce "Booloo," a story of a lone young English adventurer in unexplored Malayan jungles, were announced yesterday by Paramount. The picture will be made by Clyde E. Elliott, well-known for "Bring 'Em Back Alive" and "Devil Tiger," who will leave Hollywood on April 26 for a location in the Ma layan Peninsula 400 miles north of Singapore. Leading role will be played by Colin Tapley. Elliott will be accompanied by Carl Berger, cameraman, and Wilfred Deming, sound man. _ T T ▼ Casting assignments — RKO: Henry Armetta, "Make a Wish"; WB: Edward Everett Horton, "The Great Garrick"; Rosemary and Priscilla Lane, "Varsity Show"; 20thFox: Luis Alberni, "Sing and Be Happy"; Virginia Field, "Lancer Spry"; Monogram: Mickey Rooney, 'The Hoosier Schoolmaster"; Paramount: Hobart Cavanaugh, "Easy Living"; Jane Martel, Larry Crabbe, "Forlorn River"; Wanger: Weis Brothers, "Walter Wanger's Vogues of 1938." T T ▼ News o' the day: Para, has handed Terry Ray a new pact . . . Jane Hinton Smith will script "Romance of the Limberlost" for Monogram . Gracie Fields' first 20th-Fox pix will be made in Hollywood, not England . Mady Correll will sing "The Plain Old Blues," by Arthur Johnston and John Burke in "Midnight Madonna". . Henry King will direct "Chicago" for 20th-Fox. Variety Club Convention Opens at Omaha; Expect 700 Omaha — Against a "Wild West" background, the annual national Variety Club convention opens here today. Attendance of 200 delegates and 500 other visitors is anticipated. George Jessel planes in from Hollywood tonight to act as master of ceremonies, and Norma Talmadge is expected to accompany him. Kansas City Variety Club's delegation totals 30, and includes Elmer Rhoden, president; R. R. Biechele, vice-president; Sam Abend, treasurer, and F. C. Hensler, George Baker, Arthur Cole and Earl Jameson, directors; Lon Todd, Frank Cassil, George Harttmann, Ben Marcus, C. E. Esterley, Joe Manfre, Paul Hanon, E. L. Harris, Rube Finkelstein, Joe Stark, C. E. Cooke, H. E. White, Leslie F. Durland, C. M. Parkhurst, Nat Hechtman and E. C. Leeves. 27,000 British Methodist Churches to be "Theaters" London (By Cable) — British Methodist churches numbering 27,000 will be converted for talkies as one phase of a religious revival movement, backed by J. Arthur Rank, millionaire miller, and the power behind the Religious Film Society of which the Bishop of London is president. It is likely that the Anglican church and Scottish churches will fall in line. Former have 40,000 halls and churches, latter about 3,000 halls available for exhibition purposes. Only One of 18 Industry Bills Survive in Indiana Out of 18 bills applying to the film industry introduced during the session of the Indiana Legislature which has just ended, only one measure, a bill imposing a 2 per cent sales tax embracing admissions, was made a law. Measures defeated in committee included: 2 per cent gross receipt tax on amusements, entertainments, etc., increased income tax on corporations from 2 per cent to 3 per cent, increased income tax on corporations from 2 per cent to 5 per cent, creating office of state manager in charge of censor board, appointing employees deemed necessary, etc., lc tax on each 20c admission, 2 per cent tax on sales tangible personal property at retail— will apply to admissions as Supreme Court has decided admission tickets are merchandise, 2 per cent retail sales tax including admissions, increased income tax on corporations from 2 per cent to 4 per cent, 2 per cent tax on all advertising, billboards, newspapers, etc., chain store tax $2 1 store, $760 50 or more, anti-discrimination of prices, licensing places of entertainment, etc., sales tax — lc 25c-60c, 2c 60c-$l, 1 per cent gross receipt tax including admissions. New Haven Union to Elect New Haven — The newly-chartered A. F. of L. exchange employes' union will elect officers Monday at 5:45 P. M. at the Hotel Garde. Williams Appeal Denied The Appellate Division yesterday denied the appeal of John D. Williams, theatrical manager and producer, from a lower court decision against him in his $200,000 suit for his part in bringing Maude Adams back to the stage in the "Merchant of Venice" in 1931. "Ecstasy", Camera Target Detroit — Candid camera enthusiasts here have turned their attention toi "Ecstasy," and are snapping scenesl as they flash on the screen at the Downtown theater where the film is in its fifth week. "How come?" inquiry by the management brought the explanation, "Just for home use." CONDOR TO MAKE 10 FOR RKO, 14 FOR {Continued from Page 1) by Frank M. Snell, Condor vicepresident. Condor will make 6 features with George O'Brien for RKO and four featuring a well-known star with whom contractual relations have been made but which await Condor's signature. In addition, 13 musical shorts, featuring celebrities of stage, screen and radio and 13 one-reel sport shorts will be made for RKO. Condor will make six pictures featuring Conrad Nagel and eight with Ken Maynard for Grand National. Two of Maynard's pictures have been completed. Conrad Nagel has been signed by Condor for next season and for three years as a director. Of the 21 pictures contracted by Condor for this season, five remain to be completed and these will be ready by July 1st, the company says. Michel Meets Roxy Plan Proponents; No Decision (Continued from Page 1) the Pounds' bondholder committee, proponents of the Roxy reorganization plan, about a possible betterment of the 20th-Fox offer for the theater but that no decision had been reached. Michel said he did not know how soon a decision would be made on the matter. During the session on the plan in Federal Court before Special Master Addison S. Pratt, Leon Fleischmann, former Loew theater executive, testified as a witness for the stockholders' protective committee. Fleischmann said that the Roxy could not be replaced today for what it cost and that it was a better theater building than the Music Hall. The site couldn't be duplicated, he declared. The land was worth $2,550,000, he estimated. Daniel W. Blumenhtal, counsel for the Adler committee, said he was in favor of the present plan, but would not be in favor of any plan giving stockholders an interest unless the bondholders got a better deal. UU1&