The Film Daily (1938)

DAILY Monday, August 29, 1938 N. 0. DISTR1BS. MAY SEEK TAX RELIEF (.Continued from Page 1) ney, said Saturday after a plea of abatement had been referred to the Louisiana Tax Commission. Under the law, the abatement plea must first be filed, then referred to the commission, and, if refused, it goes to the courts. The state contends that films bring in revenue of $2,700 weekly. Distributors claim that they don't own the film, but merely handle it and that its actual value of 1% cents per foot. Protesting are MG-M, Republic, United Artists, Universal, Fox and Vitagraph. Daily in THE FILM DAILY "fllOTIOn PICTURES ARE VOUR B6ST ERTERTfllRRlERT" Campaign News Front Everywhere Venezuela Gov't Issues Free Newsreel to Exhibs. Caracas (By Cable) — Venezuelan government is producing and distributing a newsreel to local exhibs. without charge. Newsreel has commentary in Spanish. Newark Candy Vending Firm In Detroit Field Detroit — The Confection Cabinet Corp., of Newark, N. J., is now operating candy vending machines and display counters in numerous theater lobbies in this city. Frank Michaels is local manager for the company, which has established headquarters at 5245 W. Grand River Avenue. Chicago Clearing House for Biz Films Looming Chicago — Plans are under way to establish a clearing house for business films in the central states, with headquarters in Chicago, according to O. H. Coelln Jr., managing director of Business Screen. Sanger Succeeds Price London (By Cable)— Gerald F. Sanger, producer of British Movietone News, has been made a member of the Board of Directors. His appointment was announced at a luncheon given by Francis L. Harley, managing director of Great Britain for 20th-Fox, and the Hon. Esmond Harmsworth. He replaces G. Ward Price who resigned. Will Remodel Schenley Pittsburgh — Warners' Schenley Theater, Oakland, has closed for complete remodeling. New furnishings, seats, and lighting will be part of the equipment installed. The theater reopened Saturday and during the time it was closed the Strand Theater, also a Warner house, continued the Schenley's policy of presenting first-run pictures in the Oakland district. Industry All Prepared To Start Biz Campaign (Continued from Page 1) community campaigns have been initiated in 500 cities to date, initial shipments of all materials have been completely sold out, with orders pouring in for the additional shipments. More than 20,000,000 of the movie quiz contest booklets will be placed in the hands of exhibitors by Sept. 1, exchanges report. The total may triple this figure before the campaign closes on Dec. 31. Regional committees have been established in 37 points and through these committees, community committees of local distributors have been organized and local campaigns initiated. Big cities well started on their campaigns include New York, Pittsburgh, Albany, Boston, Quebec, Montreal, Richmond, Atlanta, Los Angeles, San Francisco and scores of others including hundreds of smaller communities. In numerous communities proclamations have been issued by the local mayors; newspapers in 50 key cities have contributed free advertising copy and editorials; by the end of this week the huge campaign ads will have been placed in more than 1,500 newspapers throughout the country. Five trailers are ready for showing on thousands of screens, with the sixth in preparation. The special short subjects which Hollywood is preparing, titled "The World Is Yours," will soon go before the cameras. Regional meetings have been held in these key places: Detroit, Cleveland, Oklahoma, Toronto, Des Moines, Omaha, Dallas, Denver, Chicago, Louisville, Minneapolis, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Saskatchewan, Winnipeg, Halifax, Montreal, St. John, Memphis, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Columbus, New Haven and New York. Drive Accessories at Cost In a statement to exhibitors today, George J. Schaefer, executive chairman of the Motion Pictures' Greatest Year Industry drive, emphasized that all accessories used in the campaign were being sold to theaters at the actual cost of manufacture. The cost of handling, he stated, and in some instances, even certain manufacturing costs were not included in the list prices, being borne by voluntary contribution of labor. "Exhibitors should understand," Mr. Schaefer said, "that the amazingly low price of campaign accessories, banners, poster, and other Meet Today to Arrange for Stage Shows for the Drive Leading producers of stage shows in New York motion picture houses will attend a luncheon at 1 o'clock at the Rainbow Room Luncheon Club, to get up a manual of stage shows centering on the motion pictures' greatest year industry drive, and for distribution among theaters throughout the country. Harold B. Franklin, business manager of the drive, will outline campaign plans at the luncheon, which will be attended by Gus Eyssell of Radio City Music Hall, Jack Partington of Roxy Theater, Robert M. Weitman of Paramount, Al Rosen of Loew's State, and Z. A. Epstin of the Strand. Their aim is to arrange a program of stage shows, varied and entertaining, which will be built around the nation-wide industry campaign, and which can be adapted by all movie houses using stage entertainment in conjunction with their regular motion -picture features. M. P. Week for Cleveland Cleveland — At the instigation of Everett Steinbuck, manager of Loew's Theater, Mayor Harold H. Burton has issued a proclamation designating Sept. 2-8 as Motion Picture Week in Cleveland as a fitting introduction to the new movie season and the opening of the national Movie Quiz Contest. Pledge Cards at Exchanges Exhibitors who have not signed pledge cards for the Motion Pictures' Greatest Year industry drive, and who are not, therefore, on the preferential list for campaign accessories, may sign such cards, and receive their cards of membership at the exchanges where they order their materials, George J. Schaefer announces. This arrangement was made for the benefit of the exhibitor who had not been reached through the various regional committees, and had not yet become a member of the drive. materials, is made possible only by the fact that they are being offered by the dealers at the absolute cost of manufacture. "A simple comparison of price of these accessories with the customary cost of similar materials will reveal that in many instances the price has been reduced by as much as twothirds. For this we must express our thanks to the generosity of the dealers, and to the voluntary contributions of the exchanges handling the materials, which eliminated handling costs." i WB TO CONCENTRATE ON ACTION PICTURES (.Continued from Page 1) announced at the company's annual sales convention last spring. Writers have been instructt to substitute physical action in place of dialogue whenever practical. Through this treatment, Warner pictures are expected to give wider audience appeal in this country and in the markets abroad. Pictures which are scheduled to go before the cameras during September, October, November and December, and which are being scrutinized under the action policy, include the following: "Brother Orchid," starring Edward G. Robinson and Wayne Morris, in Richard Connell's Collier's story. "Concentration Camp," with Humphrey Bogart, John Garfield and the "Dead End" kids. "Dark Victory," based upon the Broadway stage success, with Bette Davis starred. "The Desert Song," based upon the famous Sigmund Romberg operetta, with Donald Dickson. "Dodge City," an epic of the pioneer days in the West. "Each Dawn I Die," based upon the best-selling prison novel by Jerome Odium, with James Cagney starred. "The Gay Nineties," the Louis Sobol original, with Dick Powell, Pat O'Brien, Olivia de Havilland, George Brent, Humphrey Bogart, Ann Sheridan and John Garfield. "Glitter," the Katherine Brush novel, with Wayne Morris starred. "The Good Die Poor," with Humphrey Bogart and the "Dead End" youngsters. "The Great Lie," with Priscilla Lane and Jeffrey Lynn in a version of the Lola Stein story. "Memphis Belle," starring Bette Davis. "Oklahoma Kid," with James Cagney starred in a big-scale production. "$1,000 Window," racetrack story starring Edward G. Robinson. "The Phantom Crown," the dramatic historical tale of Maximillian and Carlotta, with William Dieterle directing. "Sea Hawk," starring Errol Flynn. "We Are Not Alone," the James Hilton best-seller. "Yes, My Darling Daughter," based upon the Broadway stage hit. "You Can't Escape Forever," based upon the Thelma Strabel novel. Warners' Biog. Youngstown, O. — "The Amazing Career of the Warner Brothers," a series of articles written by Miss Esther Hamilton, columnist, is being featured in the Youngstown Vindicator. Each article, taking more than one-half of the first page of the second section of the paper, is accompanied by photographs. Considerable local interest is included in the early chapters, when the Warner brothers made their start in Youngstown, where some members of the family still live.