The Film Daily (1936)

THE ■%m DAILY Thursday, Jan. 2, 1936 CLAIMS PHILLY MPTO NOT MERGED WITH IEPA (Continued from Page 1) few members joined hands with certain members of the I. E. P. A." "The M. P. T. 0. of Eastern Pa. is still in business and will continue to stay in business," asserted Pizor. Pizor said that the exhibitor meeting held here Dec. 19, last, "was not a merger meeting" and that there were only 26 members of his organization present, with a total of 76 exhibitors present. Pizor observed: "The organization formed on Dec. 19 is a Philadelphia organization. Every officer, including the so-called members of the board, are all Philadelphia exhibitors, with the exception of one out of the 21 members of the board. The M. P. T. O. of Eastern Pa. has maintained itself as an unbiased, unprejudiced, fully representative organization with officers and members of the board coming from every section of the territory." "Informer" is Picked By New York Critics (Continued from Page 1) £aughton in "Mutiny on the Bounty" and "Ruggles of Red Gap" and Greta Garbo in "Anna Karenina." For best direction, John Ford's work on "The Informer" was picked. In the case of the best feminine performance, Katharine Hepburn received a minority vote for her work in "Alice Adams." Alfred Hitchcock's direction of "39 Steps" and "The Man Who Knew Too Much" also received minority recognition. At the request of the publishing house of Covici Friede, the critics recommended for publication in book form "The Scoundrel" as the most readable script of the year. This is an original screen story written by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, who are also the producers. The critics voting were: Regina Crewe, "American"; Bland Johaneson, "Mirror"; Kate Cameron, "News"; Richard Watts, "HeraldTribune"; Leo Mishkin, "Morning Telegraph"; "Andre Sennwald, "Times"; Thornton Delehanty, "Post"; Rose Pelswick, "Journal"; William Boehnel, "World-Telegram"; Martin Dickstein, "Brooklyn Eagle"; Seymour Roman, "Brooklyn TimesUnion. The "Sun" was not represented. NEWS of the DAY Kansas City — It came out only a few days ago that Bernard Joffee, manager of the Tower Theater, and Katherine Redman, the Tower's dance producer, were married July 25 in Burlington, Colo., while they were on vacation. Washington, N. J. — Alvin Sloan, manager of the New Washington and the St. Cloud theaters, took office yesterday as mayor of this community. Newark, N. J. — Harry Reiners, formerly with the publicity department of RKO Proctor's Theater, has been appointed publicity director of the New Mosque. Al Mitchell, recently with Fred Allen, has been named musical director. The New Mosque combines movies, a stage show and dancing during and aftei each show. Haddonfield, N. J.— Ellis-Camden interests are reported contemplating a new house here in opposition to the Morris-Fineman theater. Philadelphia — Jacob Box and Lew Sablosky are interested with David Supowitz in the new theater to be built at Frankford Ave. and Cottman St. House will seat 1,000. Seat ord, Del. — Fire recently did about $20,000 damage to the Palace Theater, which was modernized just recently. M. J. McDermott and Elisha Ryan are operators of the house. Yorktown, Pa. — Warner-Stanley will spend about $30,000 improving the Yorktown Theater and increasing capacity from 500 to 1,000 seats. Pottsville, Pa. — Chamberlain theaters may go back to their original owners when the receivership is ended, according to reports. New Orleans — Action against bank, buck and other types of giveaway nights involving money may be taken shortly by the New Orleans Motion Picture Council under the direction of Mrs. A. S. Tucker. While no particular statement was issued, unofficial sources reported that the council objected to money prizes on the grounds that it permitted inferior pictures to be offered by exhibitors. Detroit Doings Given Two Months to Rule in Suit Referee Sol M. Stroock has been given until March 3 to decide the case of the Chicago Title & Trust Co. against William Fox in which : the complainant seeks damages amounting to $1,000,000. Action is based on an allegation that the for; mer film magnate personally guaranteed the bank's purchase of Roxy theater bonds. Stroock completed a hearing on the case several months ago in New York. Detroit — S. K. Decker, First Division district manager, is leaving for a month's trip to Hollywood. Mrs. Decker goes along. Daniel J. Lewis, circuit manager for the Sam Brown Theaters, has been appointed booker for Wetsman & Wisper Theaters. Joseph La Rosa, manager of tht Eastown Theater for Wetsman & Wisper, has remarried his former wife. Harry Holboth, upstate theater owner, is building a new house in Marlette. J. E. Stocker is celebrating his 25th anniversary as owner of the Myrtle Theater. Mrs. Kathryn Buck, mother of Gene Buck, Ascap head, is recovering from a severe attack of pneumonia at her home here. Jack Mundstuk of the Cleveland M-G-M office was a recent visitor here. Robert Fisher, head of Fisher Film Attractions, has gone to Miami for the winter. Mack Krim, circuit owner and polo player, lost one of his best horses last week, when Handy Mandy broke a leg. Hugh Collins of the M-G-M is now a daddy, and at the same time he was promoted from poster clerk to head shipper. W. D. Ward, former manager of exchanges here but now with the RKO branch in Cleveland, was a recent visitor. Pittsburgh Patter Pittsburgh — Charles Shannon, formerly with Warners' South Hills and Hollywood Theaters here, has been named manager of that firm's Belmar Theater in Homewood, succeeding William C. Powelson, who has been transferred to Tarentum. Sam Stern, chief Warner artist, back from New York, where he visited his family. William Hyde of the Shea-Hyde Circuit, which is operating the Fulton here, is in town looking over local conditions. Every girl working on the Film Row was presented with a box of candy by the M. P. T. O. of W. Pa. Theodore Mikolowsky, former Masontown exhibitor who recently re-entered the theater industry with David Trimble in the acquisition of the Liberty in that town, is adding the Rex in Masontown under his wing late this month. The Kaufman Brothers, present operators of that house, will center their theater activities in Pittsburgh territory. Tom Shanahan and Harry Rubins, Donora exhibitors, are entering the night club business after the first of the year. The Braddock Trust Co. acquired the Rivoli Theater, East Pittsburgh, at a sheriff's sale. Frank Buck Film Holds at Rialto "Fang and Claw," Frank Buck film released by RKO, will hold over at Arthur Mayer's new Rialto Theater. FILM SHARES STAGED SHARP RISE IN 1936 (Continued from Page 1) cent stock dividend last year, wound up with a 74 per cent betterment in value. In the case of 20th Century-Fox, starting the year as Fox Film with common shares selling at 13, the merged company ended the year with a gain of some 10 points or 70 per cent. Loew's, Inc., common stock scored a gain of about 50 per cent from its 1935 closing of 35. Eastman common stock went up 39 per cent and Eastman preferred rose 16 per cent. The new stocks of Paramount, which underwent reorganization in the course of the year, underwent fair appreciation over their initial prices. Technicolor had a rise of about 30 per cent, while Trans-Lux was up about the same amount. The bond list likewise had a strong comeback, led by RKO 6s in a rise from 40% to 77 Vz, K-A-0 from 73 y2 to 92%, Warners from 59 to 85, General Theater Equipment from 9% to 18%, and big increases in the old Paramount bonds. Texas Tattles San Antonio — According to word around the Latin-American Film Exchange, San Antonio may have another new supply house soon as the Oklahoma Theater Supply Co., of Oklahoma City, sent Tom Dyer, special representative, here to look over the situation. A recent fire at the Aztec in Georgetown damaged the new seats which had just been installed and destroyed 29 reels of film. Flam' broke out in the projection ro L. B. Crow is manager of the ho Jack F. Halfen, now salesman Square Deal Film Co., Oklaho City, was in San Antonio last wee. with his roadshow picture which is set for a run at the Prince. The New Fair in Plainview will open Jan. 10 with Dennis Scaling at the helm. Salt Lake City Squibs Salt Lake City — Bill Gleason is the new manager at the Orpheum, replacing Ralph McGowan, who was transferred to another Fanchon & Marco house in Kansas City. Admiral Byrd will appear here Jan. 10 to give a lecture illustrated by 9,000 feet of film. Nelson Eddy appears Jan. 15 in a concert at the tabernacle. The Roxy Theater, managed by Andy Floor, was the only locat house to offer stage entertainment on New Year's Eve. There was a bill of about 15 acts.