Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1934)

The Leading Daily Newspaper of the Motion Picture Industry MOTION PICTURE DAILY Alert, Intelligent and Faithful ,; )1 Service to the Industry in All Branches VOL. 35. NO. 12 NEW YORK, MONDAY, JANUARY 15, 1934 TEN CENTS 26 Exchanges In New Lists Of Authority South and West Send in 158 Recommendations Among 158 additional names on the 1 fourth list in the Code Authority's publicity campaign for recommendations to the 32 clearance and zoning I and grievance boards only 26 exchange centers are represented. Des Moines, Memphis, New Orleans, i Omaha, Salt Lake City and New Jersey are not heard from. Suggestions from Little Rock, Ark., and Tampa, Fla., are included in the list, but since these are not sales points the names will be added to the Memphis and Atlanta groups. For the first time since the recom (Continued on page A) Free Postage Denied To Code Authorities Washington, Jan. 14. — Code authorities are not entitled to the Government franking privilege, it has been held by the Third Assistant Postmaster General, it being pointed out that chairmen of code authorities are elected by the industries and "not appointed as officers of the Government and receive no pay from the government." "Chai rmen of code authorities are not entitled to exercise the penalty (.Continued on page 4) Chicago Allied to Talk Code Further Chicago, Jan. 14. — Allied exhibitors, having been, unable to come to a decision on signing the code at a meeting last week, will get together again in about 10 days for further discussion. While it was apparent at the meeting held at the Congress that a nod from Allied leaders is all that is necessary to get exhibitor action either way, Aaron Saperstein is emphatic in his declaration this is one time the {Continued on page 4) On Cold Standard Hamilton, O., Jan. 14.— When checking a box-office statement at the Paramount, which was not so forte on account of sub-zero weather, Marc Wolf, manager, observed: "Anyhow, winter isn't off the cold standard." Authority to Name Secretaries Code Authority has ruled appointment of paid secretaries for local grievance and clearance and zoning boards will be named by it, following recommendations for such posts filed by the personnel of the boards themselves. It follows obviously, therefore, that no action on paid secretaries can be made until the 64 boards are first named. Recommendations from any industry source for appointments on grievance and clearance and zoning boards under the code must be in the mail and postmarked not later than midnight, Jan. 20. Code assent forms, without qualification, must be in the mail and postmarked not later than midnight, Jan. 31. Qualifications go before local boards, when operative. All correspondence should be addressed to John C. Flinn, executive secretary of Code Authority, Paramount Building, 1501 Broadway, New York City. Trade Board Sends F. W. C. Report to NRA for Action Detroit Film Combine Sued For $180,000 Df.troit, Jan. 14.— Suit for $180,000 damages against Mid-States, every member individually and the organization, was filed in the U. S. District Court yesterday by former Judge Charles Bowles, attorney for Detroit Neighborhood Theatres, Inc., operating the Oriole, a Sam Brown house. It is charged that the combine, and particularly Frank A. Wetsman, operator of the Lindwood-LaSalle, conspired to stifle trade, and prevent open, competitive bidding in the market by independent theatres, in violation of a provision of Section 7, of the Sherman Act and Section 4 of the Clayton Act, which provides three-fold damages. The individual members were named because they "selected (Continued on page 8) Detroit Strike by Ushers Is Averted Detroit, Jan. 14. — A threatened strike of union ushers in the Publix theatres here was averted when George W. Trendle reached an agreement with the union which permits the use of girl ushers in four neighborhood houses. The boy ushers walked out of the Publix houses, but were back again before 6 P.M. Trendle said he wanted the girl ushers in the neighborhoods because so many children attended them. Washington, Jan. 14. — The Federal Trade Commission has forwarded memoranda covering an investigation of alleged unfair trade practices of certain film companies on the coast to the National Recovery Administration for use in administering the code ; to the Attorney General for consideration in connection with a consent decree against these companies, and to the chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking and Currency. The commission's investigation followed the receipt of complaints to the effect that certain companies on the coast were violating the commission's orders to cease and desist and were (Continued on page 4) Coast Production Shows Slight Gain Hollywood, Jan. 14. — Production for the week ending Jan. 13 showed a gain of one feature and six shorts over the preceding week. Pictures in work for the week show 27 features and 11 shorts. There were also 32 features in final stages of preparation and 38 in the cutting rooms. In the short subject division there are 15 shorts (Continued on page 12) 20th Century Last To Agree on Stills Hollywood, Jan. 14. — Twentieth Century has at last yielded to the submission of stills and advertising campaigns for the local Hays office censoring. Other independents, including Monogram and Majestic, have already lined up with the parade, making it unanimous among all producers submitting to requirements along this line. Move on Foot To End Duals In St. Louis Subsequents Approach First Runs on Plan St. Louis, Jan. 14. — A move is on foot to eliminate duals in this city. A number of subsequent run theatre men have approached the first run houses proposing a plan for the extinction of the twin bills. The Fox, which eliminated its orchestra recently and added another feature in its stead ; the St. Louis, and occasionally Loew's State are the first run dual nouses. The first runs have agreed to drop the second feature provided the subsequent runs make a similar move first. While no definite decision has (Continued on page 4) Important Shifts in Field Made by U. A. Several important shifts in the executive field sales set-up have been made by United Artists, effective immediately. Sam Horowitz, formerly district manager with headquarters in Kansas City, has been named manager of the Chicago office, succeeding Thomas Montgomery, who continues as salesman. Jack Goldhar, until recently district head at Detroit, is now assistant to the western division manager. Charles Stern, formerly district manager in New York, is now as (Continued on page 8) Ohio Showmen Seek End of Ticket Tax Cleveland, Jan. 14. — When the Ohio Legislature meets the end of January, legislators will be asked to recall the 10 per cent amusement tax which includes a tax on all admissions over 10 cents, and to substitute for it a small general sales tax. Theatre owners claim that the nuisance tax was passed to raise money (Continued on page 8) 1934 Model Ed Fay, Providence showman, who strikes a neat balance in dividing his time between his home town, New York, and Boston, says he's now operating a second run theatre, but with first run overhead. I