The Film Daily (1934)

Intimate in Character Internationa! in Scope Independent in Thought TTOwtW The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Now Sixteen Years Old ^DAILY VOL. LXV. NO. 77 NEW yCCI\, TtCSDAy, API II 3, 1934 <S CI NT/ Several Hundred Complaints Already in C. A. Hands REVIEW JOARD HEARINGSJOSTPONED j[ TODAY 200 Attend the TriState Convention in Memphis New Orleans ... in the Springtime =By JACK ALICOATE^^ KJEW Orleans is still New Orleans. Next I ^ to Memphis it is the worst show town in these United States. Not one legitimate attraction in the city. Not even a vaudeville act on the boards. And that's something for a city of close to a halfmillion at this time of the year. Pictures throughout the Southland, however, are more than holding their own. Mostly because after years of blind-man's-buff the cotton, rice and sugar crops are again bringing better than starvation prices. The energetic, efficient and at most times silent E. V. Richards, amusement king-pin of this Southern Metropolis, is doing a great job in pulling the former Saenger flotilla out of receivership and into the black. New Orleans food is the greatest in the country. Lunch at Antoines and dinner at Galitoires and you'll say so too. Red eye has again made the town a hot spot. Schnapps 15c a throw. Six per cent beer a jit a schooner. Cocktails two for two-bits. These are the good old days, in New Orleans. • PREPARATIONS under way for the First Annual Convention of the Gulf States Theater Owners here at the Roosevelt Hotel on April 3 and 4. Date has been changed to permit stop-over for those en route to the big Los Angeles Exhib Pow Wow. Ed Kuykendall will be on hand for the banquet. Dave Palfreyman from the Hays outfit. Local exhib dignitary showed us tentative entertainment program before releasing it to newspapers. Last two features were speech by our old partner in crime, "Red" Kann, to be immediately followed by street dancing with music. After all, Mister, fun is fun. • \A/E caught M-G-M's "Louisiana" at its ™ ™ opening night in Louisiana, at Loew's. It is melo plus, but good entertainment. The natives ate it up. To us it again demonstrated the fact that no clement can take the place of the experienced stage trouper in ruling the screen. Ted Healy, Irene Franklin, Maude Eburne, Raymond Hatton and Joe Cawhorn all have minor parts, but, Louisiana 'ouldn't be half-a-picture without them. Lightman and Other Officers Are Re-elected — Local Boards Set Up By Staff Correspondent Memphis — Officers and board of directors of the M.P.T.O. of Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi were re-elected at yesterday's semi-annual meeting. Two hundred attended the open meeting at which M. A. Lightman was re-elected president; Mrs. Alma Walton, secretarytreasurer; O. W. McCutchen and W. F. Ruffin, regional vice presidents; and H. M. Wharton, S. M. Nutt, (Continued on Page 5) RKO RADIO STARTING 9 FEATURES IN APRIL West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Nine features will go nto production at the RKO studios his month, which, with two already in work, will make 11 films before the cameras in April. The two pictures shooting are "Of Human (Continued on Page 5) Naming of 15 Secretaries Expected at Friday Meet Approximately 15 out of 31 secretaries to serve for joint local grievance and zoning boards will be appointed by the Code Authority at (Continued on Page 5) "Rothschild" Smashes Boston Boston — In the face of a torrential downpour, "House of Rothschild" broke all roadshow records on its opening at the Majestic before a brilliant audience of Boston's best. Harry D. Buckley, vice-president of United Artists, and Monroe Greenthal, director of exploitation, were here for the opening, with Al Selig handling publicity. Advance sale is big and the picture will run two-a-day indefinitely. UNIVERSAL GUTTING ITS CAPITALIZATION Capitalization of Universal will be reduced by nearly $4,000,000 through a proposed change in par value of the common stock to $1 a share, according to notice filed with the New York Stock Exchange. The 250,000 shares of common stock of no par value are now carried in the capital setup at $4,173,950. Under the new plan this would be reduced to $250,000. Sees Savings Effected In Composite Cutting West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Major producers would make a substantial saving if they used the composite system of cutting, according to Arthur A. Brooks, veteran film editor, who cut "Tabu" and recently worked on (Continued on Page S) Forms for Filing Complaints Being Mailed Today by C. A. Paramount is Reducing Short Subject Program Apprehensive over workings of the code clause covering tieing in of shorts with features, Paramount will reduce its short subject program for 1934-35 as compared with its current schedule which provides 104 single reels and 24 tworeelers, in addition to newsreel (Continued on Page 6) Several hundred complaints against industry practices have already been filed with the Code Authority, which today mails out copies of three forms to be used in filing complaints with local grievance boards. As soon as the boards begin full functions Executive Secretary John C. Flinn will turn the complaints over to them for disposition and they will be acted upon {Continued on Page 6) Minn. Governor to Testify for Exhibs at Wash'n Hearings Today By WILLIAM SILBERBERG FILM DAILY Staff Correspondent Washington — Yesterday afternoon's scheduled hearings on the motion picture code before the National Recovery Review Board were postponed until today at 10 a. m. after it was learned that governor Olsen of Minnesota is to testify before the board in the morning in behalf of independent exhibitors. Harold Bareford, Warner general counsel and alternate for H. M. Warner on the Code Authority, held a late conference with Lowell (Continued on Page 6) VANSCHMUSHEADMAN AT THE MUSIC HALL W. G. VanSchmus, formerly of the Rockefeller office, is now managing director of the Radio City Music Hall. Although no official announcement has been made, VanSchmus has been given executive charge of administration, operation (Continued on Page 6) Ask Distribs for Names Of Code Beneficiaries Aiding the Code Authority in applying its financing assessments, iistributors will be asked to supply names of exhibitors who accept 10 per cent cancellation and othercode privileges. The code provides that although certain industry ele {Continued on Page 6) "Patrol" Sets Rialto Record RKO's "The Lost Patrol," which opened Friday night at the Rialto, grossed the biggest week-end business in the history of the house, receipts for the two and a half days exceeding the average week. Men predominate in the audience by about 90 to 1. Picture holds over.