The Film Daily (1932)

Tuesday, August 2, 1932 DAILY WARNER M. J. HOUSES DROP GIVEAWAYS AND TIEUPS (Continued from Page 1) cuit's houses in his territory. Straight from the shoulder showmanship methods will be employed in their place, Kalmine says. "Giveaways and similar exploitation stunts are seasonal just like games at an amusement resort, particularly during the summer and shortage of good product," Kalmine states, "But now we have pictures of the type that we can sell without outside inducements, so we are going to concentrate on selling pictures." LEE TRACY GETS ROLE West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Lee Tracy has been picked for the principal part in "Washington Merry Go Round," which James Cruze will direct for Columbia. SIGNED FOR F. & M. TOUR West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Three of Mack Sennett's comics have been signed by Fanchon and Marco to make personal appearances in the "Hollywood Comedians" unit opening at Loew's State, Los Angeles, Aug. 5. They are Ben Turpin, Walter Hiers and Snub Pollard. Teddy Joyce, master of ceremonies recently brought west by Warners to appear in "Crooner," will head the unit. ESSANESS ADDS HOUSE Chicago — The deal whereby Essaness Theaters Corp. takes over operation of the American, West End house, has been consummated. It is probable a straight picture policy will be adopted, and that Herman Jansen will manage the house. NEW CANTON FIRST-RUN Canton, 0. — Botzum's Strand, managed by Joe Calla, has gone first-run, at least temporarily. Closing of the Warner Palace, leaving the city with only two first run houses, is said to have prompted the move. 200Page Campaign Book In connection with RKO'S Greater Show Season, Aug. 12-Sept. 15, a special 200-page campaign book has been prepared under the direction of Robert F. Sisk and Terry Turner and is now being distributed to the theaters. The book covers the whole field of exploitation plans and ideas, and contains messages from VicePresident Curtis and other prominent government officials who have endorsed the Greater Show Season as an important stimulus to business recovery. The company also is putting out five trailers with: Ricardo Cortez, Rosco Ates, Dolores Del Rio, Joel McCrea and Richard Dix. Prints are now being shipped to the various RKO branches. Critics' Forum (Continued from Page 1) WALTER D. HICKMAN, Indianapolis, "Times"; "Director, because he can cure ills." DENNIS R. SMITH, Canton, 0., "Repository": "If only one is to have genius, let it be the director." GEORGE W. WITTING, San Antonio "Express": "Even good actors require good direction and good material. ELINOR L. HUGHES, Boston "Herald": "Best films mean complete co-operation from all three." W. E. MARTIN, Buffalo "Courier-Express": "First the story, then players and director — stories make stars, not vice versa." DEAN WILDE, St. Joseph, Mo., "Gazette": "It's the director who can ruin a good story, or win with a poor one." RICHARD L. CAPELL, Council Bluffs, la., "Nonpareil": "Director— then players." L. RIGGS. Decatur, III., "Herald and Review": "The director, by all means." LOUISE MACE, Springfield, Mass., "Republican": "Director. But he must know author's aim, fully." PETTERSEN MARZONI, Birmingham "News and Herald-Age": "Director and writer — players are secondary except at box-office." GENEVIEVE HARRIS, Chicago, "Evening Post": "The director. The players and story are usually at his mercy." Fanchon-Marco Producing More Tabloid Musicals West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Following the condensed stage version of "The Desert Song," now playing coast houses, Fanchon and Marco has obtained rights to produce tabloid versions of several more stage musical successes. Next to go out will be "Irene," with Dale Winter and Bobby Watson heading the cast. Entire troupe will number about 60 and the performance will run about an hour and a half. PARIS STUDIO FOR CHIDNOFF Irving Chidnoff, photographer, is leaving next month for Paris, where he contemplates opening a studio. REVUE OPENING AT ALBEE National Opportunity Contest Revue, which Bobby Connolly will produce for RKO, will open at the Albee, Brooklyn, in September and subsequently play 33 RKO houses in towns in which its participants were selected in local opportunity contests. OLYMPICS SHORT BOOKED Coincident with the opening of the Olympic Games in Los Angelei and the premiere of "Doctor X" tomorrow, at the New York Strand, the theater is taking advantage of the current interest in the Olympics by showing a special "Olympics" short produced by Vitaphone in its series of "Ted Husing Sport Slants." Husing pictures several Olympic champions in a variety of sports, giving detailed explanations of the quadrennial games. BIG 4 TO START NEW LINEUP West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — First two productions on the Big 4 lineup for 1932-33 will be ready for the cameras next week, says John R. Freuler, who is here for conferences with Supervisor Burton King. Spanish Talker Studio Planned in Buenos Aires Erection of a modern film city near Buenos Aires, Argentine, for the making of Spanlsn talking and silent pictures is planned by Argos, a newly formed company in that city, according to S. A. Kosarin, film importer of Buenos Aires and technical director of the new venture, who is at present in New York to arrange for RCA sound system and other equipment for the studio, as well as for construction work. TRADE DEFINITELY ON UP, SAYS HAROLD B.FRANKLIN (Continued from Page 1) help restore public confiaence in entertainment in general. . . .and RKO theaters in particular. Our theaters must reflect a new progressive spirit . . . .The way we present our entertainment. . . .and the way we advertise, can bring further credit to the entertainment industry. . . .With our close contact with the public. . . .we who operate theaters can serve as ambassadors of Good Cheer." Collecting Data to Prove One-Man-in-Booth is Safe (Continued from Page 1) than in those which employ extra operators. Union pressure in behalf of two-men-in-the-booth policies has stressed greater possibilities of fires in instances where a single operator is on duty. Through National Secretary M. J. O'Toole, the M. P. T. 0. A. is communicating with the S. M. P. E., the National Fire Underwriters' Society and the National Fire Pre vention Ass'n. TO OPEN AT CHICAGO Chicago — The New Portage, now owned by the G. C. S. Circuit, located at Milwaukee, Irving Park and Cicero Aves., will reopen in the near future following improvements. LAST w I20 MILLION/ ARE WAITING TO TEE THIf HUNAN DOCUMENT