The Film Daily (1934)

Intimate in Character Internationa! in Scope Independent in Thought •<}'■'■ •:..'• The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Now Sixteen Years Old VCL. LXV. NO. 142 NEW yCRr, TLESDA>, JUNE 19, 1934 <S CENTS Warner Bros. Houses Getting U. A. Product Again VITAPHg SELLING 13TSH0RTS FOR J9341935 RKO Strengthening Theater Position in N. Y. Territory Production ... as we see it = By DON CARLE GILLETTE — SCANNING the advance outlines of pictures promised for 1934-35 by most major and independent companies, three things stand out. First, the unusual number of serious and classic themes. Second, the comparatively small amount of comedy. Third, the supplementary assurances that the pictures are going to be clean. Considerable emphasis is placed on the latter point, obviously due to the recent crusades against films by churches and others who have become vociferous tc such a degree that producers have been scared into taking them seriously. As a matter of fact, motion pictures never were cleaner than in the last few years. But some unfortunate incident seems to have precipitated a campaign in which a mountainous fuss has been made over the 15 or 25 per cent of screen material that offends somebody or other while the 75 to 85 per cent that is perfectly all right has been ignored. A LTHOUGH it is important for pro*» ducers to keep their eyes on any concerted attacks against the screen, they should hesitate and consider before taking some of these inspired assaults too serious ly. The studios simply can't turn out all the types of pictures announced and whitewash them enough to appease every mentality of snooper without making many of the pictures so dull that they will bore audiences to distraction. Other means must be employed to gain more tolerance and freedom of expression within the limits of good taste. Aside from the oft-suggested classification of pictures according to type of audience, young and old, it seems that much could be done at the production source by turning out more pictures dealing with plain every-day romance and homely drama, and not so much of the triangle tripe that is continually being rehashed by hack writers who never see anything {Continued on Page 2) Circuit Takes Over Four More Houses from Consolidated With reports in circulation that other major circuits are planning to strengthen their positions in the New York metropolitan territory, RKO has quietly taken over eight houses during the last three days in this area and is understood planning to acquire more. Latest addi {Continued on Page 10) PH1LLY INDIE EXH1BS NAME 60LDER PREXY Philadelphia — Ex-Congressman Ben Golder was elected temporary president of the Independent Exhibitors Protective Association at a meeting of the organization held yes (Continued on Page lUj Columbia Will Hold Two Regional Meetings Columbia will hold two regional sales meetings early next month. The first will take place at Atlantic City July 2, 3 and 4 while the second will be held in the Middle West (Continued on Page 4) Plan Three Reelers San Francisco — An innovation in the new season Vitaphone program is a series of three-reel specials comprising condensed versions of Broadway musical hits. They are: "Song of the Flame," starring Bernice Claire and J. Harold Murray; "Sunny," starring Dorothy Stone, and "50 Million Fenchmen," starring Lois Moran. WON'T SELL 10 GENT HOUSES, SAYS WARN Warner Bros. -First National will positively not sell 1934-35 pictures to 10 cent houses, it was stated at the company's regional sales meeting which closes today at the St. Francis. At the final meeting today S. Charles Einfeld will talk o; the advertising budget for the © (Continued on Page 4) 20 Features Scheduled in Chesterfield Lineup Chesterfield-Invincible lineup for next season will comprise 20 pictures, 10 from each company, including six specials and two exploitation pictures, it was stated yesterday by George Batcheller, Jr. The two companies produced 18 (Continued on Page 4) Warner Circuit Buys RKO, M-G-M and Warner Product Pizor Defends Affiliated Houses in M.P.T.O. Unit Philadelphia — The battle between the M. P. T. O. of Eastern Pa. and the recently-formed Independent Exhibitors' Protective Ass'n broke out into the open when President Lewen Pizor of the former organization, in a statement issued yesterday, defended inclusion of affiliated theaters in his ranks. These theaters "have only one vote for all their theaters," Pizor pointed out, and de (Continued on Page 10) Warner Bros, theaters will again play United Artists product during 1934-35 providing a deal under negotiation is closed, as expected. During the current season the circuit did not get United Artists product. The U. A. program for the new year will comprise 24 features. The Warner circuit, through deals handled by Clayton Bond, has closed for all M-G-M, RKO and WarnerFirst National output for next season. M-G-M has announced 48, RKO 50 and Warner-First National 60 features. Bulk of Program Will be Made at Vitaphone Brooklyn Studio San Francisco — Vitaphone will distribute 130 short subjects during the new season, Norman H. Moray, in charge of sales, announced at the final session of the Warner Bros. -First National regional sales meeting here yesterday. Bulk of the program will be made at the Vitaphone studio in Brooklyn under supervision of Sam Sax while 20 subjects will be produced at Warner's Burbank's studios. The 1934-35 schedule affords the same number of subjects as provided for the current year. It com J i (Continued on Page 4) $22,500,000 SOUGHT IN ELECTRIC SUIT Seven suits totaling $22,500,000 were filed yesterday in U. S. District Court against Erpi, Western Electric and the American Tel. & Tel. Co., by attorneys David G. Berger and Ralph Vatner charging unfair competition and restraint of trade in the motion picture equip (Continued on Page 7) Paramount Sales Policies Discussed by Schaefer Los Angeles — George J. Schaefer, discussed sales policies for 1934-35 at the opening session yesterday of the Paramount national sales convention at the Ambassador Hotel. Ir the afternoon John Hicks, Jr., vice (Continued on Page 7) 68 C. A. Appeals Filed Sixty-eight appeals had been filed with the Code Authority up to June 15. Of this number, 31 have been heard and decisions rendered on 22. It is expected that at least six decisions of the Authority will be made public at the Thursday meeting.