The Film Daily (1936)

Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought -WAILY The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Now Eighteen Years Old VOL. 70. NO. 69 NEW YORK, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1936 TEN CENTS Jack Springer, N. Y. Circuit Operator, Dies Suddenly NO OVERRATING IN U. S. IS LIKELY H YEARS British Producers Seen Facing Test in Next Six Months Most Ambitious Films Are Now Under Way in English Studios During the next six months, British production will face the greatest test in its history, as currently in work are the biggest pictures ever undertaken by English studios, said Lore Leni, writer for British producers, in New York on Saturday, following her recent arrival from London with her husband, Maurice Cowan, journalist. "There can be no excuses offered, because England is borrowing the (Continued on Page 6) LAEMMLE JR. SIGNING TALENT FOR NEW UNIT London — Carl Laemmle, Jr., who sails Sept. 30 on the Queen Mary for New York after a four-month sojourn on the continent and in England, is understood to have already acquifed a quantity of story material and more talent, with other deals to be closed before sailing, as the nucleus of the new company he plans to form on his return to Hollywood. Laemmle Jr. plans to spend about two weeks in New York conferring with home office film heads before flying to California. 60 Day-and-Dare Openings Planned for "Dodsworth" Preservative Processes Being Field-Tested West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — A series of comprehensive field tests of the various film preservative processes will be conducted by the Research Council Film Preservative Committee of the Academy of M. P. Arts & Sciences. A test reel containing several 150-ft. sections of film, each section treated by one different process, will be taken into each of about ISO theaters and projected from three to six times in each house in order to determine the actual and comparative effects of field service on film treated by the respective processes. Harris Ensign is chairman of the committee handling the tests. 16 Productions Currently Under Way At the Warner-First National Studios West Coast Bureau of Hollywood — With the first four months' release schedule for the 1936-37 season practically completed, the Warner-First National studios at Burbank are continuing their rapid production pace with 16 features currently in work. Of these, nine are before the cameras and seven are_jn preparation. The nine shooting are: "Mountain THE FILM DAILY Justice," with Josephine Hutchinson, George Brent, Guy Kibbee, Robert Barrat and Frieda Inescort, directed by Michael Curtiz; "No Hard Feelings," with Glenda Farrell, Barton MacLane and Winifred Shaw, directed by Frank McDonald; "Melody for Two," with James Melton and Patricia Ellis, directed by Louis (Continued on Page 6) Demolition of Outmoded Theaters Keeps Pace With New Houses Fears of a new overseating problem arising as a result of the renewed activity in theater construction are dissipated by an analysis of theater activities in the first nine months of this year, which shows that the demolition of old and outmoded theaters has kept a fairly good pace with the opening of new houses. Although there has been a gain in theaters put into operation, the figure is moderate and in keeping with the increase in attendance over the period. Openings have averaged some(Continued on Page 6) Color to be a Major Topic at the SMPE Meeting Due to the recent developments in the field of color, this subject will play an important part in the Fall convention of the S. M. P. E., which takes place at the Sagamore Hotel, Rochester, Oct. 12-15. Attention will be principally focused on Dr. C. E. Kenneth Mees, vice-president and director of research of the Eastman Kodak Co., which, in as sociation with Paramount, has now perfected the Keller-Dorian process for use on 35 mm. film, as exclusively reported in The Film Daily of Sept. 10. Dr. Mees will deliver papers on the topics, "Color Photography," the Kodak Research Laboratories and "The Development of the Art and Science of Photography in the Twentieth Century." Sixty day-and-date "Dodsworth" openings on Sept. 25 are planned by United Artists. The Samuel Goldwyn picture will get a double premiere at Los Angeles on Sept. 30 at the Downtown and Hollywood theaters. It is also set to open at the Aldine, Philadelphia, Sept. 23. On Broadway, "Dodsworth" goes into the Rivoli this Wednesday. United Artists has also booked "Gay Desperado" into the Music Hall on Oct. 8, instead of the previously reported earlier date. Sudden Death of Jack Springer Caused by Cerebral Hemorrhage Jack Springer, partner of Sam Cocalis in a large circui* of houses in the metropolitan area and operator of a group of theaters of his own, died suddenly on Saturday in the Polyclinic Hospital. Death was due to cerebral hemorrhage. Springer was taken sick Thursday night and was removed to the hospital. Funeral services will be held to morrow morning at Mamaroneck, N. Y., where Springer had his residence. The Springer-Cocalis circuit is one of the most important groups in the New York metropolitan area. Expansion activities have been carried on for the past several months. Houses in the Springer-Cocalis group now number around 40. ROBERT WELSH FORMS INDEP'T COMPANY General Pictures, new independent company, has been formed by Robert E. Welsh, with Fenn Kimball as president and Welsh as vicepresident in charge of production. The unit plans 24 pictures, the first to be delivered about Nov. 20, and contemplates opening its own exchanges in principal key cities and assigning franchises elsewhere. Welsh, who formerly was executive producer at Monogram and (Continued on Page 6) Six Future Bookings Set For Radio City Music Hall Radio City Music Hall has six future bookings set to follow the current "My Man Godfrey," Universal film, which is in for two weeks. Next offering will be Columbia's "Craig's Wife," followed by "The Gay Desperado," PickfordLasky-United Artists release; Columbia's "Adventure in Manhattan"; RKO Radio's "The Plough and the Stars" and "Winterset," and a third Columbia picture, "Lost Horizon."