The Film Daily (1930)

THE ■a&ak DAILY Sunday, August 31, V LATEST NEWS FROM LONDON, PARIS, BERLIN, SYDNEY, MELBOURNE AND OTHER FOREIGN CENTERS Foreign Markets HAPPENINGS IN OTHER LANDS OF INTEREST TO PRODUCERS, DISTRIBUTORS AND OTHERS IN THE U. S. By GEORGE REDDY ANTI U. S. FILM AGITATION DYING IN BUENOS AIRES Buenos Aires — Strong agitation against American talkers has practically collapsed owing to the disclosure that of the 805 musicians normally employed in local theaters, only 108 are out of work at the present time. This is the finding of a commission appointed to study the conditions resulting from the invasion of sound pictures. Fifty-eight Buenos Aires houses are wired for sound, it was stated, and 109 are still playing silent pictures. Hoyt's Theaters, Ltd., Postpones Dividend Sydney — Regular semi-annual dividend of 8 per cent has been postponed by the board of Hoyt's Theaters, Ltd., with another meeting set for October, when further consideration will be given as to the advisability of declaring the payment. Although the general outlook is brighter, heavy capital requirements necessary for paying off sound equipment will deplete the funds to the extent that a sufficient reserve will not be available if the dividend payment is declared. Notwithstanding difficult conditions, net profits for the year ending Aug. 30 is expected to exceed the annual dividend requirements. Paramount May Produce in England London — Paramount may produce in England if negotiations under way for a long term lease at the British and Dominion studios at Elstree materialize. On Adolph Zukor's recent visit here he expressed himself as being highly in favor of producing pictures on this side. French Producing Firm Established in Paris Paris — Organization of a new producing company, Productions Jean de la Cour, has been announced with headquarters here. Filming of the initial production will get under way shortly at the Epinay studios. It will be entitled "The Foreign Woman." Paramount Plans Super in Liverpool Section Liverpool — Application for construction of a big de luxe theater on an island site near the bottom of London road has been made by Paramount Film Service, Ltd. Approval of the application is expected to be handed down on Sept. 5. 2 London Houses Being Auctioned London — Two picture theaters will be put under the hammer some time next month. They are the Star Picture Palace, Hessle, Yorks, and the Royal Hippodrome, Belfast. Carlton First in England Designed for Wide Films London — Opening of the Carlton at Islington will mark the first theater jn England especially designed for wide screen pictures. C. & R. Theaters is the owner of the new house. Sterling Makes Appointments London — Sterling Film Co. has announced the following appointments to its sales staff: London office, Harry B. Harrison; South Coast and Home Counties, Reg. Marks; Eastern Counties, W. Suckling; Lanes, Cheshire and N. Wales, J. Fuller; S. Wales and West of England, Leo Blush; Four Northern Counties, Dave Rose. Polish Muhi Warsaw — Poland is going in for multi-linguals. "Janko, the Musician" has been decided upon as the first picture to be produced in four languages, namely, French, Polis, German and English. Whittaker Joins Universal London — A. S. Whittaker, formerly manager of Shepherd's Bush Pavilion, has resigned and joined Universal as director of exploitation. The house Whittaker has left is owned by P. C. T. Portsmouth House Reopened Portsmouth, Eng. — Completely remodeled and redecorated, the Prince, on Lake Road, has reopened as a talkie house, with W. E. equipment. A new transparent screen was also installed for back projection. Provincial Theaters, Ltd., Acquires Five in London London — Provincial Cinematograph Theaters, Ltd., has acquired five theaters from Lougborough Playhouse, Ltd. The houses are Croydon Empire, Hammersmith Palace, Islington Empire, Ilford Hippodrome and Kilburn Empire. "Dixiana" is First RKO Sold on Direct Basis London — Radio Pictures plans to sell "Dixiana" direct, marking the first picture to be sold this way, all others having been offered on a percentage basis. The company is about to open its new exchange here. Plans Liverpool House Liverpool — William John Speakman has filed plans for the erection of a house at Carr Lane and Cartmel Terrace. Berlin Showing French Talker Berlin — For the first time a French talker in the French tongue is being shown in this city. "Sous les Toits de Paris" is the picture. British Incorporation London — Regal (Newbury), Ltd., has been incorporated with a nominal capital of $100,000 in $5 shares. Headquarters are located at 1, Friar St., Reading. British Acoustic Equips Liner Glasgow — British Acoustic Sound Corp., recently completed a permanent installation of its equipment on board the Transvlvania. AUSTRALIAN WIRED HOUSES HAVE 85# U. S. DEVICES Waslunciton Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Of the estimated total of 350 sound units in the 283 Australian houses wired for sound, approximately 85 per ceni are of American manufacture, a despatch to the M. P. Division of the Dept. of Commerce states. Sound machines are sold under two plans, one the "leasing system" and the other what is termed the "hire purchase plan." Imported equipment is sold mostly under the leasing system, the lessee having to pay the import duty, which must be paid in a lump sum. Need for French Talkers Seen for Jugo-Slavia Belgrade — With the exception of a few English talkers, the majority of dialogue pictures to reach Jugoslavia have been of German origin. With many of the inhabitants speaking French and the dearth of talker^, from this country, an appeal has been made by the Charge d'Affairs to M. Briand asking to remedy the situation. MORE THAN 60 DlrTERt I SOUND DEVICES IN DKU1 London — More than 60 diffe :ypes of sound reproducers are nstalled in various houses in I land, a survey shows, with he made sets in a large number of aters. There is an abundanci cheaper sets on the market and small exhibitor whose capital is ited is now able to get a reprod within his means. Competitio so keen among the sound device tributors that further reductions expected. Two British Talkers on Radio and St. e London — Radio broadcasting a*.ions and stage producers are 1 <■ ing to the screen for material. c Gaumont-British talkers have n selected for legitimate production for presentation over the e "Thread of the Scarlet" has broadcast over the air waves by M stations, the Regional and Nat a and "The Road of the PolatV made its legitimate debut at I Coliseum. Moss' Empires Dividend London — Moss' Empires has declared an interim dividend at he rate of 10 per cent per annum, s< tax, on all ordinary shares forhe half-year period ended June 30 A. J. Tabernacle at P. D. < London — A. J. Tabernacle sue ds Ralph Hanbury as circuit mai e; for P. D. C. B.T.P. Devices for U.P.T. H London — Denying a report lished recently, to the effect Western Electric or RCA appj was to replace existing talkie terns in the United Picture Tl circuit, directors of Gaumont Ltd., stated that British Souni production system, of which Gaumont Co. is sole concession is being installed in each o: U. P. T. houses. >e: ib Fox in France? Paris — Fox is understo planning to build or lease studio in this city for the pi duction of foreign langua talkers. While Clayton Sheehan, when visiting here cently, would not confirm 1 rumor, he hinted that the co pany may follow Paramoi in organizing a production u here.