The Film Daily (1929)

lnd'p't Exchanges Plan Nat' I Releasing Unit 2fe NEWSPAPER o/'FlLMDO ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME VOL. XLIX No. 62 Thursday, September 12, 1929 Price 5 Cents Dr. Burkan ■By JACK ALICOATE SOMEHOW or other it is always refreshing to have the views of Nate Burkan who has prescribed at one time or another for almost every industry illness. As an outside observer who is constantly on the inside, his views are always poignant and intelligently analytical, while his position in life obviously makes his observations on the industry unselfish. He had just alighted from the Majestic after a two months tour of England and the Continent when we hailed him. Still under the Continental influence of Regent Street spats, a Friedrichstrasse walking stick and a Rue de la Paix tie he gave us the following international nutshell reflections: Internationalism Waning He firmly believes that the International aspect of the motion picture is on the wane. He contends that the question of different languages is a permanent barrier. That the talking picture, in each respective country, again will become nationalistic instead of being international, and that excepting the English speaking countries, a distinct school of production will arise within each geographical barrier. The quota bogey man, thinks Burkan, is rapidly becoming anemic through want of local propaganda sustenance. The quota question is purely an economic one, and, as in the case of England, if the theaters are to survive, they must have good pictures. To date, ninety-nine percent of these are still being produced in the good old U.S.A. England Talkie Mad Burkan states that England has gone talkie mad. Soon every house in the tight little isle must be wired or fold up its tent. Good talking pictures are rolling up enormous grosses everywhere. This gives us a merry chuckle for it was only about a year ago at a luncheon at Ciros in London given us by representative British film folk that we predicted this very thing and in no uncertain terms, only to find out later that our well meant and carefully prepared remarks were considered as a combination of sliced salami and a cyclone of horsefeathers by our well meaning but conservative cousins from across the pond. 22,216 PLAYDATES CLAIMED SET ON RKO AND T-S FRANCHISES comm m mm TO HOlAOVERJtOAltD RULES Albany — Unauthorized holdover of film is properly within the jurisdiction of the copyright law, the arbitration board here decided in awarding verdict of $3,100 against Sternberg & Sobel, operating the Avon at Booneville, and in favor of Fox, M-G-M, Paramount, Educational and Pathe. The case was presented by Louis Nizer, secretary of the New York Film Board, who successfully contended the copyright law applies to holdovers and that a premium should be set on honesty in returning film, for protection of other exhibitors. Musician-Warner Row in Philadelphia Settled Philadelphia — Controversy between musicians and Warners here, which for a time was feared would develop into national proportions was settled here yesterday, when the Musicians Protective Ass'n of Philadelphia and {Continued on Page 2) Craft Film Laboratory Operating at Flushing With a capacity of 3,000,000 feet per week, Craft Film Laboratories, Inc., has begun operations at Flushing, L. I., with Nat Saland, for 17 years connected with the field, as president. Harry Glickman, who has (Continued on Page 2) Given Choice Exhibitors who sign Universal^ complete service sound contract, can take their choice of the number of years they want the agreement to run, they are being told in letters from Carl Laemmle, company president. There are no strings attached to the offer, he says, pointing out that exhibitors may sign for one, two, three, four or five years. Films included are supplied either with sound-on-film or disc. TO RECAPITALIZE AND MERGE ALL FOX UNITS A recapitalization plan providing an increase in authorized capital and larger representation of the A stock on the board has been prepared by directors of the Fox Film Corp. and will be submitted to stockholders at a special meeting Monday. It is reported that the increased capitalization will be the first step in (.Continued on Page 2) Paris Grosses Hard Hit by U. S. Film Shortage Paris — Grosses here have received a severe wallop because of withdrawal of American distributors from the French market, with the drop (Continued on Page 2) lnd'p't Exchanges After 24 Films for National Release General Talking May Offer New Reproducer Memphis — General Talking Pictures is against any price cutting tactics in the sound reproducer field, but intends to offer easier terms to exhibitors, with a possibility that a new type of equipment may be brought out, R. F. Woodhull, executive vice president of the compa (Continued on Page 2) Independent operators controlling exchanges in 26 cities will meet at the Hotel Stevens, Chicago tomorrow to complete plans for formation of a national cooperative distributing system to be known either as Allied or Associated Exchanges. The plan calls for retention of the individual identity of each exchange but creation of an operating fund, assessed against each member of a (Continued on Page 2) Steffes Says Number Being Increased from 250 to 300 Weekly Milwaukee (By Telephone)— Play ■* dates lined up for the first year of operation on the Tiffany-Stahl and RKO five year franchise plans, totaled 22,216 up to last Saturday and new dates are being added at the rate of from 250 to 300 weekly, according to W. A. Steffes, head of the Northwest exhibitor unit, and a leader of Allied States Ass'n. Steffes came here to address the 125 Wisconsin exhibitors who held a two day session Tuesday and Wednesday at Cedar Lake, near here. He outlined the franchise proposals and offer of RCA-Photophone to supply a new reproducer to houses up to 500 seating capacity. Abram F. Myers, president of Allied States Ass'n, was unable to attend. Steve Bauer presided at the opening session Tuesday which was addressed by Col. E. P. Hawkins of (Continued on Page 2) NEW ARBITRATION AnEMPT UNDER WAY IN NORTHWEST Minneapolis — Distributors here are understood to be making another attempt to secure exhibitors to serve on the arbitration board, in an effort to resume arbitration here. The last attempt fell through when no exhibitors appeared for a scheduled board meeting. Paramount-Graphophone Deal Expected by London London — Belief prevails here that there is pending a deal between Columbia Graphophone Co., Ltd., and Paramount in a combine to include (Continued on Page 2) Election of AMPA Officers Slated at Meeting Today Annual election of officers of the AMPA is scheduled at today's meeting. Two tickets are in the field, with Edward L. Klein and Don (Continued on Page 2)