The Film Daily (1932)

DAILY Wednesday, April 20, 1932 URGES REVISION DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM (CoitliinierJ from Paiic 1 ) lowing his talk at the Milton Kusell luncheon at which he declared that there are too many weaknesses in the current formula and "new methods are needed." Liclitnian puinted out that tlic )m np.iscil system would prove advantageous to both exhibitors and distributors. Take for exainple. he said, a city in which four theaters are involved. I^et one Class .\ house take the best jiroduct of all distributois and run it exclusively at the situition's top admission scale. Divide the rest of the j^eneral i>rrtiiuct anions the other houses, to be played at substatttially lower admission prices, he suyjgested. TTe took coiinizance of the fact that such a plan would Invc to be worked out by distributors indi\'idualb with exhibitors, as leKal rocks would show themselves if distributors acte<l in cmiocrt i)i effecting such a system. Judg^e Rules Propaganda Is Worse Than Violence "A black.jack applied to a workerV skull may in the long run be less serious than picketing conducted with misleading signs, false statements and publicity, veiled threats by words and acts, and insidious propaganda," declared Justice Steinbrink of Brooklyn Supreme Court ir enjoining Local 306, operators' union. from picketing the Springer-Cocalis theaters, which are using pro.iectionists from the Empire State Union. SELZER ADDING DUTIES Ed Selzer of the Warner publicity department will add the duties of George Bilson to his own when thr latter leaves this week to take up a new post on the coast. COMING & GOING CHARLES MURRAY leaves New York totnorrow for Muncie, Ind., to attend a family reunion. LEE A. OCHS is on vacation in Battle Creek, Mich. HARRY MILLSTEIN, Universal short subject manaRcr, has returned to New York after visits to Boston, New Haven and Al bany. ANNA STEN, Russian actress signed bv Samuel Goldwyn, leaves tomorrow for the coast. LYDA ROBERTI left yesterday for the coast to work at the Paramount studios. She also will play in Sam Goldwyn's Eddie Cantor vehicle. IRVING MEir,IKKN, secretary and Renrral manaRcr of the Tec Art studios. Holly wood, leaves for the coast today to start pr(jduction on several independent productions. TOM KEENE, RKO Radio Piclures' western star, has arrived in New York for a short vacation following the completion of his latest feature, "Sunrise Trail." CHARLES BROOKHEIM, Far East representative for Universal, arrived yesterday in New York on his firiit vacation in five years. He has a leave of absence for four months. which he will divide between the home office in consultation with N. L. Manheini. export manager, and Universal City. ZITA JOHANN. Broadway staee star recently signed by RKO Radio Pictures, left last night for Hollywood. She will be loaned to First National for "Tiger Shark" before starting her first film for Radio. A LITTLE from "LOTS" Bv RALPH WILK HOLLYWOOD TWALTER FUTTER, producer of ^ John P. Medbury's "Travelaughs," declares hearty laughers are usually trustworthy and that explosive loud laughers are just bluffers. Futter states that big hearted people laugh very rarely, but when they do, their eyes, lips and yes — even their ears smile. * * * A''. Brewster Morse, scenarist, will return from New York next week to resume work. Morse left recently upon the sadden death of his father, Tenhroeck Morse, who for many years had been active vice-president of Tiffany, Inc., jewelers. * * * Irving Cummings has returned, as a director, to the studio he left 13 years ago as a leading man. He will direct "The Countess of Auburn," an original by Malcolm Stupi't Boylan and Harvey H. Gates. for Paramount. In 1919 he was undei contract to Paramount-Artcraft. his last picture for the old company being "The Tree of Knowledge," directed by William C. deMille. * * * Ned Schnkler, foriner Brooklyn exhibitor, has resigned as an associated producer for Allied Prods., due fn ill health. * * * Our Passing Show: Edward G. Robinson, Groucho Marx, Irving Pichel, Ann Harding, Josef von Sternberg, Janet Gaynor, Marlene Tiietrich, Paul Sloane, Al Lewin. Sheridan Gibney, Richard Wallace. Leonard Spigelgas, Boris Ingster Allen Rivkin. Bernard SchubTt at the Yehudi Menuhin recital; Grover Jones and Victor Milner discussing yachts. * * * Lester Cole, a new addition to the Paramount scenario staff, is writing f^he screen play and dialogue for "Farewell to Arms." * ♦ * Lorettn Young, now at work in "Week End Marriage,'* in which she is to be co-featured with Norman Foster, has been chosen to play the principal role in "Woman's Day," recently purchased by First National. She will be featured alone in this picture. Others in the cast will include Aline MacMahon, Frank McHugh, Vivienne Osborne and Sheila Terry. * * * "Radio Patrol," by Allen Rivkin and P. J. Wolfson, has been completed at Universal. Most of its players are taking vacations. Russell Hopton and Andy Devine left immediately on a motor trip to the Grand Canyon. They have to be back in ten days to go into the cast of "Brown of Culver," which William Wyler has just placed in production. Lila Lee is vacationing in Palm Springs. June Clyde had to hop over to the "Back Street" set, where she plays an important role in support of Irene Dunne and John Boles. * * * Betty Grable has been added to the cast of RKO-Radio's "Hold 'Em Jail," which has Wheeler and Wool sey as headliners. * * ♦ Niven Bush, Erwin Gelsey and Doug Fairbanks, Jr., who between them have been at work for three weeks on a screen adaptation of "Revolt," which is to be the latter's next picture, have completed the script, and it is expected that the picture will enter production during the week of May 2. William Die terle will direct. * * * "State's Attorney," starring John Barrymore, has been completed at the RKO-Radio Pictures' studio George Archainbaud directed the production, which provided employment for 7rwre than 700 players Helen Twelvetrees supported the star, with Jill Esmond, William Boyd, Mary Duncan, Raul Roulien Oscar Apfel, Ralph Ince and C Henry Gordon cast in. important roles. ATTENDING POLISH PREMIERE Pola Negri. Lyda Roberti. Gildp Grav. lenace Paderewski. Richarr' Boleslpvsky and other Polish notables will attend tonight's Amerifar nremiere of "The Condemned." first Polish talker, at the Vanderbilt. HOUSE OKAYS STENCH Bn,L Providence — The bill providing heavy penalties for persons who set off stench bombs in places of publif assembly has been passed by the State House of Representatives in concurrence with the Senate. 'FRTSCO PRESS CHANGES San Francisco — Arvid Erickson. for the last four years press agent »t the Golden Gate, has resitrned He is succeeded by Frank Vovcv heretofore of the RKO publicity staff. CANTATA RECORDED BY RCA A performance of Arnold Schoenberg's much discussed cantata "Gurre-Lieder." directed bv L<>or>olH Stokowski with the Philadelphia Orchestra, a mixed chorus of 428 singers and six prominent soloists, was '•ecorded in its entirety by the RCA Victor Co. during the American nremiere of the work in Philadelnhia. CHURCHES FIGHT SUN. VOTE Baltimore — Churches are making ^ hot fight against the Sundav blup law repealer to be votpd on May 2 Calls to the closed Sundav forces were issued from a score of nulpits Sundav, and indications point to a fight to the finish, on both sides. ALLIED WILLING TO USE 5-5-5 PACT NEXT SEASON (.Continued from Page 1) which does not permit drafting of a new contract. Before the 1933-34 season, however, the national exhibitor organization wants a new deal. Similar attitude has been expressed by the M. P. T. 0. A. Censorship is Scored By Y.M.C.A. Official Declaring that "censorship as generally understood by the public is idiotic," and that he had "followed the same picture through five differerent censorship boards and no two of them agreed in their findings," George J. Zehrung, director of the motion picture bureau of the Y.M.C.A., urged the abolition of state censors in an address before the Federation of Women's Clubs. Zehrung urged the delegates to ask religious leaders in their communities to include information about films in their sermons. He added that when churches start buying pictures in quantities, the film industry will be ten steps ahead of them in providing the type of film they want. ERPI gave a showing of educational films at the confer ence. W.B.-F.N. SALES DRIVE STARTS R. F. Cloud, Warner-First National branch manager in Cincinnati opened his campaign for the $.500 first prize in his company's "District Managers Testimonial Drive" with a special folder announcing the inauguration of a Tenth Anniversary Drive by the branch which will run concurrently with the national ^,ales drive, April 17 to May 28. ANOTHER PLAINFIELD ARREST Plainfield. N. J. — Continuing its war against Sunday shows here, au■^horities arrested Arthur Major, ictirg manager for the day of the Paramount, Oxford and Strand. He was charged with violating the state vice and immorality act and will be held Avith 10 previously arrested managers for the May grand jury. MARGARET LECZER MARRIED Margaret Leczer, secretary to W. F. Rodgers, Eastern division sales manager for M-G-M, and William Blaha, Jr., were recently married. New Incorporations NEW YORK CHARTERS Southland Pictures Corp.; P. H. Sullivan. 285 Madison Ave., New York. $10,000. Crockford's, amusements; P. E. Donlin, 72 Wall St., New York. $100,000. Hoobally Enterprises, theatrical business; .1. A. .Licobs, 140 West 42nd St., New York. 200 shares common.