The Film Daily (1936)

/ TfreT Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Now Eighteen Years Old VOL. 70, NO. 53 NEW YORK, TUESDAY. SEPTEMBER 1. 1936 TEN CENTS Week-End Theater Business Holds to Record Pace HAYS MAT confer witjjadio execsjn stars Kuykendall Disposes of Theaters to Focus on MPTOA Withdrawal From Exhibition No Disqualification for Exhib Unit Presidency Retirement of Ed Kuykendall, at the moment, at least, from actual activity in exhibition through leasing of his theaters at Columbus and Tupelo, Miss., to M. A. Lightman and E. V. Richards does not disqualify him from continuing as president of the M. P. T. 0. A., according to sources close to the organization yesterday in New York. No {Continued on Page 3) NEW 2,000-FOOT REEL GOES IN EFFECT TODAY 3 More Spots Rave Over "Romeo" M-G-M's "Romeo and Juliet," now running two-a-day at the Astor on Broadway, opened simultaneously in three more key spots on Sunday and in each instance received rave notices and did more business than the preceding "Great Ziegfeld." Openings were at the Colonial, Boston; Chestnut St. Opera House, Philadelphia, and Erlanger, Chicago. Gov. Curley led the list of celebs at the Boston opening. Five more spots will get the film next Sunday, including the National, Washington; Nixon, Pittsburgh; Hanna, Cleveland; Geary, San Francisco, and Cass, Detroit. DELAY IN SIGNING NO ADMISSION HIKES SOUND POOLING PACT BY F.W.G., SKOURAS Although New York and Chicago ordinances have not as yet been revised to permit use of 2,000-foot reels, the increased-size reel plan goes into effect today throughout the countrv. Tn New York the Board of Aldermen is expected to approve the ordinance change at its first fall (Continued on Page 6) Formal signing of the pact between Erpi, RCA, Tobis Klangfilm and other German sound film patent owners for a patent pool extending to Dec. 31, 1945, failed to take place last week in Berlin because of a disagreement between some of the interested parties, according to word received here. Whether the proposed agreement, (Continued on Page 8) Despite reports to the contrary, no admission price rise is planned by Fox West Coast circuit or by the Skouras houses in New York at the present time. The present West Coast scale is seven and one-half per cent higher than those of competitors, it was stated yesterday, with an average admission price of 31 cents. Eastern Parley is Likely on Film Stars Doing Radio Work No definite plan for handling the situation involving picture stars appearing on radio programs will probably be adopted until Will H. Hays returns to New York from the coast the middle of this month and confers with eastern film executives on the problem. It is considered possible that the M. P. P. D. A. head may talk to radio industry loader* (Continued on Page 3) Columbia Business Up In Newly Started Year Domestic and foreign business done by Columbia in the first eight weeks of the new fiscal year, which began June 28, shows an increase over the same period last year, says A. Schneider, treasurer, coincident with release of the company's annual (Continued on Page 8) Movie Roulette Latest Attendance Stimulator San Francisco — Charles Huy, formerly with Foxwesco and lately in theater exploitation business, has perfected and patented a new trade stimulator for theaters to take the place of Bank Night and similar (Continued on Page 6) Saenger Circuit to Build Two De Luxers in South SAENGERS TAKE OVER A. H.Y0EMANS CIRCUIT Jackson, Miss.— A new theater seating 2,500 will be constructed here adjoining the Istrione, according to plans revealed by J. A. Kennington of the Kennington Investment Co. The house will cost approximately $250,000 and will be leased by the (Continued on Page 6) Meridian, Miss. — A. H. Yeomans announces the sale of his circuit to Saenger Theaters. Though the amount involved in the deal was not made public, Yeomans described it as "a small fortune". Yoemans, who was the first exhibitor to cause an overbuying in (Continued on Page 8) "Stage Struck" Gets Sendoff Scranton — World premiere of Warner's "Stage Struck," with Jeanne Madden of the cast coming to her home town for a personal appearance and admission at the Strand raised to $1, was one of the biggest events in local history. The Mayor proclaimed it "Jeanne Madden Day" and newspapers went overboard in playing up the affair. There were 15,000 fans in and outside the theater an hour before curtain time, almost causing a riot. Ambulances and the fire department had to be called. Broadway and Out of Town Biz At Record Pace Over Week-End Sparks Circuit Acquires Two More Florida Houses Melbourne, Fla. — The Van Croix theaters of Melbourne and Eau Gallie, owned and operated for several years by A. E. Van Croix, have been leased to the E. J. Sparks interests. Van Croix will continue to manage the two houses. More U. S. Films Shown In the Netherland Indies Exports of U. S. films to the Netherland Indies in the first six months of this year total 376,986 meters, compared with 298,722 meters in the corresponding period last year. This raised the percentage of American film from 48 per cent to 59 per cent. German imports fell to 9.4 per cent from 13 per cent. Theater business on Broadway and in various spots throughout the country over the week-end continued at the record pace established last week with the opening of several outstanding attractions, a checkup yesterday revealed. In New York, 20th Century-Fox's "Girls' Dormitory" shattered records of the past four and a half years at the Roxy, where 73,555 persons paid to see the picture in its first three (Continued on Page 6) "Hussy" Sets Wash'n Record Wash. Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Week-end business for M-G-M's "Gorgeous Hussy" at the Palace set a new house record, topping the previous figures set by "Mutiny on the Bounty" and "San Francisco." The picture, which had a dazzling world premiere last Thursday, will hold over at least two weeks. It follows "Piccadilly Jim" into the Capitol, New York.