The Film Daily (1934)

• " Intimate in Character Internationa! in Scope Independent in Thought The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Now Sixteen Years Old VOL. LXV. NO. 1C7 NEW yCCI\, TlESCAy, M4y S, 1934 <S CENT! Nation's Critics Have Little Fear of Television Mei in ti M Mtj ADOLPH MOR TO GIVEJULL TIME TO PRODUCTION Jurisdiction Dispute Adjourns N. Y. Zoning Meet First Confab Strikes Snag Due to Overlapping Complaint Questioning the jurisdiction of the New Jersey advisory committee. of the local zoning and clearance board, J. D. Egan, general manager of Wilmer & Vincent theaters, yesterday caused an adjournment of the meeting for a week. It was the first meeting of the committee sitting as a body to act upon clearance complaints. The complaint was registered by Greenhugh Theaters, owner of the Washington Theater, Washington, N. J., against (Continued on Page 6) MORE SCOPE IN FILMS VISIONED BY ZANUGK A continual expansion of the screen's scope, eventually taking in even such forms as Shakespeare and opera, is envisioned by Darryl F. Zanuck, 20th Century production chief, who is in New York for a few days before sailing for a tour of (Continued on Page 6) Zoning Plan May Ban Dime Admissions, Duals Cincinnati — A heavy penalty, in the way of delayed availability, on houses playing to dime admissions is expected to be recommended when the new local zoning schedule is presented at the meeting of the zoning and clearance board on May 14. It is also understood that most exchanges are opposed to any sales to (Continued on Page 6) Few Grievances in Cleve. Cleveland — With disposal of three grievance cases last week in which defendant exhibs were ordered to stop handing out quantities of 10-cent admission coupons, there are no cases on file with the local grievance board at present. CRITICS* FORUM QUESTION NO. 5 What effects do you foresee on motion pictures when television becomes practical entertainment? RESULTS OF CRITICS' REPLIES Wide variance of opinions, ranging from many who see no effect at all to a very few forecasting complete elimination of screen, but majority viewpoint is that because of television's technical limitations, plus the fact that people prefer their entertainment in crowds, the theater will get a temporary jolt from television — and that jolt is still quite distant. IF THE consensus of viewpoints of several hundred of the nation's leading motion picture critics can be relied upon as a prophecy, the film industry hasn't much to fear from the big bad wolf of television when, as and if it becomes practical commercial entertainment. Though a good many of the participants in the 1934 Critics' Forum conducted by THE FILM DAILY were frank to decline the role of seer with regard to this impending new form of entertainment, more than 300 did take a chance and the sum of their opinions is that (1) general television entertainment still is far off, (2) it cannot compete with the scops and action of screen entertainment unless it broadcasts films on screens the same size as in theaters, (3) even if it does supply good entertainment, the public will always remain gregarious and theater shows will always have more lure than home amusement, (4) present amusement interests will probably tie up television and present it in theaters and (5) it will spur better motion pictures to meet the competition. Regardless of the fears or hopes held for it, television is a matter of evolution and competitive interests will have to contend with it, some of the critics point out. Its biggest effect is expected to be on radio, which will be more or less ruined or replaced, the critics say. ALL-AROUND AMALGAMATION SEEN An amalgamation of all types of entertainment, with films, radio and possibly newspapers under unified management, is one of the possibilities foreseen. E. H. Gooding of the "Buffalo Evening News" thinks the effect will be "no more than radio has had on screen technique or theater attendance; it will not be a serious rival in our time; too limited in scope." A "great change in distribution, with opportunity to appeal to any number of different classes of audience," predicts Vincent S. Jones of the "Utica Daily Press." He adds that it "should widen the field for entertainment and eventually improve it." "There will be fewer theaters, but the desire for theatergoing will continue," in the opinion of E. W. Opie of the "Leader & News-Leader," Staunton, Va. Albert E. Parks of the "Long Island City Daily Star" believes "pictures will slowly (Continued on Page 6) Paramount President Goes West for Indefinite Period Adolph Zukor, president of Paramount leaves New York today for Hollywood, where he plans to devote his entire attention to current and future production matters for an indefinite period of time. With Emanuel Cohen, vice-president in charge of production, Zukor will review the pictures now in work for release in the fall and will con (Continued on Page 7) CHARGE BAN ON DUALS IS DISCRIMINATORY Philadelphia — Question as to whether or not a disrtibutor having product deals with two theaters, with each contract containing antidouble feature clauses, can invoke the provisions against one account and not the other is involved in a (Continued on Page 7) Fox West Coast, Principal Must Give Up 20 Pictures West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Los Angeles — Local grievance board has ruled that Fox West Coast and Principal Theaters must turn over 20 first-run films to the Garfield Theater, Alhambra, which (Continued on Page 7) Want Canavan Back Middle West operators' locals have inaugurated a campaign to bring about the election of William F. Canavan of St. Louis as president of the I. A. T. S. E. at its annual convention at Louisville June 4. A committee in charge of the move has sent out a circular letter seeking to enlist support for Canavan, who was formerly head of the international.