The Film Daily (1931)

THE THE NEWSPAPER OF FILM DOM All THE NEWS ALL THE TIME VOL. LV NC. 29 NEW y©EK, WEDNEXDAT, FEBRUARY 4, 1931 <S CENT* Three Bills Hitting Film Industry Filed in Conn. ACTORFCONTRACT Htf FOR NEXTJJEARS Industry Joins in Honoring Laemmle on Silver Jubilee The Mirror — a column of comment ONE-THIRD of the picture houses in the United States remain nmvired for sound, it is indicated by a FILM DAILY YEAR HOOK surrey Praci tic-ally all of these arc small-capacity theaters which, in a great majority of cases, went dark becausethey couldn't stand the financial gaff of installing reproducers. Tie this situation in with the fact that nowadays there's a drastic tendency to tell picture stories through the visual rather than the audible method, generally speaking. All this being considered, it seems likely that 1931-32 product promises these theaters an opportunity to stage a comeback. This new type of picture may be played silently and customers will be able to follow the story without difficulty. Perhaps next season will rejuvenate many of these houses — make them customers for film and equipment. • TIFFANY iKlill principally aim to serve Class If and C I healers, says Dick Rowland This news is likely to arouse salvos of applause from the exhib whose patrons refuse to go for high-sophisticated, Broadway kind of product. Here's one in the groove for pop house operators. ROW'S Sunday mornin</ "Dollar Concert" idea is spreading throughout the country, the proceeds going to aid unemployed musicians Apart from the actual helping of musicians out of work these concerts are serving wider industry purposes. One of them is that people who are not regular picture fans are brought into contact with community institutions which want and need their support. Scroll Signed by 249 Film Leaders Presented by Hays to 'U' Head Celebration of Carl Laemmle's Silver Jubilee in the motion picture industry gets under way today with all newsreels carrying views of the presentation of a scroll by Will H. Hays to the Universal president. The docu(Continued on Page 8) TWO MEASURES LAUNCHED AGAINST N.J. BLUE LAWS Trenton — Two bills against the Xew Jersey blue laws have been introduced in the Legislature. One measure, sponsored by Assemblyman Greenberg of Hudson, specifies that any activity permitted on week days should be made lawful on Sunday unless forbidden by local ordinances. The other amendment, offered by Senator A. Crozer Reeves, by request, excludes amusements where an admission fee is charged. Chandler Joins Columbia As Advertising Manager Clement F. Chandler, who has handled the promotion department of the Universal-Graham McNamee Talking Xcwsreel since it started. (Contmica on Parjc 8) 5-a-Day for Maurice To accommodate the crowds at the New York Paramount, Maurice Chevalier is making five personal appearances daily. POOR RECORDING DEVICES BLOW TO SOVIET INDUSTRY Moscow (By Cable) — Inadequate Russian recording devices have dealt a severe blow to production plans of companies subsidized by the Soviet Government. One effect of the failure will be to restrict making of Soviet propaganda pictures. Leo Brecher Acquires Shubert House as Arty Leo Brecher, operator of the Little Carnegie and the Plaza, presenting class programs to the select east side clientele, has acquired the Jolson, on Seventh Ave. at Central Park, from the Shuberts and will convert it into another artv talker house. As soon as wiring and necessary alterations are completed, the theater will be reopened as the Central Park, offering repertory programs of the better V . S. and occasional foreign films. Free-Lance Agreement is Ratified — Committee Dissolved West Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Ratification of the free-lance contract has been agreed upon at a meeting of a committee of 2b actors and six producers. With this accomplished, the committee has i Continued on Page 8 I STRING OF DE LUXERS PLANNED FOR SO. AMERICA Plans for the erection of at least five de luxe theaters, incorporating every modern improvement, have been made in both Brazil and Argen (Continued on Page 8) George Bowser Takes Over Two St. Louis Theaters St. Louis — George Bowser, who recently resigned as general manager of the St. Louis Amusement Co., in which Warner Bros, own majority stock, has again taken over the Capitol and Lyric, both on Sixth St. downtown, and these houses no longer are booking product through the St. Louis Amusement Co. Conn. Bills Seek Censorship, Blue Sunday and 2 Operators Tobis Fees Cited Berlin (By Cable) — German producers, angry at the high recording fees imposed by Tobis, told their story at a hearing held yesterday by the German Minister of Com merce. Dr. Plugge, as president of the Spitzen organization, presented the protests of the producing companies. Hartford — Three measures hitting at the film industry have been dumped into the Legislature just prior to the expiration of the period for the introduction of new business One, sponsored by the projectionists' union, would compel the use of two operators in booths, RepeaJ of the statute which provides local option in the matter of Sunday shows is sought in another bill. The third (Continued on Pane 8) "Trader Horn" Here's a honey. Every so cf;en a natural pops up and th.s "Trader Horn" pictorial adventure that made its Broadway debut last evening cjmos pretty close to being a little bt cf all right from flash to fade-out. M tro put a barrel of dough into its making. The result is a cinema cockta 1 of adventure, thrills, intrigue, romance, love, atmosphere and beauty seldom heretofore attained on the screen. The work of Harry Carey as o'd Aloysius is excellent. W. S. Van Dyke directed with a firm and understanding hand. The portrayal of N na by Edwina Booth is splendid and no one would accuse her of being hard to look ipon. It's a compelling picture, this "Trader Horn." This Aloysius fellow should have little trouble horning into every theater in the country as well at making the Ten Best of 1931 hands down. He looks like sure-fire B.O. ALICOATE.