Motion Picture Daily (Jun-Aug 1931)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Thursday, August 13, 1931 MOTION PICTURE DAILY Registered U. S. Patent Office Formerly Exhibitors Daily Rezieiv and Motion Pictures Today \o\. M August 13, 1931 No. 63 Martin Quigley Editor-in-Chief and Publisher MAURICE KANN Editor JAMES A. CRON Advertising Manager ^•^\ PUBLISHED dally, except Sunday I jl J and holidays, by Motion Picture V*I^ Daily, Inc., a Quigley Publication, ^ at 1790 Broadway, New York. Telephone: Circle 7-3100. Cable address: '■Quigpubco, New York." All contents copyrighted. Hollywood Office: Pacific States Life Building, X'ine and Yucca Streets; l-Villiam A. Johnston. Manager. Chicago Office: 407 South Dearborn Street; Edwin S. Clifford, Manager. London correspondent: W, H. Mooring, The Bioscope, 8-10 Charing Cross Road, London, W.C. 2. Berlin correspondent: Alfred Weiner, "The Film Kurrier," Berlin W. 9. Entered as second class matter January 4, 1926, at the Post Office at New York City, N. Y., under Act of March 3, 1879. Subscription rates per year, including postage: $10 in the United States and Canada; foreign $15. Single copies, 10 cents. Short Subjects on Meyer-Rieger List In addition to producing its own trailers, Meyer-Rieger will enter the short subject field. Production of novelty shorts are planned by Louis Meyer with the number as yet undecided. These shorts will be turned over to franchise holders in various territories for distribution. The subjects will be made in the studios at 630 Ninth Ave. "BUY RIGHT — BUT BUY NOW" Eastman Pays 75c As Extra Dividend Eastman Kodak Co. has declared its usual e.xtra dividend of 75c a share on the common stock in addition to the regular quarterly payment of $1.25 a share on the issue. Both dividends are payable Oct. 1 to stock of record Sept. 3. The company has paid the 75c extra dividend each quarter since 1925. In 1924 extras of f3.50 were paid and in 1923, $2.50. "BUY RIGHT— BUT BUY NOW" No Negotiations on For Fox L. /. Houses Repfjrts that Louis I'Visch and Sam Kinzler were the latest bidders for the I'ox string of 18 theatres on Long Island were emphatically denied yesterday by Harry C. Arthur, general manager. Various exhibitors have been mentioned as dickering for the Long Island group but Arthur said that "no one is negotiating for these houses." "BUY RIGHT — BUT BUY NOW" Goldstone Coming East 1 loi.i.vwoorj — Phil Goldstone, who recently resigned as studio production chief to enter production on his own, plans to go to New York late this month. "BUY RIGHT— BUT BUY NOW" Returning Next Month Hollywood — Esther Ralston, (Mrs. George Webb) plans to resume film work next month. A daughter was born to her Tuesday. Chi Exchanges Worry While Fihns Pile Up (Continued from faijc 1) lying unused pending the sought for labor settlement. An even more serious problem is in prospect if the theatres remain closed for any extended length of time. In the event the theatres do not reopen until September the entire list of August releases may go unplayed in the more than one hundred theatres now closed, as it is an improbability that the reopened theatres would consent to playing August releases during September when other theatres will be playing tlie new season's product. There is also a legal problem involved, several exchange managers say, in deciding whether or not the theatre closings come under the "strike" clause in the contracts relieving the exhibitor from rental liability. Meanwhile, rental losses to exchanges are estimated here at more than 125,000 weekly because of the closings. "BUY RIGHT — BUT BUY NOW" Fight Sunday Shows At Cleveland Heights Cleveland — Representatives of the Parent-Teacher Council and Women's Civic Clubs are preparing to circulate petitions asking Cleveland Heights council to rescind its vote of 6 to 1 favoring Sunday films. Although favoring "blue Sundays," Mayor Frank C. Cain stated that the opposition would have to have at least 9,000 signatures to counterbalance the 9,000 signatures in favor of Sunday films. "BUY RIGHT — BUT BUY NOW" Warners' Dividend Warner Bros. Pictures have declared a regular quarterly dividend of 96J4 cents on the preferred stock payable September 1 to stock holders of record August 21. Exit Girl Ushers Ottawa — The last of the girl ushers have disappeared from the circuit theatres of Canada. The final feminine stronghold, insofar as the big organizations are concerned, was Keith's here, where young ladies in pajamas guided male patrons and others along the narrow path. With the opening of the house as the RKO-Capitol this month, masculine youths will do the aisle parading, a new staff having been engaged. Heart Attack Proves Fatal to Sam Coston Chicago — Sam Coston, Warner theatre manager and former Qiicago independent exhibitor, died at the Lake Geneva home of his brother, James Coston, head of the Coston Booking Circuit and district manager of Warner theatres here. Death was attributed to heart disease. "BUY RIGHT — BUT BUY NOW" Paramount Postpones Wellman Marine Film Hollywood — "Come On, Marines" has been postponed indefinitely by Paramount. The reason given is that William Wellman must be returned September 5 to Warners and Paramount feels he is best qualified to direct the picture. "BUY RIGHT— BUT BUY NOW" Conflict on Name Toronto — Just the suggestion of difficulty has arisen for the Community Theatres of Canada Limited, Toronto, the new independent group over the selection of the name of the company. The owner of the Community Theatre at Halifax, N. S., has pointed out that the title conflicts with the name of his theatre. It is stated, however, that the new company has been granted a charter from the Ontario government and the name of the company was found acceptable to the government. G, T, E, Hits New Low in Off Market High Low Consolidated Film Industries pfd 14 14 Eastman Kodak 142 138;^ Fox Film "A" 13^ 12/^ General Theatre Equipment new 2^ \% Lot-w's, Inc 475^ 4554 Loew's. Inc., pfd 91!/^ 91^ M-G-M pfd 25!^ 25 Paraniount I'ulilix 23J^ 23 Palhe Exchange VA Wi I'athc Exchange "A" 6K 5-H KKO 14J4 13M W.iniei Uros 8'4 7}4 Curb Issues Quiet High I..OW l'"ox Theatres "A" 2% 2'/j General Theatre Equipment pfd 4J4 3^ Technicolor 7 7 Trans Lux 5 454 Close 14 139 12/2 VA 453^ 91M 25 23 1/2 6K 13% 754 Close Net Chainse — Vi -Wz — Vs % H -'A 2./8 4 7 4M + Vs + H 'A + 'A Net Change + 'A ■/« + 'A A Sales 200 4.7(X) 14.000 42.800 6,800 100 400 4,000 900 2.200 10.100 27,300 Sales 400 1,900 300 1,900 Bond List Spotty; W. B, Up 2^2 Points High Low Close General Theatre Equipment 6s '40 22J<2 2i)A IZ'A Loew's 6s '41 ex war 98^ 98J4 98^ Paramount Broadway S'As, '51 102J^ 102^^ 1021^ Paramount F. L. 63 '47 88^^ 88 88 Paramount Publix S'As, '50 79 79 79 Pathe 7s '37 ww ,',,', 94 93 93 Warner Bros. 6s '39 wd ..'. SZyi 47-J4 50 Net Change +2V>i + 'A -'A -m -'A —1 +2'A Sales 26 4 1 4 1 IS 94 Purely Personal, Lou B. METZGER and Mrs. Metzger last night were hosts at their Port Chester home to Miss Lillian Gutterman and the following Columbia executives and their wives : Rube Jackter, Lou Weinberg, Hal Hodes, Irving Wormser, Abe Schneider, Milt Hannock. Louis K. Sidney, Loew executive! and production chief of the Capitol Theatre, is very proud of his young, son, George, and justly so. George, age 14, while fishing with his Dad 40 miles at sea off Montauk Point, caught a 51-pound tuna fish. L. K. guarantees this is no fish story. George R. Batcheller, president of i Chesterfield Motion Picture Corp., has left for the coast to start production of Chesterfield's next subject, entitled "Grief Street." Viola Irene Cooper, literary agent in film sales, says she has discovered an unpublished Mark Twain manuscript, a play titled "The End of the World." Islin Austin of the Columbia scenario department has returned from the Coast. "BUY RIGHT— BUT BUY NOW" Stipulate German Name on Theatre Cincinnati — Dr. Fritz Witte, editor of Freie Press, local German daily, has secured a franchise from Tobis and Ufa to play both products in the Continental Theatre, formerly the Royal, which he recently acquired. Both companies had withheld franchises until they were given the assurance of the exhibitor that hej would display company trade names] and insignia on the front of the house. ' This is said to be the first compro ' mise in booking arrangements between these companies for an American theatre. The Continental is now closed for the installation of sound and ventilation equipment and will reopen Sep' tember 15. "BUY RIGHT — BUT BUY NOW" Named Contact Man For Pitts, Exchangei Pittsburgh — Owing to the discor tinuance of the Pittsburgh Fih Board of Trade, John J. Malone) M-G-M manager, will serve as sec^ retary to oflficiate as contact man be^ tween local exchanges and the Philadelphia board which is to take over the duties of the local board. "BUY RIGHT— BUT BUY NOW" Cast Opposite Chatterton Hollywood — Ivor Novello, young actor-author-manager from England, has been borrowed from M-G-M by Paramount to portray a leading male role opposite Ruth Cliatterton in the star's new vehicle, "Once a Lady." "BUY RIGHT— BUT BUY NOW" To Reopen Sept. 5 Charles Schwartz reopens the Oxford, Brooklyn, with burlesque and pictures September 5.