The Film Daily (1930)

THE THE NEWSPAPER OF FILM DOM AND WEEKLY FILM DIGEST VOL. LII No. 52 Sunday, June 1, 1930 Price 25 Cents All Russian Film Concerns Are Merged Into One WARNERS GOING HEAVY ON INDUSTRIALS New Color Firm to Start Operations East and West Supercolor Establishing Hollywood Plant in Addition to N. Y. A new color process, known as Supercolor and arising from the Kinemacolor Co. which dates back to 1912, is being launched by Colorfilm Corp., the organization now handling the product. A laboratory is to be established in Hollywood, while the New York plant, where tests and re{Continued on Page 2) UNIVERSAL TO TALKERIZE 12 "LEATHER PUSHERS" Universal has bought the talking rights to H. C. Witwer's "Leather Pushers" and will make new alltalker versions of this series of 12 two-reelers for the 1930-31 program of shorts. Production will start this summer at Universal City. How's Your Health? Washington — Viewing motion pictures is a great aid to man's mental health. Dr. Frans Alexander, psychiatrist of Berlin, said in speaking before the .World Conference on Mental Hygiene here. According to Dr. Alexander, "films must rank in first importance and helpfulness among the instinctive measures of civilization to provide substitute satisfaction for adventure and excitement of which we have been robbed by the present-day routine of economics and mechanical existence. Man finds his lost individuality in the cinema if not in reality, in imagination — if only for a short time, nevertheless day after day and repeatedly. This makes for mental h alth. and the scientist who studies the human mind is grateful for the intensive development of the film industry." TALKER ROYALTY CONFAB RUNS INTO DIFFICULTIES AMPAS Appoint Nominees to Select New Slate At the luncheon of the AMPAS Thursday the following nominating committee was appointed to select the slate for the annual election Sept. 11: Ralph Lund, Charles Barrell, Walter Eberhardt, Paul Gulick, Clarence Schottenfels, Michael Simmons, Edward McNamee. The committee will submit selections for officers, hoard of directors and elective committees one month prior to date of election. A Pat and A Slap St. Louis — Praise for the educational and historical value of films, and criticism of pictures depicting crime or immorality and scoffing at prohibition or establishing improper standards of life, are contained in a resolution passed by the Women's Christian Temperance Union. Federal censorship on the production lot was advocated. Budapest (By Cable)— Difficulties hav^e been encountered between playwrights and producers' representatives at the international conference of the World League of Playwrights and Composers. The authors insist on full royalties after every talker performance, while the producers contend they cannot meet such a request. One of the princi pal purposes of the confab Ts to revise the royalty and copyright contracts, many of which were signed before talkers and radio were at their present stage. Among U. S. representatives in attendance are Jacob Wilk, who spoke for the Warner Bros, interests, and Elmer Rice, prominent dramatist. Total attendance is more than 200. EIGHT F. N. DIRECTORS ASSIGNED West Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Eight directors have been assigned by First National on new season pictures which are either under way or in preparatoin. They include: Frank Lloyd on "Captain Blood," Hobart Henley on "Moth er's Cry," Mervyn, LeRoy on "The Gorilla," John Francis Dillon on "Kismet" with Otis Skinner, John Adolfi on "College Lover" with Alice White, Clarence Badger on "Deep Purple". William Seiter on "Going Wild," Alan Crosland on "The Call of the East." Soviet Government Orders Merger of All Film Units 97 BRITISH FILMS LISTED IN SECOND QUOTA YEAR London (By Cable) — Ninetyseven English pictures were registered for quota purposes in Great Britain in the year ended March 31, 1930, which marks the termination of the second year of the British Film Act. Forty-nine were silent and 48 audible films. 'Va<hington Bui can of THE FILM PAIL Washington — Merging of all Russian film concerns and technical branches of allied industries in a ingle organization has been decreed by the Council of the People's Commissars of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics, it has been learned by the M. P. Division of the Dcpt. of Commerce. The manufacture of film equipment as well .is the production, distribution and exhibition of films will be under the control of the new body, an integral part of which will be (Continued on Pane 2) Commercial Films to be Made Both Sound and Silent Atlantic City — Entrance of Warner Bros, into the production of industrial, advertising and educational pictures, through its recently organized Industrial and Commercial Dept., will be carried through on a big scale, it was stated by A. Pam Blumenthal, head of the new department, at yesterday's final session of the sales convention here. An executive, production and distribution staff has been formed to (Continued on Page 2) PATHE 0FFICIALS"SILENT ON COMMITTEE'S DEMAND Pathe officials refused to comment Thursday on the latest statement sent out by the Protective Committee of 8 Per Cent Preferred stockholders. It is understood that the Pathe management has decided to refrain from further controversy and that it will not recognize the Protective Committee because of lack of any information regarding the persons for whom this group is acting. Eberson Sails to Confer on 3,000-Seater for Paris John Eberson sailed Thursday night on the Europa in response to a call from a prominent Paris showman to come over for conferences with regard to a new 3,000-seat house being planned for the French capital. One Excuse Hollywood — Lowell Sherman, who directs as well as playing a role in RKO's "Lawful Larceny," wields a megaphone while directing but never uses it. Asked why he totes the meg, Sherman replied he is so used to loafing between acting scenes that he must carry the horn to remind him of his directorial responsibilities.