Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1934)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Tuesday, May 15, 1934 Allied Tieup for Producer Undecided (Continued from page 1) the spot any persons with whom we may be working." With this disposed of, the conferees departed this afternoon for a regional meeting in the Syracuse Hotel tomorrow. Another session will be held in New York on June 13. Most of the talk here centered about a program for a campaign on block booking, .duals, clean pictures and the development of opposition to a trailer monopoly for major distributors. As part of the public appeal, a resolution was passed and made available to newspapers stating that Allied is in sympathy with the M. P. Research Council's fight on block booking "which makes it impossible for independents to refuse to show filthy pictures." Another angle in what Samuelson terms the building of a "technical organization that can put on the pressure" was the appointment of Samuelson, Myers, Walter Littlefield and Arthur Price to take any action deemed necessary on the Darrow report covering the findings of the National Recovery Review Board. Another committee which includes H. M. Richey, Al Steffes and Col. H. A. Cole was named to study the sound equipment situation. The conference attitude on double features was in favor of voluntary arrangements by exhibitors in any situation. A definite stand was taken against arbitrary fixing of minimum prices as part of contracts. Kentucky May Enact 3 Per Cent Sale Tax (Continued from page 1) late last week to consider new revenue measures, has proposed nothing to date which affects the industry, with the exception of this general sales tax. Charlotte, May 14. — Business men throughout the state are cooperating in a campaign to elect a sufficient number of representatives to the new state legislature to obtain repeal of North Carolina's three per cent general sales tax next year. Technicolor Nears New Peak'Kalmus Dr. Herbert T. Kalmus, president of Technicolor, yesterday stated his company has booked for the latter part of the year more footage than at any time since the peak of color. "Every important producer will be represented with Technicolor's threecolor process next season and every cartoon producer of importance is negotiating with us for color work next season," he said. The annual stockholders' meeting will be held May 21 with election of officers and directors to follow a day or two later. Kalmus expected the administration which has been guiding the destinies of the company during the past to be continued. Film Notables Arrive "Laudy" Lawrence, European representative for M-G-M ; Felix Ferry, theatrical producer, and Lillian Ellis, Viennese actress enroute to Hollywood, arrive today on the Paris. LaemmleHitsNationalPlan, "Ruthless Rule 99 on Doubles "Never Any Leak" Chicago, May 14. — Following the conference of Allied leaders here, Sidney Samuelson said: "It is a matter of pride with us that there is never any leak in Allied's plans." New Plan Set for Para. Coast Bonds (Continued from page 1) $1,600,000 and constitute liens on the California, San Francisco, and the Paramount, Seattle. Under the plans filed the Paramount trustees enter into agreement with the bondholders' protective committee for the San Francisco property and the First National Bank of Seattle, as trustee under the bond issue of the Paramount there, by which the bondholders agree to withdraw pending claims and accept bonds in an equal amount from new companies to be organized in accordance with the agreement. Reorganization of the two issues is essential to the completion of a plan for settlement of Paramount Publix claims against Fox West Coast arising out of alleged non-performance of lease obligations by the latter. The San Francisco and Seattle theatres are two of seven houses on the west coast leased to F. W. C. by Paramount. Referee Davis set May 21 for a hearing on the reorganization plans. Rent Claim Allowed By Para. Trustees An order authorizing Paramount Publix trustees to proceed with the settlement of an $85,250 rent claim on the Riviera, Anderson, Ind., filed against the company by Anderson Amusement Enterprises, was signed yesterday by Referee Oscar W. Ehrhorn. The trustees are scheduled to submit a plan of settlement for approval within the next few days. Other claims set for early hearings are those of St. Louis Properties Corp., for a rent claim of $43,333 on the Missouri, St. Louis, to be heard May 17; a claim of the Indemnity Insurance Co. for $229,842, to be heard May 28 ; a claim of $816,666 by the Citizens' National Trust & Savings Bank, Los Angeles, on two notes of Paramount Land Corp., to be heard June 13 ; two additional claims by the same bank for $28,550 in connection with Paramount property at Third and Broadway, Los Angeles, to be heard May 28, and a claim of $58,749 by the First National Bank of Boston, for the same date. /. P. Kennedy Injured Joseph P. Kennedy, former head of Pathe, is recovering at his home from injuries received recently when a horse he was riding on a Westchester bridle path fell. Kennedy's right leg was broken and his left ankle sprained. Theatre Sale Postponed Sale at auction of the Lincoln Square has been postponed to some time in July. (Continued from page 1) which can be handled nationally or by ruthless rule of thumb. I can't see that anyone in this industry has any right to rule anyone else out of business. "As far as Universal is concerned, we intend to deal with double features with a good deal of sympathy and plenty of facts. "I am going to consider just two things in each and every local situation. First, the welfare of Universal' s customers and the welfare of Universal. Second, the needs of Universale customers and the needs of Universal. "I cannot be much more candid. I am well aware of the fact that much of the loud shouting against double features is being done by the very people who practice it in one territory and not in another. "There are so many thousands of exhibitors situated in so many different circumstances that it is foolish to try to establish one law or one rule to fit them all. What is food for one is poison for another. "If I find that I am hurting more theatres than I am helping by selling on a double feature basis, I sh^ll rot sell on that basis. But if, on the other hand, I discover situations where my customer simply has to have double features and in selling him on that basis I am saving his life and not killing off someone else, I shall sell double features till the cows come home." Pathe Exchange Net On Quarter $14,168 Pathe Exchange, Inc., showed a net profit of $14,168.61 for the three months ending March 31 and cut its deficit by that amount, according to figures just made public. This compares with a net of $17,849.50 for the same period in 1933. Application of the net to the deficit cut the total in that column from $4,971,405.61 to $4,957,237. A profit of $14,938.81 from laboratory operations was cut by a depreciation item on other properties and an item of $1,708.62 for selling and administrative expenses, producing a net loss from this source of $1,708.62. This was offset by dividends from Du Pont Film Mfg. Corp. Capital surplus on March 31, carried to balance sheet, was $7,571,865.78. Total assets are given as $7,100,458.23. Signs Six Players As Starring Fodder Columbia has signed six young players who will be groomed for stardom. The sextette includes : George Murphy, Yale athlete; Florence Rice, daughter of Grantland Rice, sports writer ; John Buckler of "Electra" and "Late One Evening" ; Charles Sabin of "Billie" and "Sinister Melody" ; Robert Allen, who has appeared in a number of Broadway plays ; and James Blakely, scion of a social family. Leo Bulgakov, stage director, goes to the coast for the company some time this week. Academy Must Be Destroyed — Cantor (Continued from page 1) submitting it to its membership for approval. The guild will proceed to negotiate a fair minimum basic agreement through the five-five committee of the code, which has promised to get into action soon, he told members, numbering more than 2,000. "We have been patient," he added, "but if these promises are not carried out we will invoke the other collective bargaining provisions of the code." Robert Montgomery, Ann Harding and James Cagney were named vicepresidents. Kenneth Thomson will continue as secretary. Others elected were Richard Tucker, assistant secretary ; Lucille Gleason, treasurer, and Jean Hersholt, assistant treasurer. Named to the board were George Arliss, Mary Astor, Arthur Byron, Cagney, Berton Churchill, Dudley Digges, Leon Errol, C. Henry Gordon, Hersholt, Miriam Hopkins, Boris Karloff, Jeanette MacDonald, Noel Madison, Ralph Morgan, Allan Mowbray, Edward J. Robinson, Ivan Simpson, Spencer Tracy, Tucker, Arthur Vinton and Warren William. Carroll to Produce 2 for Fox Release (Continued from page 1) musicals for Fox release, using the General Service Studios here. Carroll's deal with Paramount was for one picture. Earl Carroll arrived in New York from Hollywood yesterday. Hepburn-Radio Bury Hatchet; Sign Anew (Continued from page 1) This is construed as marking "finis" to the long-standing differences between the company and the actress over salary. Flash Reviews Laughing Boy — . . . simple tale with many touching moments. . . . Friday the 13th — . . . as entertainment probably will be something less than satisfying to American audiences. . . . These films will be reviewed in full in a later issue of Motion Picture Daily. Laughton Reaches Coast Hollywood, May 14. — Charles Laughton, arrived from the east by plane today. Accompanying the Laughtons was Harold Rogers, secretary. The English star, under contract to Paramount, has been loaned to M-G-M for two pictures. Preview for "BengaV Harry Schenck's "Beyond Bengal" will be given a preview showing to an invited audience at the Gaiety tomorrow night at 7:45 o'clock by D. J. Mountan, president of Showmen's Pictures, who is distributing it. Rowland-Columbia Set Hollywood, May 14. — W i 1 1 i a m Rowland's first of two musicals he will make for Columbia will be "The Girl Friend." Al Santell moves over from Radio where he just finished "Virgie Winters" to direct.