The Film Daily (1929)

THE .1 Monday, December 16, 1929 ■■■Mill IIMIIW lllll ■ II — Churches to Launch Survey of Films9 Welfare to Public (Continued with the Hays organization on the part of Rev. Dr. Charles Stelzle, a .publicity worker for the Council. Dr. Charles E. Gilbert, who has succeeded Redfield, issued a long statement setting forth the position of the Council in relation to the motion picture industry. The proposed inquiry was decided upon last fall while Redfield was head of the organization, and was authorized at the recent annual meeting of the executive committee of the Federal Council in Chicago. The statement issued denied published charges that Redfield resigned because of undue influence by the Hays organization. The statement said in part: "Neither the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America nor any representative of that body from Page 1 ) nor any person connected with the motion picture industry in any way whatever has had anything to do with the organization of the Federal Council's Commission of the selection of its personnel. "Moreover, the commission has never been influenced in any way whatever in its policies of procedure by the motion picture producers' association or any representative of it. * * Upon one point there has been general agreement, and that is the need of a careful and unprejudiced inquiry into the relation of the motion picture industry to the public welfare." Samuel M. Cavert, one of the general secretaries of the Council, advised THE FILM DAILY that the proposed inquiry would get under way at an early date. POOLING ALL FOX FIRMS INTO NEW ORGANIZATION (Continued from Page 1) iii the capital security of the firm by voting an issue of an additional 4,000,000 shares of Class "A" stock. The plan was to increase the company's directorate from 8 to 12 members and the Class "A" stockholders, who at present have no voting power, were to be allowed to elect five of the directors of the board. Provision was also made that providing that less than $1 was paid in dividends for four consecutive years, Class "A" owners were to be permitted to elect nine of the 12 directors until dividends had been restored to the regular annual disbursement of $4 per year. No certificates of incorporation has vet been filed for the new holding company and none of the additional authorized stock has been issued. Therefore the plan for participation in the directorate by Class "A" stockholders has not yet been authorized. The trustees have now abandoned the original idea of enlarging the company's capitalization but in making plans for the holding organization, arrangements are to provide for a wider participation on the part of Class "A" owners in the firm's affairs than has previously been given this class of stock. Intention of the trustees, it is understood, is that the proposed holding company will acquire the majority of the stock in the others through an exchange of stock and the issue of debentures of some kind to cover the financing demanded by plans now being worked out. The trustees understand that these debentures will be acceptable to the holders of shortterm obligations. Program of the trustees will be submitted to the Dept. of Justice, as is the customary procedure in projects of this sort. I). S.FILMS ATTACKED AS TOO CAPITALISTIC (Continued from Page 1) istic. It is contended that U. S. films are harmful because they set the Soviet children to dreaming about the luxurious life depicted in these pictures, therefore restriction of such films is considered advisable on the same basis that Soviet films are censored in America because they are termed propaganda. Most Russians like the Yankee moving pictures much better than those made in their native countrv. No New Fire Regulations Planned in St. Loujs (Continued from Page 1) as a result of the Pathe studio fire in New York. Local ordinances have have been enforced and observed by film interests to the satisfaction of the officials. Four More Companies Join Ass'n of M. P. Labs (Continued from Page 1) seeks to bring about better business and social conditions in their sphere of the business. Among the new members are Fox. Komp Film Lab. Film Lab., and Metex, according to S. L. Bergman, secretary. Missing 1 0 Years Toronto — It is 10 years this month that A. J. Small, wealthy theater magnate, disappeared without leaving a trace just after he had signed an agreement to sell the Ontario theaters for $2,000,000. J. V-BRYSON SAYS TALKERS <i BOOST ENGLISH BUSINESS JOINT CONFAB UNTIL AFTER HOLIDAYS (Continued from Page 1) various groups having submitted their suggestions for the solution thereof, the conference has adjourned to enable each group to consider the proposals of the other and will reconvene after the holidays subject to the call of the chairman. "All groups have shown a disposition to work out a constructive program and the deliberations have been characterized by a spirit of friendliness and cooperation." ENGLAND FINALLY TO SEE "PHANTOMOFTHEOPERA" London (By Cable) — "Phantom of the Opera." the Universal picture withdrawn from showing in England a few years ago because of an advance publicity stunt that had the unfortunate effect of creating public sentiment against it, finally is to be given a presentation here soon in its new sound version. Tab Program For Colony A tabloid program weekly will soon make its appearance at the Colony under the name "Colony Pictorial," with Sidney C. Davidson of the Colony Theater, New York, in charge. Five RCA's for Mexico City Mexico City — Cine Modernos, have ordered five installations of RCA Photophone svstems for their theaters. Oscar Granat, manager of the company, handled the deal. Tiffany Managers Get Additional Territories Following re-alignment of districts have been announced by Oscar Hanson, general sales manager of Tiffany: Ralph Morrow, southern district manager will be in charge of the following territory, Indianapolis. St. Louis. Kansas City, in addition to Atlanta, Charlotte. New Orleans. Oklahoma City and Dallas. Mannv Brown, western manager, will supervise Denver, Salt Lake City. Seattle San Francisco and Los Angeles. Jerry Marks has been appointed Denver manager reolacine T. Kraker who resigned and Henri Ellman in addition to district manager will fill the post of Chicago branch manager. New York Little Theater Opens to Public Dec. 25 Mthoueh (he Little Picture House 151 E. 50th St.. New York, opens its doors on Dec. 23 with an invitation performance, it will not cive its firs) public showing until Christmas Day. Seating 209 and wired with Western Electric, it will offer previews, second and third runs and revivals. Programs will be changed every Fridav and will include a double issue of r.cwsreels. The house will be operated by the Film Bureau, of which Sophie' Smith is managing director. [' (Continued from Page 1) as all the United Kingdom house: have been wired. This view was expressed by James V. Bryson. genera manager for Universal in Great Britain, just before sailing Saturday or the Bremen after a visit in New Yorl and Universal City. There are at present more thar 800 wired houses in England wit! about 75 per cent of the theaters stil silent. In Ireland, where picture business was practically dead a few years ago, the talkers have createc a big revival of interest and then are now close to 200 picture houses in operation, Bryson said. Production in England is and al ways will be handicapped by the dis tribution difficulties, Bryson de clared. Great Britain constituteonly a 10 per cent market and companies making pictures in that country must struggle to get enough o! the other 90 per cent to cover theii production outlays and give them i profit. Because of this factor of certainty, British and other forei producers hesitate to put amount of money into their picture? and as a consequence the genera average quality of the films emanati ing abroad makes it inipossibh them to compete with America! product on the basis of merit. Evei in making up the 7'/> per cent qu«** of British pictures it is necessary* use quite a few inferior films whffl could easily be replaced by Ameri can productions of better oualitv. This same economic factor and 1 sources, artistic and technical, will mat difficult for British compaires to produce tinental language talkers on any extei basis, despite England's geographicallj cal position. Bryson said, althought practically certain that there will he a ual increase in British production to the auota and also to help supply the theater business being created by e'rs. Another hampering situation in Britain is the fact that distributors rind a local market for pictures they have been trade shown, and the nrevents booking more than nine montl advance. This means that films mud sold individually and producers cannot J pend upon backing from the sale of a olete season's schedule a year in adva l( livery. rn ,)„. iong run, Bryson said, it ■ublic that decides whether there is to increase in the number of native pic and at present the foreign public is whehniiudv for American product. Universal has about 10 houses in Britain and the same number in Europe. , , expansion plans under way. Brv-o clared. The foreign language probler well as patent litigation in Germany caused temporary depression in European •itre business, but an early revival is inj pect. according to the Universal execM Ohio Amuse. Co. Petitions for Sale of Theater Cleveland — Permission to sell thei theaters for the benefit of credit* has been requested of the court the Ohio Amusement Co. The poration owns ten local suburba houses. — ; "Love Parade" Record on Coast San Francisco— "The Love rade" has broken the box office retl ord at the St. Francis with a gr of $23,300. r liter