The Film Daily (1936)

DAILY Wednesday, Feb. 26, 1936 NEW GOVT ACTION FILED IN NEW YORK (Continued from Page 1) are: Harry M. Warner, Major Albert Warner, Herman Starr, Abel Carey Thomas, Gradwell L. Sears, Joseph Bernhard, Maurice Silver, A. W. Smith Jr., Lester Krieger, Clayton Bond, Roy Haines, N. H. Brower, Robert Hicks and Byron F. Moore, all connected with Warner Bros.; Adolph Zukor, John E. Otterson, George J. Schaefer, Neil F. Agnew, Charles Reagan, Ralph Kohn, Sam Dembow, Jr., Ralph Li Beau, Maurice Schweitzer, Carroll Peacock and Myke Lewis, all associated with Paramount either currently or in the past, and Ned E. Depinet, Jules Levy, Cresson Smith, B. J. McCarthy and Louis Ellman, all identified with RKO. In the criminal conspiracy action, which culminated on Nov. 11, when a jury in the Federal Court, St. Louis, found the defendants not guilty, Harry M. Warner, Gradwell L. Sears, Herman Starr, George J. Schaefer and Ned E. Depinet were defendants. The complaint is signed by Homer Cummings, Attorney-General; John Dickinson, assistant Attorney-General, Russell Hardy, special assistant Attorney-General who was in charge of the prosecution of both St. Louis cases; Walter L. Price, special assistant Attorney-General who was associated with Hardy in the injunction action at St. Louis, and Harold L. Schilz, of the Attorney-General's staff and who was associated with the St. Louis actions. Hardy and Price are expected to take charge of the prosecution of the suit. The defendants have 20 days in which to file their answers after service. Although no date for trial of the case has been set, attorneys last night were inclined to believe that it might start in May. In event the trial should be further delayed, it is likely that it might go over until next Fall as the Federal Courts usually recess during July, August and September. As in the previous actions, the new complaint charges a conspiracy to deprive the Missouri, New Grand Central and Ambassador theaters, all of St. Louis, from getting product. SHOWMAN'S REMINDER St. Patrick's Day will soon be here. You can at least decorate your lobby in green, and get a sign at the tail-end of any parade. The Foreign Field •* ♦ News Flashes from All Parts of the Globe ♦ ♦ Activities in Mexico Mexico City — Absent from Mexican screens for five months because of a strike of film inspectors and because of difficulties with the Federal government over a number of taxes, pix from major American producers are slowly trickling out, with Fox first on the job double-featuring "George White's Scandals of 1935" and "Under the Pampas Moon" at Teatro Olimpia. . . . After travelling back and forth between Hollywood and Mexico City for repeated editing and re-recording, ICSA's latest, "Maria Elena", an ambitious musical, is out. The reception accorded it at the release house, just fair, the outstanding features of the show being a spectacular dance sequence called "Bamba". Cam ra work is by Lauron J. Draper Ol Hollywood. . . . Reliable sources have it that a group of Mexican industrial moguls headed by former President Abelardo L. Rodriguez will go into the Spanish talkie production game in a big way with M-G-M to distribute the new concern's product. . . . CLASA, only formally organized producer-distributor now in the country, angling for Lupe Velez to star in their forthcoming "Su Gran Aventura" . . . Chicago theaterowner James E. Coston here looking over product with a view to booking it for showing at his projected new house to be devoted solely to Spanish talkies. . . . Raphael J. Sevilla, director, back from Spain whither he journeyed to do one for ECE of Madrid, Ernesto Vilches starring. . . . Jose Noriega, film editor with Radio and Hal Roach, here to edit CLASA's first, "Vamonos con Pancho Villa!" most ambitious yarn produced locally. Joe may sign long-termer. . . . Cameras to start grinding on three different pix for as many different producers within week — CLASA's "Su Gran Aventura", Distrimex's "El Baul Macabro," and Producciones Oasis' first, "Tras de la Reja" — a record for these parts. "Blood" Sets Run in Manila Manila, P. I. — Warners' "Captain Blood", a Cosmopolitan production, has completed a first-run 19-day engagement at the State Theater here. This is the longest run of any picture on the Island in recent years according to Cliff Almy, Warner manager. Korda Postpones "Cyrano" London — Alexander Korda's production of "Cyrano", with Charles Laughton in the title role, has been temporarily postponed and is now scheduled to go before the cameras late next month. Production was to have started at the Worton Hall Studios in London, but since Korda's tenancy of this establishment is to expire shortly, it was considered best to postpone production until Stage No. 1 of the new Korda studios at Denham is completed. "Cyrano" will be released through United Artists. Duvivier Finishes "Golem" Paris — Julien Duvivier has finished "Golem", with Harry Baur. United Artists will distribute it. Waive Taxes in Brazil Rio de Janeiro — The government has waived taxes for native producers to encourage production here. $20,884,500 British Take London — Gross by 4,000 British houses last year was $20,884,500, with attendance totaling 957,000,000. Max Glass Forms Company London — Max Glass has formed Flora Films and will produce "John Halifax, Gentleman" at Elstree. New Paris House for U. S. Pix Paris — M. Hirsch, owner of the Apollo, will soon open the George V Theater in the Champs Elysees for American films. Film Trade Perks Up In Midwest Territory (.Continued from Page 1) smooth schedules and attendance at theaters over the week-end was unusually big. Only a few small houses in out of the way rural spots remain dark. Danger of floods in the Missouri valley also has abated. Wurtzel Unit Completing 1935-36 Lineup in Month (Continued from Page 1) the finishing touches on "Charlie Chan at the Circus" and "The Country Beyond", while "Human Cargo" and "The First Baby' have gone in work. The second in the Jones Family series starts early in March, followed by "Jeeves' and "Mercy Killer". IATSE BOARD BANS LOCAL 306 MERGER (Continued from Page 1) sist Local 306 in organizing New York City and is expected to lend direct aid beginning next month. One of the reasons for the I. A. ban on a merger of the local unions is the litigation pending between Local 306 and Allied. Pittsburgh Patter Pittsburgh — Charlie Stanton of the Atlantic Screen Service engaged Bernie Armstrong and his orchestra to furnish musical and dialogue backgrounds for his new series of stock trailers which go into production at his Dormont studio on Sunday. The Joe Wagmans celebrated their 17th wedding anniversary on Saturday. Ed Klinger of William Skirboll's Toledo staff has been moved here to be in charge of the Barry Theater, which opens on Saturday. Lee Mann will be his assistant. The John Hooleys (he's manager of the Harris-Family) adopted a baby. State authorities have ruled that local distributors serving West Virginia exhibitors must pay the West Virginia state tax on all accounts serviced in that state. Omaha Odds and Ends Omaha — D. V. McLucas, president of Variety Club and Film Board, is back from Minneapolis to the local United Artists office after being held up in the Twin City because of snowstorms. Bert Thacker, owner of the Soo at South Sioux City, Neb., will turn over his theater to one of his relatives if a pending deal in California for a theater is successfully negotiated. Thacker is on the coast now. Charley Williams, president of M. P. T. O., was back at his desk in the Loyal Hotel this week, recovered from a heavy siege of acute bronchitis. He departs for Miami on March 3 to attend the M. P. T. O. A. board of directors' meeting. FACTS ABOUT FILMS Ot all the stories purchased by films studios during the past year, 52 per cent were originals.