The Film Daily (1935)

THE ZANUCK ELIMINATES SUPERVISOR POSTS (Continued from Page 1) E. Goetz, as executive assistant to Zanuck. Sol M. Wurtzel, who for 16 years has presided over the Western Avenue studio, retains his position as executive producer of the pictures to be made there. Serving as associate producers at the Westwood Hills studio are: Nunnally Johnson, recently promoted from the writing ranks; Raymond Griffith, who was associate producer for 20th Century previous to the merger with Fox; Kenneth Macgowan, who made "Little Women" and "Becky Sharp" at RKO; B. G. "Buddy" DeSylva, now bringing to the screen "The Littlest Rebel," which stars Shirley Temple; Henry Duffy, stage producer, and Bogart Rogers, former scenario editor and author of numerous screen and magazine stories. Directly under Wurtzel as associate producers are John Stone and Edward T. Lowe. Other executives in the Zanuck cabinet are: J. J. Gain, studio manager; Julian Johnson, Story Editor, William B. Dover, personnel manager; Fred Metzler, studio treasurer; Edward Ebele, production manager; William Darling, art director and Lew Schreiber, casting director. San Francisco Squibs San Francisco — Eleven Gold State theaters under the management of Bob McNeil have inaugurated a new telephone system whereby patrons may obtain any information about schedules, showing of pictures, etc., by calling one number. May Robson opens in her new play, "Kind Lady", at the Curran on Oct. 14, when Henry Duffy brings "Anything Goes" to the Geary. Legit business is having a boom here. M-G-M's "China Seas" moved to the St. Francis after breaking records at the Warfield, With Joan Crawford in "I Live My Life" opening at the latter house. RKO's "Top Hat", forced out of another week at the Golden Gate due to congestion of pictures, reopens the Embassy, which Herman Cohen is managing. Local Church groups, who have bitterly attacked films, got themselves in Dutch this week by demanding the personal appearance of either Mary Pickford, Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer or Shirley Temple at the 400th anniversary celebration of the Bible, and refusing to accept another film personality when informed that studio schedules did not permit any of these players to come here. Movie folk here plan a big luncheon for Howard Estabrook, Hollywood writer, at a later date. DAILY Friday, Oct. 4, 1V^ v0tvi ^PHILMMLY 91M V ■ . \.y*t • • • LOOKS AS if the Hal Roach organization is definitely stepping linto the feature field but still placing their main emphasis on the well known brand of Hal Roach shorts Hal now has three features on the schedule Jimmy Savo in "Alone, Alas" Patsy Kelly in "Kelly the Second" and Laurel and Hardy in "Bohemia Girl" • • • AND WHY not? an organization that has been producing feature shorts for years certainly ought to be capable of producing features all that Hal needs to add to his successful formula is more film and more bankroll and, ergo he should have some bang-up feature pi-oduct for the box-office . T T T • • • IT WAS no longer ago than January 29, 1935 that we predicted in this kolyum the imminent rise of that grand comedienne Patsy Kelly and, lookit al ready Hal is elevating her to stardom in a feature she has been given a seven-year contract by Hal's General Manager, Henry Ginsberg this development marks the Roach studio as the only one in the industry exclusively devoted to a combo of short and feature comedies • • ©HERE IS one of the best balanced executive partnerships in the biz Hal Roach and Henry Ginsberg to enumerate Hal's gifts would make us appear silly to you who have known his record all these years Henry has been more or less in the background doing the administrative work and doing it with splendid efficiency he has a sane, balanced outlook on the entire picture setup and the new policy of the Roach organization featuring features and shorts that bring the smiles and chuckles is a development that the industry can use to box-office advantage • • • ALL HANDS were glad they came to the AMPA luncheon to hear that advertising authority, Bruce Barton, speak he started off by noting that only a few short years ago titles of pictures were worse than the pictures, but that the advertising of those pictures was worse than the titles therefore the marvellous improvement in newspaper picture advertising now current was to Mister Barton a matter for admiring amazement at which all the ad men present automatically half-rose to their feet to take the bow pressageys are so self-conscious, don't you think (some of them overlooked the fact that they were the guys who were turning out the lousy ads several years ago) T ▼ T • • • THE GUEST speaker noted among other matters that the advertising fraternity should feel grateful for that the home office lads were in a stimulating environment like New York where they brush elbows with all the vital forces of the day and are not functioning in the stultified atmosphere of Hollywood and that the industry has discovered with a keener perception than that of any other industry the Greatest Commercial Market the Mass Mind • • • THE LIGHTER side of the luncheon included Molly Picon, who gave us "The Song of the Tenement" a verycolorful recital John Cecil Holm, who talked engagingly on his comedy smash, "Three Men On A Horse" Bob Murphy, now at Loew's State, who was lin his usual grand comedy form he said that the guest of honor Mister Barton, had once written a book about a pal his agent the book is titled "The Man Nobody Knows" a fine serious and constructive note was sounded by George Hecht, publisher of "Parents' Magazine « €4 « » » » INDICTMENTS SEEN IN FOX MET. PROBE (Continued from I'mic 1) W. Garsson, director of the investigation. Garsson expects that the committee's disclosures may lead to indictments. I. Alfred Levy, special counsel to the Sabath Committee in connection with the Fox Met. probe, has discussed several phases of the investigation with Federal Judge Julian W. Mack and will take up the matter more extensively with him, Garsson said. Judge Mack has had chaige of the Fox Met. receivership and reorganization proceedings for several years. After first being informed of the line of the Sabath Committee's investigation, Judge Mack requested that the new directors of the reorganized company present their resignations to him, so that he might use them if he believed it advisable to do so. Judge Mack now has these resignations. Virginia Notes Richmond — Charles Hulbert is being transferred from the Strand to the Lee, new house being added to the Wilmer & Vincent circuit and scheduled for opening about the middle of the month. Harold Lucas of Winchester has succeeded Victor Rich as assistant manager of Warners' Capitol there. Rich has been promoted and transferred to Waynesboro, Pa. Stanley Barr is manager of the Capitol. Edwin S. Reid, head of the censor division, is credited with having been instrumental in the recent building and opening of several new houses in the state. He pointed out the lack and need of theaters in a number of places which he visited on a tour some time ago. Houses have been built lately in Hillsville, Galax, Martinsville, Lynchburg, Norfolk and Richmond. E. A. Branscome of Galax is listed as president of Hillsville Theater, Tnc, a $15,000 corporation just chartered. Pacific Northwest Notes Seattle — Lease of the Broadway theater at 906 E. Madison St. has been taken by A. L. Ritts, H. L. Doepke and C. V. Henry. "Broadway Melody of 1936" has been held over at the United Artists of Portland for a second week. With Charles Murray, Lila Lee, Lee Shumway and others portraying the leading roles, the Freeman Lang Studios are producing "Home of the Wooden Soldiers" for the red cedar shingle manufacturers of the Pacific Northwest. Premiere of the picture is planned for the San Diego Fair in November. Bruce Mitchell is directing the film. Vivian Lakeburg, formerly of the Egyptian, has been selected to preside over the box-office at the reopened Neptune. Doris Casebere has been appointed head usher.