The Film Daily (1936)

Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Now Eighteen Years Old VOL. 70, NO. 67 NEW YORK, FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER 18, 1936 TEN CENTS Analysis of Hays Office Radio Survey to Start Soon holdovers; are setting new all-time record Nebraska Has Best Summer in Years Despite Drouth Exhibitors Are Surprised Over Unusually Good Business Omaha — Despite drouth, recordbreaking heat and a rainy climax to the season, Nebraska theater owners enjoyed the best summer in years and perhaps in history, according to Regina Molseed, secretary of the Omaha Film Board of Trade, covering Nebraska and western Iowa. "Business was so good," said Miss i, "that many owners wondered where all the money was coming from. The fact that many theaters had cooling plants for the first time helped considerably, but it was easy to see that show business is on the comeback." GERMAN ATTENDANCE IS 6,000,000 WEEKLY Berlin — Attendance at German movie theaters is now running at the rate of about 6,000,00 weekly, a survey discloses. Latest statistics also show that there are 5,271 houses in Germany equipped for talkies. Capital invested in these cinemas amounts to $180,000,000. An output of 150 features is looked for in 1936-37 production activity. Ufa will make about 27 and will also dub or make French pictures. Tobis, cooperating with Rota, will make 23; Syndikat Film, 20; Tobis-Europa, 18; Bavaria, 16, and Terra, 14. Some of the Bavarian films will be distributed by United Artists. Hoefler to Film 13 Shorts In Africa for Vitaphone Material for a series of 13 Vitanhone shorts, as well as a Warner feature, will be filmed in Africa by Paul L. Hoefler, who sails next Wednesday on the Queen Mary after being back in New York less than a (Continued on Page 8) 66 Films Banned by Germany in 3 Months Berlin — Reflecting the close restrictions on type of screen fare permitted to be shown to the youth of Germany, 66 films were suppressed in the first quarter of this year. The banned features included 13 German pictures, 9 American and 12 European. Shorts barred included 21 German and 10 American. NAME EDWARD MAETZ PREXY OF WIS. UNIT Milwaukee — Edward Maetz of Milwaukee was elected president of the Independent Theaters' Protective Ass'n of Wisconsin at the closing meeting of its annual session at the Plankington Hotel here yesterday. Other officers were elected as follows: Will Copeland of Jefferson, vice-president; August Berk(Continued on Page 7) Arthur Lee to Conduct GB Boston Sales Confab Arthur Lee, GB vice-president, arrives in Boston tomorrow for a meeting with the GB sales staffs in Albany, New Haven and Boston. The meeting will be attended by John Scully, New England district manager: Marcel Mekelburg, Ben Rogers, Nathan Ross, Boston; Carl Goe, Albany, and Philip Sherman, New Haven. In the evening a screening will be held of two new GB productions, "East Meets West" and "The Man Who Lived Again". COST TALENT NEEDS NEAR ACUTE STAGE West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Number of players now working in two and three pictures simultaneously is said to mark a new record. High production activity and numerous big-cast films are the cause. With studio schedules indicating continued high rate of operations, producers see the talent shortage approaching an acute stage. Fox Intermountain Circuit Makes Managerial Changes Denver — ■ Several managerial changes in the intermountain division of Fox have been announced by Rick Ricketson, manager. John TayW goes to Salt Lake City, where he will manage the Orpheum and Studio, recently acquired bv Fox. Taylor will be replaced at the Fox in McCook, Neb., by Vern Austin from the Mayan, Denver. Paul '■Trier, who has been on sick leave for several months, is back on the (Continued on Pane 7) Hays Survey of Radio Competition Will Be Sifted in Near Future Grand National to Build Contract Player Roster A roster of players, who will be under contract to the parent company for loaning out to unit producers as needed, is to be built up by Grand National, it is announced by (Continued on Page 8) Analysis of the results of the radio competition survey made by the Hays association through the cooperation of theaters in 20 key cities will start shortly. The three-months' digest, when completed, will be submitted to Will H. Hays, who is due back in New York Monday or Tues(Continued on Page 5) Extended Run Engagements Exceed All Past Records Number and extent of holdovers in recent weeks has set an all-time record, a checkup of the situation discloses. Pictures chiefly responsible for the unprecedented extended runs include "Swing Time", which has been held in practically every one of its first-run openings to date; "Anthony Adverse", another big holdover number; "My Man Godfrey", "Last of the Mohicans", "Girls' Dormitory", "Sing, Baby, Sing", "The General Died at Down", "The Great Ziegfeld", "The Gorgeous Hussy", "Texas Rangers", "Road to Glory", "San Francisco", "His Brother's Wife", "Piccadilly Jim" (Continued on Page 5) ADMISSION BOOSTING SPREADS IN DETROIT Detroit — A five-cent admission increase is to go in effect tomorrow in the Crystal, Kramer, Senate, Imperial, Chopin, Graystone, West End and Granada theaters. Another neighborhood spot, the Hollywood, has lifted its balcony price 10 cents on Saturdays and Sundays. The Center, also a neighborhood, and the Loop, downtown house, both in the Associated Theaters circuit, likewise will raise their scales. Warner Circuit Erecting New Pittsburgh House Pittsburgh — Warners are building a 1,000-seat first-run house on Forward Ave., Squirrel Hill district. The theater will be rushed to completion for an early opening. Warners are now operating the Manor Theater in that district. The circuit recently added the Regal in Wilkinsburg.