Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1934)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Saturday, December I, 1934 MOTION PICTURE DAILY (Registered U. S. Patent Office) Vol. 36 December 1, 1934 No. 129 Martin Quigley Editor-in-Chief and Publisher MAURICE KANN Editor JAMES A. CRON Advertising Manager Published daily except Sunday and holidays by Motion Picture Daily, Inc., subsidiary of Quigley Publications, Inc., Martin Quigley, President; Colvin Brown, Vice-President and Treasurer. Publication Office: 1790 Broadway, New York. Telephone Circle 7-3100. Cable address "Quigpubco, New York." All contents copyrighted 1934 by Motion Picture Daily, Inc. Address all correspondence to the New York Office. Other Quigley publications: MOTION PICTURE HERALD BETTER THEATRES, THE MOTION PICTURE ALMANAC and THE CHICAGOAN. Hollywood Bureau: Postal Union Life Building, Vine and Yucca Streets, Victor M. Shapiro, Manager; Chicago Bureau: 407 South Dearborn Street, Edwin S. Clifford, Manager; London Bureau: Remo House, 310 Regent St., London, W. 1, Bruce Allan, Representative. Cable address: "Quigpubco, London"; Berlin Bureau: Berlin • Tempelhof, Kaiserin Augustastrasse 28, Joachim K. Rutenberg, Representative; Paris Bureau: 19, Rue de la Cour-des\oues, Pierre Autre, Representative; Rome Jureau: Viale Gorizia, Vittorio Malpassuti, Representative; Sydney Bureau: 102 Sussex Street, Cliff Holt, Representative; Mexico City Bureau: Apartado 269, James Lockhart, Representative; Glasgow Bureau: 86 Dundrennan Road, G. Holmes, Representative; Budapest Bureau: 3, Kaplar-u, Budapest, II, Endre Hevesi, Representative; Moscow Bureau: Civtzev Vrazhek, N. 25, Apart. 146, Moscow, U. S. S. R., Bella Kashin, Representative. Cable address: "Samrod, Moscow." Entered as second class matter, January 4, 1926, at the Post Office at New York City, N. Y., under Act of March 3, 1879. Subscription rates per year: $6 in the Americas, except Canada $15 and foreign $12. Single copies: 10 cents. A. A. Lowe Enroute Here A. A. Lowe, treasurer of U. A. in India, is en route here aboard the Britannic and is due Dec 9. San Francisco, Nov. 30. — Arthur W. Kelly, vice-president in charge of foreign distribution for U. A, who is scheduled to arrive here Dec. 4, will leave immediately for Los Angeles and New York, arriving in the east Dec. 10. Add to Gaumont Staff New appointments to the Gaumont British staff include : Jack Erickson, salesman, San Francisco; Tony Hartford, salesman, Seattle ; Gene Spear, booker-salesman, Seattle ; David McElhinney, salesman, Salt Lake City ; E. E. Andreason, salesman, Denver. Boston, Nov. 30.— Milton J. Hill has been appointed salesman for Gaumont British here. He was formerly with M-G-M and United Artists. Weeks Back Monday George W. Weeks, Gaumont British general sales manager, returns to New York Monday having completed a coast-to-coast tour to build up a national sales organization. "Civilized" to Hoffberg J. H. Hoffberg Co., Inc., has acquired from Raspin Prod, the foreign distribution rights to "Are We Civilized ?" SoundEquipmentMen To Ponder Tax Today A meeting of the independent sound equipment manufacturers and distributors will be held today at the offices of S. O. S. Corp. to consider filing a formal protest with the Commissioner of Internal Revenue against the five per cent excise tax on sound amplification and reproducing equipment. The session will be held jointly with the Entertainment Apparatus Manufacturers Ass'n. Liberty Set in England Wardour Films, Ltd., subsidiary of British International Pictures, will distribute Liberty pictures in the United Kingdom under the terms of a deal just signed by Arthur Dent, managing director of Wardour, and Budd Rogers, general sales manager of Liberty. Liberty has also just closed deals for its complete list with F. & M. and the E. M. Loew circuit in New England. Reich for Finer Films Berlin, Nov. 30. — In banning two German films yesterday on the ground they were "cheap stuff," Dr. Paul Joseph Goebbels, Minister of Propaganda and Public Enlightenment of Germany, told the home industry it would have to turn out better grade pictures as the Reich was disgusted with the present product. The prohibited films were "Love Conquers" and "A Child, a Dog and a Tramp." Cantor Europe-Bound Eddie Cantor sails today on the Rex for Europe. His wife, Ida, and his three eldest daughters, Marjorie, Natalie and Edna accompanying him. Cantor expects to return some time in February and will report to Hollywood in April to begin work on his next Goldwyn picture. "Copper field" for Capitol Although originally slated for the Astor at two-a-day, "David Copperfield" has been booked into the Capitol for Christmas Week. Pons-Radio Deal Set Lily Pons yesterday completed negotiations with Radio to appear in one picture. "U's" Dinner-Dance To Be Held Tonight Universal Club will hold its annual dinner-dance at the Astor tonight with an attendance of 550 anticipated. The main ballroom will be converted into a ship's interior and the general idea behind the function will be tied up with an imaginary trip to Bermuda. Jack Berger and his Astorians will furnish the music and much of the talent will be by Mentone Prod, which is making a series of shorts for Universal release. Laemmle Sailing Off Carl Laemmle, Jr., will not sail for Europe today as scheduled, since he suffered a relapse in an attack of grippe that has laid him low for the past week. He now plans to get away on the Conte di Savoia in two weeks. Comedians Portland Hit Portland, Nov. 30. — A combination of Wheeler and Woolsey on the stage and their picture, "Kentucky Kernels," on the screen knocked a few records for the well known loop at Hamrick's Orpheum. The Thanksgiving Day gross was $2,000. Start "Custer's Stand" Hollywood, Nov. 30. — Stage and Screen Prod., Inc., has started work on a 25-reel serial, "Custer's Last Stand." Rex Bell, Buzz Barton and William Farnum are in the cast. Korda Signs Laughton London, Nov. 30. — Alexander Korda, production head of London Films, has signed Charles Laughton for the lead in "Sir Tristam Goes West." U. A. will handle the release in America. Selander Succeeds Brod Hollywood, Nov. 30. — Lester Selander has been named chairman of the assistant directors' section of the Academy executive committee. He succeeds Sidney S. Brod, resigned, who is no longer an assistant director. Goetz Off for London Harry H. Goetz, head of Reliance Pictures, sailed last night on the Olympic for London in search of stories and talent for next season's lineup. He expects to return Dec. 18. New Loew Highs Set On Big Board Net High Low Close Change Columbia Pictures, vtc 39 3854 39 + 5£ Consolidated Film Industries, pfd 18 17% 1754 Eastman Kodak 11354 112 11254 — 154 Eastman Kodak, pfd 140 140 140 —2 Fox Film "A" 1454 1354 1454 +1 Loew's, Inc 3654 35 3654 +1J4 Loew's, Inc.. pfd 105 10454 105 +1 Paramount Publix 354 356 354 + Vg rko 1% m m +a Universal Pictures, pfd 3" 37 37 +2 Warner Bros 454 4% 444 +54 Technicolor Lone Curb Issue Net •High Low Close Change Technicolor 1454 W/g 1454 All Bond Issues Show Gains Net High Low Close Change General Theatre Equipment 6s '40 9 854 9 + *A General Theatre Equipment 6s '40, ctf 854 854 854+54 Loew's 6s '41, ww deb rights 10454 104 10454 + 54 Paramount Broadway 554s '51 42 42 42 Paramount F. L. 6s '47 59 58 59 + 54 Paramount Publix 554s '50 5854 5854 5854 + 54 Warner Bros. 6s '39. wd 59 5834 58^4 + 54 Sales 600 1,700 900 1.400 2.400 16,600 300 3.100 1.300 3,000 1,000 Sales 1,300 Sales 4 15 12 5 16 10 7 i Purely Personal ► JAMES BARTON has finished his work in "Tobacco Road" and leaves tomorrow for Hollywood to start work for Radio in "The Taming of Zenas Henry." Ian Hunter, recently signed by First National, is scheduled to arrive here from London in about two weeks. He will work in "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Fred Waring and his orchestra open at the Paramount Christmas week, inaugurating the new stage policy at the Broadway house. Mary Pickford is on her way back to Hollywood. She plans to organize a coast production of "The Farmer Takes a Wife." George Jessel and Shirley Ross, the latter an M-G-M player, will appear at the Capitol starting next Friday. George Batcheller is in from the coast and will remain until January. Maury Cohen didn't accompany him on this trip. Harry Buxbaum, who has been spending the last few days in Boston, returns Monday. He is visiting his brother. Charles L. O'Reilly goes to Philadelphia today to attend the ArmyNavy game. Hugh Walpole gets in from Hollywood next week and after spending two days here will sail for England. Rosario Bourdon, NBC orchestra director, has been signed to do a series of Brunswick records. Al Schwalberg of Warners is back from his coast trek. Max Cohen opened the Stadium, latest in his circuit, Thursday night. Al Selig returned from Buffalo yesterday. George Schaefer is in the south for a brief rest. Ed Kuykendall is due in town Monday from Columbus, Miss. Tony Muto is due back from Washington the first of next week. Vince Hart is on the sick list. Is Guest of Roosevelt Scranton, Nov. 30. — M. E. Comerford was a week-end guest of President Roosevelt at Warm Springs, Ga. Leaving Bloomsburg, Pa., Friday by plane, Comerford picked up Frank C. Walker at Washington and the two continued by air to Georgia. Comerford and Walker were the President's guests at dinner Saturday night and also spent Sunday at Roosevelt's Warm Springs home. Form Two Theatre Firms Albany, Nov. 30. — Branwin Amusement Corp., New York City, has been chartered to exhibit pictures and vaudeville. Alexander Stone, Elizabeth Hirsh and Edward M. Brandriss are the incorporators. Vandyke Amusement Corp., New York City, has been chartered for the same purpose. Rose Bernholz, Gertrude Mendelson, and Ethel Kutcher, are directors.