Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1934)

The Leading Motidl|| Picture Industry MOTION PICTURE DAILY Alert, Intelligent and Faith fur Service to the Industry in All Branches OL. 35. NO. 62 NEW YORK, FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 1934 TEN CENTS leels Are Hit By Curtailed Plane Service hipments Running About 24 Hours Slower Newsreel shipments by air express e running on an average of 24 hours hind normal delivery schedules as e result of suspension of a number schedules formerly operated by prite lines, but withdrawn following e cancellation of air mail contracts, was learned yesterday. Loss of the government contracts ide it impractical for commercial Triers to maintain the frequent air (press service formerly available as ; volume of air cargo, exclusive of *il, was unprofitable. At present, • express service has been reduced one trans-continental flight daily each direction. Intermediate serv (Continued on page 6) rief Allowed Upon Para. Rent Dispute The 1432 Broadway Corp. was ren until March 21 to file a brief support of its claim of $521,000 linst Paramount Publix at the contsion of a hearing before Referee Miry K. Davis yesterday. The im is for past and future rent on : Empire, at 1,432 Broadway. Atmeys for Paramount Publix trus s in bankruptcy were given until (Continued on page 6) ara. Men Discuss Leases in Detroit ^ Detroit, March 15. — Discussion of \ revision of rentals on local leases I isidered too high was revealed by I arge W. Trendle today as the purHfe of the visit here of George laefer, Ralph A. Kohn, Sam Demw, Jr., and Y. Frank Freeman, Paraifunt executives. The party left for ' xago by plane. From there all, (Continued on page 6) uthority Members J Invited by MPTOA p. R. Kent, Charles L. O'Reilly, [ >rge J. Schaefer, H. M. Warner, Ray Johnston, Nathan Yamins, | H. Cochrane, M. HI Aylesworth N. M. Schenck, all members of Code Authority, have been invited I attend the M.P.T.O.A. convention -os Angeles April 10-12. pecial round trip railroad rates (Continued on page 6) Detroit Theatres Adopting Allied Plan to Lift Prices Detroit, March 15. — Allied of Michigan is sponsoring a plan to raise admission prices in every theatre in this city. One hundred and twentyfive local houses have already signed the agreement. H. M. Richey, general manager of the organization, expects the remainder to do so soon. First runs will increase their prices from opening to 1 P. M. by 10 cents, maintaining present tops. Subsequents will raise scales five to 10 cents, depending upon the run. Thirty theatres, including several Publix neighborhoods, will put the plan in operation Sunday, prior to its general adoption. In effect this means putting into operation the zoning and clearance plan sponsored by Allied last summer which proved a flop because it called for a ban on duals. The present plan is practically identical with the system now used in Chicago, basing run and protection on prices charged. Ohio Showmen Impatient for Boards' Start Cincinnati, March 15. — Exhibitors hereabouts are becoming impatient because of delays in getting the code boards into operation. Independents have a number of problems to be threshed out and they argue that the sooner the boards get under way, the better it will be for all concerned. With the 10 per cent tax problem still acute, they say they have too many headaches and want a few of them out of the way. The switch in the personnel of the clearance and zoning board which puts (Continued on page 5) Roxy London Plan Arouses Competition BERNARD CHARMAN London, March 15. — The plan of Samuel L. (Roxy) Rothafel to erect a big picture theatre in the West End of London has stirred up competition, it was learned today with announcement that a colossus was also being prepared by interests headed by Clifford Wheatley of the Gordon Hotels and Sir Malcolm McAlpine, British building contractor whose name originally was linked with Roxy's. Rothaftel today made definite confirmation of his proposal to give this (Continued on page 5) Who? What? When? Who are the latest appointees on code boards announced by Code Authority in New York on Tuesday? These additional thumbnail sketches, gathered by Motion Picture Daily correspondents and reported by telegraph yesterday, furnish the answer: Albany Albany, March 15. — Shepherd Z. Baum, impartial member on grievances, was born in Memphis in 1903. He moved to Chicago at the age of nine and was educated in public schools in that city and in Memphis, followed by higher learning at Crane College and Chicago University. Baum also was a theological student at the Chicago Rabbinical Seminary. In 1920 he moved to New York, attended the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, which is also known as Yeshiva College, and was ordained there in 1924. He also at tended the New School for Social Research. He held his first rabbinical position as rabbi of Temple Ashkenaz at Cambridge, Mass., and was later transferred to the Congregation New Beth Israel at Syracuse, N. Y. It was in 1927 that Baum moved to Albany, where he has been resident since. He was rabbi of the Congregation Sons of Abraham until December of last year, when he resigned to enter law. He had graduated from the Albany Law School in the meantime and was admitted to practice in 1931. Baum was president of the Zionist (Continued on page 5) No Change at M-G-M; Rapf 's Deal Renewed Mannix Given Detail; Thalberg on Own Hollywood, March 15. — Executive personnel at the M-G-M studio continues without change. Harry Rapf has been given a new three-year contract as an associate producer on features and in charge of all shorts. This is how Nicholas M. Schenck found and left the studio organization, following an extended visit here which had been preluded by rumors of shifts on the M-G-M front. Schenck left for New York last night in a party which included Edgar B. Hatrick, general manager of William Randolph Hearst's film interests, and William Randolph Hearst, Jr., and Mrs. Hearst. Louis B. Mayer, as in the past, will continue in charge of studio control with Eddie Mannix likewise continuing as general studio manager in (Continued on page 6) Independents Watch Canada Probe Moves Toronto, March 15. — Independent exhibitors have their ears tuned to the Federal investigation under Parliamentary sanction into price-fixing, trade-squeezing, so-called "mass buying" and other alleged activities of "big interests" — with which has been recommended the adoption of a code (Continued on page 6} Sales Tax, Censor Board Up in W. Va. Charleston, West Va., March 15. — Exhibitors in this state have plenty to worry about. Pending in the legislature are two tax bills, one to impose a straight two per cent sales tax throughout the state and the other a one per cent (Continued on page 6) Los Angeles Plans New Industry Taxes Los Angeles, March 15. — Already faced with an approximate $15,000,000 increase in production, distribution and exhibition costs brought about by the NRA and the prospect of further wage increases if a 30-hour week is adopted, industry leaders here are now alarmed by a new tax bill before the City Council. In an attempt to balance the city (Continued on page 6)