The Film Daily (1929)

f^HEWSPAPER o/'FlLMDOM ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME VOL. XLIX No. 71 Monday, September 23, 1929 Price 5 Cents Synchronized Films Not Talkers, Say Arbitrators FOX ANDHEARST UNITENEWSREEL FACILITIES ■ • Beaverbrook Backs Nathanson Empire Project ? Passing of Poverty Row ■ By JACK ALICOATE TO the old timer there is a deal of sentiment written between the lines of a half inch of news matter hidden away in a Los Angeles newspaper. Poverty Row is to go. It could not stand the pace of a fast moving industry. Poverty Row is to be razed and in its place will arise apartment houses, a garage and a grocery store. Here in its dingy studios and ill-kept lots was the birthplace for many, of fame and fortune ; for others, the rocks upon which were wrecked many a sincere hope and aspiration. Poverty Row was not unknown to Wallingford either. Many a sucker bank roll has entered through its front doors to exit by the back way as so much junk negative. Reflections Where formerly the picturesque, bellowing, mental giants calling themselves directors did their stuff, the modern grocery clerk will soon be selling canned boneless chicken and advertised brands of ginger ale, while the garage mechanic will ply his moderately remunerative but highly honest trade upon the exact geographical location where a thousand collective western heroes have wooed and wed our little Nell. All of which means little or nothing except for one compelling thought. If this world were a Zeppelin moving seventy miles an hour this business of ours would be a scout plane moving four times as fast. Revolutionary changes occur almost over night. The day of sham, bunk, Poverty Row methods is past. To the man who would be successful in the production end of this business there is no alternative. He must not only keep up to, he must be mentally (Continued on Page 2) Synchronized Means Sound Effects Only, "Philly" Board Decides Philadelphia — Synchronized pictures are not talkers, the arbitration board here ruled in sustaining contention of RKO in action brought against the company by Harry Perleman, who operates West Allegheny and Lehigh theaters. The exhibitor had brought action for damages and cancellation of contract, alleging that five pictures sold to him by a salesman as talkers, had been only parttalkers. The contract specified synchronized pictures and in defending the action, Louis Nizer, secretary of the New York Film Board, contended that synchronized means sound effects only, and that the distributor (Continued on Page 12) 27 SKOURAS HOUSES PAID $655,000 FOR YEARSMUSIC St. Louis — Skouras Super-Theaters, owned jointly by Warner Brothers and Publix, and operating the Ambassador, Missouri and Grand Central, paid $350,000 for music and the St. Louis Amusement Co., which operates 24 suburbans and is controlled by Warners, paid, $305,000 in the last year, it is revealed by the walkout of musicians. Last year, the neighborhood chain expended more than $250,(Continued on Page 12) FOX MOVIETONE NEWS, HEARST METROTONE NEWS WILL BE ISSUED TWICE WEEKLY Fox-Hearst Corp. has been formed to gather sound newsreel material for Fox Movietone News and Hearst Metrotone News, under terms of a deal between William Fox and William Randolph Hearst, following purchase by Hearst of an interest in Fox Movietone Corp. The Hearst Metrotone News makes its initial appearance next Saturday and will be issued twice weekly. Fox Movietone News, now issued four times a week, will be issued twice weekly beginning Saturday. E. B. Hatrick, executive head of all Hearst's film activities, will represent Hearst in the new corporation. Negotiations in the deal were handled by Hatrick and Courtland Smith, head of Fox Movietone News. Hearst Metrotone News and Fox Movietone News will retain their separate identities, each with its own editorial staff and each following its own editorial policy. Hearst Metrotone News, as planned fully a year ago, will be distributed by M-G-M, while Fox will continue to distribute the Fox Movietone News. M. D. Colfine, for many years past editor of Hearst newsreels, will be editor of Hearst Metrotone News, while Edward Percy Howard will continue as editor of Fox Movietone News. Back of this sound picture gather(Continued on Page 12) Grainger in Toronto Toronto — James R. Grainger, general sales manager of the William Fox organization, is here. It is not unlikely that the future activities of N. L. Nathanson may result somewhat from this visit that is apparently without political significance. Nathanson and Grainger have had several conferences. AS A VOTING TRUSTEE Toronto — Lord Beaverbrook of England favored formation of an empire project embracing British Gaumont and Famous Players-Canadian Corp., it is intimated by N. L. Nathanson, who resigned as managing director of the Canadian firm when Adolph Zukor and I. W. Killam, voting trustees, opposed sale of the chain to the British firm. It had been his aim, Nathanson says, to form a company with Gau(Continued on Page 12) Western States Making Bid for Franchise Meetings is Claim Paramount Employe Stock to Be Offered Oct. 15 Paramount stock for employes is to be available Oct. 15 at $52 a share, it is understood. Employes will be entitled to buy an amount equal to (Continued on Page 12; Salt Lake City — Momentum being gathered by the Allied States Ass'n movement and the Tiffany-Stahl and RKO franchise proposals, has resulted in calls from most of the Far West states for appearance of W. A. Steffes, Northwest unit head, who is (Continued on Page 12) Fox Board to Have Loew, M-G-M Representation? Decision of Fox Film stockholders to increase the board of directors to 12 is taken as an indication that executives of allied companies, which are slated to be merged into the company, will have representation on the board. Under the plans, all Foxcontrolled enterprises, including Loew's and M-G-M are to be consolidated, it is stated. Holders of class "A" stock now (Continued on Page 12) 2,490 Wired Theaters in the United States wired with Western Electric sound equipment now total 2,490, reports Electrical Research Products.