The Film Daily (1930)

THE THE NEWSPAPER Of FILM DOM ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME VOL. LIII No. 26 Thursday, July 31, 1930 Price 5 Cents General Talking Extends War Over Sound Patents DEALS~F0R 180 HOUSES HANGING FIRE New Standard Contract Will Be Submitted in Fall Mr, Tom Thumb — listens to reason iy JACK ALICOATEt Out West they One Way of used to have a Licking Him way of fighting a prairie fire that was most effective. They would run ahead about a half mile, dig a trench, and then start a fire in the opposite direction to meet the oncoming one. Fighting fire with fire to be bromidic. That, figuratively speaking, is the way most wise exhibs are handling Mr. Tom Thumb. Take the William Smalley circuit of upstate New York. In each of his towns, Smalley has built a miniature golf course so elaborate and expensive that no one can compete. Thus, having control of the opposition, as it were, he can control admission prices and hours, charging 50 cents admission to both theater and golf course at night where a competitor would no doubt charge less. He uses each to advertise the other. For instance, on a difficult hole on the golf course he will have a sign "Make this hole in one and you will receive free admission to Smalley's Theater tonight where you will see that laugh festival, Jack Oakie in 'The Sap from Syracuse.' " That, sez us, is using the old noodle when using the old noodle is necessary. * * * We rather like Mr. Grainger the way this new 18 on the Job rejuvenated Fox outfit and personnel does things. They seem to have a definite destination in view and just now are moving faster than ever before. The Warner booking deal engineered by Jimmy Grainger was a splendid diplomatic move putting the Fox product in the strategic position of having an outlet in every direction. Mr. (Continued on Page 2) Committee Meeting Soon to Frame Language to New Agreement Completed drafts of the new standard exhibition contract, agreed upon by distributor and exhibitor representatives at the recent 5-5-5 conference, are expected to be submitted for ratification to the M. P. T. O. A. and Allied States Ass'n at their annual conventions this fall. A committee comprising Gabriel Hess, Abram F. Myers and Frank Walker will soon take up the matter of the language of the agreement. Principles embodied in the contract (Continued on Page 10) HAYS SAYS TALKER TRUCE OPENS NEWDEVELOPMCNTS Settlement of the talker patent difficulties between Germany and the U. S. will open a new era of cooperation in the technical progress of the art through the interchange of patent rights and technical information, Will H. Hays said yesterday on his return from the Paris and Berlin conferences. New for(Continued on Page 10) Overseated on Golf West Coast Bur. THE FILM DAILY Los Angeles — Midget golf courses have become so thick out this way, and competition is so keen as a result, that on some of the links a round of 18 holes can be played for a dime. Exhibs are growing more hopeful that the courses will soon kill themselves off. 5,000 HOUSES CLOSED; MOSTLY RESUMING IN EALL Approximately 5,000 of the 16,000 regularly operated theaters in the United States are dark at the present time. Of about 14,000 houses which are operating six and seven days per week, 4,000 are closed. About onehalf of the 2,000 theaters giving performances from one to five days a week have suspended. Excessive overheads are considered responsible for closing in numerous instances, especially in cases of de luxe houses. Most of the dark houses expect to reopen in the fall if conditions are favorable. Other Actions Will Follow DeForest-RCA, RKO Suits PUBLIX EXPECTED TO ASK OPERATOR CUTS IN N.W. Minneapolis — When the present agreement with the operators' union runs out in September, it is expected Publix will ask for a reduction to one man in a booth in all houses except the de luxe type, according to current report. Another step in the General Talking Pictures battle over alleged infringement of De Forest talker patents was taken yesterday with the filing of two actions in the U. S. District Court in Wilmington against RCA Photophone, covering recording and reproducing, and RKO, for use of the equipment in its theaters. In addition to RCA and RKO, General Talking now has Western Electric, Powers Cinephone and FoxCase involved in actions, and it is (Continued on Page 10) Some Big Acquisitions Among Many Likely to be Passed un As a result of the sudden 5«ision of the big circuits to go slow on further acquisitions of theaters, deals for approximately 180 houses are now hanging fire, with the likelihood that most of them will be abandoned. The figure has been compiled from statements of negotiations reported under way from time to time but not consummated, and the list includes some deals of big proportions. Some of the officially confirmed acquisitions also may be cancelled, it is understood. UNIVERSAL TO PRODUCE TALKERS IN GERMANY Berlin (By Cable) — Production of German talkers is planned here by Universal, which has made five silents during the past year. Dialogue shorts in German are also planned. Joe Pasternak, formerly identified with Hollywood studios, is production manager for Universal. VOTED BY M. P. ACADEMY West Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Admission of composers to membership in the Academy of M. P. Arts and Sciences has been voted by the directors of the organization. No Merger, Scollard Says C. J. Scollard, executive vice-president of Pathe, yesterday denied that acquisition of Pathe by RKO is imminent. "The only deal we are considering," Scollard said, "is for the sale of our 1930-31 product to the R-K-O theaters."