The Film Daily (1939)

NYC T M S T 2 1 S 1 ui 1 J"? Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought *TL* COPY <=>© MOT UMOVl The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictu res Now Twenty Years Old VC4»75, NO. 47 NEW YORK. FRIDAY. MARCH 10. 1939 TEN CENTS Arkansas Seat and Circuit Tax Measures Voted Down activeFs. pix theaters show DECLJNEJF 550 Baird Television to Get $2,000,000 in New Financing Vill Be Used to Discharge Old Indebtedness, Finance Research London (By Cable) — New financing to the extent of $2,000,000 for iaird television was announced yessrday. Proceeds of the 400,000 pounds =?ue will be used to discharge exsting indebtedness of approximatef $1,250,000 and to finance further esearch in the fields of home and neatrical television, deemed desirble in view of the company's deci'ion to enter the American field 'ithout delay. Rapid expansion of theatrical (Continued on Page 7) PRESSURE CAMPAIGN" TO BACK NEELY BILL San Francisco — "Pressure camaign" in behalf of the Neely antiock booking and blind selling easure is being launched immedi:ely by the National Motion Picire Research Council, headed by r. Ray Lyman Wilbur. Instructions issued by Mary T. annerman, national legislative lairman, declare that while it is (Continued on Page 7) "IcConville Off for Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica Joseph A. McConville, Columbia's reign manager, leaves New York day for Mexico to confer with aarles Roberts, home office supersor for Latin America, and S. uisel, company's Mexico manager. Specific purposes of trip are to (Continued on Page 7) uMont Note Issue Sales Underwritten by Bankers Lehman Bros, and Hemphill, Dyes & Co. yesterday were reportto have closed an agreement with 'len B. DuMont Laboratories lereby the banking houses will (Continued on Page 7) Roach to Spend $5,000,000 on 6 Pix West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Hal Roach for 1939-40 plans six pictures budgeted at $5,000,000, it was disclosed yesterday in the wake of the announcement that Frank Ross had been elected vice-prexy of the Roach corporation, succeeding Milton H. Bren, resigned. Ross, for two years associated with Roach as an exec, will assist the producer in shaping the production schedule. First of the six to be made for UA release will be "Water Gypsies." set to go into work on May 22. Brian Aherne will have the male lead and Margaret Sullavan may be opposite. Television on Strictly Commercial Basis Five Years Distant, Says Lohr West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood— While NBC will start telecasting in New York coincidentally with the opening of the World's Fair, television on a strictly commercial basis still is about five years distant. That's the expressed opinion of Lenox R. Lohr, NBC prexy, now visiting the West Coast. NBC, according to Lohr, contemplates no separate setup for television at the present time. It is being developed with the company's regular broadcast programs so as to (Continued on Page 2) Einfeld Sets Record WB Dodge City ' Ballyhoo Warners will go to town with the biggest ballyhoo in the company's history for the world premiere of "Dodge City" at Dodge City, Kans., on April 1, Charlie Enfield, WB adpublicity chief disclosed yesterday. Tied in with the Dodge City Round-up and the city's 60th anniversary, and enlisting the co-operation of the Dodge City Chamber of Commerce, municipality and state, pix's premiere will be staged simultaneously in four theaters at noon, (Continued on Page 7) Seat and Circuit Tax Bills Defeated Before Arkansas Assembly Adjourns Free Film Shows for Kids Chi. Campaign Innovation Chicago — Municipal campaign here has brought a new development in the guise of free morning shows for juveniles in some ward theaters, with aldermanic candidates as hosts. Exhibs. donate the shows, and juveniles, departing, also get souvenirs with the alderman's compliments. Alderman Keenan of the 49th (Continued on Page 7) Little Rock — Arkansas' General Assembly adjourned sine die at noon yesterday after defeating by 39 to 26 vote the bill seeking to tax each seat in film houses for benefit of music copyright owners. House earlier was thrown into uproar when Ward of Lee County and Brickhouse of Pulaski County engaged in a fist' fight after discussion of the measure. Both later apologized for their actions and were reconciled. Representative Tackett of Pike (Continued on Page 7) Operating Houses Total 15,701, With Aggregate of 9,996,830 Seats Operating theaters in the U. S. on Jan. 1 totaled 15,701, representing a drop of 550 active theaters in the preceding 12 months, according to a nation-wide survey completed yesterday by The Film Daily. Total number of seats in the 15,701 film theaters is 9,996,830, as compared with 9,855,325 in the 16,251 active houses on Jan. 1, 1938. Figures indicate a high mortality among the smaller theaters. U. S. theaters closed as of Jan. 1 last numbered 2,128, with an aggregate seating capacity of 826,910. Comparable figures for Jan. 1. 1938 were 1,931 and 801,981. U. S. NEEDS 2 MONTHS TO REPLY TO MAJORS Sources close to the D of J declare, in the wake of the decision by Federal Judge Bondy on the issue of a bill of particulars in the Government's equity action against filmland, that it will take one to two months for the Department to get out a bill on those requests granted to the defendants by the Court. The Government, a canvass yesterday revealed, appears to be satis (Continued on Page 7) Erpi Cuts British Service Charges $180,000 for 39 Following a conference with the CEA a reduction in service charges to British exhibs. amounting to $180,000 has been made for 1939, (Continued on Page 7) Lasky to Launch New Talent Hunt for Second Production RKO, Jesse Lasky and Wrigley Co., have already selected the second picture for which a talent quest will be held throughout the country (Continued on Page 7)