The Film Daily (1930)

iTHE :Sf<>NEWSPAPER o/'FILMDOH ULTHE NEWS ALL THE TIME VOL. LI No. 50 Friday, February 28, 1930 Price 5 Cents 22,624 Theaters in U.S., Film Board Census Shows EXCHANGES WAR 0N"C0PYRIGHT VIOLATORS Sono Art Will Use 56 mm. Wide Film States Weeks histening — to the other fellow — By JACK ALICOATE^ DURING the past couple of weeks we have had a number of diverting thoughts shot at us from dilierent angles and mostly from film tolk who know their Bermudas. We pass a few along: That the revolution in studio conditions brought about by sound has made it possible to produce any type of picture indoors. New York therefore being the center of everything else will soon become production lieadquarters. . . . That despite the youth of the motion picture industry it is on a basis is sound as any other busmess in America. Its prestige is internaional and its influence on the lives md habits of everyone is tremendous, t-'ictures are now considered one of he necessities of life.... . . .Psychological improvement of the alkers must now begin. First we lad the novelty stage followed by he technical. Now must enter the loet and the artist. Mechanically the alkers are now satisfactory. It is lie quality of entertainment that uist be improved. This must be inpi rational. . . . .A Spanish writer claims that the |wo languages worthy of world adopon and each rapidly forging into lis place are Spanish and English, !nd the odds are in favor of the later. If English ever becomes the jinguage of the world it will be due \i the talkers Sound in motior p ctures has one more to popularize classical lusic and develop a tif ;e for it with le average American audience than ly other agency. Great artists and ngers are now being heard via the ;reen in even the smallest towns. ext to follow will be the symphony "chestra. From 20 to 25 Features to Comprise Company's 1930-31 Program Sono Art-World Wide has definitely decided to use 56 mm. wide film, stated George W. Weeks, executive vice-president, yesterday, following his return from the Coast. Preparations are under way for the initial wide film picture which will go into production in about one month. The process being used by the company is 25 per cent, higher than standard film and 100 per cent wider. Weeks said that the 1930-31 Sono (Continued on Page 8) NEWYORKSmTCENSORS MAKING FEWER DELETIONS Deletions by the New York State M. P. Censorship Commission in the year ended June 30, 1929, totaled 2, 710, against 4,236 in the previous \ear, according to the report of {Continued on Page 8)' Emil Jannings Returning with English Vocabulary Emil Jannings, who has been acquiring an English vocabulary while playing in pictures in Germany, plans to return to this country shortly with his wife, Marlene Dietrich, who appeared with him in "The Last Laugh." Both have just appeared in {Continued on Page 8) All Quiet at L. A. West Coast Bur. THE FILM DAILY Los Angeles — For the time being at least, Los Angeles will be free from any theater legislation. On recommendation of Deputy City Attorney Kitzmiller, the police commissioner has decided that the theater has no need for further regulation. Owners had opposed the move intended to invoke blue laws here. PREDICT SO P. C. JUMP IN LOEW'SJCEARNINGS A jump of SO per cent in earnings of Loew's, Inc., for the current fiscal year is predicted by the "Wall Street News," which says that business of the company has been running at this rate so far. Loew figures its business year from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31. Wide Screens Planned for Some Seider Houses A wide screen, 21x36, has been installed by Joseph Seider in the Patchogue, Patchogue, L. I., and will immediately be put in use. Temporarily Magnascope will be used and later Grandeur, he states. Seider plans to install wide screens in one or two of his Long Island houses. 31 Film Trade Boards Report on Theaters in Their Zones F. N. Announces Winners in Exploitation Contest Winners have been announced in the exploitation contest conducted by First National in January. Participation was limited to managers of Warner houses throughout the country. Ray Brown, Strand, Akron, C, is first; Alvin Hestler, Warner, Al{Continued on Page 8) A total of 22,624 picture theaters now are being operated in the United States, according to the first census made by the Hays ofifice through the medium of 31 Film Boards of Trade. The Census was conducted by zones, each Film Board reporting the houses included in its territory. Under this classification, the St. Louis zone comprises the most theaters, the number {Continued on Page 8) 100 Suits Are Pending In Court's Throughout the Country With arbitration boards out of the picture owing to the Thacher decree, exchanges are now resorting to legal measures to stop bicycling and holding over of films. On information provided by the Copyright Protection Bureau, suits alleging violation of the copyright laws are being instituted and at present about 100 are pending in courts throughout the country. In New York two cases have been started. Paramount has brought a copyright action against William C. Smalley of Fort Plains, N. Y., in the Northern District Federal Court and Fox and Universal have actions pending against Robert A. Wolfe and Standard Theaters of Hancock, N. Y., this suit being filed in the Southern district court. A third action, brought by M-G-M, Pathe and Fox {Continued on Page 8) 20 FIIM CASES SETTlf D IN CLEVELAND LAST WEEK Cleveland, O. — Appro.ximately 20 cases betAyeen distributors and exhibitors were settled out of court here last week. With arbitration boards not functioning since the Judge Thacher decree, claims of H'«tributors and exhibitors have bee..,.;' -jied ■iver to legal representatives wuh the result that grievances are ironed out either in or out of court. RCA Distributing Plaques for Photophone Users Distribution of plaques to theaters employing RCA Photophone apparatus has begun and will be continued until all houses equipped with the company's device have been served. The plaques read "Sound Satisfaction," with the company trade mark beneath this phrase and "In This Theater" following on the bottom line.