The Film Daily (1934)

THE -Z&1 DAILY Tuesday, May 8, 1934 JURISDICTION DISPUTE ADJOURNS BOARD MEET (Continued from Page 1) Wilmer & Vincent, M-G-M, Paramount and Warner. It said in part: "The Washington Theater is located 14 miles from Easton, Pa., which exercises a 14-day clearance on Washington, which is in another state. No clearance in a town 14 miles away in another state served out of another exchange should be permitted. This c.earance is unfair and unjust." Following the reading of the complaint, Egan brought up the question of the New Jersey board's jurisdiction over a matter concerning films shipped and sold from the Philadelphia exchanges. "It would be the natural inclination of any board to look with more favor upon complaints made by men in their own territory," said Egan. "li thi^ board has jurisdiction, 1 am willing to proceed." I.enn Rosenblatt, chairman of yesterday's meeting, permitted open discussion on tin question, but as the members were of the opinion that only the Code Authority had the right to decide matters of jurisdiction Koenblatt telephoned John C. Flinn, secretary of the Code Authority, for a ruling. With Flinn's permission it was agreed t< adjourn the meeting one week, when tw< Philadelphia exchange managers will be in vited to attend for the protection of their territorial interests. Don Jacocks of Warners stated that unless a definite ruling as tt juri -diction was made; similar difficulties would l>e met with in all parts of the coun try. The Authority later in the day said that, in event complaints filed with loca boards overlap into another territory, partiesinvolved must get together and agree as t the key city in which the case will be heard Members of the committee who attendee the first meeting were, Leon Rosenblatt chairman; A. J. Rettig, Don Jacocks, E< Schnitzer and Harry Hecht. Fred A . Green< appeared for the. complaining company. Demand Code for Electrics Wa-hington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — A request that the President impose a code on the telegraph industry, comprising A. T. & T., Western Union, Postal and RCA, following voluntary refusal to offer a code to the NRA, was announced yesterday by General Johnson. Public hearings on the imposed code are scheduled to start May 16. Norwine Gets Three Houses Toledo — K. Norwine has taken over the Shoreway theater, Point Pleasant, and the Hawley, Toledo, from Benson Brothers. He has also acquired the Strand, Maumee, from Mrs. H. G. Mouen. Scollay Square Remains Open Boston — Reversing a previous decision, M. & P. officials are keeping the Scollay Square Theater open indefinitely with double features and vaudeville. Al Freeman, [former assistant manager, has been appointed to the managership. Usher Dispute Settled Dispute over the dismissal of three ushers at Loew's Metropolitan, Brooklyn, was settled Saturday with the payment of two weeks' salary to th° boys in lieu of notice at a meeting in the offices of the T.O.C.C. attended by Division Administrator Sol. A. Rosenblatt, Charles Moscowitz of Loew's, Charles Levey, secretary of Local 118, service union, and Abner Rubien, attorney for the union. THE CRITICS' FORUM (.Continued from Page 1) pass away, because why leave your easy chair and pay for something you can see at home for nothing?" A decline in film industry is seen by Charles L. Long of the "Intelligancer,' Wheeling, W. Va., "if movie stars and stories are used for television." "The expense of staging satisfactory entertainment for television is likely to be prohibitive to advertisers," says T. E. Wagg, Jr., of the Rocky Mount, N. C., "Evening Telegram." "About the same effect radio has on newspapers," is the view of W. Erie Homan of the Reading "Times," Reading, Pa. "If people want to see Eddie Cantor and miss him on .he television where it is free, they will pay to see him in the movies. Chiefly the element of time." "It went make much difference, because Mrs. Jones will always want to go where her hat can be shown," says Sid Copeland of the Spokane Press." A. G. Hunt of the "Daytona Beach Sun Record" sees "little effect at first, gradually increasing as apparatus becomes perfected and cheap." WILL HIT SMALL THEATERS Daniel Parkhurst Cheney of the "Walla Walla Jnion " believes the small theaters wi,l suffer /nost, while the b.g city first-runs will be hurt /ery little. "Depends on television's ability to secure st.blished celebrities for its presentation, .eclares Harry P. Hall of "The Eagle," Dothan, Ala. "There is a place for pictures, whatever new orm of amusement is created," says George C vVarren of the San Francisco "Chronicle." "Television will increase interest in the stars, heir home life, etc. Will be able to increase a.erest in their movies. Heaviest competition vill be with the fan magazine," is the view of Walter D. Hickman of the "Indianapolis Times.' Kate Cameron of the New York "Daily News" je.ieves "moving pictures will go on forever, .envision or no television. The latter form wil. fake its place in the world of entertainment, but it will hardly oust pictures from the top ,pot." "The limited scope of television, from i ;echnical standpoint, suggests that the spatial nd more imaginative concommitants of motion pictures will be heightened," avers the erudite Charles J. Neugebauer of the "Daily Mining Journal," Ishpeming, Mich. GENERAL STIMULATION Jack Bryan of the Memphis "Press-Scimitar" o.esees sterner competition but "general stimulation of show interest all around." A consolidation of screen and television i: believed necessary by Wil Baltin of the "Daily /iome News," New Brunswick, N. J. "It all depends on who holds the star contracts, " says Jack Gordon of the Fort Worth 'Press." "If advertising abounds in television programs, people will still seek a good movie or Iheir rest and entertainment," according to Albert M. Efner of Ihe "Daily Courier," JItumwa, la. Harry Martin of the Memphis "Commercial Appeal" suggests that "if the movie folk are smart, they'll get a corner on telly while in its infancy." "It will be many years before television can present for its audiences as complete and jll-encompassing an entertainment as a motion picture does," points out A. D. Williams of the "Moose Magazine," national publication. "When this comes to pass, business evolution will have transformed existing movie audiences into television ones." Jack Moffitt of the "Kansas City Star" believes television may be broadcast from a masterfilm, like electrical transcription, and it this proves too expensive the movies will be saved. He adds that "the public will not want to give up the scope and speed that the camera has added to the technique of dramatic structure." FILM RESOURCES SUPERIOR "The movies will go along as good as ever with superior resources," writes Stuart A. Mahuran of the "Telegraph-Herald," Dubuque la "They may even take advantage of television for advertising purposes, particularly in shorts." "Pictures will probably foresee possibilities of television and meet the competition," says Hazel A. Smith of the "Pueblo Star-Journal." "Films featuring movement will be more necessary even than now. Fewer musical films will be made, as the public will get its songs and see its Bing Crosbys on the air," predicts Robert Randol of the Fort Worth "Star-Telegram." Lecta Rider of the Houston "Chronicle" thinks "television home sets will rank with the so-called home movies." Fred W. Speers of the "Denver Post" sees the films forced to get better stories and use color and three dimensions. WILL BRING BACK LEGIT "Television will completely revolutionize the industry, close the majority of picture houses and bring legitimate entertainment back to the theater," is the sweeping forecast of Cosman Eisendrath of the Biloxi "Daily Herald." Miriam Bell of the "Miami Daily News" predicts the "gradual transplanting of screen stars to television studios." A. Glenn Rogers of the "Geneva Daily Times," Geneva, N. Y., believes the government will charge set owners some sort of i license fee, as they would be getting too much for noth.ng. "Producers and theaters will keep just t little ahead of developments as they did ir, .he case of sound projection," says Harola 0-y Va pey of the "Daily Evening Item,' _ynn, Mass. "No reason why thay cannot be incorporated in one program according K uciicncc demand." Hope of the screen's future, in the opinio,-, of Ted Wear of the "Topeka State Journal, " .ies in "freer use of the film's superiority over stage and radio — ability to travel logically hrough time and space without audience irritation. Mere copies of stage technique must be abandoned." "The mob will still want to be entertained in theaters," says R. G. Miller of the "Daily Cklahoman," Oklahoma City. SUPPLEMENTARY MEDIUM Jack Stinnett of the "Daily Oklahoman,' Oklahoma City, believes television will supplement rather than supplant the film as enrertainment, but sees a possibility that i, will supplant the movie as we know it today. "Newspapers built up their own Frankenstein with radio publicity treatment and now rind the ether advertising plenty tough," warns Don O'Kane of the "Humboldt Standard," Eureka, Cal. "Maybe the show business will head their worry off in time." A. Alfred Marcello of the Providence "NewsTribune" sees television as a serious menace if its cost can be made low enough. Visualizing no effects on movies by television, Mary Yvo Flanigan of the "Bradford Era," Bradford, Pa., adds: "Nothing will ever take the place of the theater. There is a glamor in the lights, music and crowds which could never be compared with staying at home to see the greatest artists when television becomes practical." "People still like to get their entertainment away from home, if only for the thrill of getting out of a familiar atmosphere," comments Elinor L. Hughes of the "Boston Herald." On the other hand, Mary Louise Walliser of the San Antonio "Evening News" gives this foreboding: "Television to my mind will force movies to the rocks, for then the public will ren.ain at home to see what it now sees in the theaters. Especially will this be the case as long as television is in the novelty stage Only outstanding films will then draw people into theaters." Mary Brooks Parham of the "Charlotte Observer," Charlotte, N. C, thinks teelvision will cause films to lose their attraction but will probably create new interest in the legitimate stage. "It probably will do to pictures what pictures did to the stage," says Hazel Kirk of 'The Advocate," Newark, 0. PREDICTS LABOR TROUBLES "Discharge of projectionists and consequent labor disturbances" is i he prediction of Ed Klinger of "The Evansvi le Press," Evansville Ind. Jean Henderson of the "llorida Times-Union." Jacksonville, believes "screen moguls probably have it tied up so they'll get theirs both ways." Tomorrow's question will deal with boxoffice influences. MORE SCOPE IN FILMS VISIONED BY ZANUGK (Continued from Page 1) Europe and a big-game hunt in Africa. Present trend of public interest, according to Zanuck, is for subjects that are big and important, like "House of Rothschild." In line with his belief that pictures with more scope are in demand, Zanuck says he is considering a picture dealing with English imperialism in India, perhaps one on the life of the Queen of Sheba and possibly a picture about life in Arabia, which he will visit next month. Newspaper headlines give him his cue to new trends in public taste, Zanuck says. He thinks that star names, unless backed by good stories, are of no value. Color pictures will never catch on, no matter how good they are, in his opinion. Zoning Plan May Ban Dime Admissions, Duals (Continued from Page 1) exhibitors who charge a dime for adults. Double bills likewise will be given serious consideration, with likelihood that the plan recommended will carry provisions setting back the availability for any theater playing duals. The basis of general clearance will be the admission price charged and the type of operation. Cleveland Board Delays Meet Cleveland — Meeting of the local clearance board orginially scheduled for last week has been set for 2 P. M. on Thursday in the Hotel Statler. Future meetings will be held each Friday. Jacob Grauman Left $244,567 Milwaukee — An estate of $244,567.86 was left by Jacob S. Grauman, secretary-treasurer of Shorewood Theater Co., who died Jan. 28. according to an inventory filed in county court here. The widow, Mrs. Irene S. Grauman is the principal beneficiary. Two Houses for James Hickman Coshocton, 0. — James Hickman, formerly associated with the Shea interests in Cambridge and Marietta, is reported to have leased a store room here and also one in New Philadelphia which he is remodelling for movies. Another Dickens Picture Universal plans to produce a second Dickens story, "The Mystery of Edwin Drood," in addition to "Great Expectations," previously announced. Heather Angel has been brorowed from Fox for the feminine lead, and production is expected to start before thend of May under supervision of Stanley Bergerman. About half a dozen Dickens stories are now scheduled for production next season.