The Film Daily (1938)

Monday, September 26, 1938 1M DAILY GRIFFIS SAYS PARA. TALKING NO ABC DEAL Daily In THE FILM DAILY {Con ton Griffis, chairman of the executive committee, said Friday. Ovjffis denied printed reports * '\ London that Paramount was negotiating a deal with Associated British Cinemas. He said that although he studied all phases of the British theater industry relative to Paramount 's possible entry during his recent trip abroad, nothing definite had been decided. Griffis added, John W. Hicks, head of the foreign department would look further into the possibilities of invading the English field on his current trip abroad, adding that he had "another man" working on the proposition. Para. News Shipped Flood Reel Direct to Many Houses (Continued from Pgge 1 ) this film story not only through Paramount exchanges, but also made shipments direct in numerous instances to subscribers, A. J. Richard declared over the week-end. Eight camera crews and three planes were utilized in gathering scenes from land and air, three crews being used in beleaguered New England, two on Long Island, two in Connecticut and one in New York. Men assigned worked on a 24-hour shift from Wednesday afternoon until the following day when, late that afternoon, the subject was released. Richard declared that the crews gave a feeling to the footage commensurate with the tragedy's importance, the accent being both in instructions to, and disposition of, the cameramen themselves to capture the maximum amount of human interest. "monon pictures arc VOUR B6ST eRTERTRIRmERT" Campaign News From Everywhere U. S. -Canadian Trade Pact Negotiations to Continue Toledo Completely Covered by Local Drive Committee Toledo, 0. — Everv avenue of publicity and exploitation in Toledo has been covered by the local promotional committee for Motion Pictures' Greatest Year in one of the most comprehensive drives of any section of the country. The committee comprises Wally Coldwell. Bernard Lustig, Jack O'Connell, Howard Feigley, Ben Battin, Harold Wendt, Ralph Lawlor, Chalmer Dean, Martin Smith and Jack Klinger. Display activities of this committee included the placing of 300 jumbo size dash cards in all street cars and buses. 24-sheets on street car sides, 24 x 60 banners posted on all delivery trucks of Toledo Blade, advertising the Movie Quiz; one-sheets on dairy, laundry, news agency and other delivery trucks; taxi streamers; electric light and trolley pole cards; four large double face banners stretched across main intersections; quiz heralds inserted in mailing lists of department stores. Toledo Auto Clubs, Kiwanis, Rotary and Lions Clubs, Chamber of Commerce and Junior Chamber of Commerce; quiz heralds delivered to residences by every service staff member of all first and subsequentrun houses. ANPA Warns Newspapers Against "Tip Sheet" Peddlers A warning against "tip sheet" racketeers who are trying to sell answers and to place ads in daily newspapers in connection with the $250,000 Movie Quiz sponsored by Motion Pictures' Greatest Year, was issued Friday by the Bureau of Advertising of the American Newspaper Publishers Association, in a letter sent broadcast to all members and publishers' representatives. It was pointed out by Paul Gulick, co-ordinator of the campaign, that no "tipster" could possibly have the answers to the Movie Quiz, since many of the 94 films involved in the contest are still in production. He declared his organization was taking steps to warn the nublic against this tip sheet "racket." West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Motion Pictures' Greatest Year campaign has produced its first potential star. He is Johnny Walsh, 13, son of a theater executive, who has been awarded a long-term M-G-M contract as a result of his outstanding performance in "The World Is Yours," special short subject made in collaboration by all Hollywood studios to boost the industry drive. Ottawa — Indications here point to continuance of U. S. -Canadian trade negotiations for several weeks, since, it is felt, more bargaining will be needed befoi-e the pact reaches final stages. Over the week-end, it was reported that several of the interchanged proposals were sent to Washington for examination, prior to their being incorporated in tentatively approved form in the text. As matters stand now, no information is available as to whether films are to form a commodity entity in the pact, but it is known that hope is high in the U. S. that this provision will be considered, and that there is considerable sentiment in Canada for such a move. Sources close to the treaty's framing declare that the Canadian-U. S. trade agreement will undoubtedly await upon the culmination of that which is now being considered between the U. S. and Britain. THE WCCI\ IN REVIEW $2,500,000 Hurricane Loss — Foreign Problems DOMESTIC (Continued from Page 1) disclosed that more than 1,000 pix houses were affected in one form or another, ranging from total property damage, as in the instance of the Prudential Playhouses' Greenport (L. I.) Theater, to loss of grosses. Houses in Long Island, Connecticut and Rhode Island were flooded in numerous cases, and bulletins from these beleaguered areas told of attending physical damage, inability to get film over either road or railway, and box office famine as the storm's result. On Monday, 89 Chicago exhibs., operating 101 houses in that territory, filed suit in Federal Court there charging major companies and numerous other defendants, including B & K, with unlawful restraint and monopolies under anti-trust laws. * * * Addressing a contingent of Amer ican Legionnaires in Hollywood as the week began, H. M. Warner, WB prexy, militantly defended the industry as free from the taint of Communism, branding charges to the contrary as "lies." He declared that Filmland has no sympathy with "isms" of any nature, said that Hollywood and the industry at large in this country would gladly give their all for the perpetuation of the American ideal. * # * Four of the industry's key solons, Nicholas M. Schenck, Sidney R. Kent, Leo Spitz and Jack Cohn, expressed opinions favoring institution annually of the current ad drive, Motion Pictures' Greatest Year. Subsequently plans were forwarded by the campaign committee to hold a national fashion show under pix sponsorship in some 2,000 U. S. communities, with dress manufacturers aiding move. * * * Week's other highlights included report that MPTOA will seek its CREDIT DRIVE WITH 10% BIZ INCREASE (Continued from Page 1) during the first three weeks of the drive. It was estimated at the start that the campaign would increase patronage from 10 to 20 p.c, representing a possible advance of $1,600,000 to $3,200,000 weekly. Franklin said that exact figures had not been tabulated as yet, but indicated that an accurate accounting would be available shortly. Ayres Succeeds Furst as WB Boston Manager (Continued from Page 1) ceeds Nat Furst, industry vet., who resigned. Appointment of Paul S. Krumenacker to succeed Ayres at Albany was exclusively announced in The Film Daily on Friday. "Alexander's" On Duals Chicago — Balaban & Katz will double bill "Alexander's Ragtime Band," starting this week at the Uptown, Tivoli and Marbro, class A theaters of the circuit. McGrady on 2 Boards Edward F. McGrady, RCA viceprexy, has been elected to the directorate as well as to the board of RCA Communications, Inc. own trade practice plan. . .Joseph M. Schenck's scuttling of the rumor that 20th-Fox and Metro are interested in selling GB stock. . .assurance by David Sarnoff, on his return to New York from Europe, that U. S. television advances are at least on a par with Britain's. . . and the enunciation to New York Allied by M-G-M's general sales manager, W. F. Rodgers, of his organization's policy not to demand that shorts be bought in order for an exhib. to contract for company's features. FOREIGN (Continued from Page 1) offices in the event that present negotiations fail and a conflagration results. * * * Film representatives of major U. S. companies met in Paris to iron out interpretation of Italian stipulations contained in that Government's recent decree calling for the formation of a State monopoly on foreign film imports. Conference was reported as in close touch with parent organization in New York where MPPDA's directors tussled with the problem. As the week waned, it was stated along New York's Film Row by reliable sources that modification of the decree or the issuance by Italy of a supplementary decree was possible. Distributor attack on the constitutionality of Porto Rico's increased film tax was indicated.