The Film Daily (1929)

Woodhull Says General Talking Welcomes Suit iTHE i3fe NEWSPAPER o/'FILHDO ULTHE HEWS ALL THE TIME VOL. XLIX No. 66 Tuesday, September 17, 1929 Price 5 Cents A Squawk! —By JACK ALICOATE— WHY is it that so many theater-wise managers and producers seem to go out of their way to make it uncomfortable to those who pay good money to attend opening performances and to the small army of newspaper folk who are forced to be there? Why oh why do otherwise smart publicity men persist in the 20 year old publicity gag of lighting the house from the other side of the street with a battery of sun arcs to draw a cheap and unruly crowd of curiosity seekers who mean absolutely nothing to the box office, producer, publicity or prestige of the picture? It is particularly displeasing to have to literally fight one's way through a crowd of hoodlums and to have the lady who accompanies you subjected to the wise cracks of a line stretching from the curb to the ticket taker. Instead of being an asset this gag of crowding your lobby with bums is the sauce of the apple and we know of no better way in which to put your opening night's audience in a show me and super-critical attitude than to practically force them to fight their way to their seats for no reason at all. Ambassador Extraordinary George R. Canty, motion picture trade commissioner in Europe for the Department of Commerce is on his way back to New York. On more than one occasion we have been with Mr. Canty in London and on the Continent and have found him an aggressive and agreeable chap, well liked by all and distinctly picture wise. His record is one worthy of a word of commendation for he has accomplished much from a legislative and diplomatic standpoint as well as in a variety of other ways. Grandeur Bows In Tonight at the Gaiety theater the interesting and irrepressible Mr. Fox takes the hand of his latest debutant, "Grandeur Pictures," and formally introduces this innovation, first to the industry and secondly to the world at large. Grandeur uses film twice the size of the ordinary film and is an accomplishment rather than an experiment. After the talkers, the next logical step seemed the wide film and screen. Here it comes moving in with bag and baggage. Strike Looms Toronto — Operators threaten to withdraw from 24 Famous Players Canadian Corp. houses here in ten days time if the agreement with the musicians union is not signed, according to Bert Henderson, president of the Toronto Musical Protective Ass'n. WARNER ST. LOUIS HOUSES Musicians are on strike at all Skouras-Warner houses in St. Louis, it is stated at offices of the American Federation of Musicians, New York. Both Fox and St. Louis Amusement Co. have renewed their contracts with local musicians after the recent two weeks truce declared to give both parties a better opportunity to discuss the situation. The only point in controversy is the number of players to be used in the orchestra. The St. Louis and Grand Opera House, RKO houses, have signed new agreements and (Continued on Page 9) Jack Warner Winding Up Schedule After Confabs West Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Jack Warner who recently returned from New York, is engaged in winding up the 1929-30 production program. He went East several weeks ago to discuss the impending Paramount consolidation. Upon his return, he declined comment on the deal. ALL KEYS REPRESENTED { IN NEW INDEPENDENT FIRM FAMOUS CANADIAN NOT TO BE SOED, DIRECTOR SAYS Montreal — Control of Famous Players Canadian Corp., Ltd., will not be sold as long as the present administration of the company exists, according to I. W. Killam, a director of the company and head of the Royal Securities Corp., Ltd., in a statement made in connection with the report emanating from New York that Fox is angling for a major interest in the Canadian firm. The control of the company "is (Continued on Page 10) PUBEIX ROUNDING OUT F. &R. Minneapolis — Publix is rounding out the year's building program of the Northwest Theater Circuit (Finkelstein & Ruben). This is being done under supervision of M. J. Mullen, new general manager of operations, working under Edmund Ruben, divisional director of Publix, with headquarters in New York. The circuit now has 125 houses in operation. The firm is remodeling the Garrick (Continued on Page 10) Says No Papers Served in W. E. Suit vs. General Talking Although the company welcomes a suit of the kind, no one connected with General Talking Pictures Corp., has been served with a process or summons of any kind, R. F. Woodhull, executive vice president of the company declared, in commenting upon statement by Western Electric that it has brought suit against the firm. "It is therefore obvious that without knowledge of the complaints other than newspaper information, any discussion would be a waste of time. It is common knowledge that Mr. Schlessinger and his associate in(Continued on Page 9) Boycott American Sound Productions in Germany Stuttgart (By Wire) — Germany's National Ass'n of M. P. Owners has declared a boycott on foreign made sound and talking pictures. This is a development of the movement (Continued on Page 9) N. E., Canadian Showmen to Hear Franchise Plan Boston — Exhibitors of this zone are schedule to meet here today to discuss the Tiffany-Stahl. RKO Franchise plan as well as the RCA Photo (Continued on Page 10) Adolph Pollak Heads New Distribution Organization Chicago — Nineteen key cities were represented at meetings here where a national organization of independent distributors was formed. The three day session wound up on Sunday. The new company intends to acquire and produce pictures for world distribution. It will function on a national scope only. The conference raised $100,000, with sufficient pledged to assure ample financing, in the opinion of sponsors. Officers have been elected and a charter applied for under the laws of New York state. Adolph Pollak, president of Hollywood Pictures, New York, heads the new company; Irving Mandell of Security Pictures Corp., Chicago, is (Continued on Page 10) ESSANESSHUAKING OVER 12 UT. Chicago — Essaness circuit is understood to be taking over the majority of small Lubliner & Trinz theaters from Balaban & Katz. Twelve houses are involved. This leaves the L. & T. chain with about seven large houses. Eddie Silverman, formerly of Warners, is president of the S. & S. chain, which has been acquiring (Continued on Page 10) Harry Rapf in New York for Material, New Faces Purchase of new story material and a search for new faces is planned in New York by Harry Rapf of M-G-M, who arrived yesterday for a two weeks' visit. Plans Award Creation of an annual award for the best picture made from original material, along the lines of the Pulitzer Prize, is planned by Samuel Goldwyn, who is in New York. Details of the plan are being worked out.