The Film Daily (1936)

Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Now Seventeen Years Old -1PDAILY' VOL. 69, NO. 78 NEW YORK. THURSDAY, APRIL 2. 1936 TEN CENTS Report Film Companies9 Income Up Despite Floods FORM COMPANY TO TAKEJVER PATHEJNTERESTS Active Theaters in Canada Increased 10 Per Cent in 1935 Chicago . see America first By JACK ALICOATE CHICAGO, ILL.— This is being written on the shores of Lake Michigan in a second-run city showing first-run pictures. And for no reason whatsoever, other than perhaps it is spring. Maybe that Greeleygo-west-young-man guy had something to do with it. At any rate we are again on our way to Hollywood, that village where they manufacture 'em, just west of San Bardoo. And so. The other suit is packed, the golf clubs have been dusted, the faithful old Corona is tucked under our good arm and the next stop will be the city of grapes, golf and gossip. We're going to do the studios, have lunch (at their expense) with the production heads, eat on the cuff at Wilkerson's Trocadero, dash over to Palm Springs for the latest scandal and knock a few golf balls several hundred yards just for the fun of it. From day to day we will give you what we have seen. If you are interested along with our family, hold on. /"^HICAGO is losing its grip. In fact it's ^s lost it. As we write this there are but five legitimate shows playing the Loop and three of them are those WPA things. Imagine that. Shades of Erlanger and Dillingham. The Balabans, seems like hundreds of 'em, and their Wonder Theaters (so they advertise them) are still the king pins. A quick visit to the Chicago and the Oriental found both packed. "Follow the Fleet" made a new house record at the RKO Palace. Chicago is not the Chicago we used to know. At one time it was a great town, — to pass through. That was in the good old days of the reception committee of Sam Katz, Watty Rothacker, Jimmy Quirk, Martin Quigley and the Sherman Penthouse. -• THE sun was gently sinking over State ' St., and, having nothing to do while waiting for the old overland iron horse to get up steam, we interviewed the Dearborn St. station. This is the building that looks like a warehouse on Cape Cod, and which, in its busy moments, shelters the Santa Fe (Continued on Page 2) Col. John Cooper Re-Elected President of Distrib Association Toronto — Theaters in operation increased virtually 10 per cent in 1935, according to a report made at the annual meeting of the Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Ass'n yesterday. Col. John Cooper was re-elected president, and Henry Nathanson, M. A. Milligan, J. P. (Continued on Page 4) SKOURAS-RKO STAY HEARING SET APR, 27 With efforts to settle the case out of court off at the moment, hearing on application of Skouras Theaters for a permanent injunction and damages in connection with playing of (Continued on Page 11) $1,696,600 in Bonds Paid By 20th Century-Fox Last bonds amounting to $1,696,600, which fell due yesterday, were paid by Twentieth Century-Fox. They are five year, 6 per cent convertible gold debentures which were issued in 1931. At the time of the Fox reorganization in 1933, approximately $28,000,000 in bonds were turned in. To Set Van Beuren Deal Completion of a deal for RKO distribution of Van Beuren product next season, with the exception of the Gullett color cartoons, awaits the return next week from Hollywood of A. H. McCausland, representative of the Irving Trust Co., RKO trustee. BRANDT NOMINATED FOR I.T.O.A. PREXY Harry Brandt yesterday accepted nomination for re-election as president of the I.T.O.A. Others nominated were: Bernard S. Barr, 1st vice president; George Rudnick, 2d vice president; Leon Rosenblatt, treasurer; Maurice Browne, secretary, and Dave Schneider, sergeantat-arms. Nominees for the finance committee were: Louis Myers, John Benes and Albert Cooper, and those proposed for the board of directors, (^Continued on Page 4) Two Columnists Join Fox Movietone Commentators Ed Sullivan, Broadway columnist, and Jimmie Fidler, Hollywood columnist, have been added to the Movietone News staff as commentators for shots of their respective (Continued on Page 3) See Film Companies' Income Ahead Regardless Of Floods Consolidated and Schwartz Buy Paramount '36-37 List Paramount has closed two more circuit product deals covering its 1936-37 program, stated Neil F. Agnew yesterday. Contracts are with Consolidated Amusement and A. H. Schwartz circuits. In the face of an unusually severe winter and flood losses in New England and Pennsylvania, income of picture companies is still running ahead of last year, according to authoritative financial district sources yesterday. In areas seriously damaged by the (Continued on Page 3) When in doubt consult the Film Daily Year Book. 1936 edition now being distributed. — Advt. Edward Alperson Slated To Head Premier if Deal is Closed Premier Film Attractions has been organized by Pathe to take over the activities of Pathe Film Corp., including First International Corp., and First Division Exchanges, it was announced yesterday. Edward Alperson, in charge of buying for Skouras Theaters will become president of Premier provided negotiations under way yesterday are closed. The new Pathe subsidiary, tentatively called Premier Film Attractions, will engage in production, (Continued on Page 3) PATHE NET $213,358 PAST 4 1/2 MONTHS Pathe Film Corp. showed a net profit of $213,358 for the period from Aug. 15, 1935, when the transfer of assets from the old company to Pathe Film Corp. occurred under the reorganization plan, to Dec. 28, (Continued on Page 3) Para. Extends Blank Buy-Back Deal to Dec. 31 Paramount back privilege until Dec. 31, arrangement until July 1, company said ments were month. has extended its buydeal with A. H. Blank next and its similar with Karl Hoblitzelle a spokesman for the yesterday. Both agreeto expire early this Wins Equal Rights Test A Philadelphia exhibitor won in a test case under Pennsylvania's new equal rights law yesterday when a jury in quarter session court returned a "not guilty" verdict. Charge of law violation had been placed against the Doris Theater, Philadelphia, operator Ray O'Rourke and his ticket taker. Negro plaintiffs claimed O'Rourke had violated the law by asking them to sit in section delegated for negroes only.