Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1934)

The Leading ^Newspaper I lii of the ; Motion Picture Industry ■ MOTION PICTURE DAILY Alert, Intelligent arid % Faith fut] Service to'* the Industry in All Branches OL. 36. NO. 87 NEW YORK, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1934 TEN CENTS Reels Anxious Over Films of King's Death Wonder If French Gov't Will Lift Ban Xewsreel organizations were in suspense yesterday over the ultimate fate of their clips on the assassination of King Alexander of Jugoslavia in Marseilles. Inquiries made here yesterday revealed that only Pathe had succeeded in getting its film through the censorship barrier set up by the French authorities. The other newsreels were reported awaiting word of a possible change in the government's attitude. The censorship order greatly surprised newsreel officials, as they had never known anything like it to occur in France. The only possible reason ad (Continued on page 6) Allied Lines Up on Congress Campaign Washington, Oct. 11. — Concentration on a three-point legislative program before and during the next session of Congress is being urged upon Allied by Abram F. Myers, general counsel. The points are : "To secure a Congressional investigation of the negotiation, writing and (Continued on page 6) Says Theatre Guild May Make Pictures Dayton, Oct. 11. — Prediction that the Theatre Guild eventually will have to go into pictures was made by Lawrence Langner, Guild director and one of its founders, when interviewed during a one-day stopover here. "Unwillingness of actors to go on tour, plus the fact that many of the legitimate theatres are being converted into film houses will sooner or later result in the guild going into the picture business. The solution will be for the guild to produce its plays on the New York stage, transfer them to the screen with the same casts, and release the pictures itself," he declared. Campi Passes New Assessment Plans Following modifications in the producer-distributor and exhibitor assessment schedules, Campi yesterday (Continued on page 6) Fox Midwest In Pool with Two Circuits Commonwealth, Grubel Join Operating Pact Kansas City, Oct. 11. — Solidifying its position in highly competitive situations, Fox Midwest has effected a pool with Commonwealth Theatres here, and in Kansas City, Kan., with Grubel Bros., owners of the Electric, formerly operated by Paramount. The move involved six houses. It is understood the deal is in the form of a partnership arrangement, with a split of the profits on an equal basis. Fox Midwest is in charge of bookings and has virtually taken over operation of the competitive theatres, (Continued on page 6) Pool By Circuits Irks Sales Heads Sales heads of all major companies yesterday were reported to have met at the Hays office to discuss the buying and booking tieup between the Skouras-Seider-Schwartz circuits in Long Island. The meeting yesterday followed sessions by local branch managers during the last two weeks. Although no action was taken at yesterday's meeting, it is understood (Continued on page 6) O'Heron Now Radio Associate Producer Hollywood, Oct. 11. — Frank O'Heron, vice-president in charge of studio operations for Radio, will become an associate producer at that studio Monday. His first production will be "Cape Cod." Joseph J. Nolan, assistant to B. B. Kahane, will succeed him, handling all committments and agency dealings. The title of vice-president, however, will be dropped. New Orleans, Oct. 11.— The local Legion of Decency furnished an unusual demonstration of strength when called upon to give its support to the Catholic historical picture, "Through the Centuries," which, after being Mae Writes Him Omaha, Oct. 11. — Charlie Schlaifer, publicity man for the A. H. Blank theatres, is prizing a letter purportedly from Mae West, written in red ink on orchid-colored stationery, thanking' him for photographing a number of Winnebago Indians, one of whom will be used in "Now I Am a Lady." Schlaifer made a trip to a reservation to look over prospects. La West took a fancy, she said, to the photo of one, "Howling Dog." He has another name and is a college man. Files General Suit on Color Film Patents San Francisco, Oct. 11. — All present color films, including Technicolor, are an infringement of patents he applied for in 1916 and obtained in 1918 and 1923, declares Leon F. Douglas, inventor, in a $20,000,000 suit he has just filed in U. S. District Court here. The suit is preliminary to other suits to be filed against Technicolor, Paramount, Walt Disney Prod., and others, assert Douglas' attorneys, (Continued on page 6) F. & M. May Lose 3 Houses in St. Louis Fanchon & Marco may lose the recently acquired Ambassador, Missouri and St. Louis in St. Louis, it was reported yesterday. Spyros Skouras, who was forced to drop the houses a few months ago, may recover them, it was stated. Both Harry C. Arthur of F. & M. and Skouras were in St. Louis yesterday conferring with lawyers there (Continued on page 6) booked into the St. Charles opened with an attendance of 15 persons, establishing a new all-time low record for an opening performance here. Harry McCloud, operator of the St. (Continued on page 6) Ask Fox Met Operators to Change Pact Hay den, Stone Offer to Hinge on New Deal The bondholders' committee of Fox Metropolitan Playhouses will submit the new $4,500,000 Hayden, Stone & Co. bid for the circuit's assets to Skouras and Randforce with a proposal that the two operators consent to the drafting of new short-term operating contracts carrying provisions for cancellation in the event the Hayden, Stone deal is not consummated within 60 days after reorganization of Fox Met, it was learned yesterday. Observers familiar with the Fox Met situation regard the committee's proposal as a definite indication that the Hayden, Stone bid is in the nature of an investment move on the part of the financial house and contemplates continued operation of the (Continued on page 6) Quittner Suit Is Settled By Para. Settlement of the $5,100,000 Quittner anti -trust suit has been agreed upon and contracts are being drawn for submission to the Federal court for approval, it was learned yesterday. Although terms of the settlement could not be disclosed prior to the filing of the agreement with the (Continued on page 2) Big Para. Claims Go Into New Setup Approximately $48,265,000 of claims filed against Paramount Publix in bankruptcy proceedings will be disposed of through reorganization plans for the properties involved, it was learned yesterday. Most important of these is the Paramount Broadway claim of $44, (Continued on page 2) Miami Studying Tax Removal on Studios Miami, Oct. 11. — The question of tax exemption for the purpose of luring California film producers here was discussed at today's meeting of the City Commission. As soon as the legal department rules on whether or not this is possible some action will be taken, it was stated. Legion of Decency Comes To Rescue in New Orleans