The Film Daily (1930)

M^ THE WE NEWSPAPER )F FILM DOM All THE NEWS ALL THE TIME /OL. LIII No. 32 Thursday, August 7, 1930 Price 5 Cents Three Roadshow Productions on Columbia Program ST. LOUIS EXHIBS TUMBLING FOR" GOLF Small German Market Limits Cost of Productions Looking Back — on the silent screen =By JACK ALICOATE— "alking the Hues Away A mighty Hollywood production maestro slips us the inside info that the talkers are low out of their rompers, and :ommencing nowabouts or :losely thereto the screen menu will be considerably less banal, ess trite and less obvious. To this we sigh amen ! and add our mite of hope. True, we have had an occasional sound proiuction of unusual merit, and true, Uso, these good things are becomng more and more frequent, which n itself is a splendid sign, but vhere are those outstanding characterizations of former times that cnocked us for a row of sprocket loles? And, this takes us back to jther and less noisy years. When pictures moved with less haste and >urer foot. When characterization was drawn with a firm hand and :arried true trom Hash to fade jut. Talking pictures are a tremendous step forward, but, in their wake is left an artistic silent heritage not easily forgotten. High Spots in the Silents And lest the years completely take from us the memory of some inspiring first nights, let us recall a few silent performances that made our heart beat just a little faster, our mind feel just a little broader and our appreciation of this great art of the motion picture just a little greater. Before the art of silent technique is completely eclipsed in the aura of the less artistic but energetically progressive sound screen, we bow (Continued on Page 2) Must Keep Expenditures Down to One-Third of English Versions Gross limitations of the German market indicate that talkers produced for this field must keep their costs down to one-third of the American versions, according to an estimate made for THE FILM DAILY. The average major American company, spending between $200,000 and $300,000 per feature, will have to observe a top of approximately $100,000 in order to clear financially on German (Continued on Page 11) $10,000,000 A YEAR LOST IN COPYRIGHT VIOLATIONS Violations of film copyrights are costing distributors $10,000,000 annually, it was estimated by Gabriel Hess of the Hays organization yesterday. Chaplin's "City Lights" Ready for Synchronizing W est Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Charlie Chaplin has practically completed production on "City Lights," for United Artists and will immediately start synchronizing the picture. This job will probably require about two months. Trying Again Maysville, Ky. — On the site where three houses already have been destroyed by fire, the new Washington is nearing completion and will be opened next month as the finest house between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. It will have RCA Photophone. BERGER MAY ORGANIZE SMALL-TOWN CIRCUIT Grand Forks, N. D. — Having turned over his three local houses to Publix, which takes charge on Aug. 15, Ben Berger is understood to be planning to move his offices to Minneapolis with a view to acquiring other small-town houses where Publix is not involved. Houses concerned in the deal here (Continued on Page 10) 80 Canadian Theaters Sign for RKO Product Toronto — Contracts have been obtained by Percy Taylor, RKO's Canadian general manager, for the showing of Radio pictures in 80 theaters of the Famous Players Canadian circuit. "Dirigible" May Be First of 3 Columbia Roadshows Starting Right West Coast Bur. THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — In keeping with the magnitude of the undertaking, the starting of camera work on the Amos 'n' Andy film was preceded by gala ceremonies at the RKO Studio. Celebrities were on hand, Duke Ellington's band played, and there was dancing and festivities. Columbia expects to have three roadshow productions on its new season program, Joe Goldberg, sales manager, said yesterday. Whether or not these pictures are placed on the market as roadshows depends upon the quality of the finished product. Instated. "Dirigible," exteriors for which are now being made at Lakehurst, N. J., is expected to he the In i of the series. City Now Has About 75 Miniature Courses in Operation St. Louis — Exhibitors in this territory appear to be tumbling hard for midget golf. Fred Wehrenberg has a high-class golf layout on South Grand Blvd., John Karzin has closed his Casino and Lincoln and is operating a course at Laclede and Compton, Russell Armentrout has opened a course in Pittsfield, Clarence Denny is operating a layout in Whitehall, 111., and Oscar Wesley has a course in Carlinville, 111. Skouras may use the Grand Central as a de luxe indoor course, it is reported, and the Delmonte also may go golf. There are now about 75 courses here. POSTER RENTING PROBLEM TOBEDISCLT DAT MEET Viewing poster renting as a serious problem costing distributing companies thousands each year, heads of the various advertising accessories departments will soon hold a second meeting at the Hays office in an effort to reach a solution. A number of means of correcting the situation have been suggested but none definitely adopted as yet. Contention is made by the accessories managers that posters, obtained "surreptitiously," are being rented to exhibitors under a cut-rate nlan. The posters were originally sold by the distributors' accessory departments. Largest Sign London— What is considered the largest temporary sign in the world was put up for Universal's "The Phantom of the Opera." It is 350 ft. long by 45 ft. high covering the entire block of the Engineers' Club.