The Film Daily (1938)

w 12 Wa? Tuesday, November 15, 193: $710,000 for Theater Construction in 4 Gulf States Consolidation of Holdings Brings Drop in Building Total New Orleans — Theater construction in the Gulf Coast territory — Louisiana, Mississippi and parts of Alabama and Florida — fell short of the million dollar mark during the first 10 months of 1938. Remodeling also took a down cut, reaching a total of about $150,000. The general construction total, including equipment installed in new houses, is in the neighborhood of $710,000. New houses, with their approximate equipment and construction costs are: the Bijou at Houma, $100,000; Elias & Scharffs' Essanee at New Iberia, $100,000; Dixie's Dixie at Yazoo City, Mass., $70,000; Realart, De Ridder, La., $65,000; Southern Amusement Company's Cane at Natchitoches, $70,000; Joe Pisciutta's Lutcher at Lutcher, La., $50,000; Joy Theaters' Joy at Grammercy, La., $25,000; Paramount at Jackson, Miss., $150,000 or better; the Rex at Alexandria, $30,000; Crystal's Grand at Morgan City, La., $35,000; the Ace Theater for Negroes at New Orleans, $10,000 or better; a Negro house for the Brunet interests in New Orleans, $10,000; the Regent for Whites, to open shortly, $25,000. Decrease in construction is due probably to consolidation of theater holdings in this territory. Remodeling has also slackened. Dies In Auto Mishap Crystal City, Mo. — Joe D. Orenbaum, 35, manager of the 600-seat Roxy Theater here, was fatally injured in an automobile accident near Durant, Okla. His automobile failed to negotiate a curve on U. S. Highway No. 70 and overturned twice. He suffered a broken neck. Crawford Rites Today Newark, N. J. — John G. Crawford, 63, builder and operator of one of the first nickelodeons in the state and for many years associated with the pix industry in its infancy, will be buried today. Exchange Union to Elect Cleveland — Film Exchange Employes, B-5 of IATSE Local 160 will meet Dec. 7 to elect officers for the ensuing year. An Idea, But. . . . Commenting on a New York newspaper rumor that a Federal Commission is being contemplated tor examination and deletion of propaganda in foreign pix imported into the U. S., industry solons yesterday declared that the idea "is surcharged with political dynamite," and therefore can hardly be expected to materialize. $9,000,000 for 20th-Fox Pix in 3 Months West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — With two Technicolor specials heading the list, 20th-Fox product lineup for the first three months of the new year will represent a production cost of almost $9,000,000. A third Technicolor special, "Kentucky," will be released on Dec. 30. "Jesse James" and the new Shirley Temple pix, "The Little Princess," fill out the trio of color pictures. Majority of the films scheduled for release during these three months are Zanuck specials, and studio execs, expect the company to start the year with the best earnings it has ever shown, due to strength of product lineup. "One Big Union" for SAG, Other Guilds is Proposed (Continued from Page 1) secretary, recommended "one big union," to include the present membership of SAG, Equity, AGMA, and the AFRA. Plan, she pointed out, would conserve the actor's dues dollar, strengthen the collective bargaining powers, eliminate duplication of certain administrative functions and still preserve the autonomy of each in its respective field. Growing rank-and-file sentiment for the setup was claimed. Mrs. Holt said that of the AFRA's 6,000 member, 2,000 held membership in one or more of the other unions mentioned. Ennis' Series Taken Six film exchanges in nine trade territories have acquired distribution rights to Bert Ennis' series, "The Memory Lingers On." Deals were closed with American Film Exchange, New York; Monarch Pictures Corp., Pittsburgh and Detroit; Big Feature Exchanges in Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Memphis; Masterpiece Attractions, Philadelphia; Trio Productions, Washington, D. C, and Wholesome Films, Boston. Series has been booked by leading circuits and has played Radio City Music Hall. Edwin Bergman Resigns Cleveland — Edwin Bergman has been appointed city district sales manager for 20th Century-Fox to succeed "Davey" Davidson who retires after completing 30 years in the industry, 21 of which were spent with Fox. Ted Scheinberg has been transferred here from the Albany office to take over Bergman's former territory. Omaha V. C. to Elect Omaha — Omaha Variety Club will elect officers Dec. 3 to succeed Chief Barker Walt Greene, Sol Francis, first assistant; Ted Mendenhall, second assistant; Sam Epstein, treasurer, and Eddie Shafton, secretary. Maguire Again Bereaved New Haven — Hugh A. Maguire, father of Hugh Maguire, Jr., RKO booker, died suddenly here Friday, just two weeks after the passing of his mother. Chancellor's Death Will Bring Delay in Loew Suit (Continued from Page 1) the hearing indefinitely, or until another judge is appointed. Answers were to have been filed by today and hearing was expected to be set this week. Depositions of David Bernstein, vice-president and treasurer of Loew's, Inc., are scheduled to be taken today in connection with the stockholders' suit. Examination before trial will take place in the offfice of E. K. Ellis, counsel for the stockholders. Meanwhile, the Loew case reached the top of the court calendar in New York yesterday and a date for trial is expected to be set this week. Pullin Heads Variety Club Columbus, O— William C. Pullin has been elected president of the Columbus Variety Club. He had been filling the unexpired term of M. R. "Duke" Clark, who moved to Cleveland. Other officers were reelected, as follows: J. Real Neth, first vice-president; William Ortman, second vice-president; J. F. Luft, treasurer, and P. J. Wood, secretary. Directors named were: Max Stern, C. Harry Schreiber, Virgil Jackson, Lou Holleb, Leo Haenlein, and William F. McKinnon. Billboards Under Fire Oklahoma City— A resolution condemning billboard advertising along highways has been passed by the Oklahoma State Safety council at the closing session of its annual conference at Norman. Theaters in Oklahoma are heavy users of billboards. Pam-O-Film Gets Two Buffalo — Pam-O-Film Exchange has acquired the Paul Robeson picture, "Song Of Freedom," for distribution in the upstate New York territory. Exchange also is distributing a reissue of the UA release, "Abraham Lincoln" with Walter Huston. Rep. Sets Long Deal Republic has sold its 1938-39 program to the J. G. Long circuit in Texas. "HAYS ORGANIZATION' FOR RADIO IS URGED (Continued from Page 1) voluntary system of self-regula tion" . . "an industry code . . subjec to periodic review by the industry1 and kept up to date" and "admin istered by a suitable agency repre sentative of the entire industry." Sarnoff told the FCC that "RC/ has been actively engaged in televis ion research for more than 10 years and has spent millions of dollars tc bring it to the verge of useful public service." He continued, "Financially, this development is still subject of outgo rather than income." Discussing the benefits from RCA research to the entire radio indus try, Sarnoff pointed out that 65 radio manufacturers have been licensee by the company to make use of its television inventions, and added: "When commercial television li censes are granted by this Commis sion, a competitor, the Columbia Broadcasting System, using an RC transmitter, will be able to go the air with commercial television programs as promptly as NBC; RCA television transmitters are equally available for purchase by others who may desire to enter this field." 3A on From Ballroom to Pix Boston — The Lieberman Circuit will reopen the Normandie Ballroom as a pix house within a month. The house, formerly the old B. F. Keith Theater, is being extensively remodelled. Plans for a newsreel theater in the basement of the Tremont Theater have been abandoned. A new newsreel theater, however, is to be constructed adjacent to the Bijou Theater by next year. Aid V. C. Charity Drive Cleveland — M. B. Horwitz, appointed chairman of the Charity Fund Committee of the Variety Club by chief barker, Nat Wolf, is being assisted by I. J. Schmertz, Frank D. Drew, Herbert Ochs, Jack Shulman and Henry Greenberger. 5 Detroit H.O.'s Detroit — Five holdovers out of the six first-run houses set a new local record this week. "Suez," opening originally at the Fox, stays for a third week at the Adams; "Stablemates" moves from the Michigan to the PalmsState; "The Birth of a Baby" remains at the Cinema, and "The Great Waltz" at the United Artists; while the Fox, noted for rarely holding a film, keeps "You Can't Take it With You" for a second week.