The Film Daily (1937)

THE Friday, Jan. 8, 1937 DAILV NEWS OF THE DAY Appollo, Pa. — Louis Ponsello reopened the Strand Theater here, formerly operated by N. B. Fiscus. The nouse has remained dark since last gear's flood. Irwin, Pa. — Charles Anderson and W. B. Urling, circuit operators, are ouilding a 500-seat house here. Gustave Hirsh of Columbus is erecting :he marquee and porcelain enamel front. Reviews of Hew films Glassport, Pa. — Peter Gorris, former exhibitor in McKeesport, Pa., is re-entering the exhibition field here. He is remodeling a local property which he will convert into a theater. St. Peter, Minn.— The new N. M. Miller Theater will open today. Lincoln — A new house has been opened in Palmer by the firm of Bingham & Walters. The same outfit has the Waltham, in Ericson, Neb. Dickinson, N. D.— F. E. Wetstein of Mandan, N. D., has purchased the Rialto Theater from H. 0. Mugtidge. Kansas City, Kan. — Changes of personnel in the Fox-Midwest circuit include: W. L. Barritt succeeds Willard Clark as manager of the Fox at Wichita, Kan.; Tom Brennan is the new manager of the Strand, Hutchinson, Kan., succeeding W. L. Barritt; Dale Havelone, assistant at the Fox Granada here, has been made manager of the Madrid; Manford Finch, assistant manager of the Madrid, is now assistant to Jerry Baker of the Granada. Detroit's Variety Club Will Install on Jan. 11 pi Detroit — Detroit Variety Club is anning annual installation of new officers on Jan. 11 at the Book-Cadillac Hotel, with the national president, John Harris of Pittsburgh, in attendance. Committees were named this week by President Henderson M. Richey, with the following chairmen for 1937: William Carlson, entertainment; Charles Perry, house; William K. Flemion, entertainment; R. E. Moon, membership; Mannie 'Gottlieb, new members; Gene Rich, publicity, and following chairmen for the annual Spring Ball: William Carlson, general arrangements; Charles Perry, entertainment; William Flemion, program; Carl Buermele, tickets; Gene Rich, publicity. Neb. House Burns With Mercury at 15 Below Lincoln, Neb. — Fire destroyed the $15,000 crystal theater yesterday afternoon. House was owned by Dr. F. E. Rider. Firemen fought the blaze in 15 below zero weather. "A MAN BETRAYED" with Eddie Nugent, Kay Hughes, Lloyd Hughes Republic 58 mins. CLEVER PLOT MAKES THIS CRIME STORY HOLD STRONG SUSPENSE. GOOD COMEDY TOUCHES HELP. For the double bill this one will fill in acceptably as the runner-up. A rather unpretentious offering, the plot is so original and with such good twists, that it holds the interest throughout. Eddie Nugent as the sales manager of a crooked oil well promotion crowd, realizes they are phony and starts an investigation. Meanwhile one of the three partners kills himself on facing exposure, and the other two frame the suicide as a murder perpetrated by the sales manager. His brother, a young minister, played by Lloyd Hughes, enters the plot and endeavors to clear the other. The complications crowd one another, with a gang of interesting small-town gamblers coming to the aid of the two young men and helping them save themselves. The hero is found guilty, condemned to death, and escapes on the way to prison. Then the gang of new-found friends gets busy, matches wits with a more desperate gang hired by the two oil swindlers, and the excitement and fun keep mounting to a very satisfactory finish. Fine work by Nugent, Hughes and also Kay Hughes, the girl in the case. Producer William Berke has done an excellent job. Cast: Eddie Nugent, Kay Hughes, Lloyd Hughes, John Wray, Edwin Maxwell, Theodore Von Eltz, Thomas E. Jackson, William Newell, Smiley Burnette, Christine Maple, John Hamilton, Ralph Harolde, Grace Durkin, Carleton Young, Mary Bovard, Sam Ash, Pat Gleason. Producer, William Berke; Director, John H. Auer; Authors, Dorrell and Stuart McGowan; Cameraman, Ernest Miller. Direction, Very Good. Photography, Good. Hawks, Testing Plane for Films, Escapes Mishap Hurts Hartford, Conn. — Captain Frank Hawks, recently signed by Columbia to star in their forthcoming serial, "The Adventures of the Mysterious Pilot", narrowly escaped serious injury here in a test flight of his new speed plane, "Time Flies", which he will use in the serial. A fur glove — one of a pair that had been presented to Captain Hawks as a Christmas present — fell into the well of the plane's retractable landing gear and caused it to jam when Hawks tried to lower it for a landing. The flier brought the ship into a stall landing at Rentschler Field and skidded to a stop, ripping off the plane's undercarriage and twisting the tips of the propellers. Mechanics said that repairs on the damaged plane would take about a week. 0. M. Sayler, Inc. Moves Oliver M. Sayler, Inc., operating a publicity service, has moved to 21 East 37th St. SHORTS Edgar Kennedy in "The Hillbilly Goat" RKO-Radio 18 mins. A Wow Ed Kennedy takes the role of an electrical appliance salesman who goes up through the hillbilly country trying to take orders. He runs into a hillbilly storekeeper and gives him a great sales talk. The native is so impressed he makes a deal with Kennedy to woo a widow up beyond the ridge for him by proxy, and if he sells the widow to wed him, then he will buy all the appliances. The fun starts when the widow thinks Kennedy is wooing for himself, and takes him at his word. Then Ed tries to get out of it, with the hillbillies all taking sides with the widow. Some funny gags, and Kennedy a wow as usual. "Gold Mania" (World On Parade) RKO Radio 11 mins. Impressive Nice novelty, with the camera and the narrator following an old time gold prospector though the desert and over mountains on a day's search for the elusive metal hidden away somewhere in stream or under mountain rock. The prospector is accompanied by his faithful dog and old burro. Very naturally done, without any theatric effects, which makes it all the more impressive. Farnsworth Gets Tele Construction Permit Philadelphia — Federal Communications Commission has granted construction permit to Farnsworth Television Corporation of this city to conduct here broad experimental broadcast programs. Television studio, with two television cameras and a camera for transmission of motion pictures, is already in operation as the company's Chestnut Hill station, according to George Everson, secretary of Farnsworth organization, who also revealed that 150-foot tower and power plant has been erected for radiation of television signals. Everson asserted that so far as science is concerned, television is ready for commercial market, and that his firm has highly developed technique of directional broadcasting for Philadelphia area and had purposely placed station outside of city proper so that towers could be shielded and images broadcast in single direction with concentrated strength, eliminating to considerable extent interference from New York stations and those in other nearby sections. Both indoor and outdoor settings will be transmitted. Philo T. Farnsworth, 30-year-old inventor of the system is now in Europe, but is expected to return here by mid-January at which time programs will be ready to present. Words and Wisdom '"THE public demands, and will support, a better quality of picture than ever before. The past few years have seen the establishment of motion pictures upon a high and secure level of achievement. — HARRY M. WARNER. Hollywood directs its product as much towards the English-speaking countries as specifically as it does for the United States. The result is a growing good will, both for the industry and the public. — DARRYL F. ZANUCK. Isn't it about time we stopped listening to the complaints of the buyers and sellers long enough to thank the "forgotten men and women" in California for their 1936 achievements in production? — C. C. PETTIJOHN. The tastes of motion picture audiences have advanced to such a degree that producers no longer can use the old situations and no longer can get by with false or transparents stories or "sloppy" dialogue writing.— DAVID 0. SELZNICK. I am willing to credit 50 per cent of my success to the sound advice of makeup artists — and they are truly artists.— GEORGE RAFT. Characterization is the thing nowadays; the industry will have to depend more and more on it. Characterization calls for more exacting writing than plot which it has definitely supplanted. — RICHARD BOLESLAWSKI. Motion pictures demanded so much sincerity, such intense realism, such a complete abandonment of self — and so much work — that one rather becomes the character she portrays. — FRANCINE LARRIMORE. Horseback riding is the greatest exercise in the world. If practiced consistently it will take the place of dieting, and any person, man or woman, can keep their figure without starving themselves. — HEATHER ANGEL. "Dream" Ad Included in Advertising Art Annual One of the huge ads used to sell Warner Bros.' "A Midsummer Night's Dream" has received the distinction of being the first motion picture advertisement ever to be included in the Annual Of Advertising Art. The ad appears in the 15th annual of the magazine which was just published, and credit for the art work goes to V. Bobri and Warner art director, Anthony Gablik. Smith, Ellerbe With Lyons Ben Smith and Harry Ellerbe have signed managerial contracts with A. & F. Lyons. ;