The Film Daily (1937)

Monday, March 22, 1937 DAILV 11 UFA CONTROL CHANGES NAZIS IN FILM TRUST UFA's American office were without official notification of the new German setup Saturday, its infor ■ mation being limited to news service . cables. {Continued from Page 1) pected to become operative following the May meeting of UFA's general share holders. At that time Dr. Hugenberg is expected to retire as board chairman. Deal is said to be the culminating move on the part of the Nazi government to establish what is essentially a trust monopolizing German film production and distribution. Earlier, Tobis had been absorbed by a similar anonymous group which subsequently acquired control of the Bavarian Film Corp. Trust backing is credited to Dr. Joseph Goebbels, Propaganda Minister. Duffy Hopeful of Early Copyright Bill Hearing (Continued from Page 1) j Patents Committee in a very short i while." "I have spoken to Senator McAdoo," Duffy said, "and he assures ; me he will try to get committee together for the purpose of setting Senate hearings." Duffy was emphatic in saying that when the hearing comes off there would be no "Follies," or "hearing the Bill to Death" as he charged was the case last session. "The Senate Committee will stand for no monkey business," Duffy asserted, "and there will be as little window dressing as possible. This time we will get action and nothing else." Action on the House side is still marking time, according to latest repoi'ts from office of Rep. William I. Sirovich, chairman of the House Patents Committee. New Film-Star-on-Radio Protest Made by Ohio ITO (Continued from Page 1) Nicholas Schenck of Loew at Culver City. Wood wired: "Have heard indirectly that you contemplate permitting stars to broadcast regularly. If such your intention on behalf of members Independent Theater Owners of Ohio I vigorously protest. Up to this time Metro stars have been premier motion picture theater attractions exclusively and they should be continued as such. In opinion of several groups who listened to Friday night's Hollywood Hotel preview Universal's "Top of World," this broadcast irreparably damaged box office value of what may possibly be an outstanding attraction. You like us are in theater business, let's stay there." From Ruin to Bonanza Being the Best Remembered Exhibitor Experience of Mitchell Wolfson, Wometco Theaters, Miami, Fla. ^^^^^^^^ As Told to Film Daily ^^^^^^^^ WITH strike news holding the national spotlight these days, my best remembered experience takes on the aspect of timeliness, for it concerns an incident that featured a set-to with our operators a number of years ago — an incident, by the way, that worked the reverse of what both sides expected I believe it was in 1928 that we were scheduled to have the world premiere of Universal's original "Showboat." Seats were completely sold out at the Capitol Theater, at $5.50 per seat. We had arranged to bring Helen Morgan, Harry Reichenbach, W. C. Fields, and augment these stars with a number of other stage and screen celebrities that were sojourning in Miami at the time, for a special stage show, prior to the actual showing of the picture itself. The theater was filled to overflowing and the audience comprised outstanding persons in the film world, show world, and society people. The stage show went off fine — Helen Morgan. W. C. Fields, etc., etc., etc. BUT when it was time to show "Showboat," we discovered that the two non-union operators who had been working for us, were gone. Also someone had damaged the machines so that we could not show the motion picture, or any other picture. You can just imagine my feelings. It seemed as though the earth itself had risen up and popped me right on the jaw. We had to refund every dollar of admissions, almost $6,000, turn the audience out of the theater. If ever we thought we were ruined, that was the night. Of course, we immediately secured other operators, mechanics, and the local E.P.P.I. engineer, none of whom knew too much about sound at that particular time, as it was just starting. But all did yeoman's work, especially the E.R. P.I. engineer, who worked continually so that by 9 o'clock the next morning, the show was ready to go on. The newspapers in and about Miami, and possibly the whole state, had screaming headlines, and of course the picture was publicized as no other picture was ever publicized. Before 9 — we usually opened at noon — there was a line waiting to get in the theater, three blocks long. This line never abated for 10 days. In other words, from the tremendous publicity that was given the picture, both by newspapers, word-of-mouth, and in every other conceivable way, this picture did the greatest business in the Capitol Theater that any picture had ever done. In fact, it played for weeks, and the first week's gross was exactly four times more the average business, and twice the gross that the theater has ever done during any other similar period in its 12 years of existence. What appeared to be ruin that night, turned out to be the biggest bonanza that we ever experienced in our entire years in show business. Editor's Note: This is the third of a new feature series. Watch for the next iv an early issue. Magovsky Heads Boston's Exchange Workers Union Boston — The organization of the Film Exchange Workers Union has been completed. Known as Local 20450 of the A. F. of L. it comprises shippers, inspectresses, and poster clerks from the entire film district. Max Magovsky of National Screen Service was elected President: Anna Rolfe, vice-president; Francis Rahilly, financial secretary, and Mattie Moriarty as treasurer. One member from each exchange was elected to the executive board: Charles Lvnch, RKO; Al Cohen, 20th Century-Fox; Gilbert Houghs, MGM; Margaret Tedder, Columbia; Ed Smith. Universal; McGuire of Warner Bros.; Charles Murphy, United Artists; Jennie Feldman, First Division; Louis Zaccardo, Republic; Mabel McDowd, Cameo; Sam Isenberg; Sam Lavine, Bay State Films; John Hill, Jr., Imperial Pictures; and Charles Girade of Para Western Mass. Theaters Plans Circuit Expansion Springfield, Mass. — Western Massachusetts Theaters, Inc., under the leadership of Samuel and Nathan Goldstein, is planning a rapid expansion of its circuit, according to an announcement Saturday by Samuel Goldstein. Plans have been completeted for the immediate erection of the Paramount Theater in Brattleboro. Vt. Other locations are in Utica, N. Y., where a new theater is to be built and in Pittsfield, Mass., where the Colonial Theater is to be remodeled. Deals for three other theater properties are being negotiated. Modern Changes Name Albany. — A certificate has been filed in the office of the Secretary of State changing the corporate name of Modern Film Sales Corp. of New York City, to Modern Film Corp. HAYS TO BE SPEAKER AT ZUKOR'S DINNER (Continued from Page 1) Steve Trilling, Warners, has rec e i v e d appearanc e commitments from outstanding stage, screen and radio stars for a 90-minute show, it was said. Seated with Zukor on the dais will be, among others, Daniel Frohman and William A. Brady, who were his first theatrical partners. The Mutual Broadcasting Chain will air the show beginning at 11:15 P. M., E.S.T., and will continue for an hour. Beginning at 8:45, WHN will broadcast the dinner for an hour and a half via a traveling unit. Movies of guests will be made as they enter the ballroom and these, together with a special short subject, will be shown later. While seats are being placed in the ballroom, following the dinner, for the show, there will be dancing in the Jade Room. Later, the ballroom will be cleared for dancing. Eli Dantzig and an augmented orchestra of 25 pieces will provide play during the dinner and for the show. Eddie Duchin and his orchestra will play for dancing. Benny Goodman's trio will also be on hand. High class entertainment with plenty of name value to make Selling easy-Motion Picture Daily WALTER WANGER'fr<u*/, CHARLES BOYER ,, J JEAN ARTHUR,, mnoE in LEO CARILLO ■ COLIN clive Jx...i.,> l.:i FRANK BORZflGE O, , .,-.,