The Film Daily (1934)

Intimate in Character Internationa! in Scope Independent in Thought The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Now Sixteen Years Old VOL. L\V. NO. 79 NEH yCCK, TULCSOAT, APRIL 5, 1934 <5 OENU Allied Asks Review Board to Urge Code Changes MONOGRAM RENTALS EXCEEDED 4 MILLlWjN 1933 Mayer, De Mille Join List of M. P. T. O. A. Speakers Hollywood . . . destiny village ^^By JACK ALICOATE^^ LJOLLYWOOD never changes. Only the faces in it. The little suburb that became Internationally famous because of pictures is still New Rochelle, with palm trees. We have made 29 visits to Los Angeles during the past 15 years and always we meet up with the same people. Except that each time they have different names. The Comer, pulling strings to get there and bowing to the one above. The One-on-Top, self contained and arrogant and unmindful of the inevitable fall that must come. The Goer, slipping and playing politics to hang on, and the Has Been, the panhandler of jobs he is incompetent to fill, because of the industry march of progress. How few realize the human turnover in this man's town in a year. Hollywood! City of pets, puffs, politics and publicity. Mostly of heartaches and buried dreams. Over ten thousand extras each working less than one day out of 14. Not more than a handful of new talent reaching the heights within a year. Here in Hollywood are hidden more stories of real life, drama, comedy, tragedy, and adventure, than will reach the screens in a generation. However, the show must go on. Hollywood is the proving ground. T T T IT seems that grievances have been piling ' up in Hollywood for the past 15 years at the rate of 207 a day. This, mathematically figured to exactitude, amounts to 2,675,001 complaints or thereabouts up till 11 o'clock this morning. Perhaps it's because we have a kind face. At any rate during our first day we were elected to hear in person at least 10 per cent of all Hollywood grievances since the town wore rompers. Three cheers for the good old NRA. For the present we have placed a sign on the door "No Grievances Allowed." Later on perhaps we will open a complaint department and hold grievance auditions every afternoon from 4 to 6. Those having the best complaints will be recommended for a booking on the grievance big time. The thing has us balmy. T T T KIO more visitors at the studios. This ' ^ should have been done years ago. Everyone that cne meets is interested in some {Continued on Page 2) Long List of Notables is Slated for Annual Banquet Louis B. Mayer, vice-president and production chief for M-G-M, will lead the discussion on "What's the Matter with Exhibition, from the Point of View of a Producer," while Cecil B. De Mille, producer for Paramount, will talk on "How Pictures Are Put Together" at next Wednesday's forenoon session of the M. P. T. 0. A. convention at the {Continued on Page 6) NEW SETUTOTPATHE IS EXPECTEDTHISYEAR In anticipation that a reorganization plan for Pathe can be worked out this year, a registration application under the Securities Act of 1933 is now in course of preparation for filing with the Federal Trade Commission, it is revealed by Stuart W. Webb, president, in his an (Continued on Page 6) Mrs. Belmonf at Ampa Dinner Mrs. August Belmont, recently elected president of the Motion Picture Research Council, will be a speaker at the A.M. P. A. annual Dinner on April 21 in the Hotel Astor. Gay Street Fair Closes Gulf States Convention New Orleans — The most important get-together ever held here between exchanges and theaters took place yesterday when film row halfholidayed to entertain exhibitors in (Continued on Page 5) FILM BOARDS ACTION NOT YETJSCUSSED No discussion has taken place yet with regard to ultimate disposition of the Film Boards of Trade, it was stated yesterday by C. C. Pettijohn in answer to a query about reports that the boards will be terminated after the full code machinery is functioning. The Hays office is waiting to see how many of the grievance and zon(Continued on Page 2) "Wonder Bar" Held Over In 85 Per Cent of Dates Opening in 225 situations for special Easter Week engagements, "Wonder Bar" has been set to hold over in 85 per cent of the spots, the Warner home office reports. Among centers where the picture went over biggest are Memphis, Milwaukee, New Orleans, San Antonio, Washington, Hartford, Portland, Altoona, Albany, Springfield, Buffalo, Rochester and Cleveland. The run will extend for at least two weeks in all of these cities. Want Code Changes Suggested In Board's Report to President Gaumont-British Lineup Being Delivered in Full Gaumont-British will fulfill its program of a total of 36 feature productions for the current season, says an announcement from Arthur A. Lee of Gaumont-British Picture Corp. of America. The company has 23 productions either completed, presently in production, or in prep(Continued on Page 5) Bv WILLIAM SILBERBERG FILM DAILY Staff Correspondent Washington — Claiming that the code by the omission of certain definitions of policv. in effect sanctions them, Abram F. Myers, Allied counsel, yesterday pleaded with the National Recovery Review Board to exercise powers granted to it under an executive order and recommend changes in the code in its report to (Continued on Page 5) Payment of Dividends is Being Recommended by Johnston By ARTHUR W. EDDY Atlantic City — Combined film rentals of the 37 exchanges aff iated with Monogram were in excess of $4,000,000 during the 1933 fiscal year, said President W. Ray Johnston in his annual report submitted to stockholders on first day of the Monogram convention at the Ambassador Hotel here yesterday. He also stated gross billings of company exceeded those of the previous (Continued on Page 2) PARAMT CONVENTION JUNE 18-20 ON COAST Paramount has set June 18-20 as the dates of its annual sales convention, which will be held at the Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles, George J. Schaefer, vice-president and general manager, announced yesterday. The meeting will be attended by the district, branch and sales managers of the United States and Canada, and home office and studio executives. Paramount's 1934 (Continued on Page 6) Majestic Franchiseholders Meet Monday to Set Plans All Majestic franchiseholders will meet here Monday to discuss future production plans of the company, it was said yesterday by E. H. Goldstein, vice-,president. Fol(Continued on Page 2) Cleaners Come Under Code Cleaners in movie and legitimate theaters come under the codes of these two amusement branches, Sol A. Rosenblatt, Division Administrator, stated yesterday in a telegram to Nathan Straus, Jr., state NRA compliance head. Rosenblatt's ruling establishes for the first time the status of maintenance men in theaters employed by outside contractors, it was said by Mrs. Anna Rosenberg, assistant to Nathan Straus.