The Film Daily (1930)

THE DF FILM COM ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME VOL. LIII No. 41 Monday, August 18, 1930 Price 5 Cents Cooling Systems Installed in About 400 Theaters PRODUCTION BUDGETtOTAL UP $50^000,000 Expect Industrial Production To Be Revived in Fall The Mirror — a column of comment TALENT, BOTH acting and production, within the industry should je developed and not neglected in he rush for new people, says Carl Laemmle, Jr. The words made an mpression of common-sense, espe:ially as they pertain to players who possess marquee, or near-marquee lames. Exhibitors, whether chain Dr independent, are having enough grief trying to induce the public in to see and hear product which does not present names with which they ire familiar. It's far easier for them to sell even second and third-rate picture names, in numerous instances, than players who are 100 per cent foreign to their customers. Exhibs no doubt have no desire to discourage development of new faces — new personalities with box-office lure. But, from the standpoint of maintaining public interest at a highlevel. they're naturally not keen about casts which do not afford enough electric bulb names to aid marketing of their wares. It's legendary that a boy seldom "makes good" in his own home town. That legend, as Laemmle says, should not be perpetuated by and within the motion picture industry. TWIN PREMIERE openings are coming into vogue in New York. While the idea is still fresh and young to the public, the plan has a certain publicity value. What influence it will exercise on the New York gross will be interesting to watch. * * * MARY PICKFORD intends to return to the New York legit between pictures. A renewed experience which seems likely to augment her histrionic abilities. Her plans bear a thought for other players whose work might be freshened by a period away from Hollywood routine and atmosphere. Inactive Companies Plan to Resume Work, Survey Shows Although the industrial field in the East is practically inanimate at present, expectations are that production will be revived in the Fall. This is the consensus of opinion of industrial firm executives canvassed by THE FILM DAILY. Paramount, Pathe and Warners, although remaining in the business, are practically inactive. Fox is out of the business at the moment, having disbanded its industrials division some months ago. Production of industrials, which was steadily on the gain prior to the market crash of last autumn, has never fully recovered. FIGURE SPANISH TALKER MARKET GROSS $300,000 Gross possibilities of Spanish talkers are figured at between $150,000 and $300,000, THE FILM DAILY yesterday. An early unpublished estimate put the possible total at $400,000. Here's Hoping Salida, Col.— Frank R. Kelley, who operates the Empress, will run for lieutenant-governor in the Republican primaries. Kelley is now a state representative. PLANS NEW BUILDINGS FOR SIX FOX EXCHANGES Six new exchange buildings and enlargement of two of the present branches will constitute the new expansion plans for Fox for the new (Continued on Page 8) $225,000,000 Will Be Spent This Year, Fraser Says West Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Aggregate production budgets call for a grand total expenditure of $225,000,000 during the current studio year, according to an estimate made by William B. Fraser, general manager of the Harold Lloyd Corp. This total is approximately $50,000,000 more than that of the previous year, he figures. The "filler" picture is a thing of the past, says Fraser, who has just completed a survey of conditions throughout the country. Educational Appeals State Tax Case to U. S. Supreme Court British Color Process Sought by Warner Bros. West Coast Bv.eau, THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Warner Bros, are understood to be interested in a new color process perfected by Cinecolor, Ltd., British company. Five cameras (Continued on Page 2) This Summer's Hot Waves Expected to Jump Installations Kontingent Parley? Berlin — A conference between the French trade and the German Spitzenorganization is likely to be called to discuss the operation of the new kontingent regulations. Approximately 400 houses, practicallv all classified as de luxe and first run, have air cooling systems, according to an estimate made by George F. Dembow, vice-president of Kooler-Aire. for THE FILM DAILY yesterday. Dembow expects that the torrid weather experienced this season will stimulate installations for next summer. Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — In an attempt to cancel the tax assessment made against it by the State of New York for the year ending Oct. 31, 1930, Educational has filed an appeal to the U. S. Supreme Court. The company declares that the tax is illegal in that the state has included in the income of the corporation receipts from its copyrights. In disputing the tax Educational takes the attitude that a state has no right to impose a tax on income from a Federal monopoly, whether it be from patents, trade marks or copyrights. Attendance Drops Wash. Bur. of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Attendance figures in Copenhagen houses during 1929 were 5,709,000. a drop of 210,000 over the previous year, a despatch to the M. P. Division of the Dept. of Commerce indicates.