Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1934)

The Leading Daily « Newspaper^ or tne ivioxiori Picture Industry MOTION PICTURE DAILY Alert, Intelligent and . Faithful Service to the industry in All Branches )L. 35. NO. 61 NEW YORK, THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 1934 TEN CENTS ox 39-Week Profit Up to 1,410,793 mtrasts with $557,122 Loss in 1932 Period *or the 39 weeks from the April 1 irganization to Dec. 31, 1933, Fox ill Corp. yesterday reported a Bit of $1,410,793 after all charges, is contrasts with a net loss of 595,100 for the 40 weeks ending c. 31, 1932. During the first quarof 1933, prior to the reorganiza l, there was a loss of $557,122. Gross revenues for the 39 weeks iling Dec. 30, 1933, was $24,288,824, increase of $4,058,924 over the same iod for 1932. rhe 40-week profit represents 58 (Continued on page 7) riple Bill Scare Herring" — Golden The charge that the triple feature care" now reported in several secns of the country is a campaign l-neuver of the opponents of double j tures designed to discredit the dual iky was made yesterday bv Edrd Golden, Monogram sales man'er. Golden said he would expose I (Continued on page 7) ent Tax Is Urged At Senate Hearing Washington, March 14. — A fiat one it tax on all admissions, regardless price, today was proposed to the nate Finance Committee during its irings on the new tax bill by John Kelly, representing the circus in■ests. -"rotesting against application of (Continued on page 7) roducers Join for leception to MPTOA Hollywood, March 14— In order prevent any one studio from makl any grand stand plays in entering delegates to the forthcoming P.T.O.A. convention here next With, a general fund will be conbuted to by all the producing prnizations and the entertainment itralized under the management of committee designated by the Procers' Ass'n. jack Lewis of the :al Hays office is now in charge of preliminary arrangements. Code Authority Assessments May Be on 9-Month Basis Basis for code assessments is being considered on a nine-month schedule, the same type of bookkeeping employed by several of the larger circuits and many individual theatre operators. Those circuits which subscribe to this plan usually charge off rent for the three summer months against the rest of the year. It is figured by some that on this basis operating expense of the code would amount to around $360,000. However, if more than the stipulated figure is needed, it will be charged against the three months not originally included in the plan. Code Authority unofficially computes the assessment per individual theatre will be small and that it will be collectable only twice a year to keep collection costs at a low figure. Autonomy Is Keynote for Board Rules Local autonomy in operation will be the highlight of the manuals on rules and regulations for clearance and zoning and grievance boards, the text of which will be released for publication Monday. Each of the manuals will be around 1,500 words and includes the oath all members of the boards are to sign, rules on organization, operation, hearings and decisions. Secretaries for the boards will be recommended by the boards themselves (Continued on page 6) Coast Cut to 34-Hour Week Held Possible Hollywood, March 14. — Local observers are viewing the recent appeal of President Roosevelt for shorter hours and higher pay with great interest. Studios are now working on a 40-hour basis and it is felt that, while no agreement will be reached to cut hours to 30, a compromise may be effected to bring the total to 34. Harold S. Bareford, George J. Schaefer and Charles L. O'Reilly, (Continued on page 6) Who? What? When? Who are the latest appointees on code boards announced by Code Authority in New York on Tuesday? These thumbnail sketches, gathered by Motion Picture Daily correspondents and reported by telegraph yesterday, furnish the answer : Cincinnati Cincinnati, March 14. — Joseph Marx, impartial member on clearance and zoning, was born in Alexandria Nov. 30, 1899. He is vice-president and general sales advertising promotion manager of the Solo Mfg. Co., makers of plastic rubber goods. For nine months in 1919 he was a Paramount salesman, covering Kentucky under W. B. Bachmeyer, branch manager. He was president of the Marx Flarsheim Advertising Agency from 1922 to 1931 and has held his present position for three years. Kansas City Kansas City, March 14. — Thomas T. Finnegan, impartial grievance board member, is district manager for (Continued on page 6) Keyser Refuses Salt Lake City, March 14 — M. A. Keyser, former president of the Chamber of Commerce, who was announced as Samuel C. Powell's successor as impartial member on the local grievance board, told Motion Picture Daily today he had refused the post. Code Authority stated yesterday no word of Keyser's refusal to serve had been received, and that, if a declination is made, a successor will be named at the Authority's next meeting on March 21. Impartial Men May Be Asked To Conference Session Expected After Trial Operation Following a trial operation of clearance and zoning and grievance boards, a general meeting of all impartial members _ throughout the country looms, it is understood. The purpose, it is said, will be to get ideas from the outside men on how the boards are functioning. Already appointed are 56 men, with eight yet to be named. Six of the eight will be named for the boards in N. Y., Minn, and Philadelphia. The other two will be men to sit on Code Authority with Division Administrator Sol A. Rosenblatt. One of the two appointees for Philadelphia is understood to be Col. Harry B. (Continued on page 6) Alternative Plans Up on N. Y. Boards Because of the complexity of the Greater New York situation, the code committee on boards is mulling over two plans for setting up clearance and zoning and grievance boards. One is to have a main board and three advisory committees for both clearance and zoning and grievances. (Continued on page 7) Seattle Is Satisfied With Board Makeup Seattle, March 14. — Personnel of the grievance, clearance and zoning boards in the Seattle territory is generally satisfactory to exchange men and exhibitors. The general opinion locally is that NRA code regulations and enforcements will be in capable hands here. Among the theatre men John Ham (Contmued on page 6) Would Alter Chicago Newsreel Censorship Chicago, March 14. — An amendment to the censorship ordinance keeping newsreels from the censor's shears was introduced in the city council today by Alderman James Moreland. The action is an outgrowth of the Mayor's recent edict forbidding riot scenes to be shown in local theatres.