The Film Daily (1930)

THE THE NEWSPAPER OF FILM DOM AIL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME VOL. LIII No. IS Friday, July 18, 1930 Price 5 Cents Fail To Agree on Chicago Releasing System EXIT OFOUTDATED HOUSES BEINGJSPEEDED High Silent Quota May Cut Germany's Imports The Mirror — a column of comment LESS DIALOGUE, MORE ACTION, is the new slogan of Carl Laemmle, Jr., at the Universal stulios. Feeling that the public has >een given a pretty good dose of mdibility and would welcome a :hange to more pantomimic expresion, this keen young executive is etting about it to put his theory to he test. With all the pro and con liscussion that is going on these lays over the status of talkers vs. ;ilents, any experiments naturally will be watched with deep interest. * * * PATTERN PICTURES have been nfesting the industry primarily beause the exhibitors demand them, lays Walter Wanger, voicing the sentiments of quite a few big prolucers. The exhibs cry for the guarnteed types of attractions, is the >roducer argument, and consequenty the studios must turn out rubber stamp editions instead of delving in 0 new fields. There is something ibout this contention that doesn't ound entirely kosher. First of all, ,vl ne pi" uter starts to make a ture 'r instance, and nine olners ir i ..ly follow suit, with perha; .even of the latter even beating the first one to it in getting the production on the market, it certainly isn't the exhibitor who induced the avalanche of such pictures. Secondly, the fact that a baby cries for a razor, say, is no reason why papa should give it to the kid and let him cut himself all up with it. * * * 1 BASING DEPRESSION by spreading happiness and optimism is the order of the day in Publix houses. Sam Katz, who issued the edict, deserves a hand. "Bad times" often are nothing more than bad mental conditions, gloomy exaggerations of natural cycles in affairs. Putting the public mind in a healthy state by filling it with cheer and assurance is one of the surest methods of promoting "good times." Kontingent Seeks to Aid Germany's Unwired Theaters Altho the new kontingent regulations passed by the German government contain a special reserve of 20 permits, which can be used by the Ministry for special cases, in addition to the regular 210 permits, the stipulation that 120 out of the latter number must be silents is expected to appreciably reduce the amount of U. S. product imported. It is considered likely that a large part of the licenses (.Continued on Page 7) FIRST FOXGOLThOUSE WILL BE IN KEW GARDENS First of the dark houses in the Fox Theaters chain to be converted into classy Tom Thumb golf courses will be located in Kew Gardens, L. I., with work understood to be now in progress. In addition to this initial house due to open in about 30 days, another in Brooklyn, one in the Bronx and one in New Jersey will be similarly remodeled. Conversion of other closed houses will depend on the success of these experimental ventures. In the Class London — A trade show arranged for "Holiday," Pathe production with Ann Harding, was cancelled after a private rehearsal of the picture in the P.D.C. theater, when it was decided that only a special presentation could do justice to the film. T COMPLETES DEAL FOR OWN MUSIC FIRM Universal Music Co., Ltd., has been established as the music publishing subsidiary of Universal Pictures, with the Laemmle organization acquiring Handman, Kent & Goodman, recently appointed Universal's exclusive music publishers. Officers of the new company will be: Frank Goodman, president; Lou Handman, vice-president; C. B. Paine, treasurer; Helen Hughes, secretary. Frank Goodman is now on his way to close deals in England, France and Germany. Chicago Confab Brings Only Tentative Downstate Plan 26 Theaters in New York Area Demolished in Recent Months Demolition of outdated theaters, either to be replaced by modern houses or to make way for commercial structures, has been speeded up considerably of late, according to the latest Film Boards of Trade reports. Investigation brings out that the chief factor behind the situation is the growing difficulty encountered by Uliattiacthc tiie<ac/:> in nuiding their own against the deluxers. This is especially true in metropolitan areas, an example being the New York district, where 26 houses have (Continued on Page 7) COURT FIGHT LOOMS OVER MINNEAPOLIS OPEN SHOP Minneapolis — Efforts at mediation on the part of national union officials having failed to make any impression on local independent exhibitors, 19 of whom recently went to open shop in their fight to cut the number of operators from two to one, the union has retained counsel and a court fight looms. The union contends that its contract does not expire until Sept. 1. Hollywood in Wax Atlantic City — A Hollywond exhibit, comprising lifelike wax figures of Doug Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and other film celebrities, is attracting an average daily attendance of close to 20,000 at the Steel Pier, where the display has been established by Ed. F. Corcoran, former Paramount exploiteer, in co-operation with producing companies. Chicago — Bringing to an end six weeks of wrangling over a revision of the distribution system in this area, the Film Board of Trade announced yesterday that the Chicago releasing scheme would remain virtually unchanged. The bitterness of some of the arguments made an agreement impossible, it is understood. As the situation now stands, the downstate zoning plan, which was tentatively adopted, is the sole achievement of the confab. A future meeting at which a few minor changes will be made is planned. Consistent Winners Since THE FILM DAILY inaugurated the annual poll on the Ten Best Directors, five years ago, there is one megaphone toter who has won a place among the high 10 every year so far. Last year there were three directors with a clean sweep up to that time. Two of these were eased out this year. The name of the five-times-in-succession winner will be revealed shortly when the 1930 FILM DAILY Directors' Annual and Production Guide is released.