Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1934)

The Leading Daily ^ Newspaper of the Motion Picture Industry MOTION PICTURE DAILY Alert, Intelligent and Faithful1 Service to the Industry in All Branches OL. 35. NO. 18 NEW YORK, MONDAY, JANUARY 22, 1934 TEN CENTS Jnit System Gaining with 71 Producers welve Directors Made Producers Recently Hollywood, Jan. 21. — The apparent kccess of the unit production system the past year is manifested by a ,ieck-up of various studios which iows a total of 71 producers now tively engaged and responsible for ie various pictures assigned them. Practicability of this system is furer indicated by the fact that more an 12 directors have been elevated to inducers in the past 90 days. To kote the unanimous opinion of studio tads, the system is most practical and ill become more desirable during the ar when individuality, it is agreed, ust play an important factor in the ••.king of celluloid entertainment. Convinced now that no one indidual can successfully guide the desti ( Continued on page 4) eatures in Work Increase on Coast ■ Hollywood, Jan. 21.— Production ir the week ending Jan. 20 shows an ::rease of five features over the preying week with the number of >orts remaining the same. This y.ek's chart shows a total of 32 feares and 11 shorts in work. Twenty|e features are in the final prepara<n stages, scheduled to start within e next two weeks and 43 in the (Continued on pane 8) 'irginians Line U p Tax Fight Figures ^Richmond, Jan. 21. — Virginia exlitors, under the leadership of the .P.T.O., are gathering statistics to Ister their claim that they cannot rvive Gov. George C. Peery's proved five per cent tax on tickets. JThey point out that only 210 of the y.te's 356 houses survived 1930. They (Continued on page 8) Ifs Evolution Hollywood, Jan. 21. — Here's the evolution of a title at Columbia during the various phases of production. "Paul Street Boys," next "No Greater Glory," then "Men of Tomorrow" and finally "No Greater Glory." Rosenblatt to Probe Talent Raids During His Coast Stay Chicago, Jan. 21. — A probe into alleged unfair trade practices of major studios in competing for talent is one of the aims of Division Administrator Sol A. Rosenblatt's trip to the coast, he revealed upon arrival here Saturday en route west. The assignment comes direct from the President, he stated. New Theatre Union Scale About Ready The new wage scales for ushers, doormen and janitors which Charles C. Levey, secretary-treasurer of Local 118, Building Service Employes Union, said last week would "knock exhibitors cold," may be submitted to major circuits by the union today or tomorrow, Levey said on Saturday. Two rulings which are expected to decide whether janitors, cleaners and doormen are to be classed as "skilled workers" and, therefore, subject to working more than 40 hours per week, or unskilled labor coming within the 40-hour maximum, are exacted tomorrow by Local 118 from Deputy NRA Administrator William Farnsworth at Washington. Farnsworth is also expected to rule on whether jani (Continued on pa^jc 6) Paramount to Hold Criterion Property Paramount will retain the Criterion and Loew's New York theatre property on Broadway from 44th to 45th Streets, if an application for approval of a plan of the trustees in bankruptcy to preserve title to the property is granted when it comes before Referee Henry K. Davis on Jan. 29. The property has been up for sale since early last summer without acceptable bids being received. Marked improvement in Paramount's financial condition within recent months is said to have resulted in a decision to retain (Continued on page 8) Paramount Advisors To Meet Quarterly Paramount's national theatre advisory committee of six will meet with Ralph A. Kohn, head of the theatre department, at least once every three months, according to present plans. Duties will include confirmation of national policies and establishment of (Continued on page 8) Hays Asserts High Standard Must Prevail Hollywood, Jan. 21. — Successful pictures in the future will be those that keep pace with higher, not lower, entertainment demands of the American public, declared Will H. Hays upon his arrival here. "Many observers of film progress are pointing to the possibility that a vast public may soon be ready for the treasure house of great comedy and drama that lies in a possible Sbakespearean cycle on the screen," he declared. "The success of great historical spectacles and other outstanding costume pictures recently produced is paving the way for a higher class of entertainment produced on a popular basis, but all this should not close our (Continued on page 6) Miller Ordered to Face Jurors Again Chicago, Jan. 21. — Federal Judge Barnes has ordered Jack Miller to appear before the Grand Jury to give a complete and true statement of facts concerning deals with the operators' union. Specifically, he must testify regarding 22 checks dated in 1932 and covering the disbursement of $97,200. Judge Barnes scored Miller's testimony and instructed that in the future he must adhere strictly to facts instead of conversation. He indicated the court would not tolerate any evasiveness in answers. Woolf Testifies in His Contract Suit Kansas City. Tan. 21. — A deposition of Herbert Woolf has been taken in the suit seeking a temporary receivership for the Midland Realty & Investment Co., now pending in the Circuit Court here. It is possible an official, or officials (Continued on page 8) Allied Starts Court Test on Industry Code Constitutional Question Up in Federal Suit Allied States launched its attack on the industry code late Saturday with the filing in U. S. District Court here of a bill of complaint attacking sections of the code as unconstitutional and designed to promote monopolies and oppress small enterprises. It asks an injunction restraining the Code Authority from requiring assents to the code without qualifications and, in the event this is denied, asks that the court adjudge sections of the code to be unconstitutional and restrain the Code Authority from enforcing those sections. The suit was brought in the name of the Congress Theatre, Newark, N. J., owned by Reuben L. Haas, a member of Allied of New Jersey. It names as defendants, Division Administrator Sol A. Rosenblatt ; John (Continued on page 6) Allied to Discuss Code Cancellations Chicago, Jan. 21. — Cancellation privileges will form the principal topic of discussion at a meeting of Allied directors to be held here Wednesday as a result of a call from Aaron Saperstein. When the call was issued last week (Continued on page 6) Johnson's Plan for Authorities Not Set Washington, Jan. 21. — General Hugh S. Johnson's plan to substitute government representatives now on Code Authorities because of the many duties occupying their time is still in the formative stage and will not be worked out for some time. Fan Dance Hollywood, Jan. 21. — Latest racket to be unveiled here is that of a bright lad just in from points east, who is now approaching climbing stars with a plan to boost their fan mail. He guarantees letters of praise from any part of the world at five cents per fan.