The Film Daily (1931)

Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Now Fourteen Years Old VOL. LV NO. 61 NEW yCCI\, SLNDAY, MACCH 1<5, 1931 2<S CENTS Motion Picture Equipment Exports Doubled in 1930 UNIVERSAL-ALLIED STATES BOOKIMTtIEUP Wilmer & Vincent Building 4 Super Size De Luxers New Houses to be Located in Reading, Harrisburg, Richmond, Altoona Convinced that this is the day of de luxe houses, theaters seating between 3,000 and 4,000, Wilmer & Vincent has inaugurated a building policy of this calibre. In addition to a 3,500-seat house which will open at Reading, Pa., early next month, the circuit has three more planned averaging between 3,000 and 4,000 seats. They will be in Richmond, Harrisburg and Altoona. Opening of the new Reading house will give Wilmer & Vincent five theaters in that town. The circuit now embraces 40 houses. SERIES OF INDIE FEATURES BEING MADE BY DARMOUR West Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Production of a series of independent features is planned by Larry Darmour Productions, it is announced by Darmour. First on the list will be "Defender of the Law," for which Catherine Dale Owen and John Holland have been signed as co-stars. Supporting players will include Robert Gleckler, Ed (Continued on Page 9) "Dirigible" Roadshowing Starts with B'way Run Coincident with the opening of the Broadway run of "Dirigible," Columbia will launch its roadshows of the special production. Jack Holt heads the cast. Roxy Ushers Strut Stuff Roxy ushers, 65 of them under Chief-of-Staff Riley, get their annual spotlight break this week in conjunction with the fourth anniversary of the house. They appear on the stage in one of their regulation drills as a prelude to the regular performance. Sound Test in Air, Under Sea, Underground An experiment that is expected to result in valuable scientific data for sound engineers was conducted last week from the NBC studios in New York by Westinghouse Electric, Paramount, Goodyear and the Navy Department, when a radio program was broadcast to three special audiences, one in a Goodyear blimp flying over Hollywood, another on board a U. S. submarine undersea in the Pacific, and a third in Mammoth Cave, Ky., 30 stories underground. At each point a sound crew filmed the audiences and recorded the program. Prints were turned out by the Paramount lab. in New York, and research engineers are now studying them. 'ELECTRIC EYE' REGISTERS ADMISSIONS TO THEATERS An up-to-the-minute check on theater admissions at all hours of the day, with the attendance indicator located either in the manager's office or in the circuit's home office, is now possible through the perfection of the "Electric Eye Auditor" by D. H. Fink of Chicago. The device was demonstrated in the last few days before theater and circuit officials, who received it with keen enthusiasm. With the use of this indicator it will be possible not only to have a constant check on theater attendance, but the free admission evil can be greatly reduced, said Fink in an exi < ontinued "it Pane 9) MEMBERSHIP CAMPAIGNS BYM.P.T.0.A. Campaigns to boost the M. P. T. O. A. membership roster will soon begin in various territories. The exhibitor organization has been invited to explain its objectives and methods before several state units which are at present unaffiliated with either of the national associations. Pursuant to action taken at the board of directors' meeting the past (Continued on Parte 9) $9,1 72, 824 Worth of Equipment Exported by U. S. Last Year Adverse Bills in Oregon Die as Legislature Ends Portland— The Oregon Legislature has adjourned without passing either of the two film industry bills of an adverse nature. Montgomery — Alabama legislators, who recessed March 7. will reconvene March 31 to act on measures designed to provide revenue for the state treasury. So far no anti-film industry measures have been introduced. Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Exports of American motion picture equipment for 1930 amounted to $9,172,824 in value, nearly double the figure for the previous year, it is shown in a preliminary compilation by N. D. Golden, assistant chief of the M. P. Division, Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce. Exports recorded by the Bureau for 1929 had a value of $1,442,803, excluding sound apparatus and arc lamps, which were not listed under export classification, but {Continued »n Page 9) Indie Exhib Organization in Co-operative Deal With Producer A booking deal tieing in Allied States Ass'n theaters and Universal Pictures, one a national independent exhibitor organization and the other the oldest independent producer, has been definitely set. The formal joint announcement made Saturday termed it a "co-operative arrangement." "Details of the agreement are not complete as yet," President Abram F. Myers of Allied told The Film Daily. He observed that, "with the (Continued on Page 9) WILL HORWITZ RESIGNS AS TEXAHLLIED HEAD Dallas — Will Horwitz has resigned as president of the Allied exhibitor unit of Texas. His successor will be elected at a meeting to be held this coming week. Denial was made yesterday that H. A. Cole has resigned as an officer of the unit, as reported. Appeal to Film Board On Non-Theatrical Issue Philadelphia — In an effort to reduce unfair competition from nontheatricals, the M. P. T. O. has written to the local Film Board of Trade enquiring if the policy established five years ago, whereby only product which lias been in general release for one year is given such accounts, still holds good. The exhib organization has also written to its members urging them not to play pictures on a 40 or 50 per cent basis. Educationals Compulsory Bucharest — Under a decree issued by the Minister of Education, it is compulsory for exhibitors to include a minimum of 1,000 feet of educational film in the daily program. Police have been ordered to close all kinemas disobeying the order.