The Film Daily (1940)

Wednesday, April 3, 1940 tRENGH PIX THEATERS UP 52 DURING 1939 Paris (By Cable) — Total amuseent tax received by the French Government during 1939 from film leaters amounted to 81,018,000 rancs, oy, $170,000 at the present xchang' — ^te. Numbe' of houses operating in fance, including the North African lonies of Algeria, Tunis and Mocco, as of Jan 1, w^as 4,151, check!l ii) just completed, reveals. ,^^ During 1939, 52 new^ film houses 'ire constructed in France, 19 being lilt in the Paris area. In the North 'frican colonies, 14 more were ected. W'^DAILYz il ixe Adds Fourth House , to String In Milwaukee Sj I, ■ ' — — 'Milwaukee — Saxe Amusement anagement. Inc., has increased its * 'eal circuit to four by annexing the '^den, formerly operated by Fox. jeven other local houses are opiated under a Warner-Saxe tie-up. ET May Pay On Common 'Toronto — ^Business of the Eastern Jieaters, Ltd., since the first of je year has shown considerable imovement over the similar period 1939, R. W. Bolstad, vice-presi.nt, told shareholders at the anial meeting. Bolstad said it was !ped to resume a dividend on the Jmmon this year. Lease on the loperty housing the Imperial Theter in Toronto had been renewed jr 21 years. j Earl Askam Stricken Ut Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Earl Askam, a raem ijr of the cast of "Northwest MountPolice," was stricken with a fatal rt attack while playing golf with irmit Maynard. He was a brother Perry Askam, concert star. His jdy will be sent to San Jose, Calif., r burial. \Velcome for Frank Lloyd Williamsburg, Va. — Local commit3, headed by Gov. James H. Price, 11 tender a reception here today Frank Lloyd and cast members of ilumbia's "Tree of Liberty," on eir arrival. Sequences will be :ule locally this week. Pink Ticket Stays Chicago — The local Police Censor s refused to remove the pink ticket Dm "Of Mice and Men," keeping e pix in the adult category. Credit, iVo Cash Washington Bur., THE FILM DAILY Washington — Bureau of Internal Revenue yesterday determined that the Charles Chaplin Film Corp., Los Angeles, was over-assessed $22,989.17 in income tax and surtax on undistributed profits for 1937. Chaplin receives credit for that amount with the Bureau. ALCNe THE WITH i:)HIL yVi. DALy; "Full many a gem of purest ray serene The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean' bear: Full many a flower is born to blush' unseen, And waste its sweetness on the desert air.". — Thomas Gray. T T T ■ • • • WHY the poetic outburst? Well, it's 'cause we're con? vinced that what's true of gem and ilower. is true of a certain current feature filum being distributed by one of the major companies It seems to this corner that the attraction despite its high quality is destined to enjoy an unmerited degree of obscurity for the unfortunate reason that the producer-distributor is not giving the property the promotional backing it deserves ▼ T T • • • WE can understand how a picture of initially great promise can go somehow awry in the production processes and turn out to be a hybrid But when a picture emerges entertainment-packed from a studio ..... .only to be treated pro motionally in the manner of a Casper Milquetoast .we uionder if it wouldn't be better by the yardstick of showmanship if the opus hadn't been born at all .rather than have its development carelessly arrested The film to which we refer is playing to big biz in a parcel of situations .and is truly swell box office BUT who knows it? ▼ ▼ ▼ • • • THE picture is the kinda baby that'll do a load MORE biz if properly advertised and exploited to the exhibs, of the nation and, further, do a helluva lot to further strengthen its company's standing in the minds of the men in whose hands rest the buying of successor product in the tomorrows! ..... .Yep, this industry of ours is still geared and will be so that every Main Street of modest size is vitally interested in the business barometer which tells how a feature fares along the bigger Main Streets ...... To give a fine picture a casual campaign (if any) to sell Mr. Exhib. is like giving a highly capable, profit-creating individual a lukewarm letter of recommendation The individual can't be expected to land the "job" nor, by the same token, can the picture get the bookings You folks who read this colyum'll say: "That's the new so-andso picture" and in that you are doubtless 100 per cent right ▼ T T • • • PEN and Pencil: Jeanette MacDonald, la pix star, has authored the newly published book. .titled "No Royal Road to Song". . . • And Annabelle (Ward & Elliott Circuit) Ward's book, "Guatemala, Ancient and Modern" is just off the press. . . • Further, Gene Axitry, currently 'pearing in Republic's "The Gaucho Serenade" is now recognized as one of the nation's leading "doodlers" since a samiple of his idle scribblings leads-off the movie section of .famed iliustratpr Chick Thorndike's book on the subject. .....•,, T T T :,..,■... .: • • • That list of stars to make p.a.'s at thfe Press Photogs'Dance and Entertainment on April 12 in the Hotel Astor has grown to such proportions that it's a swell opportunity for Uncle Sam to take a show biz census that night. . . • UA's "Rebecca'' has grabbed another record 'Tis the sole film ever to garnei: three layouts in Life Mag namely, a feature on Hitchcock ditto on' Dave Selz nick and a picture-of-the-week layout. . . • Short, Short Story: .",.,.:., .Just watch the way "The Baker's Wife" grabs that dough! CENTRAL GASTING SLATED FOR REORG. (Continued from Page \) 10 free beds in Cedars of Lebanon Hospital as a part of Will Rogers Memorial plan. The hospital plan will be administered by MP Relief Fund. Producers' organization will also lend financial aid to "I Am An American" Panegyric Foundation which will hold its second Americanization program at Hollywood Bowl in June. 'Virginia City" Held Over For Third Week in Frisco San Francisco — Warners "Virginia City" has gone into its third holdover week here, moving for a continuous first-run to the St. Francis following a two-week engagement at the Fox. Parisian Biz on the Rise Paris (By Cable) — Opening here at the Le Paris theater of "The Rains Came" brought an optimistic note to the film industry when the picture broke all house records for grosses in its first week of exhibition, despite the fact that only 60 per cent of the theater's seating capacity was used. Theater business generally in the Paris area has showed a decided upturn in the past few weeks. Jane Winton for Operetta West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Jane Winton has been signed on a contract by Peggy Cleary, who is producing "Milan In May," operetta, that will open at the Las Palmas Theater, Hollywood, April 22. Cleveland Holds "Rebecca" Cleveland — Loew's State theater is holding "Rebecca" a second week. This is only the second time in 10 years that a picture has been held a second week. Other hold-over was "San Francisco." Mrs. Sherman Dies . Mrg. Bertha Sherman, mother of Al Sherman, editor of the Columbia Mirror, died Saturday in Newark and was buried Sunday, it was learned yesterday. Two sons and two daughters survive. Cohan as Cohan? West Coast Bur., THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Warners is continuing its efforts to enlist George M. Cohan in a film story of his life. Lloyd Bacon will leave for New York shortly to seek Cohan's services as associate producer and director on the picture.