The Film Daily (1931)

THE THE NEWSPAPER OF FILM DOM AND WEEKLY FILM DIGEST V©1. LV NC. 32 NEW YCCr, SUNDAY, fEBCLACy 8, 1931 2<5 CENT* Charles R. Rogers Is New Rathe Production Head PLAN "CIRCUIT OF RESERVED SEAT~HOUSES 12 Feature Productions in the Works at RKO Studio Six Films in Preparation, Two Rehearsing, Four in Cutting Room West Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Twelve feature productions are currently in the works at the RKO studio. Six pictures are being prepared, two have started rehearsals and four are in the cutting room. Richard Dix is starring in, as well as directing, "Big Brother," initial "shots" for which he filmed during (Continued on Page 11) ROBB AND ROWLEY IN DEAL West Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Los Angeles — The deal for acquisition by the Hughes-Franklin Theaters of the Robb & Rowley circuit of about 75 theaters in the southwest has been closed. Robb and Rowley will be retained as operators with division headquarters in Dallas. Phil Reisman Conducting Series of Regional Meets En route to talk 1931-32 product with Carl Laemmle, Jr., and other Universal studio officials, Phil Reisman is holding a series of regional meetings in connection with the Carl Laemmle Silver Jubilee sales campaign. He is now in Washington and later visits St. Louis, Chicago and San Francisco. Ex-Passion A love scene without an embrace, a kiss or a heart-felt sigh will appear in Paramount's "City Streets," which is labeled a drama of the "upper underworld." The loveless love sequence takes place in the visitors' room of a modern prison. "City Lights tt The irresistible Mr. Chaplin paid Broadway his triennial visit last evening and as usual Mr. Chaplin sent home the smartest firstnight audience of the season again singing his praises as the greatest pantomimist of all time. "City Lights" is all silent and typically Chaplinesque in its mixture of laughs, tears, pathos and slapstick. The story, although episodic, hits the high spots with delightful frequency. As to the question of sound vs. silent, this Chaplin affair settles nothing. Chaplin is king. He can do no cinema wrong. He could turn handsprings anywhere in filmland where others would not dare to tread. For instance, here he even gives sound the merry raspberry via travesty and it is as delicious a screen morsel as one will find. If "City Lights" does nothing else it will demonstrate that Silence is Golden, at least in this instance, and as far as the box-office is concerned. ALICOATE. U. S. Film Exports for 1930 Gained $496,420 in Value Washington — Although the amount of U. S. film exports in 1930 showed a slight decrease from 1929, the value of the product exported was $496,420 in excess of the previous year, ac Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY cording to preliminary figures released by N. D. Golden, assistant chief of the M. P. Division of the Department of Commerce. This (Continued on Page 9) DRAMAS GET MOST CUTS BY NEW YORK CENSORS Albany — Out of 310 films which were subjected to eliminations by the state censors in the past fiscal year, 200 were dramas, it is shown in the annual report of James Wingate, director of the M. P. Division of the State Education Department. Other classes of pictures that were cut included comedies, 46; comedy-dramas, 20; serials, 18; educationals, 4; cartoons, 5; scenic, 3; miscellaneous, 14. Grounds for eliminations, of which there were 2,116 during the year, are (Continued on Page 9) Pathe Production Activities Placed Under Charles R. Rogers 1H..L / . d...-.. -run nn M nAllV West Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Hollywood— Charles R. Rogers is the new executive production head of the reorganized Pathe Studio, it was announced Friday by President Hiram S. Brown of RKO. Rogers, who is to be elected vice-president of the RKO-Pathe company, will be in charge of all production. For the last several months Rogers has been an independent producer releasing through RKO, and his first picture. (Continued on Page 9) Curtis W. Emery Lining Up New Policy Theaters in 20 Cities A circuit of reserved-seat talker houses, converted from present legitimate theaters of the intimate type, is being organized by Curtis W. Emery, New York theatrical man, with the backing of private interests. Emery now has under consideration five Broadway playhouses, two of which will be leased for five years and equipped for the new policy. (Continued on Page 9) 14 IN KANSAS CITY SUIT Kansas City — Fourteen distributing companies and the local Film Board of Trade are named in a suit brought in the U. S. District Court here by Mr. and Mrs. Walter O. Burkey, former operators of the Admiral, charging they were forced out of business because the companies named had a monopoly. Damages of $95,000 are asked. Terry Ramsaye Resigns; Succeeded by Chalmers DifFeren,ces arising from administrative and editorial opinions were given as the cause of the resignation Friday of Terry Ramsaye from (Continued on Pane 9) Sound Campaigning Chicago — Mayor "Big Bill" Thompson has decided to use the talkers as the principal medium in his campaign for re-election. The pictures, surrounded by a vaudeville show, will be exhibited in Loop legitimate theaters during noon hours at 25 cents admission, the receipts to be used for stimulating business in the city.