Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1934)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Friday, November 30. 1934 i Purely Personal ► DAVID LOEW will see to it that when he plays golf in Hollywood the ball doesn't go near the M-G-M studios. Loew never visits the studios when he goes to the coast, he says, and intends to keep the rule on his next trip late in January. Arthur Mayer, Herb Cruikshank, John Clark, Charlie McCarthy, Jack Ellis, Bernie Sobol, Irving Hoffman, Harold B. Franklin and Martin Beck among those lunching, pre-Thanksgiving Day style, at Sardi's Wednesday. Katharine Hepburn, "The Little Minister" finished at Radio, arrived yesterday from the coast. She will remain east two weeks. The star spent Thanksgiving with her family in Hartford, Conn. Helen Schorr, secretary to Burns and Allen, leaves with them on the Century today for California, where they will remain for about five months. Burns and Allen are scheduled to make several pictures for Paramount. Rosita Moreno has been engaged by Paramount to play opposite Carlos Gardel in "Undying Love," a Spanish-language production to be made at the Eastern Service Studios in Astoria. Bert Sanford, Erpi eastern division sales manager ; Robert Horne, his assistant, and Bill Murphy, N. Y. salesman, have become members of the Erpi five-year club. Herbie Holmes, winner of a "Kid Millions" audition contest over station WMC, Memphis, was in town Wednesday as a guest of United Artists. Harry Browarsky, operating the Bellevue, Bellevue, and Hippodrome, Pittsburgh, left yesterday on the Verago for a southern cruise. He'll be away a couple of weeks. Phil Stong has sold his new novel, "The Village," to Radio. John Robertson has been assigned to the direction of the picture. Fred Kohlmar, production assistant to Samuel Goldwyn, has returned to the home office following conferences with the producer. Arthur C. Bromberg, who distributes Monogram pictures in the south, is in town with Senator Arthur Gomez of Florida. Rubinoff will conduct the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra there at a benefit performance on Dec. 8. Frank B. Elser and Marc Connelly's stage hit, "The Farmer Takes a Wife," has been bought by Fox. Leo Justin has gone to Philadelphia for the week-end. He'll be back Monday. Al Santell, back from London and the battle of Toeplitz, has checked into the Lombardy. Vote Rogers Heaviest Draw In Herald's "Ten Biggest 99 (Continued from page 1) into the theatre owner's books, not of the screen personalities appealing to the exhibitor personallly, though the results doubtless bespeak that majority preference also." The vote is essentially an independent exhibitor verdict of player drawing power among audiences at independent theatres. The Herald explains the ballots were limited to showmen without producer or distributor affiliations, direct or indirect. Rogers, now No. 1 man, stood sixth in the final vote for the 1931-32 season and second among the men for that year. In 1932-33, he ranked second to the winner and first among the men. This time, he leads all in both sexes. Final standings were determined by the total number of times a player was mentioned, regardless of that player's relative specific position among the 10 nominations. The determining question included in each ballot was : "Please list me 10 players whose pictures drew the greatest number of patrons to your theatre from Sept. 1, 1933, to Sept. 1, 1934." More Receive Mention A wider divertissement of player representation in the current poll also made itself apparent in that 208 rated mention as against 163 in 1932-33. In point of company alignment, M-G-M emerged first with five : Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer, Clark Gable and Wallace Beery and the late Marie Dressier. Paramount had two. Mae West and Bing Crosby ; Fox, two, Will Rogers and Janet Gaynor. Shirley Temple, criss-crossing between Paramount and Fox, properly may be claimed by both. In the classification immediately below "The Ten Biggest," Katharine Hepburn came first with a rating of 278 per cent, or 12 per cent below Miss Shearer. Indicative of the difference in the percentages is the fact that Rogers, the winner, ended at 726 per cent. Ninety-seven players ranged from the Hepburn rating to 11 players in the four per cent brackets. Fifteen rate three per cent each ; 16, two per cent each and 43, one per cent each. Options Delay Skouras Deal For FWC Pact (Continued from page 1) Herman G. Place, vice-president of Chase National Bank, have been going on for some time. It now appears that S. R. Kent, president of Fox and National, will have to straighten out the disputed point upon his return from England next week. Charles Skouras expects to return to the coast in two weeks, and when he leaves he will most likely have affixed his signature to the agreement now in dispute. Denies Loew Started K. C. Price Slash Fred Quimby Is Due Fred Quimby, short subject sales manager for M-G-M, arrives from Hollywood tomorrow after conferring with studio executives on production. Felix F. Feist, general sales manager, returns the latter part of next week. Arthur Loew, foreign head, arrives Dec. 24 from Paris on the He de France. Jersey to Plan New Fight on Dog Races (Continued from page 1) pledged and counsel will be engaged within the next week or so. Pari-mutuel betting in New Jersey has been declared unconstitutional and now exhibitors are going to the Su preme Court for affirmation of the lower court's decision. Journal Adds Previews Hollywood, Nov. 29.— The Wall Street Journal has established a pic ture preview section and has appointed Harold Barham, son of Dr. Frank Barham, part owner of the Herald Express, to the reviewing post. Mike Marco on Coast Hollywood, Nov. 29. — Mike Marco arrived by plane from New York and Chicago today. He was in New York for a few days conferring with Harry Arthur and Jack Partington. Schwartz Opposing RKO-Skouras Setup (Continued from page 1) ignored and that the original protection RKO bought be upheld. Exchanges, however, can do nothing. Managers claim that the protection argument has to be settled between the exhibitors themselves. Distributors do not want to become involved in the matter and are keeping hands off. Schwartz wanted RKO to waive protection in the same manner as Skouras, but RKO refuses, it is stated. Product involved is all of Radio and Universal and 50 per cent of Paramount and Warners. (Continued from page 1) vaudeville-film theatres would charge 55 cents evenings and 35 cents matinees. Last week, Vogel says, Blumberg called him up and asked that the agreement be called off because the Mainstreet was losing money and could not operate under the conditions agreed upon. The house, with the same vaudeville-picture policy, dropped its admission to those scheduled for straight film theatres. Loew's then found that the Mainstreet's new scale was hurting the Midland and as a result reduced the matinee admission from 25 to 15 cents, leaving the 40 cents admission stand. The Midland is an all-picture house. "That Kansas City exhibitors should charge us with price cutting is unfair. We didn't start it. RKO did, and you can quote me to that effect," Vogel said. When asked about the Kansas City situation, Blumberg said he knew nothing about it. 99 RKO-Skouras About Set on Two Houses Negotiations between RKO and Skouras for the latter to take over the Embassy, Port Chester, and the Strand, Rockville Center, are in the final stages with signatures expected in a week or so. Management of the two RKO houses will change on Jan. 1, provided the deal goes through without any hitches. FitzPatrick Sails Soon James FitzPatrick leaves for the coast about Dec. 15 via the Panama Canal route. When he arrives in Hollywood he wall assemble his crew which will accompany him to Africa to make "Black Ivory," first of two independent features he will produce. Allied Warned Not To Get "Panicky (Continued from page 1) rectors, as outlined by Abram F Myers, are these points : 1. Report on steps taken in furtherance of the legislative campaign and formulation of plans for intensifying the campaign. 2. Formulation of demands in behalf of independent exhibitors in case a new code is proposed to succeed the present one which expires next June. 3. Consideration of proposed new constitution to modernize Allied's basic law. 4. Report on status of TriErgon, Ascap and Erpi matters and consideration of plan of future action. 5. Consideration of plans for expanding and strengthening the national association. 6. Plans for the annual meeting in January Wilby Under Knife Atlanta, Nov. 29. — Robert Wilby is at the St. Joseph Hospital recovering from an operation performed Monday. Oscar A. Morgan, Paramount district manager, enters the Emory Hospital next week. He is slated for an operation as well. Lichtman May Go West Al Lichtman may go to the coast around the first of the year. If he doesn't take the coast trip, he'll go south for a vacation. Report Favors Offer For Phila. Theatres (Continued from page 1) supervisor of the theatres, at the second hearng yesterday on the advisability of the sale. Giving figures on the mortgage indemnities of the houses involved, the Tower, Nixon, Roosevelt and Frankford, Sloan declared that "considering conditions," the Warner offer was a good one. James Williams, a realty expert retained to report to the special master, testified in the same vein. The hearing is to be resumed later. Warner Party Dec. 22 The Warner Club annual Christmas kiddie party will be held at the home office club room Dec. 22. It is limited to children, grandchildren and brothers and sisters, not over 12 years of age, of members.