The Film Daily (1934)

1? life Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought The Daily N Of Motion Now Sixteen ewspc Pict Years iper ures Old r'CL. LXV. NC. 94 NEW yCCr, MONDAY, APRIL, 23, 1934 <5 CENT/ £01 Flinn Sets 4 Regional Meets With Code Secretaries FEWER MATERS BEINTSOLD AS BIZJURNS UP NRA Representatives to Check Service Union Claims Word Pictures . . . of Hollywood personalities *== By JACK ALICOATE = IN HOLLYWOOD OUIS B. MAYER. . . .Louie to his friends ~ ....President of Producers Association .Production chief of MGM....Domilant figure in politics, both Califorrvi and ational. . . . Has that old ironing board ready whenever internal producer squables arise. .. .Suave, analytical, masterful .Possesses that peculiar combination of fcrcefulness and dominance on one side and tolerance and understanding on the other. .. .Deep in charity work of which most folks hear nothing. ... Master showman. . . .The extraordinary success of MGM product dates from the time he took charge . .As an organizer he has few equals . .Termed by many the "Head Man" of Hollywood. T T T DR. A. H. GIANNINL...To call him anything but DOC would be lese majeste. . . .Belongs more to Los Angeles than Hollywood. .. .Banker, friend and most sought after adviser on monetary matters by the motion picture, industry .... Probably the best liked man in pictures although he is a banker. ... Head of the great Bank of America chain of banks in California. .. .Human, rough, ready and the most artistic cusser we know. . . .To him a man's moral standing is more important than his balance sheet.... A serious, busy man who spends as much time talking to the little fellow as to the big International banker.... A great guy with a great heart, who, through trials and tribulations, has never lost his splendid faith in human nature. SID GRAUMAN Champ legit showman extraordinary of Hollywood. ... Made the prologue nationally popular. .. .Wit, raconteur, bon vivant. ... Nervous as a bride at 7 P. M. on opening nights.... We were next to him at the great opening of "Rothschild" and how he did steam . . . .makes and loses fortunes. . . . His reputation as practical joker is International Mind that works like a trigger. .. As colorful as Hollywood itself ... Friend of everyone and everyone his friend. Rosenblatt Men and Labor Board Jointly to Get Membership Data Checkup of the claim of Local 118, service union, that it represents the majority of Loew and RKO employes in its field will be made by representatives of Division Administrator Sol A. Rosenblatt and the Regional Labor Board working together. They will question all Loew and RKO employes on their union (Continued on Page 9) I.A.T.S.E. CHECKING UP RESULTS UNDER CODE A national checkup to determine effects of the code upon operators and stage employees is being made by the I. A. T. S. E., and will be taken up at its forthcoming Louisville convention. Louis Krouse, assistant president, is handling the survey from his headquarters in the (Continued on Page 9) 2 Fox Specials Finished, Another Pair is Started West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Two big productions. "The World Moves On," with Madeleine Carroll and Franchot Tone, and "Merry Andrew," with Will (Continued on Page 9) The Queen's English British film trade papers lately have been full of headlines on "redundancy." After much careful reading of the stories, it was discovered that they were talking about what is known over here as "overseating." UNIV'L OPERATIONS BACK IN THE BLACK First profit Universal has had since 1931 is reported by the company for the three months ended Jan. 27, showing a net of $24,507.60 after all charges including depreciation of $131,699.90. This compares with loss of $213,211.74 in the same quarter a year ago. Business in the current quarter has showed a further gain, the company states. Sharp Decline Shown in Number of Houses Changing Hands A substantial decline in number of theaters being disposed of currently as compared with a year ago is shown in a tabulation of the monthly reports of the Film Boards of Trade. In February and March only 290 houses changed hands, against 432 in the same months of 1933. Total transfers last year numbered more than 2,500, with indications that this year's figure will be only about half of that amount. The drop in sales is credited chiefly to the upturn in business, causing i many theater owners who were on I the selling side last year to decide to hold on. Branch Managers Named N. V. A. Drive Chairmen Branch managers of major distributors in 32 cities have been named zone chairmen for the N. V. A. Drive, which this year will have its most inclusive coverage as a result of participation by major companies and independents, combined with endorsement by the M. P. T. O. A. The zone chairmen, who will form committees of other branch (Continued on Page 11) Meetings for Code Secretaries Being Held by Flinn in 4 Spots Records for "Rothschild" By playing extra performances on Saturdays and Sundays, "House of Rothschild" has set a record for number of shows as well as intake in its first six weeks of the roadshow engagement at the Astor. The 20th Century production released by U. A. reached its 100th performance yesterday. Attendance in the period totaled 116,221, of which 1,921 were standees. The picture is set to continue its run through the summer. A series of four meetings with local board secretaries to outline code procedure i,s planned by John C. Flinn, executive secretary of the Code Authority, during the next 10 days. They will take place in San Francisco, Kansas City, Chicago and New York. Flinn leaves New York today by plane for the Coast, where he will attend to matters incident to the (.Continued on Page 9) AT A.M.PJ, DINNER More than 1,000 guests attended the Naked Truth Dinner given Saturday night by the A.M.P.A. at the Hotel Astor. John C. Flinn, retiring president, was toastmaster and introduced as the principal speaker, Mrs. August Belmont. Among other notables at the dais were the Mayor and Mrs. La Guardia, Nathan Burkan, Earle W. Hammons, Louis Nizer and Mr. and Mrs. Bernard (Continued on Page 9) New Independent Studio Is Under Way in Londoi London — A new studio for indi pent production is being put in shape at Worton, Isleworth, by Ii terworld Films, Ltd., of which J. "V Almond and E. R. Gourdeau ai a directors. The project involves i expenditure of more than $250,000. You Say It Paris — Jacques Natanson has formed a production company with backing by Charles Gervais, one of France's greatest cheese manufacturers.