Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1934)

The Leading Daily l^e^Sj^ife^ Moti I Picture Industry MOTION PICTURE DAILY OL. 36. NO. 103 NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1934 TEN CENTS Probe Is Up To Make-Up Of Congress Sinclair's Political Fate Also Factor By CLARENCE LINZ W ashington, Oct. 30. — A Congresional investigation of alleged propaanda efforts in California by major tudio interests there, requested by Jpton Sinclair of Senator Walsh of lassachusetts and Representative atman of Texas, will depend upon ie temper of the new Congress which onvenes in January, it is believed i well informed political circles here. Defeat of Sinclair, it is pointed out, .ould do much to minimize the imortance of the subject, but his elecion, on the other hand, would put im in a position to make a strong emand for any such inquiry as he .as already asked. Whether the California situation s investigated or not, observers in (Continued on pane 18) Sinclair Probe Request follows Reporter Story "The open boasting" of an "industry rade paper" which cited Louis B. .layer, Charles C. Pettijohn, Irving rhalberg and Carey Wilson as having entered a war against me and are iding the Merriam campaign" on vhich Upton Sinclair based his reuest to Washington for a Congresional probe of films appeared in Monday's The Hollyu'ood Reporter. Wilkerson Planning Trade Daily in N. Y. W. R. Wilkerson, publisher and edior of The Hollywood Reporter, yeserday was reliably reported preparing o invade the New York trade paper ield with a daily. Hollywood, Oct. 30. — Asked to •omment on reports he would pubish a trade daily in New York, W. R. Wilkerson said today : "Nothing to it and no such intenions. I had the idea about a year igo, but it was kicked in the pants." Rumors Gain of Cut At Phila. First Runs Philadelphia, Oct. 30. — Followng admission reductions by Warners it several Philadelphia neighborhood louses, which have suffered most from 'he depression, rumors are growing (Continued on page 18) Equity Council for Guild Move And Orders Agreement Drawn Up Affiliation of the Screen Actors' Guild with Actors' Equity Ass'n. was "heartily indorsed in spirit" by the Equity Council yesterday, according to a statement issued following the meeting. The council, however, directed its executives and legal staff to prepare a draft embodying the affiliation agreement which will be submitted to a second meeting of the council on Friday. This move is regarded as a formality occasioned by the importance of the affiliation and is expected to be ratified without objection. There were no dissenting voices at yesterday's meeting which was attended by more than 25 council members. Theatre Seat Range Up to 1,000 Urged Theatres of 1,000 seats are better than larger types and two smaller theatres in a densely populated neighborhood are better than one large one, declared Ben Schlanger yesterday at the second day's sessions of the S.M.P.E. Schlanger, New York theatre architect and a steady contributor to Better Theatres, a Quigley publication, was discussing the general subject of "Proposed Architectural, Acoustic and Optical Standards in Motion Picture Design." One-sixth of the theatres of the country have half the seating capacity, (Continued on page 6) Warner Has Narrow Escape from Motor Hot Springs, W. Va., Oct. 30. — Albert L. Warner, who is here recuperating from a tonsil operation, was nearly killed recently by an automobile which almost ran him down during a snowstorm, it was learned today. Warner was bucking a heavy (Continued on page 6) Leo Reported Set for Head Of Tri-Ergon Jack G. Leo, brother-in-law of William Fox, will be elected president of American Tri-Ergon, succeeding Fox, it is reliably reported. The election will be held shortly, it is understood. Efforts to confirm the report at the local American Tri-Ergon office were unsuccessful yesterday. It was stated no information would be given out. It is understood Leo will have charge of 26 offices planned throughout the country for the purpose of collecting anticipated assessments on theatres to be licensed under American Tri-Ergon patents. It, is also reported that, in arriving at license fees, the (Continued on page 6) Drama, Music Best In Britain — Balcon London, Oct. 30. — Michael Balcon, production general for Gaumont British just returned from the States, sees England's forte in the field of serious drama and musicals. "I think British producers have demonstrated their ability already (Continued on page 6) Rule Transfer Illegal, But Board Aids Theatre Finding an exhibitor guilty of illegally transferring a theatre from one corporation to another to avoid contracts and at the same time recommending leniency by distributors in adjusting contracts is something new in local circles as far as the New York grievance board is concerned. After listening to Morris Feldman tell how he transferred the De Luxe in Newark from the DeLuxe Theatre Corp. to Ralph Feldman, his son, because some of the distributors would not reduce rentals, thereby making it impossible for him to operate on (Continued on page 16) Para. Delays On New Setup Annoy Court Coxe Impatient, But He Grants Postponement Impatience over the inability of creditors and others to complete a plan of reorganization for Paramount Publix was indicated yesterday by Federal Judge Alfred C. Coxe at an informal hearing in chambers which revealed, at least, that the so-called Kuhn, Loeb plan, although still incomplete, is the only one in existence which has the continued support of those who represent a majority, in number and amount, of valid claims against the company. Yesterday's hearing before Judge Coxe was on a request by Morton G. Bogue, counsel for a group of 12 creditor banks whose claims against Paramount aggregate $13,600,000, for v postponement of action in connection with the Paramount trustees' effort to examine officers of the creditor banks in advance of trial of a suit to set aside their claims as preferential. Over the objections of Arthur A. Ballantine, of counsel for the trustees, Judge Coxe granted a postponement of the action until Nov. 14, after representatives of the principal Paramount (Continued on page 6) Mississippi Tax Is Ruinous, Kuykendall Jackson, Miss., Oct. 30. — Speaking here today at the convention of the Independent M. P. Theatre Owners of Mississippi, Ed Kuykendall, head of the M.P.T.O.A., said that the state theatre tax was prohibitive and means death to many houses. Managers will pay their share of government costs, he continued, but they don't want discrimination in special taxes and they do want their sales tax category as it prevails in other businesses. About 75 per cent of the members of the organization attended the session and all acclaimed Kuykendall (Continued on page 6) Para. Will Ignore Cummings' Frowns Hollywood, Oct. 30. — Paramount is going ahead with its Federal Secret Service film in spite of the ruling of Attorney General Cummings that the department will give no cooperation. The story, to be called "Federal Dick," is being rushed. George Raft and Cary Grant are mentioned for leads.