The Film Daily (1931)

THE rUE NEWSPAPER OF FILM DOM AIL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME VOL. LV NO. 35 NEW yCRI\, WCDNC/DAy, TECPUACy 11, 1931 > CENTS State Charged With "Profiteering" on Censorship ALLIEDIN FINISH FIGHTON BLOCK BOOKING Eldridge Circuit Expanding in Metropolitan Area Merril Corp. Buys Three Brooklyn Houses — After 5 Others Harold F. Eldridge of the Merril Theater Corp. has bought three Brooklyn houses, the Garfield, Sixteenth St. and Avon, from Pear Bros. With the Bluebird in Brooklyn and the Pastime in Union City, this gives Merril a circuit of five. Plans are now under way for further expansion, with papers about to be signed for five theaters in the Metropolitan district $7O,00OlrTS~GROSS ESTIMATEDFOR "LIGHTS" Basing his estimate on box-office figures showing that "City Lights," grossed approximately $30,000 in the first t" —'. days of its run at the Cohan, exclusive of its $11 opening, Al Lichtman yesterday figuxl that the Chaplin picture will tak nearly $70,000 in its first seven da; ••. The house is grinding out nin shows daily. Monday, a rainy day the silent copped $9,738. Serving 150 Churches Pittsburgh — Local exchanges at present are serving about 150 churches, 40 of which are in this city. Fraternal societies and other organizations nearly equal the number of church accounts. FEWER SHORTS PLANNED BY M-G-M FOR 1931-32 M-G-M will release 52 short subjects during the 1931-32 selling season. This is 17 less than were produced last year. The reduction is caused by the discontinuance of the "Boy Friends" series, "Colortone Revues" and the "Novelty Group." In the coming schedule will be 6 LaurelHardy Comedies, 6 "Dogville" Comedies, 8 Charlie Chase Comedies, 8 "Our Gang" Comedies, 12 Burton Holmes Travelogues and 12 "Flip the Frog" Cartoons. 531 Present at Opening of Chicago Confab — Tying in of Shorts With Features Assailed Chicago — Declaration of "war to the finish" on block booking was the highlight of Tuesday's opening session of the two-day national convention of Allied States Ass'n exhibitors at the Congress Hotel. Addressing the 531 delegates present at the first session, Abram F. Myers, Allied head, characterized the latest form of block booking, that of tying in shorts and newsreels with features, as "double and triple block booking." Speaking on t^e same topic, Al Steffes declared: Ve'll find a rem(Continu i Page 8) COLUMBIA ADDING SIX TO CURRENT PROGRAM Michalove on Surve; Of Warner Tl waters With purpose of making a survey of the principal Warner Bros, houses, Dan Michalove left New York last night on a tour which will keep him on the road about a week and a half. Michalove, who was recently placed (Continued on Page 8) Seek Italian Subsidy Rome — Subsidy of Italian pictures by the Government is provided in a decree made public after a meeting of the Cabinet and which Parliament will be asked to approve. The move is intended as a protection of the native industry against foreign pictures. E. J. Sparks Now Controls 52 Theaters in Florida Jacksonville, Fla. — With the leasing of the Florida, Publix unit, the E. J. Sparks Amusement Enterprises has acquired control of every theater in Jacksonville except the Casino, completing a circuit in the State that now numbers 52. Guy Kenimer. manager of the Palace, has also assumed charge of the Florida. Columbia's current program of 20 features will be augmented by six productions, labeled the "Money Getters" series. The first of the new group, "Danger Ahead," is now in work. It features James Hall and Dorothy Sebastian, with William Nigh directing. Others are "Thru the Flames," fire picture; "The Sea Patrol," sea story; "The Great Air Robbery," aviation picture; "The Gangster," underworld story, and "Held for Murder," another underworld. Spyros Skouras Winds Up Warner Theater Duties Sypros Skouras toda}' is expected to wind up his duties in the Warner Bros, theater organization. George Skouras will probably finish up his work by Saturday. HOLDUP EPI :MIC SPURS B.O.RE-ARRANGEMENTPLAN Chicago — To meet the epidemic of holdups, which have cost local exhibs alone $5,000 within a fortnight, circuit heads are considering drastic alterations in box-office arrangements which would make it difficult for robbers to pull off their jobs. One of the proposals is that the b.o. be removed deep into the lobby where it will be surrounded by ushers armed with sawed-off shotguns. Another is bullet-proof boxes with only tiny openings for the exchange of money. Will Seek Reduction in Fees Charged by New York Censors Paramount Offers to Buy Stock of Marks Theaters Chicago — Paramount-Publix Corporation has offered to buy through exchange of shares on a 1 for 4 basis the preferred stock of Marks (Continued on Page 8) Screen Advertisers Will Meet This Month William Johnson, president of the Screen Advertisers' Ass'n, has called a meeting of the executive committee for Feb. 20 at the Roosevelt Hotel. Changes in policy, membership re(Conttnued on Page 8) Albany — Following publication of the report of the state censorship department, showing that $227,731.50 in fees was collected in the past fiscal year, against $77,308.05 as the operating expenses of the, bureau, protests from film industry headquarters are understood to have been so strong (Continued on Page 8) Going Television In the new series of "Voice of Hollywood" produced by Alfred T. Mannon for Tiffany, the television idea will be employed so that each issue will be made to look as though the picture were being broadcast from a television studio.