Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1934)

The Leading Motior Picture Industry MOTION PICTURE DAILY Alert, Intelligent the In in All Branches VOL. 36. NO. 133 NEW YORK, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1934 TEN CENTS 1st Division Will Release "Time" Series First Issue Is Set to Appear in January First Division will handle the disribution of "The March of Time" ;eries dramatizing the news events of he day, it was revealed yesterday by Harry H. Thomas, president of the rompany. The first release is exacted to be out in January. The ilms will be issued at the rate of one i month, each running about 20 minjtes. The series is being produced by a lew company, The March of Time, Inc., the officers of which are Roy E. Larsen, general manager of Time magazine and producer of "The March i>f Time" radio broadcasts, president ; |ohn S. Martin, managing editor of {Continued on page 4) Fox and Paramount Are After "Battle" Competitive bidding for national distribution rights to "The Battle" has Paramount and Fox angling with Leon Garganoff for the French-made picture now current at the Criterion. Although scheduled to make its exit at the Criterion yesterday, "The Battle" is being held over until Dec. 14 because of unusual business in the last few days." "Dealers in Death" goes in after "The Battle." Palmer Plea to Be Presented Dec. 14 The U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday set Dec. 14 as the date for bearing of an appeal by Archibald Palmer, counsel, from an order by Federal Judge Julian W. Mack denying him leave to examine members of the bondholders' protective committee of Fox Metropolitan Playhouses {Continued on page 4) Ohio Senate Passes New Type Sales Tax Columbus, Dec. 5. — With an unexpected shift, the Senate has passed a bracketed sales tax which carries with it repeal of the present 10 per cent admission tax. The measure now goes back to the House for a compromise, as the bill passed there last {Continued on page 4) Be assured of dependable delivery and ship via National Film Carriers, Jnc. — Adv. Clearance Is Exhibitors ' Big Problem — Kuykendall The biggest problem confronting exhibitors today is the fact that clearance and zoning schedules have not been established, Ed Kuvkendall, president of the M.P.T.O.A., stated yesterday. He said he had made a tour of Phoenix, Ariz. ; Dallas and Texarkana, Tex. ; Hot Springs, Ark. ; Nashville and Baton Rouge, where he met exhibitors and discussed conditions and the code. Kuykendall said the code has fixed up things in some places and hurt in others and reaction to the code in general is mixed. He said clearance and zoning is the main source of complaint. "Exhibitors feel that Code Authority should officially establish clearance and zoning schedules, since theatre owners do not want to make individual protests and make enemies with exchange men and circuit buyers." Kuykendall will leave Saturday for There Was a Day — In presenting his overbuying case to an appeal committee consisting of Ed Kuykendall, E. T. Gomersall and William Yoost, Sidney Samuelson, acting for the Liberty, Plainfield, yesterday read the section of the code dealing with this subject and then added: "I presume you gentlemen are familiar with the code." Kuykendall retorted: "We used to think so." Charlotte to attend the two-day annual convention on Dec. 9-10 of the Theatre Owners of North and South Carolina. His daughter, Jerry, is in New York. Chicago Pair Here to Argue Over Releases Protests against the present releasing system in Chicago as it affects 10 per cent cancellations will be made today to Campi by Aaron Saperstein and Jack Miller, representing independent exhibitors in that territory. The showmen arrived here yesterday prepared to meet John C. Flinn and present their complaint, but since the executive secretary of Campi did not arrive from the coast until late in the evening, the meeting was put off until this morning. Windy City exhibitors hold that releases of pictures differ with individual territories ; that exchanges have {Continued on page 7) Warner Fire Fails To Halt Producing Warners' production will not be handicapped by the fire which swept a number of outdoor sets Tuesday night at the Burbank studios on the coast, according to a statement issued yesterday by H. M. Warner. Damage was estimated at several hundred thousand dollars, but the flames did not reach any of the sound {Continued on page 4) Club Leaders Hit Duals in Phila. Court Philadelphia, Dec. 5. — The Perelman suit resumed today after a oneday recess with women's club officials furnishing delense testimony. Mrs. Jane F. Looram, international chairman of the M. P. Division of the Federation of Catholic Alumnae, stated that in her opinion double featuring nullifies the object of the association's work, because it is difficult to get two pictures of the right type for a children's show. She told of a mother who had approved her son's visit to a house showing "Peck's Bad Boy," only to find that "The Affairs of Cellini" was on {Continued on page 4) Chase Men Busy on General Theatres Chase National Bank heads are working out a new plan of reorganization for General Theatres Equipment Corp., it is understood. The present tour of Winthrop W. Aldrich, chairman of the Chase board, with H. Donald CampbelL president, and other officers, is understood to be for the purpose of studying theatre conditions and the {Continued on page 4) Seek 3 Para. Directors by December 27 Want Board of 12 Ready For Court Hearing Selection of three additional directors of Paramount Publix to comply with a provision that the board shall consist of a minimum of 12 members is under way in reorganization circles and is expected to be completed before Dec. 27, the date on which a creditors' hearing on the reorganization plan will be held before Federal Judge Alfred C. Coxe. Indications are that the three posts remaining at this time will go to a representative of the bank creditors, one of Allied Owners and the third to a general creditors' representative who will probably be a man with industry or allied experience. The three new candidates will replace Austin Keough, Paramount secretary ; Walter B. Cokell, treasurer, and Max D. {Continued on page 4) Revised Comerford Deal Before Joyce A revised agreement providing for the retirement of Paramount's outstanding obligations remaining from acquisition of the 61 Penncom theatres from M. E. and M. B. Comerford and Frank C. Walker in 1930 was taken under advisement yesterday by Special Master John E. Joyce, following a hearing on the new agreement submitted by counsel for Paramount Publix trustees. Under the agreement, net receipts of Penncom, after operating expenses and provisions for reserve and current obligations, are to be applied to the {Continued on page 4) Rosenblatt Hopeful On Coast Situation Washington, Dec. 5. — Still hopeful that an amicable settlement of the controversy between producers and actors over a code of fair practice may yet be reached, Compliance Director Sol A. Rosenblatt today returned to Washington after a week {Continued, on page 7) RKO Cut to Widen Price War in K. C, Kansas City, Dec. 5. — The local price war will be extended Friday when the RKO Mainstreet's balcony {Continued on page 2)