The Film Daily (1930)

THE (UE NEWSPAPER )F FILM DOM ALL THE NEWS m^ ^ ALL THE TIME DMtY' •tVOL. LIII No. 43 Wednesday, August 20, 1930 Price 5 Cents Half of Installations Nozv Soundon -Film Only WARNERS BUYING 2JJCHINE N. YVlOUSES Executive Duties Are Re-aligned by Paramount The Mirror — a column of comment DOES THE STATE have the right to impose a tax on income from a Federal monopoly such as patents, trade marks and copyrights? Xo, says Educational Pictures. Yes, says the State of New York. The matter has been placed, upon appeal, before the Supreme Court of the United States for final adjudication. Ever since the Boston Tea Party, taxes and their problems have proven troublesome. In this instance the entire industry will look forward to the final word of Uncle Sam on the matter. * * * THE NATIONAL motion picture inference, scheduled for next Spring, to be fostered by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, is receiving favorable reaction from every direction. The congress will include discussions on the motion picture in its relation to art, technology, social value and science. Leaders in technical fields, the drama and public life will attend. It is a constructive idea that should prove af practical and lasting value to the industry. * * * IT'S FUNNY how they look in script form as against their screen ?arb. and vice versa. When "Holiday" was offered as a script in Hollywood no one could see it. Pathe finally decided to give it a whirl and jlaced Ann Harding in it. Result, the first big smash of the season. Provng again that the first guess is not always the important one. * * * DCTOBER 5 to 11 will be prosperty week. In fact, it will be Paramount Publix Prosperity week. Here I an idea from the firm of Zukor, Kent, Katz & Co., so good that it •ould well be emulated by the entire industry. This country needs but lit:le to start it humming merrily on he road to greater -prosperity. ■Spreading optimism, via picture screens should help, greatly. Wanger to Concentrate on Co-ordination At Studios In a re-alignment of executive duties at Paramount, announced by Jesse L. Lasky yesterday, Walter Wanger will spend more of his time on inter-studio co-ordination. B. P. Schulberg has been appointed managing director of production and will assume active charge of production at the company's various studios. Harry M. Goetz becomes comptroller of the production department. Revolution ! If est Coast Bur. THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Rumors persist here that both Paramount and Fox will temporarily close up shop and stop all production for a short time upon completion of schedule now in work. This is primarily to rearrange production activities along upto-the-minute lines. M.P.T.O.A. WILL BE HELD NOV. 10-12 Nov. 10 to 12 has been set as the date of the annual M. P. T. O. A. convention in Philadelphia. This was decided yesterday at a meeting of the (Continued on Page 2) Philly Zoning Plan Will Start in 60 Days Philadelphia — Operation of a new zoning and protection system for this territory is expected within 60 days. The revised plan, it is understood, involves but a few changes over the old system. MID-SEASON SALES MEETS ARE BEING HELD BY PATHE Three Mid-season sales meetings are being held by Pathe, the first of which took place in New York yesterday for eastern division managts and salesmen. E. B. Derr, president of Pathe, conducted the meet(Continued on Page 2) Comerf ord Theaters Pass To New Regime on Monday Comerford-Publix Theater Co., recently organized by Publix to take over 52 houses from the M. E. Comerford chain, begins functioning on Monday. Comerford retains control of approximately 50 houses in his own circuit. Trend To Sound-on-Film Shown in Installations Upstate Houses Passing to New Ownership in 10 Days Buffalo — In addition to acquiring the 17 houses in Ohio, Warners will take possession of the 21 Schine houses in New York State in about 10 days. George Lynch, Schine buyer, is expected to join the Warr ner circuit as. New York State and Ohio booker. The New York houses represent the balance of upstate theaters not taken over by FoxAletropolitan Playhouses about two years ago. MORE NEWSREEL THEATERS FOR EUROPEAN CAPITALS Following receipt of cable advices from London that the opening of the Newsreel Theater there has taken the English metropolis by storm, it was announced by Clayton P. Sheehan, who returned yesterday from abroad,, that Fox would establish newsreel theaters in other European capitals. A cable received by Truman Talley, reporting the debut of the newsreel program, quoted London papers in enthusiastic praise of the new venture. While There's Life Charlie Chaplin, the tennis player, is actually finishing "City Lights." "Hell's Angels" is actually in theaters now. So there's hope yet for "Queen Kelly," which may be finished as a synchronized film with possibly a few songs by Gloria. Incidentally, opines Warren Nolan, there are men now living who have publicized these films since they were boys. Indicating a definite trend toward sound-on-fihn reproducers, approximately 50 per cent of current installations involve that type of reproducing device exclusively, according to a checkup made by THE FILM DAILY. A year ago there was practically little demand for sound-onfilm apparatus, it was learned in the survey, which contacted, among other companies, Electrical Research and RCA Photophone. Approximately 75 per cent of installations made to date by the larger reproducer companies are both film and disc. Distributors Oppose Cleveland Zoning Plan Cleveland — Unanimous acceptance by the state exhibitor committee of the Ohio zoning plan as submitted by the distributor committee has been {.Continued on Page 2) Lindy Goes Talker Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh makes his initial screen speech in the current Pathe News, thanking President Hoover for the Congressional Medal presented to him. The "Lone Eagle," who heretofore has shied from talking into the "mike," speaks 21 words in his talker debut.