The Film Daily (1935)

JUM * " 1< Intimate in Character J L International in Scope ^Independent in Thought ■ The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Now Seventeen Years Old -WAILY VOL. 67. NO. 133 NEW YORK. FRIDAY. JUNE 7. 1935 TEN CENTS 20 Free Vaude Units Give N. E. Houses Competition summeOheater closings FEWEST]! decade Half of B. I. P. Releases to be Musicals, Says Maxwell Viewing . . . the passing parade By DON CARLE GILLETTE EXIT of Walter Reade from the Broad™ way exhibition field once more illustrates the vicissitudes of individual showmanship attempting first-run operation on a highly competitive street without adequate major product connections. Besides which, there were the labor aggravations, such as usually beset an independent house trying to run with an overhead low enough to enable it to break even. So, with his Astor already dark, Reade's Mayfair next week becomes Loew's Mayfair, ending a hectic and colorful chapter. When producers and distributors are moved to complain about the lack of showmanship applied to their pictures by exhibitors, it won't hurt to recall some of the difficulties and discouragements that enterprising showmen are up against. — • — A NNUAL proof that there is no formula ** for turning out entertainment hits Is provided in the results of the Broadway theatrical season just closing. Out of around 130 shows put on, not only did the film companies acquire a mere dozen or so as suitable for the screen, but only 13 were rated financial hits, while 12 were moderately successful, and about 80 per cent flopped. That is a much poorer showing than the movies despite the fact that a film cannot be revised after the reactions of the opening night. Then there's the economics of the thing: one of the elaborate stage productions rated as a hit, "Great Waltz," played 37 weeks to an average of $30,000 a week without earning its investment. — • — CUPPLYING patrons with printed pro.** grams is one of the most inexpensive ' "ijays of adding a little touch of important ^/itisf action to moviegoing. Some exhibitors don't seem to realize that the majority of fans are keenly interested in knowing the names of the players they see on the screen. Making it possible and easy for them to identify the cast should be part of every theater's service to its clientele. Hopeful of Distributing Deals With Major Companies Six of the 12 features which B. I. P. plans to release in this country next season will be musicals, said John Maxwell, managing director and chairman of the board, in New York yesterday. He hopes to arrange distributing deals whereby several major companies will each take over one or two pictures, he stated. The company's studio will be (Continued on Page 8) Tax Ruling on Amplifiers Amplifiers which cannot be connected directly to a radio chassis are not subject to a 5 per cent sales tax under the Revenue Act of 1932, according to a ruling made last week by the Department of Internal Revenue. The decision is being hailed by sound equipment manufacturers and dealers. A test case instigated by J. A. Tanney, president of the S.O.S. Corp., to determine the applicability of the act to other parts of sound equipment, is pending in Washington. UNIVERSAL NAMES 27 OF ITS NEW TITLES Chicago — Twenty-seven of the titles already lined up for its 193536 program of 42 features were made known by Universal yesterday on the second day of the company's sales convention at the Stevens Hotel. A budget of $12,500,000 has (Continued on Page 8) Presnell Sees Curbs On Costume Pictures Realizing the danger of the picture-going public becoming satiated with costume pictures, studios will in all probability restrict the number of productions of this type of story, said Robert Presnell, Coast producer (Continued on Page 8) ZANUCK TO OCCUPY WESTWOOD STUDIOS West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Facilities to house 20th Century as part of the Fox organization are being put in shape at the Fox Westwood Studios, where production will be started by the Darryl Zanuck unit shortly after Aug. 1, it is stated by Zanuck. The (Continued on Page 4) Virginia Censor Deletions Are Reduced 50 Per Cent Richmond — Deletions by the Virginia censor board in the last six months numbered only 112 and included 57 films, a decline of about 50 per cent from the previous six months, according to Edwin S. Reid, director of the division. Only three pictures, a feature and two shorts, (Continued on Page 4) Competition from Free Vaude Felt by New England Theaters Defer Action on Pacts For Herzbrun, Lubitsch Action on new contracts for Ernst Lubitsch and Henry Herzbrun will be deferred until John E. Otterson assumes the presidency of Paramount on June 17 and makes a re (Continued on Page 6) Boston — New England theaters are feeling the competition of about 20 free E.R.A. vaudeville shows being presented in the territory. As the home of vaudeville, New England at one time had 16 full weeks' time for big name acts and about (Continued on Page 4) Theater Openings Exceed Closings Contrary to Seasonal Trend Number of theaters being closed for the summer this year will set a low mark for the past decade, it is indicated in the latest monthly reports of the Film Boards of Trade. Contrary to seasonal trend, theaters reopened in the past month exceed closings by a good margin. Opening of new houses also continued on a substantial scale. Decrease in number of theaters (Continued on Page 6) MORE STUNTS ADDED FOR GOLF TOURNEY There's so much doing in the way of stunts, attractions, innovations, prizes, gags, novelties and whatnot for the Film Daily Golf Tournament next Wednesday, that we will have to cover it in tabloid form. Get an eye-full. Jack Alicoate, publisher of the lr*l ole paper and Entrepreneur of these Golf Tournament Classics, is going Overboard (Continued on Page 6) 140 Are in Attendance At Republic Convention Cincinnati — Approximately 140 are here for the first Republic Pictures convention which takes place today and tomorrow at the Netherlands-Plaza Hotel. President W. Ray Johnston, General Sales Manager Edward A. Golden, Advertising Director Edward Finney, and President Norton V. Ritchey of Re(Continued on Page 6) Those Marquees Again Spotted on the marquee of the Jerome Theater in the Bronx: LIFE BEGINS AT 40 WHEN A MAN'S A MAN