Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1934)

The Leading Se^^5^\ Motiof Picture Industry MOTION PICTURE DAILY Alert, Intelligent the In in All Branches VOL. 36. NO. 145 NEW YORK, THURSDAY. DECEMBER 20, 1934 TEN CENTS New Fox Met Plan Selects Board of Five Kent on List; Goes to Court in Few Days An initial board of directors of five members for Fox Metropolitan Playhouses is proposed in the plan of reorganization for the company just completed by the bondholders' committee and scheduled to be presented to Federal Judge Julian W. Mack within the next few days. Members of the initial board are Sidney Kent, president of Fox Film ; Frederick M. Peyser of Hallgarten & Co.; Harry O. King, managing director of the copper industry code authority; Richard C. Hunt, attorney, of Hunt, Jaeckel & Brown, and Ivor B. Clark, head of the real estate firm of that name, and a trustee of the Union Dime Savings Bank. Provision is made in the plan for the {Continued </n page 2) B. & K. Franchise Is Held Blocking Loew Chicago, Dec. 19. — The improbability of an invasion of the neighborhood held here by Loew's is emphasized by the fact that B. & K. has the M-G-M first run franchise here for several years to come, it is held by those familiar with the local situation. This leaves only last run product for any Loew houses. B. & K. officials scoff at the idea of a Loew invasion here. /. L. & S. in Court On Paramount Case Jones, Linick & Schaefer, operators ; of the McVickers. Chicago, initiated j anti-trust litigation against Paramount yesterday with the filing of an order ! in U. S. District court here to showcause why Paramount and the trustees of the company should not be joined as defendants in a contemplated action for alleged violations of the (Continued on page 2) Attendance Holding Gains, Taxes Prove Washington, Dec. 19. — Theatrical attendance is continuing well ahead of last year, the Internal Revenue Bureau indicated today in its monthly report. November collections on admissions were $1,443,214. against $1,230,691 in the same month last vear. Ship Him by National Film Carriers, Inc., and be certain of on tim* delivery. — Adv. Protest End of Lease Clause; May Retain It British Move To Tip Quota Picture Cost By BRUCE ALLAN London, Dec. 19. — A revision of the British quota act to meet the problem of "pound-a-foot quickies" either through addition of a minimum cost clause or the establishment, by law, of a quality standard now appears certain. G. R. Hall Caine, M.P., and chairman of the Board of Trade advisory committee under the act, in a speech before the City Conservative Ass'n. last night, said his group had examined the act and thought certain provisions of the lawr now were out of date. He also revealed his report had been completed for Walter Runciman, president of the Board of Trade, who is expected to introduce amendments in the House of Com (Continued on page 2) May Extend Act London, Dec. 19.— The British quota law, into which will be injected more and sharper teeth, jumps to 20 per cent next year. The present act, which is to remain in effect 10 years, terminates in 1938 but its extension now seems likely. Golden Says 7,000 Houses Have Duals More than 7,000 theatres are double billing throughout the country, Edward A. Golden, general sales manager of Monogram, stated yesterday. The figure, compared with the 12,000 houses now operating, is conservative, he said. In key centers like New York, Los Angeles, St. Louis. New Haven, Detroit, Boston, Kansas City, and Milwaukee practically all of the houses are twin billing, Golden holds. Smith Wants End of Duals; Petti jo hn for Tight Lips By CHARLES C. PETTIJOHN General Counsel, M.P.P.D.A. This year instead of "hazarding a guess" or "taking a peep" or "looking around the corner," may I make a wish instead of a prophecy. My wish is that ' 1935 may be recalled in the history of the business, as the year of "f ewer and shorter interviews." If we could all get on or off trains and boats and go through Kansas City without being interviewed, what a wonderful business this would be! It would be only a question of time until "our public" could understand us. By A. W. SMITH, JR. Eastern Sales Manager, Warners It is my belief that more pictures of box-office merit will be placed in distribution during 1935 than ever before. This is due to the fact that production has become more cognizant of bo x-office values because of its closer contact with distribution and exhibition. Most of the dirty linen in the laundry has been washed clean. Progress is sure to follow. It is my prediction that during 1935 the industry as a unit will eliminate the showing of two feature pictures on the same bill at one admission price. Farnsworth, Samuelson, Kuykendall Declare It Is Helpful By CLARENCE LINZ Washington, Dec. 19. — Determined opposition to the elimination of code provisions prohibiting interference with leases was offered today before Deputy Administrator William P. Farnsworth during argument on amendments proposed by Campi with indications that the provisions will be retained, probably with an amendment providing that, after an administrative finding, relief is to be sought through court action. The fight against deletion of the clause was led by Norman Samuelson of New York, attorney for William C. Smalley, whose complaint against the Schine circuit over the Hamilton (N. Y.) theatre wil be heard tomorrow by the NRA Compliance Board. Samuelson's position was supported (Continued on page 4) Conspiracy Charge Is Dismissed Here After listening to conspiracy charges by Frank Samerelli of the Royal, Port Jervis, N. Y., against Fox, M-G-M, RKO, U. A., Warners and Paramount for two days, the New York grievance board, by a vote of three to one, yesterday dismissed the complaint. Louis Geller, independent exhibitor, was the only dissenting voter. George Thompson, impartial representative, (Continued on page 4) Strand Fire Shifts Warners' Bookings Enforced closing of the Strand because of fire damage finds the Warners shifting bookings in order to maintain their representation on Broadway. First deal is for "Sweet Adeline" w-hich goes into the Paramount Jan. 4. The company will not reopen the now darkened Warner, although the plan is understood to have been under consideration. Repairs at the Strand probably wall take about three weeks. Court Sets Date on Tri-Ergonfs Action Federal Judge Marcus B. Campbell yesterday gave American Tri-Ergon until 20 days after the Supreme (Continued on page 2)