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. 91 NEW YOCr, SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 1931 J > CENTS Music Tax Upheld Despite Score Charge Payment doubuTfeatures menace kid attendance Fox Re-Entering Shorts Field With 52 Travelogues Movietone Subjects With Musical Background Being Made Fox will re-enter the short subject field next season with the distribution of at least 52 one-reel travel pictures under the general title of "The Magic Carpet of Movietone." The material for these subjects, the first of which is being given a prerelease showing at the Embassy (Continued on Page 12) ALL RKO PATHE SALESMEN ATTENDING CONVENTION Arrangements have been completed for the entire sales staff, including all salesmen, to attend the RKO I'athe sales convention starting on Monday at the Drake Hotel in Chicago, it is announced by Ned E. (Continued on Pane 9) Stumbling Block Atlantic City — Persistent featuring of crime news by the newspapers is one of the chief obstacles confronting film producers in their efforts to keep away from gangster and crime pictures, it was pointed out at the Paramount convention. Notwithstanding the policy of the newspapers, however, Paramount will play down the underworld stuff and make practically no pictures of this kind, said Sidney R. Kent. 100 Monogram Salesmen Going Forth on May 1 A hundred salesmen will lie turned loose May 1 in 24 branches by Monogram Pictures in the first gun of its drive for contracts on the 28 pictures to be released next season by this co-operative exchange group, it is announced by Harry H. Thomas, vicepresident for exchanges. The personnel in charge of the various branches for this drive is as follows: Morris Epstein, Xew York; Her (Continued on Pane 11) Hays Office Moving Headquarters of the Hays Office will be moved on May 1 to the 21st floor of the National Ass'n Building, 28 West 44th St., bringing the offices nearer to the center of film industry headquarters. The Hays staff has been in its present location, 469 Fifth Ave., for the last s;x years. New telephone number will be BRyant 9-9400. M-G-M Makes First Move In South African Invasion First move in the invasion of the South African theater field by M-G-M has been made with the purchase of a plot of ground on one of Johannesburg's busiest corners by the South African office of the Company. According to Arthur M. Loew, in charge of M-G-M's export policy, plans are now being drawn for a 3-000-seat super cinema on the newly acquired plot. This follows closely upon the arrival in Johannesburg of Col. Edward A. Schiller of the Loew theater organization and Harry Moskowitz of the company's construction department, and makes M-G-M the first company to depart from the custom of state-righting pictures in South Africa. Home Talker Firm To Turn Out 25,000 Projectors Annually Indianapolis — Organization of two firms, one to manufacture home talker projectors and the other to supply film> for the machines, with a yearly capacity of 25,000 projectors and a business volume of $5,000,000, has been completed here with the filing of articles of incorporation for the Zukor Is Opposed to Dual Bills— Felix Feist Raps Policy Characterizing double-feature programs as non-stimulants for poor business and bad for the kid trade, and predicting a short life for the plan, several film executives interviewed by The Film Daily on Friday said exhibitors will soon revert to the presentation of a single feature surround (Continucd on Page 9) Cinetrope Corp. and the [National Sound Films, Inc., it is announced by Clifford G. Dunphy, manager of the industrial commission of the Chamber of Commerce. Burton F. Swain of Seymour is president of Cinetrope, which is cap (Continued on Pane 12) High Court Upholds Music Tax Despite Score Charge Payment Washington — A decision upsetting the theory held by many exhibitors, that payment of score charges precludes payment of the music tax, and entrenching the distributors' position in the matter of damages recoverable on infringements against those who bicycle or hold over pictures, has Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY >een handed down by Justice Rrandeis of the Supreme Court. The case involved was Jewell-LaSalle Realty Co. vs. Gene Buck as president of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. In a case disclosing infringement i Continued on Pane 12) FOX CONVENTION PLANS COMPLETED BY GRAINGER Plans for the 27th annual Fox Film sales convention, to be held in the auditorium at the home office the week of April 27, have been completed by J. R. Grainger. Besides outlining the 48 features and 52 travel shorts to be released next season, Grainger will announce a number of promotions from the ranks. There will be sessions every day except Friday, when a golf tournament will (Continued on Page 12) World Peace by Television Predicted by J. G. Harbord Cleveland — Speaking before the National Industrial Congress, General James G. Harbord predicted international peace conferences and other meetings of international delegates would be held through the medium (Continued on Page 11) Grauman After Alfonso West Coast Bur. TUB FILM DAILY Los Angeles — Sid Grauman has cabled ex-King Alfonso of Spain inviting him to play the leading role in a picture depicting the Burbon dynasty, which has just been ended by Alfonso's resignation. Grauman said he believes a picture based on the monarch's colorful career could gross about $3,000,000, part of which would be given to charity, according to the showman's plan.