The Film Daily (1930)

THE CHE NEWSPAPER. OF FILM DOM ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME VOL. LII No. 57 Friday, June 6, 1930 Price 5 Cents Shorts Units Included in U's Single Selling HEIGHTJS CHIEF PROBLEM IN WIDE FILM 75 P. C. Sound Quality Lost, Clarence Brown Says Few Words — on a big subject ■ By JACK ALICOATE ■ THIS IS probably the shortest column we ever wrote. For a picture story far more compelling than our words could paint it please turn to page S. FILM GOLFfODRNAMENT PROMlSKBESIpER Going through the motions of taking part in a very important ceremony, several of the committee members promoting this Spring Film Golf Tournament and who request that their names be withheld, journeyed out to the Glen Oaks Country Club at Great Neck to see that everything is all set for the fracas scheduled to take place on Tuesday, June 17. The truth of the matter is that (Continued on Page 6) 15 P. C. AMUSEMENT TAX L( Baton Rouge, La. — A bill proposing a tax of 15 per cent on all amusements has been introduced in the Louisiana Legislature. Proceeds a*e intended for public school purposes. Two additional measures, one calling for a levy of 3 cents a square foot on billboards and the other providing a tax of $1 to $5 for each billboard, are proposed as a source of revenue for the state library commission. Reproduction is Major Problem in Industry, Director States Fully 75 per cent of the quality of scund is lost after its recording and before it reaches the public's ears, said Clarence Brown in an interview yesterday. Recording has made much (Continued on Page 8) A New System An item from the midwest tells about an exhib who is closing his house during July and August to install a cooling system. Must be intending to play a hot line of product this winter. CONTRACTS HOLDING UP, WESTERN ELECTRIC SAYS No slump has been encountered in contracts for Western Electric sound installations, according to announcement from the home office of Electrical Research Products. Although a season slump was expected at this time, orders are coming in at a normal winter time gait, it is stated. World wide installations of Western Electric system now number 5,834, of which 4,026 are in this country and 1,808 in foreign territories. Iceland will be among the next remote places to have W. E. equipment. The most northerly installation has been made in the Savoy, Fort Kent, Me., and the most southerly in the Strand, Key West. Largest auditorium equipped was the Atlantic City convention hall, which holds 40,000, and the smallest was the Piedmont, Spruce Pine, N. C, seating 200. W. E. system also has gone into one of the oldest theaters in the country, the Masonic, New Bern, N. C, founded in 1812. Film Notables Attend New Pantages Opening West Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — One of the biggest gatherings of local celebrities ever brought together turned out for the opening of the new Pantages and the premiere here of the new Marion (Continued on Page 2) Sachs on Warner Board; Simon H. Fabian Resigns Walter E. Sachs, of Goldman, Sachs & Co., has been elected a member of the board of directors of \\ arner Bros., it was announced yesterday. The resignation of Simon H. Fabian from the Warner board has been accepted. Two Branch Managers Appointed by Columbia Columbia has appointed two new branch managers, L. W. Alexander being placed in charge of the Chicago office and L. C. Osserman taking over the St. Louis exchange. Osserman succeeds Will Baker, transferred to Chicago to handle the short subjects. Sound Track, Perforation and Margin Standards Are Decided Upon Height of wide film pictures is a principal problem now confronting producers, a check-up made by THE FILM DAILY indicates. Through the medium of the S. M. P. E., agreements have been reached on standaids for perforation holes, sound tracks and margins, it is learned. Fox, through Grandeur, is using a (Continued on Page 6) BOOKING DISPUTE DELAYS "ALL QUIFTIN ATLANTA Showing of Universal's "All Quiet on the Western Front" in Atlanta has been temporarily held up as a result of a dispute over which theater is entitled to the showing. Universal and Loew are partners in Loew's Capitol, Atlanta, operated by Loew, and their agreement is said to call for both campanies showing their best pictures at the Capitol at popular prices. When Universal announced the showing of "All Quiet" at the Erlanger, legitimate house, Loew took exception on the ground that it was a violation of agreement, and obtained a temporary injunction, returnable Monday. Universal contends that "All Quiet" is a roadshow production, slated for special showings in 28 cities, and is entitled to the same handling in Atlanta. Universal's Single Selling Applies Also to Shorts bnits TIFFANY SALES MEETING IN CHICAGO ON JUNE 23 Annual sales convention of Tiffany will be held at the Congress Hotel, Chicago, June 23, 24 and 25, Oscar (Continued on Page 8) Universal's newly adopted plan of selling its 1930-31 pictures individually, first reported exclusively in THE FILM DAILY 10 days ago, will include each of the company's -,h<>rt subject units as well as to feature product, it is stated by Laemmle in making formal announcement of the new policy. R. J. GREEN, GEO. HY.it Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Los Angelo — Richard J. Green, ral secretary-treasurer, and Geo. E. Browne, member of the board of directors, arc mentioned as the most likely candidates for the presidency of stage hands and projectionistunion in the event that William F. Canavan refuses re-election as reported Election takes place today.