The Film Daily (1929)

iHE ^NEWSPAPER o/* FILM DOM VOL. L No. 64 AHDWEEKLY FILM DIGEST Sunday, December 15, 1929 Price 25 Cents Offer $1,000 Reward in Atlanta Dynamiting Probe 250 THEATERS IN HOYTS, UNION ^COMBINE Cities Throughout Country Report Rigid Fire Laws Intensive Probe Under Way In N. Y. Following Studio Fire \Y h i 1 e intensive investigation, prompted by the Pathe studio tragedy, of New York fire regulations and their enforcement was under way Friday, fire departments throughout the country asserted that rules are being rigidly enforced in replying to a checkup made by THE FILM DAILY. The New York investigation was being personally supervised by Mayor James J. Walker. No New Drastic Regulations Expected For L. A. District West Coast Bureau. THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Imposition of new and more drastic fire regulations in this locality is not expected owing to the fact that they were tightened following the Consolidated Laboratories fire. Sound Pictures Have Caused Stricter Rules in Ottawa Ottawa — Believing that sound houses afford an increased fire menace, the Government has tightened up fire regulations as they apply to these theaters. Cement floors and improvement projection booths have been required and several houses in Ontario were closed for failure to comply with the new regulations. Cleveland Reports Its Fire I Rules Rigidly Enforced Cleveland — Fire laws are being rigidly enforced here. The Cleveland exchange center has rated between 99 and 100 per cent, during the past year in inspection records. Report Baltimore Regulations As Strict; No Change Seen Baltimore — Strict fire regulations now in effect here and there is no indication that the Baltimore Fire Dept. will find it necessary to make them more stringent. American Film Companies Rejoin Chambre Syndicale Paramount, Fox, Warner Bros., First National M-G-M, United Artists and Universal have rejoined the (Continued on Page 3) EASTERN STUDIOS PAY TRIBUTEJQ FIRE DEAD Tribute to those lost in the Pathe fire was paid by studios in the East Friday by temporarily suspending production work. Warners and RCA were closed all morning, not starting until 1 p. m., while Paramount stopped work at 10 a. m. for five minutes observance. Funerals were held for two of the fire victims. Services for Edna Bur(Continued on Page 3) Harry Lachman Re-Signs With British International London — Harry Lachman, British International's American director, has spiked rumors that he was to leave the company and make multilinqual films by signing a new con(Continued on Page 3) May Limit Houses Stillwater, Minn. — What seems to be a new gag in ordinances has cropped up in this city. The city council is considering a measure to limit local theaters to two houses. The ordinance, if passed, will be in effect until the city increases to at least 15,000 population. WORLDART PICTURES GETS UFA PRODUCT FOR N.E. ZONE Henry Sonenshine, president of Worldart Pictures Co., Inc. New York, has purchased from Milton D. Kolb, who recently settled a suit with Ufa Films, Inc., all the assets of Ufa Eastern Division Distribu(Continued on Page 11) Atlanta Police Attribute Incident to Labor Trouble WARNERS RESUME WORK AT COAST JANUARY 15 West Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Hollywood— Resumption of activities at the Warner studios will begin Jan. 15, when nine features are expected to be placed into production. Atlanta— Rewards totaling $1,000 have been offered for information leading to the arrest of dynamit:ng racketeers who partially wrecked :he lobby of the 10th St., managed (Continued on Page 3) Publix Appoints Abelson South Dakota Supervisor Sioux Falls, S. D. — Arthur Abelson has been appointed South Dakota state supervisor for Publix. He will make his headquarters in this city. Arbitration the Big Topic Tremendous Importance Attached to Deliberations of ExhibitorDistributor Conference on Standard Contract — More Drastic Fire Regulations Expected as Pathe Studio Fire Reaction By ARTHUR W. EDDY DELIBERATIONS of tremendous importance to the industry have been in progress behind closed doors this past week in New York. With newspapermen taboo, delegates representing the M.P.T.O.A., Allied States and distributors have been using the ironing board to smooth out differences pertaining to the standard exhibition contract and more par (Continued on Page 3) Companies Control 98 Per Cent of Australian First Run Houses More than 250 theaters in Australia now are controlled under one banner as a result of a combine of both Union Theaters Ltd., and Hoyts Theaters Ltd., both powerful theater circuits, completed Friday, according to a cable received by Eric P. Strelitz, American representative for Union Theaters in New York. The total assets of the new com(Continued on Page 3) MORE REGIaOELLOWS OBEY RELJEFFUND URGE Another good showing was made by THE FILM DAILY RELIEF FUND yesterday as a result of checks for $100 each from Albert Warner and Walter Reade, in addition to responses from seven more Film Boards of Trade, the principal ones being Cleveland, $76; Cincin-r (Continued on Page 4) PARAMOUFlSlPORTED -PLANNING jPANISH FILMS West Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Paramount is understood to be considering production of talkers in Spanish. The number of films has not yet been determined, it is understood. J. E. Brulator Opens Third Branch in Expansion Move Continuing its expansion program, J. E. Brulator, Inc., has opened a third branch with opening of of(Continued on Page 3) Hollywood A 11 Sound West Coast Bur. THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Huntley's, the last silent theater in Hollywood, has gone sound. Western Electric equipment is being installed.