The Film Daily (1938)

W^V DAILY Monday, May 2, 1938 HOME-TOWN REELS CLICK IN SOUTHWEST Oklahoma City — Home-town newsreels are hitting the southwest in a big way with both circuits and independents showing the local event reels for one or more times. The Griffith Amusement Co. is testing the idea in its circuit, having outfitted Tom Blair, one of the company veterans, with the necessary equipment. Blair is moving from city to city where the circuit has houses, taking local shots and showing one-time newsreels there. M-B-M Productions, of which Ray Miller is manager, is also working the territory with the one-shot idea on a 50 per cent basis. Reaction varies but in the majority of spots houses are sold out for the singleshots. M-B-M has all ready shown in more than 25 houses throughout the southwest and has as many more ready to shoot. A state-wide newsreel is also being planned by Miller. Plans call for a 300-foot reel marketed on the regular newsreel plans. At present both the organizations named, and other theater owners who are taking their own reels are using 16mm film both for shooting and showing. Most exhibitors who have not bought the idea have balked principally because of the 16mm angle. There being no organization in the state for processing film on 35mm stock, this difficulty has not as yet been overcome. Wilby-Kincey Shifts Men Chattanooga, Tenn. ■ — Shifting of managers at three local theaters was announced by Wilby-Kincey, southern circuit operators. Lucius Kibbon of Anniston, Ala., has been appointed manager of the Bijou Theater, Wilby-Kincey's newest Chattanooga house. E. P. Aiken, previously the manager of the Bijou, has been placed in charge of the Rialto. Olan Fite of the Rialto has been transferred to the State, B house here. Julian Welch, who has been at the State for some three months, will assume the direction of the Wilby-Kincey houses in Elizabethton, Tenn. THE WEEE IN REVIEW UA's New Setup— CEA and KRS at Odds ;^^^i^.^== By WINFIELD ANDRUS DOMESTIC (Continued from Page 1) was the announcement that UA owns half of Walter Wanger Productions and would finance other production units. * * * At Washington, the U. S. Supreme Court returned the Dallas anti-trust case to the next trial court for fact finding. * * * Speaking at Boston to a large delegation of independent exhibitors at the banquet in honor of Abram F. Myers, Allied States, general counsel, William F. Rodgers, M-G-M general sales manager, advocated the setting up of special boards to settle industry difficulties and said that his company would support such a plan of mutual trust rather than governmental control. Nathan Yamins, Allied president, and Myers responded favorably to the plan. Further news is expected from the Allied Pittsburgh convention, to which Rodgers has accepted an invitation. * * * Major companies have announced 29 revivals for the new season with more expected to be added to the list . . . Paramount earnings for 1937 were $6,045,103.09 compared with $6,012,250 for 1936 . . . Declaring provisions of the Neely Bill unworkable and open to "grave and serious charges of invasion of constitutional guarantees," a 33 page brief was made public by the MPPDA Tuesday ... The Woman's Department of the Chicago Church Federation joined the anti-Neely Bill group and has opened an energetic drive against the measure . . . William Le Baron, who has been managing director of Paramount production since 1936, was signed to a new three-year pact last week . . . ITOA, in a move to combat the Allied invasion of New York, opened a membership drive in New Jersey, Allied stronghold . . . Negotiations to modify the Canadian license agreement are in their final stages following hearings held under Col. John A. Cooper at Toronto . . . Net profit of $1,136,554 was reported by Keith-Albee-Orpheum Corp. and subsidiary companies for the year ended April 2, 1938. Giveaways Under Ban Orange, Mass. — Giveaways at the Orange Theater will be discontinued after May 9, according to an edit issued by the local Board of Selectmen. The action of the board was stimulated by similar action taken in Athol last month, and also after the board had received an opinion from Town Counsel Joseph T. Bartlett of Greenfield that giveaway operations are illegal. FOREIGN With both sides threatening boycotts, CEA and KRS are in disagreement over the issue of film product grading in England. Refusal to show barred "A" product is threatened by CEA while KRS hints it will take legal action if CEA publishes a list of barred "A" pictures. * * * Deputy Henry Ponsard in his report to the French Parliament advocated greater protection for French pictures. Ponsard declared that the French industry is not sufficiently protected from foreign invasion; the country is overseated in spots; the 40-hour week is ruinous to some branches; credit must be organized more efficaciously; the industry must intensify the exportation of its best pictures and the creation of a Central Films Bureau is an absolute necessity. * * * Plans for eight pictures for 193839 budget at $8,000,000 were announced in New York by Alexander Korda who said he would make no "B" pictures for the new season. * * * UA will distribute 17 British films and 13 or 14 American pictures in England, said Maurice Silverstone on his arrival from London. * * * Reports from London indicated that two British producers aside from Alexander Korda would release through UA. In addition, it was said that Samuel Goldwyn, in association with Korda, would make a Technicolor feature starting within the next six months. New RKO Prague Office Prague (By Cable)— The establishment of a new branch office is under way for direct distribution of RKO Radio Pictures under the management of Otto Sonnenfeld. Sonnenfeld was formerly International's representative for Czechoslovakia and was recently promoted to managerial duties by Reginald Armour, European General Manager for RKO Radio. Lucas-Jenkins Moves Atlanta, Ga. — General offices of the Lucas & Jenkins Co. have been transferred to the Fox Theater Bldg. Alix Williamson's Offices Alix Williamson, formerly editor of New York Amusements and for the past two years an account executive with Constance Hope Associates, announces the opening of her own publicity offices at 55 West 42nd St. Screen Grafters Elect Detroit — New officers of the Screen Craft Club are: President, Harry Berns, of Dawn Theater; vice-president, Burt London, of Beacon Theater; treasurer, Sol Conn, National Theater; and recording secretary, Sol Goldberg, East Side Theater. The annual banquet of the club will be held May 16 at Northwood Inn. Roy R. Ruben is chairman of the committee on arrangements. Tay Garnett In London London (By Cable) — Director Tay Garnett is here conferring with Rene Clair, French director, on plans that will affect their mutual interests. Garnett will look for talent while in England for the pictures he plans to produce. LITTLC f ROffl LOTS By RALPH WILK HOLLYWOOD Hopalong Cassidy Sequel J_[ARRY SHERMAN will produce a sequel to "Borderland", one of the most popular of the Hopalong Cassidy series released by Paramount. In the sequel, the stor#/ "ill start with the escape of The Fox and the renewal of his fight with Hopalong. The sequel, the first ever made by Sherman, will be titled "The Fox Returns". V ▼ T To Seek "Juarez" Location Henry Blanke, who is producing "Juarez" for Warner Bros, based upon the historical incident of Maximilian and Carlotta, will leave for Mexico in about 10 dyas to seek locations for his production. Blanke will be acompanied by Aneas MacKenzie and John Huston, writers working on the picture, and his aide, Wolfgang Reinhardt. They will concentrate their trip on the state of Oaxaca, which was the actual locale of the Maximilian-Carlotta episode. T t ▼ Bette Davis in "Sisters" Bette Davis returns to work on the Warner lot in "The Sisters," "Comet Over Broadway" to which she took exception being shelved. T T » Breen as "Hans Brinker" Sol Lesser contemplates starring Bobby Breen and Irene Dare in the juvenile classic, "Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates" by Mary Mapes Dodge. ▼ ▼ » Alma Lloyd In Dad's Pix Alma Lloyd, actress daughter of Frank Lloyd, producer and director of "If I Were King" will play the important role of Colette in the picture which her father will put before the cameras on May 9 with Ronald Colman in the starring role. Frances Dee will portray Katherine de Vaucelles, Basil Rathbone will appear as Louis XI and Erin Drew will play the role of Huguette. T ▼ » Para. Keeps Milland Ray Milland's contract as a Paramount player has been extended for a year. ▼ T T Lesser Signs Evelyn Daw Sol Lesser has signed Evelyn Daw for the lead opposite Smith Ballew in "Panamints' Bad Man." ▼ t ▼ Milton Shubert Reports Milton Shubert has reported to Hal B. Wallis at Warner Bros., to join its staff of producers. He has been vacationing at Palm Springs, following his arrival from New York. t t t Bogart in "Chalked Out" Humphrey Bogart has been assigned a role in "Chalked Out," based on the stage play by Warden Lewis E. Lawes, of Sing Sing, which Warners will film late this Spring.