The Film Daily (1936)

Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Now Seventeen Years Old -IF DAILY VOL. 69, NO. 48 NEW YORK, THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 27, 1936 TEN CENTS Power Firms Attacked Again at Copyright Hearing BIG DELEGATION ON HANDJOR NEELY BILLJEARING Further Increase in Production Costs is Indicated Lack of Exhib Cooperation Holds B. O. Prices Down, Says Financial Survey Although production costs in the aggregate are now at an all-time high, a further rise is in prospect as a result of concerted attempts to improve quality of pictures and also because of additional use of color, experiments in third dimension and other new developments, and probably higher cost of talent due to (Continued on Page 8) RULING ON ASGAP SUIT EXPECTED NEXT MONTH Ascap and government attorneys working on the stipulation of facts in the government's anti-monopoly action against the music society are expected to complete their labors in about a month, when the stipulation will be presented to a judge in Federal Court who will decide whether the action shall proceed or be dropped. "Rose Marie" Overflow Causes Dual Seattle Run Seattle — Unable to accommodate the turnout for "Rose Marie" at the Fifth Avenue Theater, the M-G-M musical was shifted to a simultaneous run at the Music Box and Blue Mouse. I Sam Katzman Plans 16 for Next Season Sam Katzman, president of Victory Pictures, said yesterday that he would produce 16 pictures for next season release, including eight action pictures and eight melodramas. Katzman has completed eight pictures of his current lineup and still has two specials to make. He will remain in New York for two weeks before returning to the coast. How They Started fi Introducing Jack Connolly, General Manager of Pane News .n the "How The* Startetf ^sertafc Jack broke in representing the industry at Washington and graduated to head the F« WB outfit in Europe. He was the first to bring to the talking screen such notables as the Prince of Wales, The King of Spain, George Bernard Shaw Mussolini and the King of Italy Last jear he was appointed General of the Kentucky Colonels by Gov. Laffoon. The art work, as usual, is from the studios of the inimitable "Hap" Hadley Romberg, Taylor Speak Briefly At Hearing on the Duffy Bill Block Booking Bill Hearing Starts Today in Washington By ARTHUR EDDY Washington — Industry leaders, including some of the important figures in distribution and exhibition circles, were gathering in Washington last night for the opening today of the Interstate Commerce Committees hearing on the Neely bill, which would outlaw block booking and blind buying. A majority of major companies will be represented at the sessions, which will probably terminate Saturday. Supporting passage of the meas (Continued on Page 8) ITOA TO MAKE TEST ON ELECTRICITY COST Immediate action for the installation of Diesel engines in power and light plants in a selected group of I.T.O.A. member theaters, to ascertain the cost of furnishing light and power for the operation of such (Continued on Page 9) New Conn. Exhib Unit Starts With 50 Members New Haven — Independent Motion Picture Theater Owners of Connecticut held its first meeting here this week with a claimed membership of 50, said to represent about 75 per (Continued on Page 9) Re-election of Browne Expected at I. A. Meet Re-election of George E. Browne as president of the I.A.T.S.E. at the international union's annual convention at Kansas City in June is seen as practically certain because of Browne's success in once (Continued on Page 9) By GEORGE W. MEHRTENS FILM DAILY Staff Correspondent Washington — Continuing his attack against the power trusts and charging that the North American Co., giant utility firm, was forcing wired radio and therefore fathered cei'tain provisions of the Duffy bill, Gene Buck, president of Ascap, opened the second day of hearings on proposed changes in the copyright (Continued on Page 9) Legal Formalities Delay General Theaters Plan Reorganization of General Theaters Equipment, Inc., will not be completed for several months because of necessary legal formalities that must be gone through including the fixing of a price for the properties and the sale to the new company, The Film Daily learns.