Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1934)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Wednesday, October 31, II Para. Delays On New Setup Annoy Court {Continued from page 1) creditor and claimant groups joined with Bogue in the request for an adjournment. It was urged by representatives of the bondholders' committee, of which Frank A. Vanderlip is chairman, and of the stockholders' committee, of which Duncan A. Holmes is :hairman,that a reorganization of Paramount would be delayed if the trustees were permitted to proceed with their examination of the bank officers at this time. It was made clear that a settlement of the bank group's claim has been agreed upon by the banks and the leading factors in the Paramount reorganization and that the settlement has been made a part of the Kuhn, Loeb plan of reorganization. The settlement, however, cannot be made effective until the Kuhn, Loeb plan has been completed. Thus the trustees' action against the banks will stand until the reorganization plan for Paramount has been accepted by the court. Judge Coxe, reflecting some impatience over the delay in submitting a plan for Paramount, stated that he wanted to know "by what time the Kuhn, Loeb plan or other plans could be presented." "It seems," Judge Coxe said, "that for the past year a plan has been 'just around the corner'." Say They Have Plan Ready Malcolm Sumner, understood to represent holders of 14 Paramount bonds, told the court that he and E. L. Garvin, also representing bondholders, had a plan in readiness which they could submit "tomorrow." "Whom do you represent?" Judge Coxe asked. "I speak for our creditors and all other unrepresented creditors in this situation," Sumner replied. "But without credentials," the court responded. Judge Coxe advised Sumner that he "could not even submit a plan" without a creditor representation prescribed by the statutes behind it. Sumner said he disagreed on this interpretation of the law, whereupon the court declared that even if he were permitted by law to submit a plan, Sumner could expect no consideration for it from the court if it did not have the support of the prescribed amount and number of valid claims. The attorney stated later that he disagreed with this viewpoint, also, and contended that if his plan was more equitable than any other submitted the court would be obligated to instruct the creditors to accept it. Neither the court nor representatives of any of the large creditor groups displayed interest in the Sumner-Garvin offer to submit their plan. Para. Obtains First Stratosphere Films First films of a stratosphere flight were obtained by Paramount newsreel with the help of the Picards. Mrs. Picard did the camera work, and Paramount says the resulting films are satisfactory in spite of the accidental landing in a treetop in Ohio. Holdovers Los Angeles, Oct. 30.— Following in tne tootsieps of "Yvonuer Bar," "Dames" and "liere Comes the XNavy" are the only pictures tnat have held up tor tnree weeks at Warners' Hollywood. "Tne Gay Divorcee," one of RKu's big fall noises, is being held tor a third week at tne iiillstreet. Drama, Music Best In Britain — Balcon {Conttnued from page 1) insofar as straight drama is concerned and that their progress in this direction will continue to be marked in the mture," he told Motion Picture JJAILY. "Where musicals are concerned, the record of British producers stands on its own. It is true, of course, that we nave not gone in so much for lines of chorus girls as much as we have for tne tying on of musical effects with the action, but our general leaning nere happens to swing in the latter direction on the theory this is what a musical properly should be." Jersey Allied Talks About Coming Dance Committee reports on entertainment for an attair to be held in the middle of .November, the tying in of shorts with features and the local buying situation were discussed yesterday by members of Allied of New Jersey. A committee of four to review features for the general membership will be appointed shortly. Omaha Has 3 Weddings Omaha, Oct. 30. — Three marriages were recorded in one week on Film Row. Paramount exchange led the list with two when Johnny Harms, a poster clerk, married Edna East, and Gladys Waterhouse of the inspection department married a former Paramount employ, Clarence Pullman. At M-G-M, Anne Zwieback, secretary to Branch Manager H. J. Shumow, married Art Grossman. Hamrick Renovating Tacoma, Oct. 30. — In line with his policy of modernizing all of his houses in Oregon and Washington, John Hamrick has let a contract for remodelling his Blue Mouse. B. F. Shearer Equipment Co. will renovate and furnish new equipment at a cost of §5,000. Passaic Stops Shows Passaic, Oct. 30. — City commissioners have put a stop to weekly showings of German pictures here in an unlicensed building. Pictures had been going on for four weeks before the building inspector discovered that the building did not come up to theatre standards. End Milwaukee Dispute Milwaukee, Oct. 30. — A dispute between the operators' union and the Park, operated by Manning Silverman, which had been hanging fire since May, 1934, was ironed out by the local labor committee at its first meeting here. Theatre Seat Range Up to 1,000 Urged {Continued from page 1) he said. Most of the big ones were designed for the purpose of crowding in as many seats as possible, regardless of how well spectators could see the screen, and it is a continual fight with overhead charges to support the stage productions these houses require, he asserted. "If the number of seats poorly adapted for vision requirements were deducted from the sum total of seating," he continued, "it would be found that there is more nearly a condition of lack of seating capacity than that of over-seating." He advocated a study of theatre standards to determine whether the present width of film is adequate. In this respect he said the addition of five millimeters in film width would give the picture a better shape and improve vision. Walks to seats could be cut to a minimum, in his opinion. Further study should be made of tolerable angles of vision, he insisted, and no patron should be forced to watch a picture between the heads of those in front of him. Continuing the discussion of the same subject, S. K. Wolf of Erpi said the ideal shape for a theatre was proportionately 2x3x5, height, width and length, respectively. Square theatres are acceptable but not desirable, he said, and shooting galleries, or long theatres, should be avoided. He also made these points: The Question of Curves Pronounced, unbroken curved surfaces should be avoided. In theatres where there are deep stages, there should be as much space behind the reproducer as between the reproducer and the front row. On very deep stages a cyclorama of velour should be hung behind the reproducer. External noises should be guarded against and lobbies should be as far from the screen as possible. Seat absorption should also be studied. Describing the problem of the engineer as one of "creating the illusion of reality," Dr. Alfred N. Goldsmith included among problems facing engineers the improvement of film stock, reduction of the number of lenses, improvements in blimp cameras, control boards for lighting sets, and enhancement of screen illumination. F. H. Richardson, projection specialist of Motion Picture Herald, discussing the subject "The Need for Uniform Density in Variable Density Sound Tracks," declared it was impossible at present for one-man projection booths to adjust sound apparatus for compensations in tone due to varying densities of sound track. Proper volume level must be provided so that little or no change of fader positions will be needed, he asserted. Other subjects discussed at the morning session of the four-day convention at the Pennsylvania yesterday were : "Piezoelectric Loud Speakers," A. L. Williams ; "Sound Waves and Their Sources," a film provided by Erpi; "Performance and Use of Wave Filters, and a Mechanical Demonstration of Their Leo Reported Set for Heac Of Tri-Ergo] (Continued from page 1) plans employed by Erpi and RCA \ be used as models in addition to schedule by A.S.C.A.P. The abi of a theatre to pay according to gr income will be considered, it \ learned. Reports persist that RCA and Ei have made overtures to Fox to both patents, but that he has turner deaf ear to all offers. Just how soon the proposed Ami ican Tri-Ergon branches would opened could not be learned. Mississippi Tax Is Ruinous, Kuykendal (Continued from page 1) when he said that he was willing assist any organization in cleaning pictures. All the present officers were elected. New Orleans, Oct. 30. — Exhibit from this city who planned to att the convention of the Independ M. P. Theatre Owners at Jacks Miss., canceled their plans at the ! moment, probably due to the injury H. S. McLeod, president of the C States Theatre Owners, received w he hurt his leg in his theatre. Warner Has Narroui Escape from Mot a {Continued from page 1) wind and snow flurry, protecting lj eyes with his arm as he was crossij a road, but fortunately an oncomi automobile approaching Warner, w| could not see, stopped in time. Warner plans to leave for Nd York in the next few days. Goldstein Joins Rex Jack Goldstein has been named sal manager for Rex Premiums, Inc., su sidiary of Progressive Poster Servic The company will handle Ebony aij silver ware. Characteristics," C. E. Lane; "Con parative Merits of 16mm Sound 1 Optical Reduction and Re-Recording C. N. Batsel and L. T. Sachtleben. Afternoon topics, in addition to tJ papers on theatre design presented 1 Schlanger and Wolf, were: "Poss bilities of Engineering Developmen in the Motion Picture Industry-," Gol smith; report of the projection pra tice committee, H. Rubin; report projection screen, committee, J. . Kurlander ; "Possible Improvemen in the Changeover System," op( forum; "The Non-Rorating High L tensity D.C. Arc for Projection," D. Joy and E. R. Geib; "The Stablear Unitwin Motor Generator for the Not Rotating High Intensity D.C. Arc I. Samuels; "Electronic Tube Coi trol for Theatre Lighting," J. R. Mat heimer and T. H. Joseph ; "Luminoi Fronts for Theatres," C. M. Cutle Pictures were shown at the evenin session. The convention will continue throug today and tomorrow and will close tc morrow night with a banquet