The Film Daily (1933)

THE i2^S DAILV Tuesday, April 11, 1933 INDUSTRY LEADERS HOLD FIRST SESSION ON COAST (Continued from Page 1) mittee of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the studio producer representatives met at the M-G-M and Radio studios, giving rise to the belief that these plants will restore full salaries this week. While it has been stated that no further cuts in salaries are contemplated, it is generally believed that, since the aim of the conferences here is to balance expenditures with receipts throughout the industry, the main objective is to bring down production costs, which cannot be accomplished unless the higher salaries are brought into line with the present grossing possibilities of pictures. Eastern executives participating in meetings yesterday included Will H. Hays, Nicholas M. Schenck, Harry M. Warner, Adolph Zukor, R. H. Cochrane, M. H. Aylesworth, Sidney R. Kent, Carl Laemmle, while the studio end was represented by the executives of every plant. I Harry Cohn, detained in New York by illness, is expected tomorrow. Consultations are starting off mildly with "exchanges of views" on various problems. Out of these discussions it is expected to create the basis for concrete recommendations and plans to be put into effect to achieve the desired ends. Hays Makes Report In his report to the annual meeting of the Association of Motion Picf ture Producers last night, Hays set 1 forth the conditions that had brought i about the present emergency. Longterm contracts with high-salaried personnel, temporary declines in the1 ater attendance and the fact that no 1 pictures, however good, can hope to gross the income of normal years. A LITTLE from "LOTS ►// By RALPH IVILK Topcoats s*t Overcoats Made to order to suit the most fastidious. Imported cloths only. Samples on request. Prevailing low prirm g>hntlanb $ $c §>ltntlanii MEN'S TAILORS IS West 45th Street ac**^ New York «*-5^ HOLLYWOOD COX announces that "My Weakness," an original story for the screen by Buddy DeSylva, will be Lilian Harvey's second American film, following completion of "My Lips Betray," with John Boles. * * * Gene Fowler has signed with MG-M to write an original. * * * Nathaniel Finston, head of Paramount musical activities, was guest conductor at the fourth special concert of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. * * * M-G-M has acquired film rights to "La Belle Perkins," a unpublished story by Howard Emmett Rogers and Edgar Allan Woolf. * * * Vina Demar's "A Chance at Heaven" has been bought by RKO. * • * Robert Young has been given a new long-term contract by M-G-M. * * * Theodore von Eltz, Dorothy Libaire, Jane Darwell, Gene Morgan and Lillian Harmer have been added to the cast of "Jennie Gerhardt," which B. P. Schulberg is making for Paramount. * * * Hobe Erwin has been signed as art director for David Selznick at M-G-M. * * * Ann Harding's next for RKO will be the London stage play, "Double Harness." * * * John and Lionel Barrymore, Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, Franchot Tone, Frank Morgan and Ben Lyon will be with Helen Haves in M-G-M's "Night Flight." * * * Fox has assigned Dot Farley and Gertrude Astor to "Warrior's Husband"; Dorothy Peterson and Frank McHugh to "Hold Me Tight"; Frank Atkinson to "My Lips Betray," and Joan Marsh to "It's Great to Be Alive." * * * Helene Chadwick, one of the screen's most popular stars of yesterday, is doing a small but important part in RKO's new Bill Boyd feature, "Emergency Call." have thrown some elements out of adjustment and have called for reorganization and rehabilitation, he declared. "There are signs, on the basis of a recent court decision, that large economies might be possible in distribution costs through proper organization," he said. The country has not too many theaters of the right type, considering the next four or five years of recovery just ahead, Hays stated. Consolidations Coming "We are still pinioned to elaborate and wasteful methods of distribution by antiquated laws that confuse organization with monopoly," Hays said. "Competition of today is neither sound nor in public interest, but endangering capital and investment, encouraging wasteful methods and systems and retarding necessary economies." Cuts to Terminate Official assurance that salary cuts will not be continued after eight weeks was given at the meeting. In keeping with the recent agreement, individual companies will resume full pay when and as, under the formula agreed upon, figures submitted show they are to do so. RKO may announce salary restorations today. Also present at the meeting were: Louis B. Mayer, Winfield Sheehan, Jesse L. Lasky, Al Kaufman, Al Mannix, Emanuel Cohen, Cecil B. De Mille, Joseph M. Schenck, Jack L. Warner, Darryl F. Zanuck, Carl Laemmle, Henry Henigson, Sam Briskin, Abe Lehr, E. H. Allen, Henry Ginsberg and others, besides the J eastern contingent. DAHME STUDIOS EXPAND F. A. Dahme Studios have moved to new and larger quarters at 45 West 45th St. The new location affords ample space for increased production, for the making of titles, trick photography, special effects, screen tests, commercial art and photography, with all work under the personal supervision of F. A. Dahme and John Hans. HANDLING PARA. REAL ESTATE Y. Freeman, who is now in charge of the Publix real estate department, has moved into Sam Dembow's former office in the Paramount Building, with Dembow now occupying quarters in which Sam Katz formerly headquartered. BEN HECHT AT M-G-M West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Ben Hecht has been signed by M-G-M to write and adapt one story. STEFFES IN 5 CITIES Minneapolis — With the reported opening of a house in Chicago, Al Steffes, head of Peoples Theater Co., will be represented in five cities. The others are St. Paul, Detroit, Louisville and this city. WARNER HOUSE REOPENING Steubenville, 0. — Warners' Capitol, largest de luxer in the upper Ohio valley, reopens Saturday after being dark a month. Jack Simmons returns as manager. "M" IN ENGLISH VERSION A dubbed English version of "M" has replaced the original German version at the Mayfair. PUBLIX COLORADO HOUSES MAY REVERT TO OWNERS (Continued from Page 1) Boettchers own the Denver and Paramount here. All houses are expected to revert to owners. Debts of the unit are given as $716,118, with assets of $316,679. Newsreel Censorship Is Terminated in Ohio (Continued from Page 1) trol over reels. They are Maryland and Virginia, and efforts to change the law are under way in both places. Kansas, Pennsylvania and New York do not extend their censorship to newsreels. Hilles Not a Candidate For Paramount Trustee (Continued from Page 1) make no effort to obtain the election which is now scheduled to take place Thursday. Hilles said that the flood of litigation which has been accumulating against the company has substantially receded during the past few days. M-G-M ADDS TWO RELEASES Two more M-G-M features have been dated for release. They are "Accidents Wanted," June 2, and "When Ladies Meet," June 9. This gives the company nine scheduled releases between now and June 9. SELETTE TO UTICA POST Chelsea, Mass. — Eddie Selette, lately managing the Broadway here for Publix, has rejoined the Morse and Rothenberg circuit and will have charge of the Colonial, Utica, N. Y. WELLMAN LOANED TO M-G-M West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Director William Wellman has been loaned by Warners to M-G-M for one picture. The arrangement expires June 18. COLMAN, DRESSLER HONORED "Picturegoer," a leading English fan weekly, has presented its annual Award of Merit to Ronald Colman in "Arrowsmith" and Marie Dressier in "Emma." MORRIS BERKOWITZ ILL Cleveland — Morris Berkowitz of the Stotter, Klinger Berkowitz circuit is confined to his home by illness. Four Hours' Sleep West Coast Bur., THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Phil Harris is the busiest man in Hollywood. He is on the "Maiden Cruise" set from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., then rushes to the Cocoanut Grove, where he leads the orchestra and warbles over the radio until 1 :30 a.m. This is followed by a combination dinner and breakfast. He then retires at 3 a.m., arises at 7 a.m. to make-up and be on the set again at 9 a.m.