The Film Daily (1930)

THE THE NEWSPAPER OF FILM DOM ~\ ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME VOL I IV NO. 71 NEW yCCI\, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 193C <5 « ENTS Attendance in Nov.-Dec. Led Season— Grainger WARNERS, HEARST PLAN NAT'L RADKHIEUP 30% Cut in Production Costs Next Year, Says Darmour The Mirror — a column of comment {SPONSORS OF AMUSEMENT tax bills to be introduced in 30 state legislatures take the {attitude that motion picture at■tendance is a luxury. ... A | theory which can he punched as ■full of holes as Swiss cheese. Any way you look at it, a medium which provides entertainment for '(the nvsMS such as this — and at a nominal cost— is more accurately classified under some other title. Luxury means jewelry, nightclub cover harges and other non-essentials. Not notion pictures. Especially at this moment does America need screen Entertainment— a diversion to take its ollective mind away from more serins conditions. Motion pictures exerise a mighty influence toward imI .roving the nation's morale — more ially those concerned with the ghter vein. Exhibitors in their ef5 to stave off these impending tax ures might do well to stress facts to the legislators in their rritories. • OB BY ENTERTAINMENT u on ie icune in produccr-m^ncd circuits. . . Entertainment of this type has lerely been a means of keeping the :andees happy and has not to any ptible and general degree confuted a box-office draw. In these lys of shaved overheads, it seems > possess but few advantages. FIREE HUNDRED out of 420 play ilcs on "With Byrd at the South vie" received during the past four eeks are repeats. . . . Indicating that |difrerent kind of a picture against a fferent kind of background has a |x-ofTice future when it's well made. |id also indicating the need of ex lordinary sales efforl to convince 2 public that the picture is worth jing when it plays the first time. Shooting Time, General Overhead Will Be Reduced Producers plan to cut 30 per cent off their production costs in 1931, according to Larry Darmour, RKO producer, now here from the coast. Conservation of shooting time and general overhead, with faster work and the selection of stories that lend themselves more naturally to picture productions will be the means to the economical end. The reduced cost (Continued on Page 4) — A Merry Xmas — ■ STOLL AND P.D.C. F London — Associated Picture Productions is the name of a new organization just formed by Stoll Picture Productions and Producers' Distributing Co. Under the joint arrangement three pictures have been scheduled for production at the Stoll studios in Cricklewood. — A Merry Xmas — Balsly & Phillips Get W. E. Recording License West Coast Bureau. THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Balsly & Phillips, Inc., has been issued a Western Electric theatrical recording license. This will make W. E. system available to numerous -mailer independent producers. Balsly formerly was with Fox Case, Walt Disney and Westinghouse. Phillips was with Fox Movietone for several years. Worship in Sound Houston — Services in four Presbyterian churches here Jan. 12-15 will be conducted with talking pictures. If the experiment is satisfactory, churches throughout the country are expected to adopt the idea. Broadcasting Facilities Will Be Used to Plug W. B.-F. N. Pictures A national network of radio stations is contemplated by Warner Bros, and William Randolph Hearst. Provided the plan is definitely adopted the system will be used to plug (Continued on Page 4) M. P. T. 0. A. and Allied Making Headway On Merger RELIEF FUND LAGS $2,000 BEHIND LAST YEAR TOTAL Progress has been made toward an agreement to merge the M. P. T. O. A. and Allied States Ass'n in a constructive national exhibitor body. Conferences have been adjourned until after Jan. 1 to enable ieaders of both organizations to submit the proposals to their respective boards of directors for their reaction. In addition to the M. P. T. O. A. and Allied, affiliated theaters were represented at the conferences. — A Merry Xmas — $1,875 PRIZES FOR EXHIB8 IN COLUMBIA FILM CONTEST Cash prizes amounting to $1,875 will be awarded by Columbia to exhibitors turning in the best ideas in a national advertising and exploita(Continued on Page 4) Fox Six Months ' Sales Jump 57 Per Cent, Says Grainger Arties Go Pop Chicago — Two local arty houses, the Cinema and the Punch and Judy, formerly devoted to artistic films, have gone over to popular fare. I Burtau. THE III.M DAILY Hollywood I heater attendance in the h\< weeks ended Dec. 15 was the highest of any similar p* tin. (,i ..n. said James R. (irainger .mi hia arrival here from the east. Grainger declared that sales of Foai (Continued on huge 4) The FIL* D\ILY RELIEF FUND drive ind jp tonight. Total receipts erd_ were $2,000 less than the amount on the corresponding day last year. THE FUND Will. BE CALLED UPON TO A GREATER CXTENT DURING 1931. Those ' ho i ill apply for aid cannot be tur d ay. There will be sad cases there will be actual want by many motion picture men and women. They will turn to the (Continued on Page 8) — A A/cm v A'mii Fleischer Employes Get $10,000 Bonuses, Raises Max Fleischer is distributing $10, 000 iii Christmas bonuses to 100 employes of bis cartooning organization. Half of the amount is being handed out now and the other hall will be in salary increases over the J ear. No Issue Tomorrow There will be no issue of THE FILM DAILY tomorrow, Christmas Day.