The Film Daily (1935)

uesday, Nov, 19, 1935 DAILY HILLY SUNDAY SHOWS IRAW BIG ATTENDANCE (Continued from Page 1) ere stationed at each theater lortly before opening time to see lat no tickets were sold prior to p.m. as provided by the law. No iolations were reported. Half a dozen neighborhood houses smained closed, with managers deiring to ascertain the attitude of leir patrons before falling in line, buses with stage shows during the eek dropped the flesh portion of le bill for the Sunday performices. Rev. William B. Forney, leader i the fight against Sabbath shows, ad written to independent theaterlen asking them to remain closed l Sundays. The Stanley-Warner circuit operted all of its 61 theaters in the ty. Two downtown first runs, the larle and Fay's arranged their jhedules so stage shows went on lortly after midnight, with a ;raight film policy in effect all Sunay. Pittsburgh theaters are expected > begin Sunday shows next weekid, following certification of the Dte which legalized the move. The Earner group will put 20 houses on le policy, with a total of 45 Warer theaters in the zone to adopt unday shows. Irst Museum Programs Being Released in Jan. Circulation of film programs by le newly founded Museum of Modrn Art Film Library will start in anuary, when the first two prorams will be ready. These prelimlary programs confine themselves hiefly to the American film and ange from the 50-foot kinetoscope f 1895 through the rise of the early lasters like Griffith, Sennett and nee to the big films of the silent ra and leading examples of earlier alkies. )ual Premiere for Disney Subject Walt Disney's newest Silly Symihiny production, "Three Orphan [ittens," will premiere at the Radio 3ity Music Hall on Thursday and .t the Rivoli on Friday. "Splendor" at Rivoli on Friday "Splendor," Samuel Goldwyn proluction for United Artists, with tliriam Hopkins and Joel McCrea, ■pens Friday at the Rivoli. •pe Elissa Landi's Mother Dies Vest Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Countess Caroline 2anardi-Landi, mother of Elissa l.andi, died Sunday of a heart atack. '\ Y Y Y • • • WHEN HE made the decision a year ago to invade the American market in a big way with his GB productions some of his confreres in England told Mark Ostrer, chairman of the board of Gaumont British that he was just plain crazy or words to that effect so while he is here on his survey of the remarkable things accomplished in this first year we made it a point to interview him and found him the shrewdest and sanest crazy man we have ever interviewed • • • THE BIGGER the man, the more approachable and democratic he is that is the hallmark of a Big Man so he talked frankly and freely about all phases of his mammoth interests he had nothing to conceal no embarrassing questions to fight shy of his parent company in England is riding on the crest this subsidiary GB in the United States has exceeded his most optimistic hopes in the first and most crucial year of operation so he talked with the quiet confidence of the keen industrial leader which he is talked of things accomplished as scheduled a year ago and of things planned for the years to come T T T • • • YES, YES we said years to come for here is an industrial leader who accepts the motion picture business as something as stable and solid as any other industry there is no element of gambling in the vast ramifications of his motion picture interests he took over a controlling interest in Baird Television merely to safeguard his huge investments jn theaters and production but he is convinced that television will never threaten the welfare of the motion picture T T ▼ • • • HIS OUTLOOK on all the problems of motion picture entertainment is vastly sane and logical. he has no desire to acquire theaters in this country he thinks it a mistake for American producers to load up on theater abroad ... one good show window in each big continental area is sound business but he personally doesn't even want to own a show window in the United States unless he could supply 40 or more attractions a year and 'he will never produce more than 30 "No producing organization can make more than 30 a year," he states "that is, if they want to make firstline product." ▼ ▼ T • • • HE IS confident that in two more years his GB company will be accepted on a par with every Hollywood producer he anticipated that it would take at least two years to even break in properly over here he has done it in one year he speaks in the highest terms of the grand work done by the entire GB personnel and its executives one Head Man in the business who is more than satisfied with results it's phenomenal he steps up the budget on production designed for the American market recoups negative costs even on those and the U. S. take is all gravy ..no wonder he's satisfied! he is sold 100 per cent on the International Slant in big pictures American players equally popular tin England as here stories with an Anglo-American appeal how can be go wrong? it costs him as much to distribute here as lit does for his mammoth British organization on which he collects handsomely but it's no gamble over here all gravy so Mark Ostrer is content to bide his time for another year or so when he assured us with quiet conviction he expects to collect BIG he is constantly studying, analyzing, learning and putting that knowledge into product that will satisfy both the American and British markets "For there is no essential difference between the two countries," he sums it up Show Business to Mark Ostrer is an Essential Business .... . and he treats it accordingly CANADIAN PACT CUTS FILM, EQUIP'T DUTY (.Continued from Page 1) picture equipment as arc lamps, screens, sound apparatus and equipment parts. It also reduces the levy on films for aerial photography from 15 to 10 per cent. Before the agreement becomes effective, it must be approved by the Dominion Parliament. President Roosevelt's okay suffices under broad powers delegated to him by Congress. Clean Films Helped Biz, la. Allied Exhibs Told Des Moines — "Iowa-Nebraska Allied is willing to co-operate with the National Allied organization though withdrawn from membership, on all national programs for the good of their interests," declared President Leo F. Wolcott at the opening of the Iowa-Nebraska Allied Theater Owners' convention yesterday. He stated that clean pictures have helped Midwest theaters immeasurably during the past year, and that theaters were enabled to make extensive improvements. The Aseap situation, block booking, study of Wisconsin and Ohio laws on play dates, legal steps to correct abuses on tax-free amusement are to be discussed at the main session today. Iowa delegates attended screenings yesterday with Nebraska members arriving today. Attendance is expected to reach 200. Fox and Paramount screening rooms will be run on an all-day schedule for the visitors. Improved financial condition of the Midwest and general increased theater attendance accounted for the better tone of the meeting and much buying of product resulted. Three Iowa and four Nebraska directors are to be elected along with new officers at a business session at the Savery Hotel. As a result of the campaign for cleaner pictures, sex pictures do not produce box-office results, it was the consensus of opinion among Allied men, Wolcott stated. <t « <i » » » K. C. Clearance Suit Waits Kansas City — Independent exhibitors who recently rebelled against the clearance and zoning schedule set up by Fox-Midwest haven't as yet taken any definite legal steps to block the plan. Ed Rolsky, president of the I. T. O. A., says they will not be influenced in any way by the St. Louis decision and that they will know in a few days whether they will go ahead with the threatened suit. Seventh Week for "Dream" Warners' "A Midsummer Night's Dream" begins its seventh week's run at the Hollywood theater on Broadway tomorrow.