Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1934)

The Leading Daily l*e^)«ije>\ %W 1) Picture Industry MOTION PICTURE DAILY Alert, Intelligent the In in All Branches OL. 36. NO. 104 NEW YORK, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1934 TEN CENTS S. Y. Censor Clips 2,195 For 1933-34 rain Over Previous Year; Revenue $170,670.79 Albany, Oct. 31. — During the year nding June 30 the New York Censor ioard. known officially as the M. P. >ivision of the State Education Deartment, reviewed 8,362 reels of film • ith 2,195 eliminations, according to report just submitted bv Irwin Eslond, director. Fifteen films were rejected comletely, but two of these were later evised and licensed. Eliminations were for the following easons : indecent, 838 ; inhuman, 79 ; ending to incite to crime, 511; imloral or tending to corrupt morals, 52; sacrilegious, 15. The number of film subjects viewed /as 1,769, practically the same as [l the previous year when the (Continued on page 6) 3areford to Talk On Code Cost Plan Washington, Oct. 31. — Harold S. Sareford, chairman of the Campi nance committee, is slated to confer nmorrow with officials of the amuselents division and the budget branch f the division of research and planing of the NRA with respect to ction to be taken on complaints reeived against the producer-distribuDr assessment schedule. Rather than go through the lengthy rocedure of a public hearing, it is (Continued on page 6) Hrock Joins Fox as Associate Producer Hollywood, Oct. 31. — Following his elease from his four -picture contract ;ith Radio, Lou Brock last night igned with Fox, where he starts ork Monday as an associate proucer. His first will be a musical ased on an idea of his own. He has been succeeded at Radio y Felix Young, whose first producon will be an untitled musical, with William Powell vehicle, "Star at fidnight," to follow. Warner Meeting to Be Held on Dec. 10 Annual stockholders meeting of v'arners will be held in Wilmington n Dec. 10. Five directors will be (Continued on page 2) Hoblitzelle Helps Para., Richards Deal Agreement on Operation Of Circuit Nearer Karl Hoblitzelle, Paramount operating partner for Interstate Circuit, Texas, has been named intermediary in the current negotiations between the Paramount Publix trustees and E. V. Richards in connection with the latter's participation in the reorganized Saenger Theatres picture. Richards, who has been here for the past week for conferences with the trustees on a proposed limitation of his interest in the new Saenger company, is understood to be remaining in town in the hope of concluding the negotiations within the next few days. Progress toward an acceptable under (Continucd on page 6) Fleischer Claims New Depth Effect A camera attachment which, it is claimed, provides an economical thirddimensional film effect has been perfected by Max Fleischer and has been satisfactorily employed in several of his cartoons released through Paramount recently. Fleischer's development, patents on which have been applied for, is described as being based on the theory (Continued on page 2) Garbo Finally Signs New M-G-M Contract Reports that Greta Garbo planned to retire were definitely set at rest yesterday by official M-G-M announcement that she had signed the contract which Motion Picture Daily reported on Oct. 8 was awaiting her. "Tentative Final" M-G-M has coined a new term for production purposes. It's a cross between a tentative title and a final one. In changing "Backfield" to "The Kid from College," the company calls the latest name a "tentative final title." Roll of 1,000 New Year Aim For the SMPE Predictions that the S. M. P. E. membership will pass the 1,000 mark during the coming year were made at the annual fall banquet held last night at the Hotel Pennsylvania as a feature of the four-day convention. The present membership is 930, highest point in the history of the society, diners were told last night. During 1934 the roll has been increased by 375 by the membership committee headed by E. R. Geib. Four papers were read and one report was made at the morning session yesterday. The papers were : "International Sensitometric Standardization," W. Clark, Eastman Kodak ; "Some Factors in Photographic Sensitivity," S. E. Sheppard, Eastman Kodak; "Rear Projection for Process Photography," G. G. Popovici, Eastern Service Studios, and H. (Continued on page 2) Rothafel Return as Roxy Head Opposed Possibility of S. L. Rothafel returning to the Roxy as operating head is definitely off. A committee representing first mortgage bondholders met Tuesday night to discuss the Rothafel situation, but decided against it. No. California Theatre Owners Rebuff Sinclair San Francisco, Oct. 31. — Northern California exhibitors today rebuffed efforts of Upton Sinclair, EPIC candidate for the governorship, to enroll them in his fight against "nefarious influences of the moving picture industry in politics, on the morals and the industry of the country." Sinclair's proposal was made in the following telegram to Morgan Walsh, president of the Independent Theatre Owners of Northern California : "The Hollywood Reporter openly boasted that the moving picture industry dominated by Will H. Hays, Louis B. Mayer, C. C. Petti john and Irving Thalberg has started a war against me and raised funds for (Continued on page 6) Fox Re-Signs Kent; Rumors Of Shift End W. C. Michel, John Clark Get Pacts, Too Sidney R. Kent continues as president of Fox Film for another threeyear period. The board of directors, in a meeting yesterday, abrogated his existing pact and substituted in its place a brand-new contract tying him to his present association for 36 more months. Persistent reports, published principally in H o 1 1 y wo o d S.dney R. Kent J™** PaPer|> *? the effect Kent was considering a new Alma Mater, were thereby officially laid low. It was disclosed at the same time that W. C. Michel, executive vicepresident, and John D. Clark, general manager of distribution, had been signed to new contracts for a similar term of years. The members of the board joined (Continued on page 2) Fox 39-Week Net Is $1,506,212.67 A net profit of $1,506,212.67 after Federal taxes for the 39 weeks ended Sept. 29 was reported yesterday by Fox Film. This compares with a loss of $226,345 for the similar period of 1933. Earnings for the 39-week period of this year are equivalent to 61 cents per share on "A" and "B" stock. The consolidated earned surplus at Sept. 29 stood at $3,251,650. In the third quarter the profit from operations before Federal taxes was $356,971, compared with a profit of $256,061 for the same quarter of 1933. Theatre operations of Wesco Corp. are not consolidated because of the bankruptcies of the principal operating subsidiaries of that company. Stage Pinning Hope On 1934-35 Season Legitimate theatres in New York are pinning their hopes on the 1934-35 season. If it is as bad as some of its (Continued on page 2)