Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1934)

Record Details:

Title:
Motion Picture Daily
Date:
Jan-Mar 1934
Publisher:
New York [Motion picture daily, inc.]
Volume:
Motion picture daily
Leaf #:
000121
Language:
English
Subjects:
Motion pictures, Motion pictures -- Periodicals
Collection:
Hollywood Studio System
Format:
Periodicals
Contributor:
Library of Congress, MBRS, Moving Image Section
Sponsor:
Library of Congress, Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division
Coordinator:
Media History Digital Library
Description:
A New York-based daily trade paper published by Martin Quigley. The companion to Quigley's better known weekly publication, MOTION PICTURE HERALD, and a direct competitor to THE FILM DAILY, which was also published out of New York. Established in 1930, MOTION PICTURE DAILY enjoyed a circulation of roughly 5,000 readers most years of its four decades in print (a nearly identical circulation to THE FILM DAILY, but only one third of the readership of MOTION PICTURE HERALD, which reached a wider audience of exhibitors). In the 1930s, the MOTION PICTURE DAILY's editor, Maurice Kann, called on the movie industry to shift more production back to the East Coast. Any productions that filmed in New York received ample attention. New York City never regained its production lead over Hollywood, but the major studios used the Big Apple for their corporate and distribution headquarters. As a result, MOTION PICTURE DAILY tended to focus on economic and regulatory issues confronting the film industry. -- Eric Hoyt, 2014
Date Added:
August 28, 2022
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Monday, January 15, 1934 MOTION PICTURE DAILY 1 1 Providence Gives 'Dinner9 $16,800, $4,800 Over Par "Scandals" Is Denver Smash With $17,500 Denver, Jan. 14. — "Roman Scandals" topped everything the Denver has had within the past three years, and is the first film ever to be held a second week at this de luxer. Holdouts were the rule, with some of them extending out to the curb. "Dinner at Eight" turned in twice the regular gross at the Paramount, after a week at the Denver in which it had the best takings in many months. "Ann Vickers-' was 10 per cent above normal at the Orpheum, while "Morning Glory" and "Design for Living" did average. First run business was $43,500. Average is $27,750. Estimated takings for the week ending Jan. 11 : "MORNING GLORY" (Radio) ALADDIN— (1,500), 25c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $3,500. (Average, $3,500.) "DESIGN FOR LIVING" (Para.) DEN HAM— (1,500), 25c-30c-40c, 7 days. Stage show. Gross: $6,000. (Average, $6,000.) "ROMAN SCANDALS" (U. A.) DENVER— (2,500), 25c-35c-SOc, 7 days. Gross: $17,500. (Average, $5,500.) "ANN VICKERS" (Radio) ORPHEUM — (2,600), 25c-35c-40c, 7 days. Stage show. Gross: $11,000. (Average, $10,000.) "DINNER AT EIGHT" (M-G-M) PARAMOUNT— (2,000), 25c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $5,500. (Average, $2,750.) Judge in Illinois Favors Open Sunday Beaton, 111., Jan. 14. — Judge Robert Cook of Herrin, 111., has made permanent an injunction restraining . :ounty ajid city officials from enforcing the city ordinance against Sunday shows. The court held the ordinance . invalid. Boston, Jan. 14. — Two Massachusetts towns are agitating Sunday shows. At Melrose petitions have oeen filed with Mayor Robert A. Perkins and the aldermen asking that he Sunday show problem be subTiitted" to voters. At Maiden, in spite of the fact that • oters have already favored Sunday Dpenings, the selectmen have called a -e:ond referendum to decide whether or not the voters will ratify the ac:ion taken earlier. Charter Export Concern Dover, Jan. 14. — General Film Exchange, Inc., has filed in the State Department here to export films to Ihina, listing capital of 100 shares, no )ar value. The incorporators are : Robert A. Van Voorhis, Belleville, tf. J. ; R. H. Toothe, Brooklyn, N.Y. ; A M. Docken, Sunnyside, L I. M-G-M Publicists Expand Hollywood, Jan. 14.— The M-G-M publicity department has taken over he entire building on the lot, the vriters formerly quartered there havng been moved out. Providence, Jan. 14. — With all theatres here catching nice business for the week, two houses, Loew's and the Paramount, raked in grosses considerably over average. "Dinner at Eight," at Loew's, took $16,800, and the Paramount, with "Design for Living," was $500 over average, garnering $7,000. "Flying Down to RIO," at the Albee, was good for a par $7,000. Total for first run business was $45,900. Average is $40,500. Estimated takings for the week ending Jan. 4: "DINNER AT EIGHT" (M-G-M) LOEW'S STATE — (3,800), 15c-40c, 7 days. Stage: William Desmond and Ruth Mix. Gross: $16,800. (Average, $12,000) "FLYING DOWN TO RIO" (Radio) "FOG" (Radio) RKO ALBEE— (2.300), 15c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $7,000. (Average, $7,000) "LADY KILLER" (Warners) "YOU MADE ME LOVE YOU" (Chesterfield) MAJESTIC— (2,400), 15c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $7,000. (Average, $7,000) "HAVANA WIDOWS" (Warners) FAY'S— (1.600). 15c-40c, 7 days. Stage: "Revels of 1934." Gross: $7,1100. (Average, $7,000) "DESIGN FOR LIVING" (Para.) "RAINBOW OVER BROADWAY" (CFD) PARAMOUNT-(2,300), 15c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $7,000. (Average, $6,500) "ONLY YESTERDAY" (Univ.) "BREED OF THE BORDER" (Mono.) RKO VICTORY— (1,600). 10c-25c, 4 davs. Gross: $1,100. (Average, $1,000) Claims Development Of New Sound Head Enid, Okla.. Jan. 14. — Wesley Trout, sound and projection engineer has developed a new type sound head which he says uses a new type optical system ; two sprockets ; new type curved, case hardened sound gate ; is gear-driven, eliminates old style chain drives while all parts are built oversize and case hardened. Powers, Simplex, Kaplan and Motiograph projectors can handle it, he asserts. He has also developed a new all a.c. amplifier, using all latest tubes, new type tone-control and changeover device. According to Trout, this sound equipment will faithfullv reproduce all "Wide Range" and "High Fidelity" recordings, from 40 to 10,000 cycles. Columbus Club to Dine Columbus, Jan. 14. — The third annual banquet of the Columbus Variety Club will be held in the DeshlerWallick ballroom Jan. 21. Olsen and Johnson and their entire company of "Take a Chance," booked for the RKO Palace, will provide the stage entertainment. Sir Ernest Dupille, managing director Continental Theatres, Ltd.. of London, and Governor White of Ohio will be among the notables. Signed to Work Abroad Hollywood, Jan. 14. — Warners have signed Laura LaPlante and Reginald Denny to make pictures for them in London under the supervision of Irving Asher, head of the company's studio there. Another Cycle Hollywood, Jan. 14. — Strengthening the list of "generation" pictures already released or in production, Paramount has purchased screen rights to Samuel B. Harrison's novel, "Yonder Lies Jericho," a story dealing with a Texas family through three generations. Wesley Ruggles gets the directorial assignment. "Dinner," "Skitch" Lead Indianapolis Indianapolis, Jan. 14. — Theatre business here was better last week with two houses going over par, something that has not happened in several weeks. The best business was "Dinner at Eight" at the Palace, which grossed $6,500. It was held over. "Mr. Skitch," at the Apollo, reached $3,000. Estimated takings week ending Jan. 8 : "MR. SKITCH" (Fox) APOLLO— (1,100). 20c-40c, 2nd week, 7 days. Gross: $3,000. (Average, $2,500.) "FLYING DOWN TO RIO" (Radio) CIRCLE— (2,600), 25c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $3,500. (Average, $3,500.) "SITTING PRETTY" (Para.) INDIANA— (3,100), 20c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $4,000. "BY CANDLELIGHT" (Univ.) LYRIC— (2,000). 20c-40c, 7 days. Stage show. Gross: $4,500. (Average, $6,000.) "DINNER AT EIGHT" (M-G-M) PALACE— (2,800), 25c-55c, 7 days. Gross: $6,500. (Average, $4,500.) "U" Directors Now Total to Eighteen Hollywood, Jan. 14. — Universal now ranks equal to the balance of the major studios for number of directors under contract. Their latest list of contractees in this division shows a total of 18, including John M. Stahl, James Whale, Frank Borzage, Lowell Sherman, William Wyler, Karl Freund. Edward Buzzell, Kurt Neumann, Edwin L. Marin, Edward F. Sloman, Edgar Ulmer, James W. Home, Robert Wyler, Edward Laemmle, Louis Friedlander, Ernst L. Frank, Ray Taylor and W. P. Hackney. N. O. Liberty Reopens New Orleans, Jan. 14. — The Liberty has reopened under the management of L. M. Ash, at one time auditor for Saenger. The theatre has been refitted with new sound equipment. Para. Signs Craven Hollywood, Jan. 14. — Paramount has signed Eddie Craven, currently starring in "Sailor Beware" on Broadway, to a long-term contract. K. C. Grosses Leap Upward Over Holiday Kansas City, Jan. 14. — First run grosses experienced a rebound, the four major houses aggregating $51,700, which looks like old times. Special New Year's eve shows swelled the takes. "Dinner at Eight," at the Midland's 25-cent price, was top-notcher with $21,000. "Design for Living" turned in a fine $9,700 at the Newman. "Mr. Skitch" was phenomenal, according to the Uptown, where it reportedly broke all existing house records for gross, attendance and profit. Against an average of $3,000, the Will Rogers vehicle gave the Uptown $8,500 for the week, this, however, including a New Year's midnight show at which "Sing, Sinner, Sing" was "previewed." Total for the week was $51,700. Average is $33,000. Estimated takings : Week Ending Jan. 4: "IF I WERE FREE" (Radio) MAINSTREET— (3,049), 25c-40c-60c, 7 days, plus Saturday midnight show and New Year's Eve show (the latter 75c$1.10, reserved.) Stage: Duke Ellington and band. Gross: $12,500. (Average, $12,000.) "DESIGN FOR LIVING" (Para.) NEWMAN— (1,800), 25c-40c, 7 days, plus Saturday and Sunday midnight shows. Gross: $9,700. (Average, $7,000.) Week Ending Jan. 5: "DESIGN FOR LIVING" (M-G-M) MIDLAND— (4,000) 25c, 7 days, plus Saturday and Sunday midnight shows. Gross: $21,000. (Average, $11,000.) "MR. SKITCH" (Fox) UPTOWN— (2,000), 25c-40c, 7 days, plus Saturday midnight show. Gross: $8,500. (Gross includes near capacity business at New Year's Eve midnight show with "Sing, Sinner, Sing." (Average, $3,000.) Fox Doubles Output On Its Spanish List\ Hollywood, Jan. 14. — Determined to retain a firm foothold in the foreign field, Fox has boosted its Spanish output from six to 12 features for the current season. The studio's foreign department, headed by John Stone, decided to double the season's quota, following entry of Warners and other majors into Spanish production. None of the 12 will be dubbed versions, Fox having discontinued this system some time ago because of unsatisfactory reception by Latin exhibitors. RKO Pushing Name Acts in Kansas City Kansas City, Jan. 14. — RKO is making a determined bid for business by way of combination shows with name acts at the Mainstreet. Scheduled are Morton Downey and revue for the week of Jan. 19, then Kate Smith and her Swanee Show, and Olsen and Johnson in "Take a Chance." Connie in "Cellini" Lead Hollywood, Jan. 14. — Constance Bennett draws the feminine lead opposite Fredric March in "The Affairs of Cellini" for 20th Century.