The Film Daily (1930)

DAILY Sunday, June 8, 1930 ! RAPID STRIDES ARE BEING MADE IN THE FOREIGN FIELD. KEEP POSTED THROUGH "FOREIGNMARKETS" Foreign Markets NEWS FLASHES FROM FILM CENTERS ALL OVER THE GLOBE: MELBOURNE, LONDON. BERLIN, PARIS By LOUIS FBLMGM1MB 75 P. C. BERLIN THEATERS HAVE 600 SEATS OR EESS Berlin — That approximately threefourths of the film theaters in this city seat 600 or less is revealed in statistics released by the Film Kurier here. There are 295 such houses in Berlin as against a total of 386 theaters, and their total seating capacity is 90,450. The aggregate seating capacity of Berlin picture houses is 190,000. Two hundred and eight of these small houses have been built more than ten years ago. Irish Anti-Film Campaign Affects Theater Business Dublin — The anti-film movement in Ireland is growing so insidious that it is affecting the business of exhibitors. In certain districts of Ireland attempts are being made to set up vigilance committees which would take upon themselves the power to keep from exhibition any film that may meet with their disfavor even though it may have been given a clean bill of health by the official censor. French Exhibitor Body Gets New Administration Paris — Dissension within the ranks of the Syndicat National has resulted in a new administration. The new head of the French exhibitor body is M. Bigot, while Charles Le Fraper, editor of Le Courrier Cinematographic, is vice president. Sound Operators Plan to Band in Lancashire Manchester — Plans to organize in an effort to obtain improved working conditions, shorter hours of labor and a higher wage scale are being considered by operators in Lancashire, who declare that the coming of talking pictures has brought a longer working day. Carl Froelich to Make Film London — A talking film called "The Fire at the Vienna Opera" is to be made by Carl Froelich for P. J. Venloo. Henry Roussell will assist in the production of the picture. New British Film Concern London — Associated .Cinema Properties is a new British company. It has a nominal capital of $500,000. The company will operate amusement places. 29 More for Thomson-Houston London — Twenty-nine more installations have been made by British Thomson-Houston in Great Britain. Rumanian Quota Bucharest — Establishment of a contingent in Rumania calling for a ratio of one Rumanian talker to every 25 foreign films is under government consideration, according to reports current here. Auckland House is First for Only British Films . Auckland, New Zealand — The London is to become the first theater in the British Empire to offer programs made up entirely of British pictures. The house has been leased by Mrs. Henry Hayward, wife of a leading film theater owner. Both silent and talking films will be presented. British Indies Back Group Booking Move London — Independent exhibitors are backing the Cinematography Exhibitors Ass'n in its move to establish the cooperative booking of films for smaller theaters. This would enable the "small fellows" to bargain with distributors on an equal footing with the big chains. Enlarging Gaumont Palace Paris — Gaumont Palace has been closed for alterations to permit its seating capacity to be increased to 6,000. It reopens in October. Filmophone Cuts Price London — Price on sound equipment for houses seating up to 500 has been reduced by Filmophone to $2,200. Irish Censor Gets W. E. Dublin — Irish censor is installing "Western Electric sound equipment in accordance with the sound censorship regulation which becomes operative the middle of this month. Sound for Berlin Censor Berlin — Sound equipment has been installed in the projection rooms of the film censor here. Tokio Likes Talkers Tokio-~Talking pictures are taking fast hold in this city. If local theaters continue to be wired at the present rate, there will scarcely be a silent house left before long. Algiers Bans "White Shadows" Algiers — "White Shadows in the South Seas" has been banned in Algeria on the ground that it might arouse dissatisfaction among the native population. TIGHTER FILM CENSORSHIP IS ESTABLISHED IN SPAIN Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAI I.) Washington — Severer censorship of motion pictures has been established in Spain, according to dispatches received by the M. P. Division of the Dept. of Commerce. All pictures other than comic or news must be shown to the Direccion General de Stguridad in Madrid by producers before they can be exhibited in Spanish territory. With the pictures must be submitted all titles translated in Spanish. Under the new regulations the censoring body has a right to prevent an entire film from being exhibited. One-Fifth of Film Houses in Australasia Are Wired Sydney — There are 377 wired houses in Australia and New Zealand, according to the most recent statistics. This represents 18 per cent of the total number of theaters in the two British possessions. It is expected that by the end of 1930 this figure will be increased to 750. Western Electric, with 294 installations, leads all other types of sound equipment in use in Australasia. British Conservatives Turn to Talking Films London — ■ Talking pictures have been adopted by the Conservative Party as a means of political propaganda. A number of films to help it argue its cause before the British voters have been made at Twickenham under the direction of Leslie Hiscott. The films will be shown about the country by motor trucks equipped with RCA sound apparatus. L'Herbier to Direct in Berlin Paris — Marcel L'Herbier has gone to Berlin to direct "The Woman of a Night," in which Francesca Bertini will be starred. To Show Only Films in English Paris — Pantheon Cinema, in which only pictures in the English language will be shown, has been opened in the Latin Quarter by Pierre Braunberger. Plans Indian Release Bombay — Suresh Film Co. is to release "The Laughing Cavalier" in India. No "Rampant Age" in Ireland Dublin — "The Rampant Age" has been denied exhibition in Ireland by the Irish Free State censor. Report Tobis Seeking Emelka Berlin — Reports mention Tobis as bidding for the control of Emelka. Hebrew Talkers Paris — Preparations for the making of talking pictures in Hebrew are being made at Joinville. The first, scheduled to start this month under Andre Hugon's direction, will be called "Levy and Company." Not Moe Levy, we hope. Osso Resigns As Director of Paramount in France Paris — Adolphe Osso has resigned as managing director for Paramount i in France after nine years. His resig | nation takes effect June 15. M. Osso, has also announced his retirement as | chairman of the Paris Paramount j Theater Co. and as vice-chairman of I Cinestudio Continental, the Paramount producing unit in France. School to Help Replace French Actors Lured Here Paris— There is talk here of starting a conservatoire where talking picture players will be trained to replace the French talent which is being lured to Hollywood. Lupino Lane Forms Own Firm London — Lupino Lane, the comedian, has organized a company of his own under the name Lupino, Ltd., for the purpose of renting and exhibiting films. Douglas Furber, the actor, is associated with him. Tedesco Film Completed Paris — Jean Tedesco has completed "Paris in Five Days" with Dolly Davis. Armor Films is the distributor. Para. Spanish Talker Success "El Cuerpo del Delito," adapted from "The Benson Murder Case," and the first Spanish talking picture to be made by Paramount, is proving a hit in Buenos Aires and Mexico City, according to cabled dispatches to the home office in New York. Brodnitz Quits UFA Theaters Berlin — Hanns Brodnitz has resigned as general manager of the Ufa theaters to join the Mozartsaal, Terra house, as manager. "School for Scandal" Started London — Production has started on Sheridan's "School for Scandal" at the British and Dominions studios at Elstree. The film is being made by Maurice Elvey for Albion Productions in color.