Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1933)

Monday, October 9, 1933 MOTION PICTURE DAILY I See No Price Jumps Ahead In Baltimore {Continued from page 1) are not contemplating any raise in prices at any of the IS theatres they control. J. Lawrence Schanberger, Keith's manager, said he does not know of any movement at the present to increase admissions and he has not considered the problem at his house. Palace in Cincinnati Tips Scales for Tabs Cincinnati, Oct. 8. — Prices at the RKO Palace, vaudefilm, which were increased from 30 and 40 cents to 35 and 44 cents on Sept. 1, the effective date of the new Ohio admission tax law, now have been advanced to 60 cents for evenings, and after 1 P. M. Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. The upward revision went into effect with the showing of the musical tab, "Strike Me Pink," and will obtain hereafter when tab productions or big "name" attractions play the house. Birmingham Changes In 2 Balconies Only Birmingham, Oct. 8. — Admission scales remain unchanged here with the exception of balcony tickets in two deluxe theatres, Alabama and Strand, which have advanced from 25 to 30 cents. This advance, in effect about 30 days, has had no visible effect on attendance. Business has improved very little with Birmingham houses and further ticket advances are not contemplated for the present. Managers report August business was duller than June and July. September improved slightly. Several of the suburbans have been closed for months. Those open report a slight improvement in attendance. Richmond Theatres Are Feeling Pickup (Continued from faoc 1) Capitol was improved recently. The Bijou is now being redecorated and will reopen soon as a second run. The Colonial will be closed Oct. 12 for similar work. Stage shows are planned at the Lyric for the winter and the Mosque will have operas. Midwest Vaudeville Circuit Is Planned (Continued from foiic 1) Joseph, Mo., after a lapse of three years. Three RKO acts are offered twice weekly, one program Sunday and Monday and another Friday and Saturday. Straight nictures hold the remainder of the week. Dubinsky's Orpheum in Leavenworth, Kan., has resumed -Sunday vaudeville, hiking the top from 25 cents to 35 cents. Stage shows have also returned to Lincoln, Neb., and at Fox spots in Topeka and Wichita. The Fox Jayhawk, Topeka, is showing standard RKO acts at 35 cents top. In Washington Once More Washington, Oct. 8.— Bob Wilby has some definite ideas about the code. One of them is progress would be faster if some of the New York crowd went home. • The W. K. telephone gag was pulled on Love B. Harrell the other night. Morgan Walsh didn't go for it, however. • Add mysterious phone calls : The one Lester Cowan got at the Carlton about 1:15 Friday morning and how it demonstrated that he was a gentleman. The exhibitors' committee, sans Allied, I.T.O.A. and T.O.C.C, has developed considerable respect for Abner Rubien, attorney for the LA.T.S.E. • The producers' group, which has met in what is practically one session suice Wednesday, will long remember Article 10. Eddie Loeb has been bothered with a catarrhal condition in his ear. Well in hand now, however. • The split between Administrator Hugh S. Johnson and Chief Counsel Donald R. Richberg over the coal situation interested film codifiers because it indicated all was not so harmonious within the NRA. • Henry Herzbrun's wife is back in Hollywood. Henry is confident he'll get back one of these days himself. Albert Warner's been around to consult with Harry M. on the code. Tom Murray eats griddle cakes at two in the morning and immediately falls into deep slumber. • George Schaefer has been receiving wired bulletins on the record being rolled up at the Oriental, Chicago, by "Fm No Angel." Other circuit men here who have seen the picture describe it as a wow. • Ray Johnston has been attempting to check reports a code for "yes" men is in the making. It was immediately denied that it could or would have any application in Hollywood. Jack Cohn and Bob Cochrane continue to stick pretty closely together. Lobby stalwarts : L. A. Solomon, Ray Johnston, Eddie Golden, Al Friedlander, Arthur Schwartz, Aaron Saperstein, Tom Murray. Said a disgruntled independent : "Here I am burning while Rome is fiddling." • Complaining exhibitors recall grimly the tense few minutes that preceded the actual delivery of the NRA code by Deputy Administrator Sol A. Rosenblatt. "Let's tell stories," he said. "We got a story all right," said many exhibitors after they had a chance to hurriedly read the proposed agreement. Unknown Actor Makes Good Washington, Oct. 8. — How a player, unknown until the producer to whom he was under contract developed him, increased his salary from $300 to $2,500 a week in two years, is one of the amazing inside stories which maior producers have presented to Deputy Administrator Sol A. Rosenblatt as an argument for restrictions of agents through the machinery proposed in Article 9 of their code. Here it is, as presented by producers: The actor originally was signed at $300 on a five-year optional contract. The agreement called for a $75 increase in the first six months and an additional $75 in the second six months. The producer, however, voluntarily jacked the figure from the stipulated $375 in the first period to $575, and from the stipulated $450 in the second period to $900. Therefore, when, by contract the actor was entitled to $450, he was getting twice that amount. About this time, his agent entered the picture and told the actor to ignore his contract. The player waited until an important picture was set to go and then refused to appear. To avoid losses, the producer found himself in a spot where he was forced to accede to demands for a $10,000 bonus as an inducement to the performer to return to work and coupled with it promise of a new contract. A short time later, the new deal was closed. By its terms, the old contract was thrown out and a new one, calling for $1,650 a week the first year signed with an option at $2,500 the following year. The option was exercised, but this year the player was let out because the producer concluded he could no longer bear the traffic. This is the fairy tale of how an actor, delighted to be paid his original $.300, moved himself into the four figure per week classification in about two years. Nathanson Is Silent About British Cash (Continued from paye 1) Nathanson in local gossip, but information is lacking as to whether or not he has made another offer to Zukor. The offer, backed by Gaumont, which was made three years ago, was on a basis of $75 per share, but that was in the boom days. Nathanson has intimated he will buy more theatres in Canada, but no step is apparent yet. This development might be held up pending negotiations with Paramount Publix. In the meantime Nathanson says he was impressed with the latest British specials while in England. He has adopted a plan of having traveling orchestras of 10 pieces to appear in various houses of the circuit for the purpose of testing the patronage reactions. If they go over well, pit orchestras will be made permanent in some spots. Predicts Early Use For ''Radio-Vision*' (Continued from page 1) 000 "eyes," has made television ready for the home and brought visual programs closer to technical perfection for theatres, said Tannehill. The tube recently was announced by Dr. Vladimir K. Zworykin, in collaboration with RCA-Victor Laboratories at Camden, N. J. Tannehill recently became associated with First National Television, w'hich maintains a broadcasting station, as sales manager of the extension department. He was one of the organizers of the Independent Theatre Supply Dealers' Ass'n. and was Tts first secretary. Wohher on Another Tour of Exchanges (Continued from pane 1) He will speak before Detroit employes tomorrow. Following his talk in the automobile city, Wobber will head for St. Louis, Kansas City, Des Moines, Omaha, Minneapolis, Milwaukee an(l Chicago in the order named. From the Windy City he will return to New York, thence to Denver, .Salt Lake City, Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles. From Los Angeles he will fly to Dallas and then go to Oklahoma City, Memphis, New Orleans, Atlanta, Charlotte and back to New York. Later in November Wobber and John Clark, general sales manager, will make another circuit of the exchanges. Ideal Closes 2 Deals Ideal Pictures Corp, has sold distribution rights of "The Next War" to Judell Film Exchanges for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Louis and Indianapolis areas. Reliable Film Exchange, Washington, has closed with Ideal for 13 one-reel "Whatnots."