The Film Daily (1931)

THE Sunday, May 24, 1931 ■2£k SPONSORED SHORTS BAN MAY BECOME GENERAL (Continued from Page 1) tures, was quoted as saying that his company would continue making sponsored shorts for anyone who wants them, but that clients would have to arrange for their own distribution inasmuch as Warner houses would no longer show these pictures on programs of paid entertainment. Asked concerning this report, Morris told The Film Daily that Warner Bros, woulld no longer solicit ad film business, but would produce such pictures if clients come to them. The Warner houses, however, will play only advertising pictures made by the Warner organization, said Morris. This was interpreted in film circles Friday as a probable indication of Warners' gradual easing out of the sponsored film field. Following on Nicholas M. Schenck's recent announcement against ad shorts for Loew's and M-G-M, and a subsequent report that Hiram S. Brown of RKO is expected to come out with i. similar statement shortly, the oposition to commercial films on the part of the big circuits would be unanimous. Particular interest in the developments precipitated by Friday's story n The Film Daily was shown by New York daily newspapers and press associations, who immediately ollowed up the story. Eugene Castle of Castle Films, one of the first and most strenuous antagonists of sponsored shorts, has been among the most active in arousing newspaper nterest in the situation and enlisting their aid in fighting what he cop ders a menace to movie theaters. Pete Harrison also has fought the practice tooth and nail. $3,000,000 a Year Saved Under Paramount Cuts (Continued from Page 1) intil at least Sept. 1, 1932, are on the ollowing scale: On all salaries up to $50 a week reduction of 5 per cent, with IVi >er cent on any part of the next $25; 0 per cent on the amount of salary ietween $75 and $100; 15 per cent n the next $150; 20 per cent on the lext $250 and 25 per cent on all bove $500. COMING & GOING CARL LAEMMLE, JR., accompanied by (OBERT WYLER and HARRY ZEHNER, re in New York from the coast. WYLER ails in a week for France, where he will act Universal representative in connection th the making of pictures by the Conortium. ONA MUNSON, First National player, s arrived in New York for a visit. LOUIS MACHAT, operator of the Cinema irt Theater, Chicago, has returned to the Vindy City after a business trip to the a st. JACK MULHALL sailed Friday on the aris for Europe. RULT • • • PASSING IMPRESSIONS of Sardi's the Nourishment Nursery where most of the patrons started life as Bottle Babies and still are seeing that the film biz is what it is and that most of the Sardi satellites are slaves of the screen who foregather there daily to see and be seen and finish their luncheon with a spicy dessert of Dirt which of course is not on the bill of fare but every customer has a snoot full of it which they exchange with each other which explains why the film fan rags are All Alike for they all scoop up the gossip crumbs from the same tablecloth * * * * • • • ANY DAY at Sardi's you can see The Types there's the Falling Star he enters everybody starts to rasp the old Razz Rumba "Here comes Joe Goop, fellers, and don't he look the part!" "Going Down! — hold the elevator for Joe" "I never could see that mugg, anyway" "Why, if I'd had his breaks — " "Just another Lucky Strike — all puffed out" and so on, till Joe walks over to the tear-'em-to-sheds table to be greeted with this palpitating paean of praise "You're lookin' swell, Joe" ..."Say, kid, you got a bum break on that last pix" '"Sure he did — lousy direction, and no support" "Never mind, Joe, you're due for a break, and we're all rooting for ya" Grand Chorus: "SURE we are!" just a li'l comedy-tragedy enacted almost daily with Joe Goop in the role of Actor, Director, Screen Writer, Newspaperman for there are a lotta Joe Goops outside the Falling Screen Stars why, you might be a Joe Goop yourself some day and if it should happen, which the saints forbid, bless your soul! we've provided you with the Razz Rumba Routine so that you can join in the Chorus and won't these muggs be surprised! * * * * • • • EVEN SO, Sardi's is the most colorful rendezvous in the Bored Way sector where you can see Screen Life in all its phases if you are able to read more than the menu which always fulfills its promise (you're welcome, Mister Sardi) and there is another Type the author with a brand new Idea for his next scenario which he imparts to you under oath of Secrecy at the far corner table away from other eavesdropping writers and when you leave him gasping out the big climactic scene and saunter out to the door the hat check gal who always gives us the Very Latest News tells us the Entire Plot in more detail than the author just gave it to us she having just got it from Another screen writer who had sworn her to Secrecy not to divulge his Brand New Idea just the ole Merry Go Round gyrating hectically every day at Sardi's but staged with color, class and caricatures all around the walls and can't this boy Gard knock 'em off with his crayons? every caricature a surgical operation done with a scalpel dipped in Mirth, Irony and — Truth * * * * • • • JAMES GLEASON and Eddie Quillan, working in "Whoop-Te-Do Kid" on the RKO Pathe lot, pulled off the following in between shots, and sent it by airmail so we'd get it in a hurry "Say, Jimmie, which is the wrong side to mount this horse?" "The right," "No, I said the wrong." "The right I said." "Oh, you mean the right is wrong." "Yeah, the wrong is right." "Well, how can t lie right way he the wrong way?" "Listen, lug. When you climb on the beetle from the right side, you're climbing on the wrong side — " and so it goes for three typewritten pages which furnishes us with an appropriate closing test for our sermon today "Forgive them, for they know not what they do — to Us." and we clutch our throat, gasp for air, kick the typewriter over and call it a day MORE MUSIC, LESS TALK FOR PARAMOUNT SHORTS (Continued jiom Page 1) change, affecting the 52 scheduled one-reelers, which previously were divided into 12 musicals and 40 dialogue pictures, increases the musical subjects to 36 and reduces the talk numbers to 16. No change is contemplated at present in the 32 tworeelers planned, said Kent. Defeat of N. C. Tax Bill Ends Worst Fight of Year (Continued from Page 1) legislative battle that has confronted the film industry this year. At 6 P. M. Thursday the Senate accepted the conference compromise tax report by a vote of 26 to 24, and at 11 the same night the House accepted it by 51 to 43, the number of votes in each case being just enough. This was the first time that both the Senate and the House were able to agree on the bill, and it is now expected to be rushed through on second and third readings inasmuch as the legislative session has run far beyond the time for which the solons receive pay and everyone is anxious to wind up. Principal credit for staving off the theater tax goes to Harry Buchanan, a small indie exhibitor of the state who closed his theater and came here to fight the unreasonable levy. Charles W. Picquet kept harmony in the M.P.T.O.A. ranks, while Kincey and Emlow, exhibitors affiliated with Publix also were among those aiding in the fight. For two months the theater tax was held off by the narrow margin of one vote. Erpi and W. E. Golf Events Electrical Research Products and Western Electric will hold separate golf tournaments today (Saturday). The Erpi event takes place at Briarcliff Country Club, Briarcliff, N. Y. Western Electric execs will do their golfing at Skytop Lodge, Cresco, Pa. « « « » » » Many Happy Returns Best wishes and congratulations are extended by THE FILM DAILY to the following members of the industry, who are celebrating their birthdays: May 23-24 Douglas Fairbanks Helen Foster James Gleason Earle Snell George Stone Dorothy Lee Shirley O'Hara Creighton Hale Dorothy Manfred Arthur Marx