The Film Daily (1931)

ntimate in Character iternational in Scope idependent in Thought 9:^ The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Now Fourteen Years Old DL. LVII NC. <53 NEWTCCr, TULCiOAr, DECEMCEI^ 3, 1^31 fi rr^TS Columbia to Specialize on Outdoor Films in '32-33 ieceiverIp suit spurTrko financM plans )C^arner-F. N. Releasing 12 Star Features in Jan.-Feb. The Operation , and other things ;= By Jacl( Alicoate iii=i^ Contrary to e Case of spread eagle tllywood headlines it is not at all likely it the full scope of the Hj^wood operation will be )adcast from the house tops, do know, however, that deedly drastic measures are ng prescribed by the travelclinic of executive consulits for the resuscitation of production patient. With xy Hays on the job and Dr. or, Dr.Schenck, Dr. Warner, Dr. wn, Dr. Laemmle, Dr. Hammons other specialists at the studio side, there is hope for complete •very. Perhaps several operas will be necessary. If the good tors insist on slicing, why not out Hollywood's politics, High s and system. While they are ■he job they might as well make jmplete. iuced .ges Some 25,000 union men, stage hands and operators are voting this week on the plan resident William H. Canavan to ipt a wage cut of from 10 per to 15 per cent, to be in effect I the start of the new season September. Here is a fine ges on the part of Mr. Canavan as esentative of a spirit of coopera on the part of organized labor veil as a sympathetic attitude ird the present pressing eco ic problems of the exhibitor. The e should help considerably in the ent about-face movement of the stry. * * * And while we "iiness are on the subject, rthe Move those who are good ■ J at figgers tell us 162 has been a decided improve{Continued on Page 2) Dozen Films Are Placed on Schedule to Meet Product Shortage West Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — In an effort to take advantage of the shortage-of-feature-product situation, Warner-First National have definitely set release dates on 12 star pictures, following conferences between Jack Warner, H. M. Warner and Eddie Alperson. S^x pictures vv'ill be re'eased for Jan {Continv.ed on Page 6) 14 0 FEATORES FINISHED; FULL LINEUP TO BE MADE With 14 of its 26 features on its schedule now complete, Universal executives state that the company will deliver all of the 26 features announced for its 1931-32 program. Changes in its product lineup are: "Law and Order" succeeds "Derailed"; "Oh, Promise Me" replaces "Baby Face" and "Gallows" replaces "Man Hunt." N. Y. State Considering Tax on Amusements Albany — Another attempt to tax all amusements, including theaters is expected to be made, with financial experts now considering a system, to meet the state's budget deficit. Similar efforts in previous years were defeated. Radio City Unaffected Work on the Radio City project will carry on regardless of RKO's financial situation, an official of the Rockefeller project told THE FILM DAILY yesterday. He also stated that 'Roxy' has had nothing to do with the RKO management and is confining all his efforts to the construction of that part of Radio City which he is to direct. GEO. DEKRUIF RESIGNS FROM NAT'LTHEA. SUPPLY George De Kruif, vice-president of National Theater Supply Co., has resigned. He is understood to be contemplating formation of a new company in the equipment sales field, backed by a group of equipment manufacturers. De Kruif has been in the theater equipment business for the past 12 years. He became associated with National Theater Supply when Exhibitors Supnly Co. of Chicago was absorbed by it. I. W. Schlessinger Heads South African Merger London (By Cable) — Merger of African Theaters, Ltd. and Kinemas, Ltd. will be effected Jan. 4 concidental with the formation of a new company, African Consolidated Theaters, Ltd., to handle both firms' activities. I. W. Schlessinger will become permanent chairman and managing director of the new or (Continued on Page 6) Outdoor Action Films Will Head Columbia Program Next Year Trans-Lux Company Formed in Michigan Detroit — Entrance of the Trans-Lux movies in this section is forecast by the organization of a Michigan company, Trans-Lux Theaters, headed by Ira E. Cunn, local realtor, who states he has taken over the rights for several nearby jtates. Outdoor action pictures will predominate on Columbia's 1932-33 program, Jack Cohn told The Film Daily yesterday. The lineup will mclude several western "specials," with Buck Jones heading the cast of the first, and the popularity of Jones is to be built up with special exploitation, said Cohn. Action Filed in Baltimore Emphasizes Need of Haste on Proxies With both sides— the RKO organization and the RKO Stockholders' Protective Committee — declaring that receivership for the company, as requested in an application filed in Baltimore Circuit Court yesterday by J. Cookman Boyd, hinges on the ability of RKO to putthrough a refinancing plan at the (Continued on Page 8) RKO EXECUTIVES TAKE VOLUNTARY SALARY CUT Although no general salary cut has been effected, because it is felt that the saving derived from reducing small pay envelopes would not counterbalance the detriment suffered by the company through Impairment of morale, many of the larger salaries of RKO personnel (Continued on Page 6) RKO Protective Group Asks 25% Overhead Cut An alternate plan of refinancing for RKO, embodying a demand for a 25 per cent cut in the company's overhead by Jan. 1, was submitted to B. B. Kahane yesterday by the stockholders' Protective Committee. In sending copy to stockholders, the committee stated that "three weeks' investigation resulted in the conclusion that the present management of RKO has so tied up all assets of the corporation and has otherwise (Continued on Page 8) Film Stocks Dropped $56,407,123 in Nov. stocks of five leading film companies on the Exchange dropped a total of $56,407,123 in market value during November. Paramount declined $15,705,234, RKO $13,686,673, Warner $12,354,368, Loew $7,687,076 and Fox $6,973,772. Since first c( the year the amusement list has fallen about 40 per cent, against a drop of 45 B^r cent in th? market as a whole.