The Film Daily (1939)

2H W 44TH «TT N /V-2^ 7 FILE COPY DO NOT REMOVE Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought *£ The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Now Twenty-One Years Old VOL. 76, NO. 1 NEW YORK, MONDAY, JULY 3, 1939 Foreign Situation, Tele, Relief Before DISTRIBSJONTEND codejas not beenjhanged Court Okays Choice of Patterson as RKO Board Head No Biz Here ? . . . look over Broadway By CHESTER B. BAHN "THOSE gents hereabouts who, with index ' finger pointed at the Broadway scene, have been grousing and wailing that it just is no use — that what with the World's Fair, baseball, the weather, etc., etc., etc., the cash customers can't be interested in pix, are invited this Monday morning to reflect upon — The fact that "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" (Metro) continues merrily on its way at the Astor, with recent weeks showing progressive gains in "take." (And the pix is reported clicking as well in those situations throughout the country where it has opened.) The fact that "Bachelor Mother" (RKO Radio) started with a bang at Radio City Music Hall, outgrossing every RKO Radio pix opening date there in the last three years. — • — THE fact that "Daughters Courageous" ' (Warners), aided by Sammy Kaye's ork on the stage, has given the New York Strand its top week's gross of the last six months and probably the best Summer biz the house has enjoyed. The fact that "Man About Town" (Paramount), with an assist credited to Gene Krupa and band on the stage, plus opening day cast member p.a.'s should approach the theater's first week attendance record. The fact that "Second Fiddle" (20th Century-Fox), plus stage show, crashed through at the Roxy on Friday, and looks set for a run. The fact that Eddie Cantor, opening in person at Loew's State, broke the house record for a week-day gross; the screen attraction, to make the record complete, happens to be "It's a Wonderful World" (Metro). — • — A LL of which, this columnar commentator ** submits, establishes anew that the business is there to be gotten and that the right attraction will get it for the showman endowed with initiative and imagination. And, incidentally, that's why this commentator is inclined to disagree sharply with the New York Daily News editorial writer (.Continued on Page 2) Appointment is "Equitable," Bondy Finds; Old Board Cut to Four Appointment of Richard C. Patterson, Jr., as chairman of the board of directors of RKO, was approved on Friday in a short opinion handed down by Federal Judge William Bondy. Judge Bondy stated "The Court is satisfied that the qualificat i o n s and affiliations of R i c h a rd C. Patter son, who has been proposed as a director of the debtor (Continued on Page 4) R. C. PATTERSON, JR. TtiEWEtriN REVIEW Majors Answer Gov't = By GEORGE H. MORRIS = DOMESTIC EQUITY ACTION: Six majors, subsidiaries, and associated individual defendants, as well as National Theaters, K-A-O, and Chase National Bank, filed sweeping denials in Federal Court on Thursday of Government's multi-allegations of violation of Sherman Act, of having conspired to monopolize, and having committed unlawful acts in pursuit of trade. Replies of the six majors, and other defendants, excepting Columbia and UA which were not required to make their answers at this time pending action of the Court on their motions requesting further par(Continued on Page 7) HEAR ESSANESS EXEC. EDUCATIONAL F IN CONTEMPT ACTION Chicago — Edwin Silverman, Essaness executive, testified Friday in (Continued on Page 6) Particulars Bill Ordered in Kuhn's "Nazi Spy" Suit Federal Judge Edward A. Conger, in granting an application of Warners for a bill of particulars in the (Continued on Page 4) INSTITUTE AT N. Y. U. Chancellor Harry Woodburn Chase announced at the week-end the establishment of the Educational Film Institute of New York University for the purpose of producing, distributing, and evaluating motion pictures in the field of education. The Institute, which will begin its activities on July 1, will be enabled to carry on its first year's activities (Continued on Page 6) Overseas Situation, Television and Industry Relief Before Hays Board Dual Des Moines Opening Launches RKO's "Career" Des Moines — RKO Radio launched "Career" with a dual world premiere at the Paramount and Orpheum here (Continued on Page 7) Topical discussions of industry problems featured the final session of MPPDA's quarterly board meeting at organization's headquarters on Friday morning from 10 o'clock until about noon. The session had been adjourned from June 22. Six subjects considered by the di(Continued on Page 7) Allied Charges Draft Differs from Agreement Denied By Rodgers The proposed fair trade practice code "covers, not substantially, but wholly, every single item discussed and agreed upon with the Allied committee," the distributors contend in a statement issued over the weekend by W. F. Rodgers, spokesman. The statement was prepared in answer to Allied's charges that the submitted code was not the same as the one formerly agreed upon in previous negotiations. It also was the first formal declaration of the distributors' stand on the code since it was rejected by Allied at its an (Continued on Page 8) CENTURYCIRCUIT STOPS GIVEAWAYS First circuit in the Metropolitan area to. seize upon the decision last week in the Atlantic Theater case as an opportunity for elimination of giveaways is the Century Circuit, which stopped all giveaways in the 19 theaters it operates in (Continued on Page 8) Williams Coming to New York To Settle Equity Trial Date Assistant Attorney-General Paul Williams is coming to New York on Wednesday from Washington to take up question of fixing a trial date in the current equity actionof the Government against the majors. He will confer here with Federal (Continued on Page 8) Federal Theater Project Dies at Congress', Hands Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — The Federal Theater Project is dead, and its affairs will be wound up within the month. The Senate and House conferees agreed on Friday to insert the House clause banning the FTP in the compromise (Continued on Page 7)