The Film Daily (1935)

THE ■c&H DAILY Friday, Dec. 20, 1935 GETS JURY VERDICT IN ANTI-TRUST CASE (Continued from Page 1) in 1928 because of suspended service, and asked $150,000, triple damages and costs. The verdict is subject to the ruling on the motion for a direct acquittal made by defense counsel earlier in the trial. Judge Nelson McVicar has the motion under advisement and will act on it within a week, Film Daily learned. Should the judge rule against the defendants, the case will be appealed in the U. S. Circuit Court in Philadelphia. The jurors argued for several hours Wednesday before the verdict was reached. No award was expected, however, as most of the testimony and Judge McVicar's one-hour charge to the jury was deemed favorable for the defendants. Defendants against whom the award was made are: M-G-M, Columbia, Universal, Warner, Fox, United Artists and RKO. Counsel for Friedman included Leonard H. Krieger and Aaron M. Jaffe. The defendants are represented by Reed, Smith, Shaw & McClay, with J. H. Beale, Jr., in charge, and Ed Rafferty and Martyn Silverman of New York. J. P. Kennedy to Testify Before Sabath Committee (Continued from Page 1) faults concerning operations of Pathe and RKO, it was said yesterday by Murray W. Garsson, director of investigation for the committee. Garsson said decision had not been made on whether the Kennedy hearing would be open to the press or closed. Austin C. Keough testified yesterday before the Sabath Committee and will be examined further at 2 p.m. today. John E. Otterson and other Paramount officials are slated to be called next week. A LITTLE from "LOTS" By RALPH WILK San Antonio Notes San Antonio — The State is closed for renovation. In the meantime, Manager 0. B. Thomas and his mother are in Florida for a little rest. The theater is to reopen Christmas Day. Henry W. Hall of Hall Industries has opened his New Rio, Beeville. His other house there, the Rialto, recently damaged by fire, will soon be rebuilt. Visitors: George Schaefer, former vice-president of Paramount, "Sonny" Lockhart, film booker for the Griffith theaters, Dallas; Jack Dugger, Paramount district manager from Dallas, and Wanda H. Hall, Kerrville. HOLLYWOOD A/fAURICE CONN is producing X¥X "Black Gold," based on Peter B. Kyne's story. Russell Hopton is directing and the cast includes Frankie Darro, Roy Mason, Berton Churchill, Gloria Shea, Stanley Fields, Frank Shannon, Dewey Robinson, George Cleveland and Snowflake. T T ▼ "Cab" Calloway and his band have been set in Al Jolson's "The Singing Kid," at Warner Bros. Walter Meyers set the deal for Irving Mills, who represents the band. v ▼ ▼ Harry Sherman's fourth "Hopalong Cassidy" story, co-featuring William Boyd and Jimmy Ellison, is in production, with Howard Bretherton directing. It is titled "Outcast of Twin River" and was adapted by Doris Schroeder, who wrote the screenplay with Vernon Smith. ▼ ▼ ▼ On her arrival in Hollywood from a month's vacation in New York, Columbia presented Jean Arthur with a handsome Christmas gift in the shape of the feminine lead opposite Gary Cooper in the Frank Capra production, "Opera Hat." Jean Dixon and Lionel Stander already have been signed for this feature, which went into production this week. ▼ ▼ ▼ When Clark Gable takes off for his South American hunting trip next fall, Director Clarence Brown will be at the controls of his plane. Gable and Brown have been arranging their schedule between shots of Hunt Stromberg's "Wife vs. Secretary," in which Brown is directing Gable, Jean Harlow and Myrna Loy. V T T W. P. Lipscomb, English authorplaywright-scenarist, continues to add the names of impressive productions to his list of efforts since coming to Hollywood approximately one year ago. Recently he completed the screenplay for "A Message to Garcia," followed by "Under Two Flags", both 20th Century-Fox pictures. Over 200 unemployed "white collar workers" were recently used by Clarence Brown in office scenes for "Wife vs. Secretary," which Brown is directing for M-G-M. At the suggestion of the Metro director, these people were selected. Brown recently completed the direction of "Ah, Wilderness." T ▼ V H. Bruce Humberstone is taking keen pride in showing the complimentary letter written him by associate producer John Considine, Jr., for his direction of M-G-M's "Three Live Ghosts," and for bringing the picture in four days under schedule. Pittsburgh Patter Pittsburgh — Ira Cohn, 20th Century-Fox exchange head here, and his wife left for New York where they are sailing on a 15-day cruise to Havana and Panama. Sam Galanty and Charles Shulman have returned to Washington after brief stays here. Harry Kalmine, Warner zone manager, is back from New York and Philadelphia. The old Showalter Theater in Latrobe was destroyed by fire Tuesday night. The Penn gets Charlie Chaplin's new picture, "Modern Times," early February. Seattle Sidelights Collect 50,000 Toys for Kids Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Warner houses in this territory collected more than 50,000 toys in special matinees for kids. Gifts will be distributed to poor children at Christmas by charitable organizations. Plans Spanish Feature Here Emanuel Piza, concert master at the Hotel Plaza, is planning to produce a Spanish feature at the Eastern Service Studios. Picture may be released in Latin American countries through M-G-M. Seattle — Frank Newman, Sr., and John Hamrick, now associated in numerous first-run houses, went to Portland this week to meet and confer with J. J. Sullivan and Spyros and Charles Skouras, visiting there. Fond farewell was bid to W. L. Fenney, Tacoma movie house manager, as he left Tacoma for a visit to relatives in eastern Washington, following which he is coming to Seattle with the Jensen & Von Herberg interests. Under the new John Hamrick ownership, the Roxy of Tacoma will in company with the three other Hamrick houses in that city present first-run showings. Princess at "Scrappy" Party Princess Alexandra Kropotkin, writer and columnist, will head the list of distinguished personalities who will be the guests of Scrappy at Scrappy's Christmas Party today at the Hospital for Joint Diseases. Harry Hershfield will officiate as master of ceremonies in the role of Santa Claus. Jannings Film Holding Over "The Making of a King," German film starring Emil Jannings, is being held over for an indefinite run at the Bijou Theater. The picture has English subtitles. PARA. STUDIO ACTIVITY HITS DECEMBER PEAK West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Heaviest December schedule in the history of the Paramount studios is currently under way, with about 20 features in various stages of activity. Among films in work are "Give Us This Night", "Woman Trap", "Sky Parade", "Timothy's Quest", "Thirteen Hours by Air", "Klondike Lou", "Desire" and "Preview". Productions being edited include "It's a Great Life", "Rose of the Rancho", "Drift Fence", "The Milky Way" and "Anything Goes". In preparation are "Desert Gold", "Invitation to Happiness" and "Rhythm on the Range". Charles Segall Heads New Philly Exhibitor Unit (Continued from Page 1) O'Rourke, member of the I.E.P.A. O'Rourke and Harry Fried (I. E. P. A.) were named vice-presidents. David Milgrim (I. E. P. A.) was elected treasurer, defeating Marcus Benn (M. P. T. O.) George P. Aarons (M. P. T. O.) was designated secretary. Composing the board of managers will be: Morris Wax, chairman; Bill Butler, Columbus Stamper, Herb Elliott, David Barrist, Ray O'Rourke, Lee Posel, David Shapiro, Samuel Somerson and Ray Schwartz, all of the I. E. P. A.; and Mike Lessy, Abe Soblosky, Luke Gring, Millon Rogasner, Ben Furtel, George Gravenstine, Joseph Conway, Ed Jeffries and Harold D. Cohen, all of the M.P.T.O. The new group voted to allow affiliated theaters to join it without any qualifications or restrictions or restraint on the membership. Whether Stanley-Warner would join was not known up until last night but the expectation was that this circuit will become a member of the new organization. Although it was not known whether the I.E.P.A., as a separate association, will disband, it is believed that the M.P.T.O. will continue to function on its own. St. Louis Squibs St. Louis — Leto Hill, general manager of St. Louis Amusement Co., is back from New York, where he conferred with Warner officials. Byron F. (Dinty) Moore, zone manager for Warners, is on a New York business trip. Chief of Police John J. McCarthy endorsed "Show Them No Mercy", playing at the Ambassador. John Inskeep has joined the local staff of Photoplay Advertising Co., exchanging posts with Al Saxelin, who was transferred to Chicago. Dr. R. E. Stone has taken over the Grand, East St. Louis, 111. The Rex, formei-ly the Academy, Ironton, Mo., is now under the management of George Karsh, who is remodeling it for an early reopening.