Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1934)

Motior Picture Industry MOTION PICTURE DAILY Alert, Intelligent the ln< in All Branches OL. 36. NO. 128 NEW YORK, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1934 TEN CENTS V Denies Loew Started K. C. Price Slash foe Vogel Asserts RKO Launched the Cuts Charging that RKO walked out on i price agreement when it cut adnissions at the Mainstreet from 55 and 35 cents to 40 and 25 cents with a raudeville and picture policy, Joe Vogel states Loew's is not responsible Eor the price war for which it is blamed by Kansas City exhibitors. Vogel explains that some time ago Sam Dembow, representing the Newman; Nate Blumberg, acting for the Mainstreet ; Spyros Skouras, acting Eor the Uptown, and himself for the Midland agreed that prices should be increased so that straight picture bouses would charge 40 cents evelings and 25 cents matinees while (Continued on page 6) Allied Warned Not To Get "Panicky" Washington, Nov. 29. — Allied members are urged "against getting panicky" over the Tri-Ergon situation, to await development of the forthcoming directors' meeting slated for New Orleans Dec. 11-12 and not to take :itle to their sound equipment pending anther developments, in an organiza:ion bulletin released here Wednesday. Included in the program of the di (Continued on page 6) New Buying Combine Reported in South New Orleans, Nov. 29. — Reports Persist that a new buying and booking ■.ombine consisting of independent theitres in three southern states will be ormed shortly in spite of the asserions of theatre executives that they rave no knowledge of such a move, -t is understood the combine, should t materialize, will probably be headed )y a prominent independent theatre nan and will go into aggressive competition with existing circuits and cooperatives. Report Favors Offer For Phila. Theatres Philadelphia, Nov. 29. — A favorable report on Warners' offer of .51,645,000 for the four William Frie,aofer and Fred Nixon-Nirdlinger louses was given by William B. Sloan, executor of the Friehofer estate and (Continued on page 6) Earnings Jump Predicted for Big Companies Intake Up 10%, Savings Help, Writer States Larger earnings than at any time in several years are predicted for major film companies during 1934 by the Wall Street Journal. Box-office intake, in some instances, is running 10 per cent ahead of last year, the paper states, and operating economies with rent reductions add to this increase. Most of the gains are accounted for in the 2\£iddle West and South, where Government expenditures have been heavy, the paper asserts, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania lagging behind other sections. Loew's recent report of a net profit (Continued on page 11) "U" Net for Nine Months Is $77,077 Universal Pictures and subsidiary companies report a net profit for nine months ending July 28 of $77,077.61. This is after providing for a non-recurring loss of $158,608.43, settlement of notes receivable from a theatre company in receivership, and $10,000 for estimated loss on funds in closed banks. The net compares with a loss of $728,747.66 for the same period last year. Suit Filed to Stop Cleveland Dual Bill Cleveland, Nov. 29. — An injunction suit seeking to restrain the Alhambra from showing duals has been filed in (Continued on page 14) Will Rogers was the biggest drawing card in America in the 1933-34 season, according to 9,000 independent exhibitors voting in Motion Picture Herald's "Ten Biggest MoneyMaking Stars" feature, an annual poll conducted by that publication. Others in the order determined by percentages follow : 2. — Clark Gable. 3. — Janet Gaynor. 4. — Wallace Beery. Just Ducky Louisville, Nov. 29. — Shirley Temple has been named a Kentucky colonel on the staff of Gov. Ruby Laffoon. She's the youngest on record. Joe Penner has been likewise honored. Options Delay Skouras Deal For FWC Pact "Nigger-in-the-woodpile" holding up signatures to the 10-year joint operating contracts offered to Spyros and Charles Skouras on National Theatres Corp. is the annual option arrangement provided in the impending agreement. The Skourases are objecting to the proposed year-to-year arrangement, which is slated to start Jan. 1, 1935, on the ground that they will not know in advance where they stand in operating the 400-odd theatres for the holding company. The 10-year pact is cancellable every Jan. 1. Prior to Charles' return to the coast about a month ago. the deal was practically set, except for the option clause. Negotiations between the brothers and (Continued on page 6) Schwartz Opposing RKO-Skouras Setup Because of an agreement entered into between RKO and Skouras whereby the former waives protection on all product for Skouras theatres in Hempstead and Rockville Center, L. I., A. H. Schwartz has filed a protest with exchanges asking that the deal be (Continued on page 6) 5— Mae West. 6. — Joan Crawford. 7. — Bing Crosby. 8. — Shirley Temple. 9. — Marie Dressier. 10. — Norma Shearer. The basis of the poll, as explained by the Herald was this : "It is a story of tickets sold, not opinions ventured, a story of the players writing most of the black ink (Continued on page 6) Para. Changes Put Plan Over To Next Week Old Directors Quit and New Board Starts New revisions in the Paramount Publix reorganization plan undertaken following Wednesday's directors' meeting at which members of the old board turned in their resignations to the board of the new company, will again set back formal presentation of the plan to the Federal court until early next week. Estimates made in reorganization quarters late Wednesday held that the necessary changes in and additions to the plan would, largely because of the Thanksgiving holiday, delay its submission to the court until Monday or Tuesday. As exclusively stated in Motion Picture Daily of Wednesday, members of the old board of directors (Continued on page 14) Vincent for Fewer And Better Films Philadelphia, Nov. 29. — That the industry would be better off if double featuring were eliminated and fewer but better pictures made was asserted by Walter Vincent of the Wilmer & Vincent circuit at the first hearing yesterday of defense witnesses in the Harry Perelman action for a Federal court injunction against dual bans in contracts. "Double features and the 10-cent theatre are a menace to the industry," (Continued on page 14) Estimate Roxy Net Will Top $100,000 Net operating profit for the Roxy for the six months from July 1, 1934, to Jan. 1, 1935, will be between $100,000 to $110,000, according to theatre executives. This is after interest on receiver's certificates, taxes, lobby rent and physical improvements, but before fixed charges on outstanding (Continued on page 11) Jersey to Plan New Fight on Dog Races Another meeting of Allied and circuit heads in New Jersey will be held shortly to discuss the move to end dog races in the state. Necessary funds for retaining an attorney have been (Continued on page 6) Vote Rogers Heaviest Draw In Herald's "Ten Biggest"