Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1933)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Thursday, October 19, 1933 MOTION PICTURE DAILY Registered U. S. Patent Office Formerly Exhibitors Daily Review an4 Motion Pictures Today Vol. 34 October 19, 1933 No. 93 Martin Quigley Editor-in-Chief and Pubtisher MAURICE KANN Editor JAMES A. CRON Advertising Manager ^•^r\ PUBLISHED daily, except Sunday r jl J and holidays, by Motion Picture N^^ 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, Vine and Yucca Streets; Victor M. Shapiro, Manager. Chicago Office: 407 South Dearborn Street; Edwin S. Clifford. Manager. London correspondent: W. H. Mooring, 41 Redhill Drive, Edgware, London, England. Berlin correspondent: Joachim K. Rutenberg, "The Film Kurier," Kothenerstrasse 37, Berlin. W. 9. Paris correspondent: Pierre Autre, 19 Rue de Cour des-Noues. Entered as second class matter January 4, 1926. at the MBA Post Office at New York City, v^^ ■*^. N. Y., under Act of March 3. 1879. Subscription rates per year: ,j^_ , $6 in the Americas, except %F^ Canada; Canada and foreign ••••«•■•»" $1S. Single copies: 10 cents. Alicoate Candidate For Harrison Board Harrison, N. Y., Oct. 18.— Jack Alicoate, publisher and editor of The Film Daily, is taking a fling at politics and is running for alderman of this town. Charles C. Pettijohn, general counsel of the Hays organization and no novice to politics, is acting as campaign manager. The election is Nov. 7. Wurtzel Starting Five Hollywood, Oct. 18. — Sol Wurtzel plans to put five features into production for Fox in two months. Three going into work this month are : "Sleepers East," "Stranger in the Night" and "Heir to the Hoorah." Early next month he will start "365 Nights in Hollywood" and "Murder in Trinidad." President Signs Scroll Nicholas M. Schenck has received word from Washington that President and Mrs. Roosevelt have signed a large parchment scroll conveying birthday greetings to Marie Dressier. The scroll is to be sent around the country for the signatures of governors before being presented to her in Hollywood on Nov. 9. Chandler Replaces Allen Hollywood, Oct. 18. — Helen Chandler has replaced Elizabeth Allen in "Long Lost Father" to save the expense of waiting for Miss Allen to recover from an injury to her foot. Warner Club to Dance Cincinnati, Oct. 18. — The annual Warner Club dance and card party is set for Saturday, Nov. 11, at the Hotel Sinton-St. Nicholas French ball room. Rogers Seeks Testimony by Zukor, Hertz A request that Adolph Zukor, Paramount Publix president, and John Hertz, chairman of the company's hnance committee during 1932, be produced lor examination by counsel for creditors in connection with bankruptcy proceedings before Reteree Henry K. Davis was made yesterday by Saul E. Rogers, attorney for a creditors' group, at the conclusion of examination of Ralph A. Kohn, former Paramount treasurer, who has been on the stand over a period of several months. Samuel S. Isseks, of counsel for the Paramount trustees, said that Rogers' request would be "taken imder consideration." in requesting that Zukor and Hertz submit to examination Rogers said that considerable information sought by creditors in connection with the Paramount bankruptcy had not been obtained from either Kohn or Austin Keough, Paramount general counsel, the only two officers of the company who have been placed on the stand by attorneys for the trustees thus far. Rogers pointed out that in many instances where neither Kohn nor Keough could supply desired information, the witnesses had stated that the subject under examination had been handled by either Zukor or Hertz. "Mr. Hertz is a non-resident and it may be necessary to take his testimony by deposition," Isseks commented at the time Rogers' request was made. Suggests Asking Hertz "I think if the trustees sent Hertz a notice to appear here for question ing," Rogers replied, "that is all that would be necessary. If he refused to comply, that should be sufficient notice to the trustees that he had something to conceal and they should then demand his appearance." Prior to this Rogers obtained a clarification from Kohn of various minor phases of the bonus contracts made between Paramount and Zukor, Sidney R. Kent, Jesse L. Lasky, Sam Katz and Kohn. It was disclosed that in 1927 the bonuses were proportionately increased when the company charged oflf $1,424,400 as the cost of calling up its preferred stock for retirement without deducting the full amount from the net earnings, on the basis of which tlie bonuses were paid. Kohn said that he did not participate in the bonuses that year and "was not sure" whether Katz had, either. Samuel Zirn, attorney for a Paramount bondholders' group, who has conducted the examination of Kohn for the past several sessions without eliciting new information of a vital nature, was stopped from further questioning by Referee Davis yesterday over Zirn's "protest." Zirn said he would "seek his remedy in court if it's available," and also threatened Kohn with an action for contempt, declaring that Kohn's answers on the stand were "evasive" and amounted to "refusal to testify." An example of the questions put to Kohn by Zirn was the following: "Where did I (Zirn) get a copy of your (Paramount's) balance sheet for 1932?" "t/" in Cincinnati Given Hays Trophy Cincinnati, Oct. 18. — At a meeting of the Film Board of Trade here yesterday, Paul Kreiger, manager of the Universal exchange, was awarded the Hays trophy for the highest rating among the 32 exchange centers in the United States for fire prevention and general "good housekeeping."' Coincidentally, the award was made immediately following local fire prevention week. There was, however, no connection between the two occa Open Greenville House New Orleans, Oct. 18.— U. S. District Judge Wayne G. Borah, has granted E. V. Richards, receiver for Saengers Theatres, Inc., permission to reopen the Paramount in Greenville, Miss. The theatre is operated by Delat Theatres, Inc. Advancement of money by Saengers was authorized. Directors Work on Guild Hollywood, Oct. 18. — All concerned refuse to discuss it, but it is understood a number of meetings have been held for discussion of the formation of a Directors' Guild, similar to the guilds now operating among writers and actors. Columbia Down i% as Market Slumps Net ,High Low Close Change Sales Columbia Pictures, vtc 21^5 30 20 —1^ 500 Consolidated Film Industries 3'A SVt S'A + Vs 300 Consolidated Film Industries, pfd 8?^ SVi S'A — s/g 100 Eastman Kodak 7PA 72 72'/^ — Yi 500 Fox Film "A" 14^ 14 14 — '^ 1.400 Loew's. Inc 30 28}4 2&Va, —154 3,400 Paramount Publix VA IVa Wff — yk 4,200 Pathe Exchange 1'4 V/t I'A — 'A 600 Pathe Exchange "A" &]4 754 ^'A — Vf. 100 RKO 254 2'4 254 —54 600 Warner Bros 7 A 6^ 6^ — Vt 6,400 Technicolor Sole Opener on Curb Net High Low Close Change Sales Technicolor 12 11 IP/T rf 54 6,000 Warner Bonds Dip 7% Points Net High Low Close Change Sales General Tlieatre Equipment 6s '40 SVn 5 5 —A 6 Keith B. F. 6s '46 4454 4454 4454 -1 5^ 1 T^ew's 6s '41 85 8454 8454 2 Paramount Broadway 554s '51 .TO 30 30 —A 3 Paramount F. L. 6s '47, cts 30 30 30—54 1 Paramount Publix 554s '50 315^ 3054 3154 + Vf 10 Warner Bros. 6s '39, wd 43 42 4254 —Wt 21 i Purely Personal ► JACK BROiWER, Warner western district manager with headquarters in Los Angeles, left last night by plane with plans for stopovers in Denver and Salt Lake City to handle deals on "Footlight Parade." Charles Judels will write, direct and help in the supervision of Educational shorts at the Eastern Service Studios under the terms of his new contract. Ray Foster, Vitaphone cameraman, had a double celebration yesterday, his 10th wedding anniversary and his daughter's seventh birthday. Marion Nixon is back from Europe. She made one picture abroad and plans to leave in a few days for the coast. Ted Lewis will rush back from Boston Friday morning to start a week at the Capitol. Ruby Keeler will leave for the coast next week to start work in "Sweethearts Forever" for Warners. Expect Early Ruling On Statewide Offer Milwaukee, Oct. 18. — The referee in bankruptcy is expected to turn in a decision by Oct. 23 concerning the offer made Oct. 16 of $16,000 in cash for the bankrupt Statewide Theatres, Inc., by Wisconsin Amusement Enterprises, Inc. The oflfer provides for the withdrawal of all claims of Fox-Wisconsin Co., Wisconsin Amusement Enterprises, Wesco Corp. and Fox Film. Opinion of creditors regarding the offer was divided at the hearing held here Oct. 16. Although the roll call indicated that a larger number of creditors favored the rejection of the offer, it is believed that those favoring the settlement represent the greatest amount of claims against the bankrupt. Final settlement hinges upon the decision of Milton J. Knoblock, referee. Metzger to San Diego San Diego, Oct. 18.— Arthur S. Metzger, at one time manager of the Paramount-Publix real estate department, midwest division, has arrived here from Kansas City and has been appointed manager of the New Spreckels. His brother, Lou B. Metzger, operates the house. Middletown Strand Open Middletown, O., Oct. 18. — The Strand, recently leased by the Taft circuit, has reopened with pictures, and will soon inaugurate a stage policy as well. Plans call for musical tabs, booked from the Gus Sun office. "Chi" Opens in Concord Concord, N. H., Oct. 18. — Monogram's "Sweetheart of Sigma Chi" was the opening attraction of the new Concord last night.