Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1934)

The Leading Newspaper of the Motion Picture Industry MOTION PICTURE DAILY Alert, Intelligent 0m l|JI Faith fut'j m Service to* the Industry in All Branches VOL. 36. NO. 82 NEW YORK, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1934 TEN CENTS No New Lease On Music HaU Is Looked For RKO May Simply Supply Product Hereafter That a new lease on the Music Hall may not be entered into between RKO and Rockefeller Center appeared likely yesterday as negotiations which have been in progress between the two organizations for almost two months past appeared to have reached a stalemate. RKO's lease on the Music Hall expired Sept. 1 and discussions of a renewal which were begun prior to that date have been continued almost daily until recently. It is understood, (Continued on page 3) Loew-RKO Deal on Product Effective Having effected a settlement on the local product situation, as reported exclusively in Motion Picture Daily yesterday, the arrangement between Loew's and RKO goes into effect immediately. Under the terms of the deal, Loew's will select five Universal pictures for (Continued on page 3) "IF in Rush; Three Going, 8 to Start Hollywood, Oct. 5. — October ushers in the busiest production schedule at Universal within the past three years with three pictures in production and (Continued on page 3) Ostrer Explains By BRUCE ALLAN London, Oct. 5. — Isidore Ostrer, president of Gaumont British, declares in an official statement that he never contemplated relinquishing control of the company, but had in mind a fusion of interests. The impression prevails here that the deal with B.IP. failed because of inability to agree upon the price, particularly the amount involved in liquidating director contracts. It is not safe to assume the discussions will not be resumed. Find Zoning Halted by Legal Quibbling; Lawyers Squelched Legal minds employed by exhibitors and distributors to handle clearance and zoning and grievance cases before the New York boards are being cautioned to stop wasting time with technicalities. Members of the boards find that when the lawyers get together in the sessions too many technical points are brought up which retard progress of the hearings. At a session of the local clearance and zoning board early this week, Joe Lee, Fox New York exchange manager, found that the hearing was cluttered with lawyers. He asked the parties involved to cut out legal phraseology and get down to simple facts. Leon Rosenblatt also objected to protracted legal orations and questioning. One of the members of the board noticed John C. Flinn in the audience and wanted to call on him for a clarification, but Lee would not permit it, stating Flinn was attending the session as an observer and not as an interpreter of the code. The meeting finally got down to order, but at that the case was drawn out to the extent that an adjourned hearing was ordered for Monday. Allied Now in 32 States; More Brewing — Samuelson With the addition of the G.F.T.A. Independent Theatre Owners A'ssn to its roster, Allied now has units covering 32 states, Sidney Samuelson, president, stated yesterday upon his return from Atlanta. He stated the Atlanta organization covers four states. "We are not through with our expansion plans yet and will not be until we have complete coverage in the United States," Samuelson added. "There are only 16 more states to be lined up and we cannot tell yet when our job will be completed." Samuelson plans to attend the contention of the Michigan unit, which has been postponed because of code problems which affect the unit and which have to be disposed of before the meet. The appeal hearing on the Detroit clearance and zoning schedule has been postponed because of the World Series. Stock Units Again Philadelphia Worry Philadelphia, Oct. 5. — Exhibitors will be faced this year with an aggravation of low box-office scales. In addition to the Broad and Erlanger theatres, the Walnut will reenter the (Continued on page 3) Davis Made Head of Western Penn MPTO Pittsburgh, Oct. 5. — William Davis of the Liberty has been named head of the M.P.T.O.A. in this section. He succeeds Dr. Herman of Carnegie. All of the other M.P.T.O.A. of (Continued on page 4) MPTO A Men Gather For Memphis Meet Memphis, Oct., 5.— M.P.T.O.A. leaders are scheduled to arrive here tomorrow for the annual convention of M.P.T.O. of Arkansas, Mississippi (Continued on page 4) Gaumont Dickering For Three Players Gaumont British has negotiations under way for three American stars for future productions. Michael Balcon yesterday held a telephone conversation with Myron Selznick, of (Continued on page 4) Clearance May Be Sent Back to L. A. After three days of hearings, a Campi appeal committee ended discussions yesterday on the Los Angeles clearance and zoning schedule. It is understood that the plan will be sent (Continued on page 4) Not to Resign Now, Asserts Rosenblatt San Francisco, Oct. 5. — Division Administrator Sol A. Rosenblatt indicated here today in private conversations prior to his address before the (Continued on page 4) Schenck Sees Sinclair As Film Menace Says Producers Would Have to Quit Coast Election of Upton Sinclair as governor of California would be a blow that the industry could not stand), declared Joseph M. Schenck, president of United Artists, upon his arrival at Newark Airport from Florida and Mexico yesterday. The industry would be forced to move elsewhere if Sinclair should attempt to carry out his Socialistic taxation plan, he insisted. His remarks were in explanation of a statement made the day before in (Continued on page 3) Joseph M. Schenck Small Working on Two Coming Films Edward Small, vice-president in charge of production for Reliance Pictures, is concentrating on two stories at present, and expects to return to the coast in a week or 10 days to get production under way. One is (Continued on page 3) "Barretts'' Capitol Hit; Gets $65,860 Chalking up the largest gross in 10 months, the Capitol garnered $65,860 on the first week of "Barretts of (Continued on page 4) Platinums Out Hollywood, Oct. 5.— Color pictures are going to be hard on platinum blondes, says Robert Edmond Jones, Radio designer, who is now working on sets for "Becky Sharp," which is to be done in the three-color Technicolor process. They just won't photograph, says Jones. Regular blondes will be all right.