The Film Daily (1933)

Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Now Fifteen Years Old VOL. I XI. NO. 2 nov yocr, Wednesday, January -4, 1933 ► CENTS Studios9 Courage in 1932 Lauded by Fred Meyer REEL STANDARDIZATION WILL SAVE LARGE SUMS Amusement Stocks Dropped 30 Per Cent in 1932 Majority of Issues Show Losses for Year — Bond List Hard Hit Amusement stocks wound up the year 1932 more than 30 per cent under the previous year. There was a scattering of small gains in the less active stock, but the major issues for the most part showed substantial losses. An exception was the new RKO stock, which held a fair share of its gain from the low established just after it came out (Continued on Page 6) FILM COMPLifS NIL, SAYS BUSINESS BUREAU Complaints to the Better Business Bureau of New York, Inc., concerning fraudulent film company stock cases are practically nil, it was declared yesterday by William V. Collis, in charge of the bureau's financial department. Collis said television enterprises have now succeeded film projects as the subject (Continued on Page 6) Ontario Police Probing Terrorism i Theaters Toronto — Following . e outbreaks against certain theater owners in the last 10 days, Ontario police are conducting a special investigation. Oscar Hanson, director of Associated Theaters and manager of Allied Theater Owners of Ontario, says a mild condition of terrorism has existed here for a long time, but recently it has become extreme, with exhibitors being pestered by phone calls and stopped on the streets by men demanding that they "get in line or get the works." 1932 "Ten Best" Poll Breaks 5 Records Five records have been broken by The Film Daily's 1932 poll of the year's Ten Best Pictures. New high total was set for critics voting. New high vote for the picture leading the list. New high number of winners for a single company. New high total votes for all the winning ten. And new high in number of votes by which the first picture on the list is leading the runner-up. Tabulation of all details will be finished in a few days. Official story will come out next week. No Collusion Between Film Companies, Kent Testifies at Quittner Hearing Evidence tending to show that during his period as vice-president in charge of distribution Paramount did not work collusively with other film companies in the planning of production schedules, building of theaters and exchange of sales information was given by Sidney R. Kent at yesterday's session of the J. P. Quittner case against Paramount in the Federal Court, New York. Paramount never threatened to build a theater in opposition to the Middletown theater, operated by Quittner, if Quittner did not buy its pictures, Kent testified. He denied that he had ever advised Sam Katz, then in charge of Publix theaters, of product deals made by Paramount with other circuits. Judge excluded as evidence activities of Paramount prior to 1929, when Quittner entered the business, and also declined to consider as evidence the Thatcher decrees finding illegal compulsory arbitration and the old credit system. Case will be resumed this morning. Bombers Get 1 to 10 Years Milwaukee — Terms of one to 10 years each in Waupun penitentiary were ordered for Leslie and John Charles Jacques, confessed bombers of the Parkway, neighborhood house. Hearing Set for Monday In Para.-Dietrich Suit West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Hearing of Paramount's $182,850 damage suit against Marlene Dietrich, charging breach of contract in refusing to go through with her role in "Song of Songs," is set for Monday in Fed(Continued on Page 7) Trying 1-Hour Symphony With Roadshow Pictures Denver — Under a cooperative deal with the musicians' union. Louis Hellborn plans an innovation at the Broadway starting Jan. 9, when he will present an hour's program by a 35-piece symphony orchestra in connection with "Maedchen in Uni(Continued on Page 7) Major Film Companies in Accord with Academy's Uniform Reel Plan A total savings for producers and distributors of several hundred thousands a year is predicted as a result of the standardization of reel lengths to 1,700 feet now being effected under the sponsorship of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. A report covering in detail the new departure has been prepared and will be discussed by Lester Cowan, executive secretary, (Continued on Page 6) ONLY FOMM STAGE IN 20 BEST B. 0. FILMS Out of 20 features released during the calendar year 1932 and which according to exhibitor reports can be listed as outstanding money getters, only four are based on stage plays, it is indicated by a checkup made yesterday by The Film Daily. Thirteen of the pictures described as successes were based on original stories. MPTO Head Lauds Studios For Maintaining Productions Milwaukee — A salute of appreciation to the Hollywood studios, for their courage and industry in continuing to turn out product at the same pace as last year despite fewer open theaters and smaller audiences, is contained in the New Year statement of Fred S. Meyer, president of the M.P.T.O. of Wisconsin and 1 The Film Daily Year Book is used by Everyone in the Industry. — Advt. Upper Michigan. Meyer says in "During the put six months iium men hi in our iniliisirv have attempted ur economic future. The teriotlf condition in which we find oureelvei todaj indicates that the nrxt year will he .i yc.tr "f reconatructioii. The met! ■ .or DO l"iu:ci applicable* Thi till tlir story. As wr HUM t" \ iew i i help hut .I'ltniic the Ol the I ite un ur conditi ued to PKODUI B When there .s no demand in ••tinned on Page 6) 33 Pacific N. W. Houses Operating Under Receiver Seattle — Pacific Northwest Theaters, Inc., operating 33 houses in Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Wenatchee, Yakima, Bellingham and Olym pia, has consented to a r hip. The Federal Court has appointed Newman and Don L. Graham, counsel for the corporation, to act as receivers. Newman says the properties are valued at f 6,000,000. Houses will remain open. Jack Pickford Dies Peris — J.ick Pickford. brother of Miry Pickford and former film ictor. died in the American Hospital here yesterday after a long illness. Pickford, who was 36 years old, suffered a breakdown Oct. M and had been in the hospital since.