Motion Picture Daily (Jun-Aug 1931)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Tuesday, August 4, 1931 Warners and M-G-M Again Talk Turkey ((. oiitiiiucJ from pa<ic 1) terms. This was done and Warners is said to have lost out in the five spots. .\ number of independents in Cleveland and Pittsburgh in opposition to Warners have been trying to buy M-G-M's product with protection over Warners and are being stalled, they claim, because they believe M-G-M is selling W^arners. When asked regarding the M-G-M Warner reported cessation and resumption of negotiations, Felix Feist yesterday denied any knowledge of any break, stating that "we have never stopped negotiating with Warners." Kddie Alperson, buyer for Warner theatres, could not be reached for a statement. "BUY RIGHT — BUT BUY NOW Paramount-Warner Peace Treaty Set (Continued from page 1) companies. The two firms had been at odds since the breakdown of merger negotiations between them slightly more tlian a year ago. Since that time, each has played the product of the other, only in those spots which were embraced in franchise arrangement. The Publix deal gives the Warners outlet in the theatres of every important national chain due to previous contracts consummated within the past few weeks with RKO, Fox, Loew, Fox West Coast Theatres. Warners also have closed contracts with every other major and minor circuit operating throughout the country, which assures them 100 percent national coverage, the company says. Philly Week's Line-up Emphasizes Truce Philadelphia — Paramount makes a decided come-back into the Philadelphia first run field on this current week's schedule, emphasizing the Paramount-W'arner truce. Previously forced to be content with a first run at Keith's and a second run at the .Arcadia, Paramount will have no less than three first runs on view. Keith's has "Confessions of a Co-Ed" as its last feature ; Stanley-Warner's Stanton, brings in "Murder by the Clock" and the Fox, which still has a couple of Paramounts on its schedule, makes if unanimous with "Night Angel." The Arcadia is presentinR "Forbidden Adventure" ("Newly Rich") as a second run. "BUY RIGHT — BUT BUY NOW Rebuilding Albany House Warners arc rebuilding the Strand in Albany, states Herman Maier, chief of the construction department. Reopening is set for August 15. "BUY RIGHT— BUT BUY NOW Safire Adds Another Sol .Safire, operator of the Fimpress, Bronx, has acquired his second theatre in that borough. He has just taken the Miracle from Jaime Bros. Purely Personal GEORCiE W. Erdman.n, business manager of the Cleveland exhibitor unit, has been appointed "big brother" for three boys who broke frames and stole photos at the Lincoln Theatre. The boys are to report regularly to Erdmann. HiEERT VoiGHT, head of WarnerFirst National Studio publicity on the Coast, is in New York conferring with S. Charles Einfeld, company advertising and publicity head, on new season's product. BuDD Rogers, feature sales manager for Educational, visited the key exchanges in Seattle and Portland during the past week. He was the guest of Wally Rucker, Educational manager. Al Young, chief of the technical department of the Du-Art Film Laboratories and Film Laboratories of Canada, Ltd., has returned from Toronto. Joe Merrick has been named manager of the Portland Universal Exchange. The appointment was made by Division Manager Hieneman. Gradwell L. Sears, western sales manager for First National, has left New York for Chicago and Kansas City on a week's sales trip. Loretta Young is to be cast as a Brooklyn waitress in her next picture, "Blind Spot." It will be a First National attraction. Clikf Boyd, manager of Keith's in Cincinnati, is considered an authority on thoroughbred dogs, which he raises as an avocation. In his extensive kennels he has 37 pedigreed canines, the total value of which runs well into five figures. Genevieve Tobin and Universal are observing an anniversary. It is just a year since she signed a contract with Universal. Arthur Gottlieb, president of DuArt Film Laboratories, flew back from Hollywood and arrived last night. Kay Francis starts work on that new Warner contract in September. She now is resting at Malibu Beach. James Cagney plans to spend a brief vacation in New York catching a number of legit .shows. R. W. Horn, Erpi salesman, has a new wrinkle in calling cards. It's an especially wrapped cigar. Don Marquis has signed with Paramount to do dialogue for "Sooky." Oliver Garver, publicist at the Paramount Hollywood studios, is the proud father of a boy. Mae Murray is seeking a divorce alleging cruelty. Good Films Get the Money, Exhih Says Good pictures will get money, declared F. Lieberman, president of the System Theatre Corp., Lowell, Mass., while in New York booking new season's product. Lieberman closed with Claude Ezell, Warner sales manager, for the Warner-First National product. "BUY RIGHT — BUT BUY NOW" Milestone Films Probably to M-G-M (Continued from par/e 1) vise four others. .Selznick hopes to have eight additional units, releasing the subsequent series wherever he can make the best deal. "BUY RIGHT — BUT BUY NOW F, & M. Producing Units in 4 Cities Fanchon & Marco now is producing new stage units in four cities simultaneously, following addition of the de luxe Publix houses to the F. & M. time. .Shows are built in New York, I iollywood, Detroit and St. Louis. "BUY RIGHT — BUT BUY NOW Statue Manager Indicted Hou; TON — Harry Spencer, former stage n inager of the RKO Majestic here, is under indictment in Austin on a char? : of receiving and concealing jewelry stolen from the home of the Austii. ijostmaster. Dave Schlesinger, former Houston jeweler, was convicted of the same charge and sentenced to servt. three years in the state penitentiarj at Huntsville. The trial was in Austin. Chief attorney for Spencer and Schlesinger was former Governor Dan Moody. Vaudefilm Policy Up As RKO Execs Meet (Continued from page 1) come from all parts of the nation to confer with Joseph Plunkett, vice president and general manager of the circuit and his assistants, Nate Blumberg and L. E. Thompson. Those attending are : Charles B. McDonald, Joseph Lee, H. R. Emde, J. M. Brennan, Harry McDonald, Lou Golding, J. E. Firnkoess, William Elson, Morgan C. Ames, A. S. Rittenberg, Len Brown, CliiT Work, Homer Gill and Leo M. Devaney. "BUY RIGHT BUT BUY NOW" Independent Circuit Started at Cincinnati Cincinnati — G. C. Granger, until recently in charge of the Kaypee, an independent house at Mt. Gilead, O., taken over by Paramount a few weeks ago, and B. W. Bickert, formerly Paramount manager at Marion, O., have formed a partnership to acquire a circuit of theatres. They have lea.scd a house at Loudonville and another at Millersburg, while options have been taken on houses at New London, Bellvue and Vermillion, all in Ohio. "BUY RIGHT — BUT BUY NOW" Peerless Starts Third Hollywood— With its two initial relea.ses, "Salvaged" and "Lovebound," nearing completion at the TecArt Studios, Peerless Productions is preparing to start shooting on three additional productions within the next two weeks. It has announced twenty-four for the 1931-1932 season. Paramount Is Hit as Trust In U.S. Suit (Continued from page 1) firms have brought suit in Federal Court here for triple damages aggregating $3,750,000 under the Clayton anti-trust act. Plaintiffs in the action which alleges conspiracy in restraint of trade are : Capitol Amusement Co., Lynn., Mass. ; E. M. Loew's, Pawtucket, R.I., Theatre, Inc.; E. M. Loew's, Inc.,, Somerville and Dorchester, Mass., and Pawtucket, R. I. ; E. M. Loew's Enterprises, Inc., Hartford ; Dorchester Theatre Co. and Hudson Amusement Co., Portland, Me. "BUY RIGHT— BUT BUY NOW" Cleveland Hts. May Repeal Sunday Law Cleveland — Repeal of the ordinance prohibiting .Sunday shows at Cleveland Heights is expected to be asked following circulation of a petition with 5,000 signatories. If the recommendation is accepted. Sunday shows will make their bow here August 8. Following passage of the local option law, Sunday shows were presented this week at Bellaire, Martin's Ferry, Steubenville, Yorkville, Bridgeport, Newcomerstown, Urichsville, Cadiz, Salem, East Liverpool, East Palestine and Lisbon. Because of local ordinances, Sunday shows are prohibited at Delaware, Athens, Marietta, Cambridge, Oxford, .A^lliance and Wooster. "BUY RIGHT— BUT BUY NOW" Gang Victims Benefit By 'Witness" Take Proceeds of the two shows at the Winter Garden last night of "The Star Witness" are being turned over by Warners to families of the children struck by gangsters' bullets in the shooting outrage of last week. The new film replaced "Smart Money." "BUY RIGHT— BUT BUY NOW \ First Run House In San Diego Folds San Diego — The Spreckels Theater here closed its doors last week for alleged non-payment of rent. The lease was cancelled on non-appearance of managers in court. The Spreckels is the first-run playhouse here to close. It opened about a year and a half ago and played Universal and Columbia pictures. "BUY RIGHT BUT BUY NOW" * Peanut Vendor' Author To Get Film Breakl New Orleans— The author ofl "The Peanut Vendor" gets a break at] last. Feli-x Lecuone of Havana,! passed through New Orleans enroute ' to Hollywood, with a band of Cuban musicians, selected by Ben Piazza, ' who recently went to Cuba to hunt talent for a new film. Of course, , Felix was first pick. He didn't make a nickel out of "The Peanut Vendor" and little more out of "Oh, Mominez" '. and "Fiesta," it is said, but he'll prob1 ably cash in from now on. He is I under contract to M-G-M.