Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1935)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY AIRMAIL EDITION NO. 48 NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1935 TEN CENTS Censoring Bill Attacked At a Hearing Industry's Leaders and Others Join Forces Albany, Feb. 26. — A censorship bill imposing license fees and revised censorship was assailed today at a public hearing. A message to the committee on education written by the National Council on Freedom from Censorship, a unit of the American Civil Liberties Union, termed the bill "an outrageous piece of legislation." Speaking for this national organization of writers, editors, publishers and critics the council said : "We urge the committee to report the bill unfavorably. The bill would give us censorship in its most aggravated form." The measure provides for annual license fees on exhibitors and distributors, for advertising matter and (Continued on page 2) Reports Persist on Deals for "U" Sale Reports persist as to possible deals for the purchase of a controlling interest in Universal Pictures Corp., in spite of an emphatic denial issued yesterday in Hollywood by Carl Laemmle. In his denial Laemmle said : "Twenty years ago on March 15 we (Continued on page 2) Local Independents Releasing 100 Films Approximately 100 features are released this season by independent exchanges in this territory, it was computed yesterday by the local grievance board during the hearing of Leon Rosenblatt's complaint against Skouras Theatres, charging "unfair methods in obtaining film." It was also stated that the numbers announced by the various exchanges average about 150, but every company fails to deliver the quotas promised. Kuykendall Takes Stand On Industry's Problems Problems of Operation Up To Sessions By GEORGE SCHUTZ Editor of Better Theatres New Orleans, Feb. 26. — The attention given the physical phases of theatre operation is probably the most distinguished features of the 1935 M. P. T. O. A. convention, principally because the theatre has been previously overwhelmed by those less tangible things called issues. The presence of the code among the current deliberations, the theatre, its appearance, its efficiency as a mechanism, has been at last remembered and is down on the schedule as important business. The necessity of widespread remodelling, partly to overcome obsolescence and of a return to normal maintenance of theatres accounts for the notable position of the physical theatre at the convention agenda. The morning meeting on Wednesday is entirely given over to the theatre building and its mechanical facilities and no previous M. P. T. O. A. convention has gone so far in acknowledging the essential participation of the engineer in the business of selling motion picture entertainment. New Tennessee Tax Is Now Threatened Memphis, Feb. 26. — The threat of additional amusement taxes in Tennessee reared its head in the State Legislature yesterday. Senator Moss, chairman of the (Continued on page 2) Praises Hays New Orleans, Feb. 26.— In his annual report Ed Kuykendall came to the defense of Will H. Hays. "At the risk of hearing the old worn out cry of subsidy," he said, "I want to pay my respects to Will H. Hays. There are a few exhibitors and others in this industry who think any exhibitor who is on speaking terms with the Hays office is damned. "It has been my pleasure to meet with Hays on many occasions about problems confronting the entire industry. I have yet to find a single occasion wherein he has assumed anything but a fair attitude. His word is law; you can depend on that. "Of course, I may have been out of accord with him on a few occasions, but I find him ready to go along with us on things that pertain to the best interests of the industry." Big Booking Merger Stirs British Move London, Feb. 26. — All distributors, including every British company except Gaumont British, have agreed through Kinematograph Renters' Society, under the chairmanship of John Maxwell of British International, to invoke the existing resolution against booking combines. It was reported last week that a (Continued on page 2) Marcus to Seek New Extra Listing Plan Hollywood, Feb. 26. — Eugene Marcus, counsel for local actors, is now en route to Washington for conferences with Compliance Director Sol A. Rosenblatt on behalf of the extras. It is believed he will demand a new plan for determining eligibility to. the proposed re-registration list that has eliminated more than 5,000 extras. Aid from Outside Industry Is Reported by Wehrenberg New Orleans, Feb. 26. — That films have been found by community leaders to be "not in general filthy and vile and an offense to the community," was the statement made in the report of the committee on public relations and community affairs of the M. P. T. O. A., presented to the convention today by Fred Wehrenberg, chairman of the group. The report added: "The community leaders who were familiar, through long close association, with the exhibitors' problems and with something of industry problems in general were inclined to be sympathetic, to defend us and to refuse to view the motion picture landscape with pessimism. Many of these groups had made actual surveys of product. (Continued on page 4) For 20% Cancellations, Copyright Revision, Code Changes New Orleans, Feb. 26. — Warning his hearers that the convention would be no "petting party" and that criticism would be welcomed, Ed Kuykendall, i n his annual report as president, dove vigorously into a discussion of industry problems. "Let's try to find ways and means of getting them to the boxoffice," he admonished ; "it cannot be done by merely cussing the other fellow." Without mentioning Allied by name, Kuykendall made a bitter attack on those in the industry who "are continually encouraging those at Washington to attack us." He made a plea for (Continued on page 4) Ed Kuykendall Revision Started On Copyright Bill Washington, Feb. 26. — General revision of the State Department's copyright measure is being worked out in the light of the conferences held last week with representatives of the film and other interested industries. The new draft of the bill will be submitted to those who participated in the conferences for comment before being sent to the Capitol. Officials who attended the meetings last week expressed themselves satisfied that definite progress had been made and that (Continued on page 2) Three Majors Sell 1935-'36 List Now New Orleans, Feb. 26. — Without fanfare, it is understood Warners, RKO and Fox are quietly selling 1935-1936 product. This looks like a new high in advance selling activity, since the new season will not get under way until late August. Paramount has sold in a number of (Continued on page 2)