The Film Daily (1931)

Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought VOL. LV NO. 76 NEW yCCI\, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 1931 5 CENTS RKO Adding 14 Salesmen in Early Sales Campaign BEGIN JOVE FOR GOVT OKAY ON CONTRACT Two N. J. Circuits Declare Against Double Features The Mirror — a column of comment THROUGH A com wit tee of independent exhibitors, the M. P. T. O. A. intends to ask the Department of Justice to okay the new standard exhibition contract At present the agreement, which shapes up as the most idii-nnndeu exhibition contract yet drafted in this business, is on the shelf. It's too important and vital a document, representing days of bigmind processing, to allow to go to waste. Major companies say they would like to put the contract into operation. But they fear that, in view .of the recent Supreme Court decisions concerning distributors acting in concert, the pact might be thrown out as illegal. And setting up the new machinery provided under the contract is a laborious and exr ensive undertaking. Now along cc n ;s the M P. T. O. A. plan to brii % about a show-down in the situat o i. It seeks a clear-cut decision, y« ; or no. That decision, when and if r ;i dered, will help the industry t<_ chart a future course. • TELEVISION broadcasting permits, except those for experimental 'work, will be withheld by the Government until there is a distinct public demand for such entertainment A sensible treatment of a situation which might otherwise pack plenty of trouble. Better for everybody concerned, including the film industry, that television be approached safely and sanely— without a disrupting panic. NEll'SPAl'ER stories originating at the Coast tell of motion picture offers being made to an internationallymown underworld figure ... .Regardless of their authenticity, they constitute a deplorable brand of publicity from the standpoint of the industry. Hunt and Hildinger, With 28 Houses, Opposed to Dual Bills Double-feature bills are, and will continue to be, barred from the Hunt Circuit in New Jersey, according to William C. Hunt, president. The circuit consists of 16 houses in towns along the New Jersey seaboard. A similar viewpoint is held by Charles C. Hildinger, operator of 12 houses (Continued on Pane 7) J. A. COOPER AGAIN HEADS CANADIAN INDUSTRY UNIT Toronto — Col. John A. Cooper was re-elected president of the M. P. Distributors and Exhibitors of Canada at the annual meeting of the organization yesterday. G. O. Burnett was appointed treasurer, while P. C. Taylor, C. Hague, H. M. Masters, M A. Milligan, B. F. Lyon, James Travis, J. P. O'Loghlin and H. L. Mathanson were named directors. Para. First Quarter Net Estimated $1.35 a Share Earnings of Paramount-Publix for the first quarter of the current year will amount to around $1.35 a share, according to Wall St. estimates yesterday. Under prevailing conditions, this showing will be considered highly favorable. Darrow Accepts Clarence Darrow, noted lawyer, has accepted the invitation to address the A.M. P. A. gathering at tomorrow's luncheon in the Hotel Dixie. His topic will be censorship. CANADA'S 1930 GROSS BIGGEST IN HISTORY Toronto — Gross business of distributors in Canada for the year 1930 exceeded any previous year, it was stated at yesterday's annual meeting of the M. P. Distributors and Exhibitors of Canada. Committee Will Seek Dept. of Justice's Approval for New Agreement A definite movement is being launched by the M.P.T.O.A. to obtain the official okay of the Department of Justice on the new standard exhibition contract, drafted last year at the New York and Atlantic City 5-5-5 conferences. It is planned to appoint a commitice of indcptiiudit exhibitors to take the matter up with John Lord O'Brien, who is in charge of film industry actions in the Department of Justice. O'Brien will be enlightened on the situation and told that exhibitors want the contract. M. A. Lightman, M.P.T.O.A. presi (Continued on Pane 7) Nat'l Screen, Advance Trailer Reported Negotiating Merger Han* are understood to be in progress toward a merger between National Screen Service and Advance Trailer Corp. Such a deal, if consummated, would make this the only (Continued on Page 7) Knute Rockne Killed In Airplane Explosion Emporia, Kan. — Knute Rockne, famous Notre Dame football coach, who last year made several shorts (Continued on Page 7) 14 Salesmen Being Added In Early RKO Sales Drive 200 V1TAPH0NE SHORTS SCHEDULED FOR 1931-32 Schedule calling for 200 Vitaphone shorts for release during 1931-32, is being prepared at the Warner Bros. Brooklyn studio. All will be released in series. In preparation for an early selling season and to give impetus to future sales campaigns, the RKO sales stall will be augmented by the addition of 14 salesmen before the Los Angeles convention. Six men have already been assigned and the remaining eight will be named next week. According to Jerry Safron of RKO, S. Steinberg has been assigned to the Pittsburgh branch, H. C. Gould (Continued on Page 7) WARNER TO GET OWN TERMS IN ST. LOUIS STOCK DEAL St. Louis — Reported disbanding of the Stockholders' Protective Committee, formed to negotiate for a better price in the exchange of minority shares of the Skouras Bros. Enterprises and the St. Louis Amusement Co. for stock of Warner Bros., who (Continued on Page 7) DISNEY SUES TO STOP OTHER MOUSE CARTOONS West Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Los Angeles — Walt Disney Productions, acting I'm Mickey Mouse, has filed suit against Pathe and Van Beuren Corp. seeking an injunction to prevent the defendants from further using animated cartoon characters "in any variation so nearly (Continued on Page 7)