The Film Daily (1931)

THE [HE NEWSPAPER )F FILM DOM n All THE NEWS All THE TIME f'CL. LV NO. 27 NEW TCI2K, MONDAY, fCCCtACy 2, 1931 5 CENTS See& to Legalize Sunday Shows Throughout Ohio N. Y. BILL ASKS 5-DAYWEEK FOR OPERATORS Mlied Sees Vestal Bill As Chance To Kill Music Tax The Mirror — a column of comment ARAMOUNT PUBLIX earnings for |930 set a new record, topping the ampany's 1929 peak by 18 per cent. . .. considering that about 97 per cent of he country's industries and organiza■M-r"! severe setbacks in business and earnings last year, the reults achieved by Paramount and pier film companies stand out in ignificant relief. They not only furlish encouraging signs of the inherent lability of the amusement industry, nit reflect management, enterprise nd adjustability to current conditions hat any business might point to with een pride. UCO'S ACQUISITION of Pathe is ■ow signed, sealed and delivered, and iiram S. Brown has announced that 'athc will be continued as a separate ant. . . . This assurance of Pathe's )erpetuation seems wise from the iewpoint of the history, prestige and ividespread trade value behind the poster trade-mark. And it is decidedjy welcome from the viewpoint of the fonscientious Pathe employes who kave been in painful suspense these nany months. ft NEW ERA of theater construction s indicated in the present low costs >f material and labor, says John merson. . . . Deflation of prices are generally considered at such a low tbb that the only way they can turn low is upward. In fact, some of them lave already done an about face. Grunts and individual showmen who pontemplate new theaters, by acting ow, will accomplish the double purlose of saving considerable money nd being prepared for the new busiicss boom that is due soon. • LOUIS B. MAYER adds his opinions 0 the list of others who see no special fftertainment value in the wide screen. . . Technical improvements and inlovations will keep coming and going, nit as far as the b.o. is concerned the )ig draws always will be the stars nd the stories. Chicago Confab Plans To Launch Drive Against Copyright Burden Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Amendments which will forbid the collection of music tax or other seat tax from theaters for showing films on which a recording fee has been paid by the producer (.Continued on Page 2) HUGHES-FRANKLIN CIRCUIT West Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Possibility of the Skouras brothers joining the Harold B. Franklin-Howard Hughes circuit is being discussed here. It is understood Franklin will approach them on a proposition to handle theater buying in the St. Louis territory. Box-Offices Smashed In Tacoma Union Row Tacoma, Wash.— Union troubles are blamed for the smashing of the glassenclosed box-offices of the Victory and Rex here. The vandals used crowbars in their attack. Argument Starts West Coast Bur. THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — The lively controversy which it was predicted would be started by Charlie Chaplin's "City Lights" is now paging, following the premiere of the picture Friday night at the new Los Angeles. Praise of the silent comedy is enthusiastic, buti opinions are sharply at variance on the point of whether it will influence any appreciable trend back to silents. The majority so far think not. Nearly 50,000 tried to get in at the premiere. Police calls were necessary to disperse the jam. Measure in Albany Would Give Projectionists 48 Hours' Rest Albany — Under the provisions of a bill introduced in the Assembly by William Breitenbach of New York the labor law is amended so • as to provide that operators of motion picture machines would have 48 hours' of consecutive rest in each calendar week instead of 24 l.uuu js nun j-iuvided. SAN E. MORRIS MONTH CEniNGJARLY START Sam E. Morris Month, held each year by the Warner Bros, sales force, will take place in May, and the machinery has already been placed in operation to put the 1931 drive over in a big way. Max Milder, Eastern sales manager, is now in (Continued on Page 2) Sunday Shows Throughout Ohio Sought in New Legislative Bill Columbus— Sunday movies throughout Ohio will be legalized if a bill introduced in the legislature by Senator L. I Marshall of Cleveland goes through, Large cities of the State are all operating on Sunday. Merchants of the smaller towns claim that their citizens go to the nearby open towns to see the shows. HAYS ASKS PUBLICITY MEN TO SOFT PEDAL GROSSES Advertising and publicity managers were asked to soft-pedal information concerning big and exaggerated grosses at a meeting held (Continued on Page 2) passageIpredicted for pennajunday bill Hat 'sburg — Prospects of the passage c the local open Sunday shows tneasu sponsored by the Pennsylvania ibcral League are now considered 'right in exhib circles. Sup 'Continued on Page 2) Personnel Set Confirming earlier reports, President Hiram S. Brown of RKO Saturday made official announcement that Lee Marcus, vice president of Radio Pictures, will become president of the reorganized Pathe unit; C. J. Scollard will have temporary charge of the Culver City studios in association with Marcus, and Courtland Smith will manage the Pathe Newsreel. Ray Grombacher Cuts Admissions 10 Per Cent Portland, Ore. — Ray Grombacher, large independent operator, has announced a reduction of 10 per cent in admission prices. Francis Lawton Heads General Business Films Francis Lawton, Jr., formerly sales manager of Paramount Business Pictures, has been elected president (Continued on Page 2) Indie Splurge What is claimed to be the first time an independent production has opened in two New York theaters simultaneously, is the showing of "Victims of Men" at both the Acme on 14th St. and the Republic on 42nd St. i