Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1934)

MOTION PICTURB DAILY Wednesday, August 15, 1934 MOTION PICTURE DAILY (Registered U. S. Patent Office) Vol. 36 August 15, 1934 No. 38 Martin Quigley Edttorin-Chief and Publisher MAURICE KANN Editor JAMES A. CRON Advertising Manager % Publication Office: 1790 Broadway. Newdays by Motion Picture Daily, Inc., subsidiary of Quigley Publications, Inc., Martin Quigley, President; Colvin Brown, Vice-President and Treasurer. Publication Office: 1750 Broadway, New York. Telephone Circle 7-3100. Cable address "Quigpubco, New York.' All contents copyrighted 1934 by Motion Picture Daily Inc. Address all correspondence to the New York Office. Other Quigley publicationsMOTION PICTURE HERALD BETTER THEATRES. THE MOTIO>f PICTURE ALMANAC and THE CHI CAGOAN. „ , TT • ft Hollywood Bureau: Postal Union Lite Building, Vine and Yucca Streets, Vxctor M. Shapiro. Manager; Chicago Bureau: 407 South Dearborn Street, Edwtn S. Clifford, Manager; London Bureau: Kemo House, 310 Regent St., London. W. 1, Bruce Allan, Representative. Cable address: "Quigpubco, London"; Berlin Bureau: Berlin Tempelhof, Kaiserin Augustastrasse 28 Joachim K. Rutenberg, Representative; Paris Bureau: 19. Rue de la . Cour-des Noues, Pierre Autre, Representative; Rome Bureau: Viale Gorizia, Vittono Malpassuti, Representative; Sydney Bureau, 102 Sussex Street, Cliff Holt, Representative; Mexico City Bureau: Apartado 269, James Lockhart. Representative; Glasgow Bureau: 86 Dundrennan Road, G. Ho/m^J, Representative; Budapest Bureau: 3. K&plar-u, Budapest, II, Endre Hevesi. Representa 'Vntered as second class matter, January 4 1926 at the Post Office at New York City, N. Y., under Act of March 3, 1879. Subscription rates per year: $6 in the Americas, except Canada $15 and foreign $12. Single copies: 10 cents. Lehman Praises Pageant Howard S. Cullman has been praised by Governor Lehman for booking "The Romance of a People" into the Roxy begisining Sept. 7. The state chief executive states that the popular-price showing of the pageant will offer thousands "a vivid understanding of the history and ideals of the Jewish people." "Cleopatra" Opening Set Society and diplomatic circles will be represented along with stage and screen celebrities tomorrow night at the premiere of Cecil B. DeMille's "Cleopatra" at the Paramount at 9 o'clock. Among those expected to attend are the consuls general of Great Britain, China, Panama and France. Hobby Joins Muller Jack Hobby, manager of the Inwood, Forest Hills, has resigned to join J. P. Muller & Co., advertising agency, as contact man on theatrical accounts. Hobby was formerly district supervisor of Fox Theatres and publicity man for the New Jersey division. De Luxe Pickets Freed The one woman and 23 men arrested Thursday as they picketed the De Luxe in the Bronx were freed of disorderly charges in Morrisania Court yesterday. Jhe picketing was in protest against alleged non-employment of union labor by the house. Chadwick Advocates Film Import Tariff Philadelphia, Aug. 14. — L E. Chadwick favors a tariff against the importation of foreign pictures. He said so here at a dinner in honor of M Blofson. American producers do not fear quality competition, he said, but a flood of English and other foreign product is bound to affect American production, he declared. Foreign countries check imports of American films, he said, and this country should do the same to foreign product. The talk created quite a stir and was followed by considerable dis Schenck, Zanuck and Fairbanks Due Today Joseph M. Schenck, president of United Artists: Darryl F. Zanuck, production head of 20th Century, and Douglas Fairbanks get in on the Rex today. Zanuck has been away four months. During his absence he has hunted big game in Africa. This was followed by conferences with Schenck and .Alexander Korda in London. Fairbanks has been abroad for a long time. Also in the party are W. P. Lipscombe and R. J. Minney, writers signed by Zanuck. Theatre Man Grabs Senate Nomination St. Louis, Aug. 14.— Official returns from the recent primary show that John P. Shea, North St. Theatre manager, won the Democratic nomination for state senator in the 34th District by half again as many votes as all his opponents combined. Louis C. Hehl, secretary-treasurer of the M.P.T.O. of St. Louis, Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois, finished fifth in a field of 14 in the race for the Republican nomination for the Missouri House of Representatives in the First District. Stevenson Opens Office Edward F. Stevenson, former president of Visugraphic Pictures, Inc., has opened an office as a publicity counselor and will take charge of a fund-raising campaign for the Fusion party. Stevenson has been connected recently with the Crosby Gaige theatrical interests and with General Wines & Spirits Corp. as general sales and advertising manager. St, Louis Theatres Personnel Shifted St. Louis, Aug. 14. — Personnel switches have been numerous as a result of the reopening of the Ambassador. Harry Greenman, Fox manager, who is key man for F. & M., has moved into the Ambassador, so that he can supervise that house as well as the Fox and Missouri. Charles Kurtzman, former manager of the St. Louis, has succeeded Greenman at the Fox. Harry Arthur, general manager for F. & M., is expected to make this city his headquarters in the near future to supervise the central west and south. Larry Davis, assistant treasurer at the St. Louis, has taken the same post at the Missouri. Jack Rosenzweig, Fox treasurer, has been moved downtown with Greenman. Benny Battin is the new Fox treasurer. Admission Tax Now Asked in St, Louis St. Louis, .'Kug. 14. — Theatres continue to be the target of the Aldermanic Special Tax Raising Committee. The latest proposal, already approved and ready to be presented to the full board, is for an admission tax scale as follows : Tickets costing 25 to SO cents, one cent; from 50 cents to $1, two cents; from $1 to $2, five cents ; from $2 to $3, 10 cents; from $3 to $4, 20 cents. Admissions below 25 cents would be exempt. Total income froin this source is estimated at $100,000. The plan is one of a number designed to raise $4,450,000 to take care of a deficit. "River"* Aims at $88,000 "One More River" stands a chance of reaching $88,000 on the week at the RKO Music Hall. All it has to do to reach the mark is maintain the nacc it has been holding. Opening day chalked up $14,000. That was Thursdav. Monday's take was $10,648, and at the end of the fifth dav. Monday, the total was $68,000. The picture opened with practically no advance campaign. It cannot be held over, because of the booking on "The Cat's Paw." Roxy Holding "Andy" "Handy Andy" will be held a third week at the Roxy. To take care of the crowds the theatre is opening at 11 A. M. this week. Eastman Pfd, Off 5 on Big Board Hurh Consolidated Film Industries 2^ Consolidated Film Industries, pfd 13 Eastman Kodak 98^ Eastman Kodak, pfd 140 Fox Film "A" ^()% Loew's, Inc 275^ Loew's, Inc.. nfd 90 Paramount Publix 3^4 Pathe Exchange .• V/i Pathe Exchange "A" 14 RKO 2'^ Warner Bros A'A Pathe Bonds Up lYs Hi?h General Theatre Equipment 6s '40 6'4 Loew's 6s '41. ww deb rights 100 Paramount F. L. 6s '47 3g'A Paramount Publix 5i/s '50 41 Pathe 7s '37, ww 94V^ Warner Bros. 6s '39, wd 53^ Net Low Close Change Sales 2^ 25^ 100 1274 127^ -f ^ 200 98 98 -54 400 140 140 —5 10 WA W/i -f'/s 500 26^ 26ii —1 800 90 90 100 3% VA -'A 1,000 1'4 l'/4 700 14 14 + ii 100 2'/r 2% + % 100 4 4 -% 100 m Net Low Close Chancre Sales 6 6'4 4-'4 13 99'A 100 10 38'/ 38'/ 10 41 41 3 94 94'/ -^VA 3 52Ji S2J4 + Va 2 < Purely Personal ► LEE OcHs, Harry Thomas, Jay Weinburg, Louis Phillips, Louis Blumenthal, Jack Shapiro, Nat Cohen, Sol Schnitzer, Harry Shiffman, Louis Nizer and J. C. Barnstyn lunched at the M. P. Club yesterday. h>RNEST Truex is having a busy week. He is working in an Educational comedy at Astoria, rehearsing for a new John Golden play for the Rudy Vallee hour and is also in charge of the Truex players in White Plains. Florence Abramson, secretary of the New York clearance board, is on a week's vacation. Lillian Silver, secretary of the local grievance board, leaves Monday on her respite. Robert Mochrie, assistant to A. W. Smith, Warners' sales and distribution chief in the east, departs for Cleveland today on comnany business. He will be away a couple of days. W. Somerset Maugham's "The Sacred Flame" has been acquired by Warners. Warren William and Claudette Colbert are being considered for the leads. Louis Nizer, secretary of the New York Film Board of Tcade, sails Saturday for Europe on a four-week vacation. L. W. (Mike) Conrow, eastern division general manager of sales for Erpi, leaves tonight for a sales trip to Boston and New England. Nick Lucas finishes work today in "Run on the Bank," two-reel musical short, at the Vitaphone plant in Brooklyn. PoLAN Banks' story, "She Made a Million," has been bought by Universal. Morris Goodman, foreign sales manager for Mascot Pictures, left yesterday for Toronto. Grace Hampton, stage star, has been assigned a role in Select's "Gigolette." Sam Morris is thinking of making another trip to Europe within the next few weeks. Constance Bennett is on her way east to sail Friday for a European vacation. Si Fabian has moved his offices to the Paramount Building. Herschel Stuart has returned from a short trip to Connecticut. Chaplin Starts Soon Hollywood, Aug. 14. — Charlie Chaplin will start work on his first film in three years late next month. The picture will be based on the problems facing the "little man." Paulette Goddard will have the feminine lead opposite the comedian. The film, the title of which has not been disclosed, will be completed in January. Weighs End of La. Tax Baton Rouge, Aug. 14. — The Louisiana legislature met in special session tonight to consider repeal of the 10 per cent theatre tax as well as the levy on theatre signs.