Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1934)

6 MOTION PICTURE DAILY Friday, November 2, 1934 Short Subjects Are "Dogs Of the Business "—Marcus Predict End Of Cleveland Zoning Pact (Continued from page 1) for Cleveland. A meeting of exhibitors to work out new zones was to have been held Tuesday and Wednesday in Cleveland, but, because of an appeal hearing, the session was delayed until next Wednesday and Thursday. Exhibitors, under the two-year agreement, have the right to cancel at any time, but this does not seem to be the case, Greenberger stated. It is claimed that Loew's Granada broke a verbal agreement when the admission scale was reduced from 35 to 28 cents and maintained 14 days' protection. Theatres charging 25 cents get pictures 35 days after the first runs; houses with admissions at 20 cents get films in 57 days, and 15-cent houses get product in 63 days. At Wednesday's appeal hearing in New York, with Frank A. McCarthy and Henry Sussman as committeemen, Greenberger asked a reversal of the Cleveland board's decision putting the Mall into a different zone from the Strand, Standard and Carter. Fisher has the Mall, while the other three houses are part of the Community circuit, of which Greenberger is an executive partner. Denies Intent to Deprive Rival Greenberger stated he had bought half of Paramount, U. A. and M-G-M for next season with seven days' protection over the Mall and that he did not intend to deprive the Mall of product. Fisher stated he could not buy one new picture from any company and has approached all exchange men in the territory to no avail. Greenberger was in favor of buying protection instead of having a local board set it. Gusdanovic, who operates the Cameo, adjacent to the Mall, stated the Mall and the other three houses are in the same zone and the schism designated by the Cleveland board should be abandoned. Other cases heard were W. A. Thimmig, McNair, St. Louis, against the St. Louis Amusement Co., Gravois Theatre, and Fred Wehrenberg, Cinderella Theatre, on clearance and zoning; Mystic, Picher, Okla., against Picher-Plaza and Southwestern theatres, same city; and William C. Smalley, Smalley's Hamilton, Hamilton, N. Y., against Meyer Schine and Glove City Amusement Co. of Gloversville. To Outline Code Attack Sidney Samuelson, president of Allied of New Jersey, will outline procedure of the unit in attacking the code to members at the next meeting, Nov. 13. , Allied plans to ask for a congressional investigation of the setup of the code and the line of attack will be explained to all members at the next session. "Legit' Code in Force The revised code for the legitimate theatre became effective yesterday at a meeting of the authority at the League of New York Theatres. 17 Bank Night Cases Heard by Appeal Trio (Continued from page 1) nature and clear the calendar. The appeals were: Mrs. Jennie H. Dodge, Mission, Ventura, Cal., against Oxnard, Oxnard. Mrs. Jennie H. Dodge, Mission, Ventura, against Glen City, Santa Paula, Cal. C. A. Ferry, Granada, Alhambra, Cal., against O. W. Lewis, Mission, San Gabriel, Cal. M. E. Baylis, Tivoli, West Los Angeles, Cal., against Wilshire, Santa Monica, Cal. Rex, Fairfield, la., against Orpheum, same city. M. C. Roskopf, Casino, Marshalltown, fa., against Don Thornburg, Strand and Family, same city. Harry C. Swan, Washington, Granite City, 111., against Gaylord W. Jones, Rialto, same city. L. E. Davidson, Capitol, Sioux City, against Rialto, same city. Avenue, Omaha, against August Herman, Muse, Omaha. G. E. Klock, Klock, Neodesha, Kan. against Gem, J. E. Whitten, same city. W. A. Leucht, Olive, St. Joseph, Mo., against Frank Cassil, Rialto, same city. Midland, Pittsburgh, Kan., against J. A. Lenski, Cozy, same city. Lake, Minneapolis, Minn., against Heights, Columbia Heights, Minn. Lake, Minneapolis, Minn., against H. Dickerman, Alhambra, Minneapolis, Minn. Lake, Minneapolis, Minn., against H. Dickerman, Northtown, Minneaapolis, Minn. Coast Casters Talk Over Extras' Rules Hollywood, Nov. 1. — Anticipating an early order from Washington to put the extras' code into effect, Mrs. Mabel Kinney, chairman of the extras' standing committee, called a meeting of some 40 casting representatives and discussed its details. Her idea was to avoid possible misunderstandings. The order was scheduled to have gone into effect Oct. 11, but has been held up pending official notice from Campi. Sten Van Schmus Guest Anna Sten, star of "We Live Again," and Sergei Soudeikine, artist who designed the sets for the picture, were guests at a dinner given by W. G. Van Schmus, managing director of the Music Hall, last night. Goldberg Quits G-B Lou Goldberg has resigned from Gaumont British. Marion Sanders is now at the Roxy on a four-week assignment for the opening of "Evensong," following which she will bow out of G-B. G-B Renews with Lee Gaumont British has renewed for five years Arthur A. Lee's contract as vice-president and general manager of the company. (Continued from page 1) originals and we are spending as much time in preparation as the men making features," he held. "The company has completed 29 and has 13 more to go for this season." "The short subject department is developing director talent for the company," Marcus asserted, pointing to Mark Sandrich, George Stevens and Ben Holmes, who recently graduated from the shorts' rank to feature pictures. Ruth Etting has been signed for six two-reelers for next season. The company recently experimented with a Spanish version of an Etting short for the foreign market and the results are good, Marcus stated. The short subject producer believes duals are minimizing the demand for shorts, especially two-reelers, which, he claims, are being booked during supper shows. Marcus admitted he doesn't know why the demand for tworeelers is diminishing, but believes the apathy is with the exhibitors more than the public. He sails tomorrow on the California for Hollywood after a 10-day vacation here. Fine Reveals Allied Pickets as Paid Men The revelation that many Allied pickets are men outside the ranks of the union hired for the purpose was made yesterday at the hearing on the operator situation in the city before Referee Robert McC. Marsh. Sol Fine, business agent for Allied, admitted under questioning that it went to employment agencies for its pickets, who are paid $2 and $2.50 a day. He declared the union resorted to this practice because it did not have enough members for picket duty. The picketing activities have been going on at theatres employing members of Local 306. Rinzler-Frisch May Drop Fox Met Spots (Continued from page 1) group are understood to be losing on the average of $1,000 a day, or $30,000 a month, it is understood. With the Fox Met circuit now in the process of reorganization, Randforce is taking the losses on the chin. The two independent operators have no contract with the bondholders' protective committee, and likewise, no guarantee from the bondholders to cover the losses, it is stated. Although bondholders meet with Judge Julian W. Mack on Nov. 12 on reorganization matters, no definite plan is expected to be presented to the court. As yet the bondholders' committee has not discussed a contract with Frisch and Rinzler and unless some means of covering the losses are made by the bondholders, it will be impossible for Randforce to continue to operate. O'Connor Visiting Edward O'Connor, head of M-GM's branch in the Dutch West Indies, is in New York for the first time in six years. He plans to stay several months. Agency Code "Hearing" Is Capital Flop Washington, Nov. 1. — Government money spent for the rent of a room in the Willard Hotel today for the "hearing" on agency committee recommendations was wasted. Only five persons, but two of whom offered remarks, appeared for a 15-minute discussion of the proposed rules on agents. Excerpts from a letter from Ralph H. Blum, Beverly Hills, were read into the record by Division Administrator Sol A. Rosenblatt, who presided. This letter expressed the protest of west coast agents against holding the hearing in Washington. The decision to hold the hearing here instead of in Los Angeles was declared by Blum to be "most outrageous." It was pointed out that the hearings affect the livelihood of "many individuals" and the claim was advanced that "all the persons affected thereby are domiciled" in Los Angeles and the demands of their business made it impossible for them to cross the country. The complaint was answered by Gabriel L. Hess, Hays office counsel, who declared there are as many agents in New York as in California and almost as many artists seeking employment. "In the past two or three years," he pointed out further, "production activities in the east have advanced to the stage that the east is now being recognized as a production center." The only discussion of the rules themselves was offered by Harold S. Bareford, representing nine of the large producers, who pointed out that a large number of the proposals are now in the code "and it is doubtful what the intention of the committee was: whether to take these provisions out of the code and adopt them in a supplementary code, or to amend and add to the provisions of the code." The hearing was adjourned for a period of 30 days, within which the Administration will make a decision as to the application of the rules. Labor Board to Get Union's Loew Claim New Orleans, Nov. 1. — A claim for $25,000 filed against Loew's State by the musicians' union alleging breach of contract will be referred to the National Compliance Board at Washington, it was decided yesterday. Loew's insists that if it loses it will carry the case to court. Discharge Monnier Jury After deliberating for nearly 11 hours the jury in the Brooklyn Federal Court which heard the charges that Maurice Monnier, a chauffeur, had sent a threatening letter to Mrs. William Fox was discharged by Judge Clarence G. Galston. Monnier will face a second trial Nov. 7. He is seeking bail. Not to Build in Miami Walter Reade does not intend to build in Miami despite reports to the contrary. The circuit operator recently visited the winter resort on a brief vacation, which started the rumors.