The Film Daily (1939)

L i *d i i i \ i ' ' M P i3 £ ID 2 n w 44T H 5 T N Y C Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought PILE COPY DO NOT REMOVE The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Now Twenty-One Years Old -IF DAILY V^J 76, NO. 4 NEW YORK, FRIDAY, JULY 7, 1939 TEN CENTS 20th-Fox to Boost Budget for 1939-40 10%—Wobber $10,000100 IN SHORfAVAILABLE FOR SCHOOLS Three Amendments to Neely Bill as Senate Vote Nears Bill Due to Come Up for Debate and Vote At Noon Today Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — After obtaining Senate consideration of his block-booking bill late yesterday afternoon, Senator Matthew M. Neely yielded the floor for other matters and the measure went over until today at 12 noon when it is again due to come up for debate and vote. Neely obtained consideration around 4 P.M. but, announced he would not seek to force a vote yesterday. He said his only concern was to be sure that the bill was before the Senate today. "I am certain that it would be impossible to (Continued on Page 6) BRITISH PRODUCTION STAGING COME-BACK London (By Cable) — British production, fighting gallantly to stage a come-back, is making progress, a checkup showing more than 50 pix either in production or active preparation. Associated British has three; Alexander Korda Film Productions (Continued on Page 6) Expect Equity Will Move Suddenly in Tele Field Pending the decision to be handed down by the AAAA fixing jurisdiction in the television field, Actors' Equity is quietly formulating plans ior organization of the field and is also planning to wage a finish fight (Continued on Page 6) 'Five Came Back" Breaks Rialto's Summer Records "Five Came Back" in its second day at the Rialto Theater, broke all summer box-office records for a single day for that house. In order to handle the crowds, the theater (Continued on Page 6) Editorial Shortage of Quality Product? . . . don't sell Hollywood short! By CHESTER B. BAHN k yjUCH — far, far too much, in fact — has been said in recent weeks by exhibs. and ■"' others about the paucity of quality pix. Indeed, to listen to some gents, Hollywood for a period of months has concentrated on the production of palookas, and the results may be read in red ink in house ledgers up and down and across the 48 States. It's always the easiest way to blame it on Hollywood, and there are plenty of times, of course, when Hollywood distinctly is to blame. Yet to attribute the Spring dip in b.o. patronage to the studios' shortcomings and to assert — as many have — that top grade (Continued on Page 4) "SELF-REGULATION" 1939-40 PIX LINEUP SEEN ENDING GAMES REVISED BY REPUBLIC Gradual abandonment of games in New York City film houses via a program of self-regulation is in prospect, it was disclosed yesterday. Current plan of circuits and opera (Continued on Page 4) Elmore Scotches Report He's Here on Equity Suit Special Assistant U. S. Attorney General Frank H. Elmore, who arrived in New York on Wednesday (Continued en Page 4) Republic has materially revamped its 1939-40 production lineup, it was learned yesterday. Now in the de luxe group are "Hit Parade of 1940," "Lady from New Orleans," "Seven Million Dol (Contiuued on Page 6) Will Thresh Out Up-state Clearance Tangle Tuesday Clearance situation, which has been target of upstate New York exhibs., will be further threshed (Continued on Page 6) 20-Fox Biz 15% Ahead, Says Wobber,Company Refuses Films for Television Tell of Inability to Get Pix at Chicago Contempt Trial Chicago — At yesterday's morning session of Government's contempt case against B & K and the major film companies, Val Costello, manager of the Oriental Theater building, described his efforts to obtain films and their failure. Robert Far (Continued on Page 6) "Sure in the knowledge that we have the greatest product lineup in our history and confident of the future, our company will increase its budget 10 per cent above the figure originally planned for the 1939-40 program," Herman Wobber, distribution chieftain, told The Film Daily yesterday when he returned from the Coast. Reported company business as be (Continued on Page 4) 590 to be Used in 3-Year Experiment, Will Hays Tells the NEA San Francisco — Five hundred and ninety non-current sound shorts, representing a p r o d u ctiori cost in excess of $10,000,000, are being made available — ■ the majority i m mediately — t o American schools for classroom use by seven WILL H. HAYS affiliates o f the MPPDA, it was disclosed here last night by (Continued on Paac 4) 610 PROJECTORS USED BY CHICAGO SCHOOLS By JOSEPH ESLER FILM DAILY Staff Correspondent Chicago — Indicative of the possibilities in the educational pix field, which has been and is receiving the attention of the MPPDA Advisory Committee on the Use of Motion (Continued on Page 6) Further RKO Plan Appeal Won't Block Consummation A hearing on the RKO reorg. plan was postponed yesterday by Federal Judge William Bondy to July 20 on the request of Col. Hamilton C. (Continued on Page 6) Meeting of New York Allied Held Behind Closed Doors Syracuse — Following an all-day meeting here at the Hotel Syracuse, the New York Allied huddle broke (Continued on Page 6)