The Film Daily (1929)

iday, November 1, 1929 DAILY Timely Topics A Digest of Current Opinion — © — alls Thacher Credit Ruling ictory for Distributors THE ruling of Judge T. J. Thacher of the Federal District Court, New York, that the credit system operated by distributors through their Film Boards of Trade is legal, is a sweeping victory for the distribuotrs. This decision justifies distributors' agreement to demand security by their common interest in preserving the integrity of contractual obligations owing to them by exhibitors and also removes restraint of trade charges, which have arisen as a result of the enforcement of such agreements. Ben Shlyen in "Motion Picture Times" * * * )ver-Expansion of Theater Ihains May Harm Movie Trade THE building of theater chains means the creation of a great economic system in cinema entertainment. The structure may seem powerful beyond weakness, but it isn't. Theater-overseating in any city is a problem that will become more acute as good and varied cinemas that arouse the pulse of the great mass of Americans become fewer "Hollywood Daily Screen World" * * * Sound in Pictures Said To Destroy Illusion IN the old days the chief mission of the motion picture was to create an illusion. Therein it differed from the stage, which depends mostly on reality. Music helped to intensify this illusion by creating an emotional background. Today the intrusion of sound into motion pictures has injected reality into an art of illusion — with an inevitable multiplication of problems to be solved. Dr. Alexander Russell, Princeton University Along The Rialto with PhilM. Daly, Jr. EDWIN CAREWE got 500 G's from Joe Schenck for that Dolores Del Rio contract, according to the Coast version. Helen Kane, Paramount player, was on the radio last night A letter from Seattle tells of the whale of a business done there on "Show Boat" and the exchangeman who relays the info is not connected with Universal Next general meeting of the Warner Club is slated Nov. 12 at the Hotel Pennsylvania, Noo Yawk, with entertainment and dancing on the program Between sighs on the stock market crash, which nicked many big shots, the Coast is trying to figure out just why the Paramount-Warner merger Hopped Charley Einfeld, efficient First National advertising and publicity head, got a real kick out of the splendid Coast raves on "Lilies of the Field" and "The Isle of Lost Ships" One of his secret ambitions is to sit alongside the trombone player in an orchestra, eating a lemon meanwhile Wonder who'll play Ronald Colman's role in "Sapper," sequel to "Bulldog Drummond" Paramount will produce Zella Young, 18, daughter of L. A. Young, company president, is a hard-working script girl at the Tiffany studio That's a great human interest stunt that Universal is using, intending to start work on "All Quiet on the Western Front" at 11 A. M. Armistice Day Colleen Moore is again on the Coast and may undergo an operation for appendicitis Eddie Buzzell, star of First National's "Little Johnny Jones," topped the bill last night on the Lehn & Fink Hour over the radio. He's the fifth First National star to be featured on this tie-up Alice White is nursing a wounded arm, caused by a dog bite Larry Darmour, R-K-O comedy producer, is in Noo Yawk Another visitor is Karl Hoblitzelle, who recently sold control of his Interstate chain holdings to Fox. He's continuing in charge of operation of the southern circuit. Arthur Hammerstein, producer, reached Hollywood last night — his wife, Dorothy Dalton will follow in several weeks. TEN YEARS AGO TO-DAY IN Danish-American Co. gets Famous Players product for Central Europe. * * * Sydney L. Cohan signs Mae Murray for two year contract; to release films through Robertson-cole. 82 NUMBER 82 Industry Statistics By JAMES P. CUNNINGHAM Statistical Editor, The Film Daily MOTION PICTURES are photographed at the rate of 90 feet per minute, as compared with a former speed of 60 feet. The change was brought about when theaters increased the projection speed for a quicker turnover. Studios gradually raised the rate in order to maintain action at normal speed until 90 feet per minute was accepted as standard. The added 30 feet which, experts claim are unnecessary, costs studios from $3,000,000 to $4,000,000 annually and is a total waste. The added cost is spent for one-third more footage and additional lab and studio overhead. MANY HAPPY RETURNS November 1 Beit wishes and congratulations are extended by THE FILM DAILY to the following members of the industry, who today are celebrating their birthday : G. Banks W. J. Kubitzki Laura La Plante Ernest Rovelstad AND THAT'S THAT By PHIL M. DALY IN THE death of the Rev. Dr. John Roach Straton the pulpit has lost a great crusader .and the world in general has lost a great showman. We use the term "showman" in its highest sense. Dr. Straton was a super-publicist, if there ever was one. If instead of directing his energies in the ecclesiastical field he had elected to commercialize his brilliant talents in the realm of entertainment, he could have kept the film industry on the front page pretty consistently. ■ * * * His was a personality that was made for the limelight. When he became a part of the life of a city, he not only made his pulpit famous but put that city on the map all over again. Starting in Baltimore, he debated with Henry L. Mencken on intellectual subjects till Henry called quits and refused to debate any more. Then he hit Norfolk, turned local politics inside out and had a lot of gents running for cover. Coming to New York, he made a tour of the underworld, and his sensational expose called forth a Federal investigation. He attended a performance of "Aphrodite," gave the Paris stage the once-over, saw the Dempsey-Carpentier fight, and in each case cut loose from pulpit and microphone and had his name splashed across columns of the world's newspapers. Sensational to the core, yet he was always a clean fighter. A hardhitting two-fisted man you had to respect, even when he panned the show business, which he did — plenty. We pay our tribute to a worthy adversary who despised paid professional reformers even more than we do. Fashion Note Dear Phil: Give us girls in the industry a break, and talk about fashions occasionally. — Anastasia. Sure, Anasty. Have you heard about the new Parisian skirt? It has adhesive rubber tape around the hem, which rolls up in warm atmospheres. Moral: Keep company with an Eskimo. THEIR FIRST JOBS SYDNEY SINGERMAN Universal office boy in 1915