The Film Daily (1930)

THE III NEWSPAPER )l FILM COM All THE NEWS ALL THE TIME OL. LIII No. 53 Tuesday, September 2, 1930 Price 5 Cents Music Business Off 75% After Sound Stimulation iOO HOUSES SLATED W REOPEN THISJWEEK Chicago Exhibs Holding Out for 25% Rental Cut The Mirror —a column of comment v'ARXER BROS, handed the finanal section something of a surprise making known that the company's irnings for the nine months of thg, jrrent fiscal year, despite the severe ump in the third quarter, are quite afficient to cover the full year's end requirements. Even that orst last quarter showed some •ofit — 56 cents a share — meaning lat the fiscal quarter, in which im ovement began, will earn someling to add to year's total and still ave ample over and above divi:nd requirements. With attendance ow upward bound, good profits are ist ahead for well-governed film mpanies. This little business may ave its recessions and its occasional fficulties, like any other industry, ut it is quick to rebound. * * * fcURING OF STARS and other aluable players has become a set ractice with the big producers, udden death of a big drawing card, pon whom a company has staked lillions, is likely to happen when ast expected. The purpose of injrance is tov safeguard producers inst contingencies of this kind. ilm industry involve so many unrable risks that it is only cornbusiness foresight to take adage of protection in all depart lents where it can be had. * * * >. W. GRIFFITH does not favor taking talker vt Ions of silent sucesses, because hC'fieels that in most ases the audible edition would suf:r by comparison with its mute redecessor. Actual results among ie former silents that have been ilkerized seem to bear out Griffith's rgument about 50 per cent. But lat should not prove a discouraging ictor in instances where an old prouction offers unusual opportunities i rjodern version. There are milons of new film fans who did not :e the silent version and therefore ill have no occasion to compare. Film Buying Being Held Up for More Favorable Terms Chicago — In continuation of their efforts to bring down film rental prices at least 25 per cent below last year's figures, a large number of exhibitors in this area are holding back on signing contracts and it looks as though the selling season this year will run into October. Ordinarily the season is pretty well concluded by the end of July. WARNER CIRCUITaDDS SEVENJIORE HOUSES Warner Bros, has added seven more houses to its chain. Newly acquired theaters are the Hippodrome, Strand and Victor, Pottstown, Pa.; Orpheum and Parthenon, Hammond. Ind.; Liberty Bedford, Va., and the Kenvon Pittsburgh. Noah Beery to Tour Noah Beery is being routed for six weeks of personal appearances in Warner houses, it is announced by Walter Meyer, in charge of talent booking for the circuit. GENERAL THEATERS EARNS $1.41 IN SIX MONTHS Report of General Theaters Equipment and subsidiary and controlled companies for six months ended June 30, shows consolidated profit of $4,024,333 after expenses, fixed charges and other deductions but (Continued on Page 8) Philadelphia Musicians in Temporary Agreement Philadelphia — To allow further time for arbitration of various points at issue, a temporary agreement extending to Sept. 11 has been reached (Continued on Page 2) Fox Theaters Eliminating Real Estate Department With retrenchment in theater holdings now emphasized more than ever by practically every circuit, Fox Theaters is understood to be eliminating its real estate department located at 1540 Broadway. It will probably be a matter of weeks .before the records and files will be moved to the chain's headquarters in West 56th St. Big Scale Resumption of Business Getting Under Way Labor Day week will see the reopening of about 500 theaters throughout the country as the advance guard of the returning brigade for the new season. Publix will resume operations at more than 75 stands, Fox is reopening around 50, Warners about the same number, R-K-O ?bout 25. and some 300 between other circuits and independents. At the same time Warners (Continued on Page 6) CANADIAN-AMER. STUDIO BREAKING GROUND SEPT. 5 Montreal — Ground will be broken Sept. 5 for the Canadian-American Talking Picture studio being built here, it is announced by Ray Jackson, managing director. A twoday celebration will mark the event, with a group of notables including Fritzi Scheff, Betty Blythe, Arthur Lubin, Malcolm McGregor, John Breedon, Cleve More, Charles Ray, Beverly Bayne and others listed to attend. Music Publishing Suffers Relapse From Sound Boom Careless Customers Approximately 2,000 lost articles are found every month at the Roxy, according to the latest house statistics. That makes an average of nearly 70 a day. The feminine customers are credited with losing articles three times as easily as the men, who, however, usually supply the trinkets that the girls toss around so carelessly. Music publishing business, stimulated when sound pictures came in, is now off approximately 75 per cent as compared with two years ago and 50 per cent as compared with a year ago. Pat J. Flaherty, vice-president and general manager of Red Star Music, estimates for THE FILM DAILY. National radio hookups are the principal instrument in killing off a song. Several years ago, when broadcasting was principally a local proposition, the life of a (Continued on Pagi 6) Phil Ryan Will Produce Five Paramount Comedies West Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Phil L. Ryan, resigned as general representative of Metropolitan Sound studio, becomes an independent producer for Paramount and will make five comedies. Mack Swain and Chester Conklin are to be featured in the first.. Town of 600 Wired Lenora, Kan. — This town, with a population of about 600, boasts of being the smallest with a wired house. Western Electric system has been installed in John Schieferecke's Opera House.