The Film Daily (1929)

iTHE ^NEWSPAPER o/'FILMDOM ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME VOL. XLIX No. 72 Tuesday, September 24, 1929 Price 5 Cents U. S. Firms Prepare to Resume Activity in France ASSOCIATION TO CURBPIRATING IS PROPOSED Sympathy Strike Threatened at St. Louis Houses Pirates =^By JACK A LI CO ATE PARTICULARLY interesting is the announcement in today's news columns of the formation of a formidable and aggressive association to make war on film pirating that, it is estimated, is costing independent exporters upwards of a million dollars annually. Publicity, prosecution and an International campaign to codify copyright laws are the principal weapons to be used. Exporters from every nation in the world will be asked to join this movement which deserves the complete cooperation of every branch of this industry "Young Nowheres" Caught a sleeper over at First National yesterday that looks, (and sounds), unusually promising. Dick Barthelniess and Marian Nixon in a somewhat different, delightfully-refreshing story called "Young Nowheres." Whimsical enough to be reminiscent of Barrie and treated by director Frank Lloyd with the touch of an O. Henry. Here is one without bunk and without frills. One of the forerunners of what the unadulterated talking picture is destined tc be, and, three cheers and a tiger, i' has no theme song. "Bob" Lieber An entire industry mourns the passing of "Bob" Lieber for as such was he known in picture circles from New York to California and from Main to Mexico. "Bob" Lieber was truly one of the pioneers of the industry. First known as one of its leading showmen and later as president of First National his record has long since been carved upon the tablets of this industry's achievements that will forever remain a glowing tribute to one of the finest men, greatest showman and squarestshooters that ever lived. by Truce to be Ratified French Officials at Meeting Today Paris (By Wireless) With the French Cinema Control Commissior meeting today to formally ratify the truce until Oct. 1, 1930 in theFranco-American film dispute, tin leeks are being cleared for resumpion of American distribution in France. Under terms of the settlement (Continued on Page 9) ROBERT LIEBER, FORMER f. N. PRESIDENT, DIES Indianapolis — 111 health which four years ago forced him to retire from the presidency of First National caused death here of Robert Lieber. in his fifty-eight year. He had been under a physician's care at intervals for the last four years, but had been in the hospital but two weeks (Continued on Page 9) New Musical Device to Be Handled by RCA RCA has acquired the patent rights for United States, Canada, Cuba and U. S. insular possessions of Professor Leon Theremin's musical device. G. Dunbar Shewell is in charge of a new department created to introduce the Rt \ 'Mieremins on a com(Continued on Page 11) PIRACY COSTS EXPORTERS $1,000,000 YEARLY, ATTORNEY SAYS AFTER SURVEY Exporters throughout the world are to be invited into a proposed association, which has for its aim the stamping out of film piracy. The trafic is said to have reached alarming proportions, and is costing independent exporters $1,000,000 annually. The new association will war on pirating through publicity, prosecution and an international campaign to codify copyright laws, which protect owners of pictures. It is being sponsored by J. H. Hoffberg, whose attorney, Phillip B. Geldzahler, has just completed a study of the situation throughout the world. The pirating industry flourishes in New York, declares Geldzahler, who has given special attention to countries considered hotbeds of the evil. These include India, Dutch East Indies, China, Mexico, Brazil, Chile and the Balkan countries. The increasing importance of Latin-American markets, as a result (Continued on Page 11) Another Patent Suit Prague (By Wireless) — Patent war between the Klangfilm-Tobis group and Western Electric has spread to Czechoslovakia, with filing of an injunction restraining use of Western Electric sound reproducing equipment at a local theater. WOULD FORCE SETTLEMENT St. Louis — Stagehands and operators will be called to aid striking musicians, at local theaters, unless a settlement is reached. An ultimatum has been served by the opera(Continued on Page 9) St. Louis Favors Union Musicians, Wehrenberg St. Louis — Members of the eastern Missouri and southern Illinois exhibitors unit are agreeable to the employment of union musicians under the proper conditions was revealed (Continued on Page 11) Screen Censorship Bad, Educator Tells M. P. T. O. A. President W. W. Campbell of the University of California is opposed to the censorship of motion pictures His statement is in reply to a letter sent to him by Motion Picture Theater Owners of America. The University president takes the position that: "No censorship is de sirable. Practically every community has statutes on its books governing the exhibition of entertainments (Continued on Page 11) 6,307 Yards on Course of Film Golf Tournament Total yardage of the 18 holes of Gedney Farms Golf Club, White Plains, scene of filmdom's big Eastern tourney next Tuesday, is 6,307 yds., with 3,094 covering the outgoing nine, and 3,213 yards on the last nine. Par for the course is 72. Rules of the U. S. Golf Ass'n gov(Continued on Page 9) FOX REJOICES AT MERGER OF NEWSREEL INTERESTS William Fox joined William Randolph Hearst yesterday in expressing gratification at the formation of the Fox-Hearst Corp. to supply newsreel material to Fox Movietone News and Hearst Metrotone News. "I always have believed," said Mr. (Continued on Page 11) 5 in Field Advent of Hearst Metrojtone News on Saturday, increases to five the number of sound newsreels in the field with Fox, Pathe, and Universal which are issued twice weekly. Paramount sound newsreel is released once weekly. All of the companies continue to release their silent newsreels twice weekly. Multicolor-Color sequences in "Gabbo" "finest we hare seen," to date — Film Daily.— Advt.