Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1935)

Motio Picture Industry MOTION PICTURE DAILY Alert, Intelligent the in All Branches VOL. 37. NO. 105 NEW YORK, SATURDAY, MAY 4, 1935 TEN CENTS Expect M-G-M To Hold List At 52 Again Sales Force to Get Word At Detroit Sessions Detroit, May 3. — M-G-M officials are expected to tell their eastern regional sales convention, which starts here today, that the company again will have approximately 52 features for the 1935-36 season. The short subject lineup probably will match the current season's output in numerical strength, but it is anticipated word will be passed on that the number of two-reelers will be cut and the output of single reelers correspondingly increased. Details will be divulged on Monday, according to present plans. No changes in selling personnel are foreshadowed and the anticipation further is that the number of star vehicles for the new season will continue with little or no change. About 110 home office executives, division and district managers, branch managers, salesmen, office managers, bookers, auditors and exploiteers will attend the three-day meeting at the Book-Cadillac. Felix F. Feist, general sales manager, tops the list with Will(Continued on page 4) M-G-M Gets Rowland For Stories, Talent Hollywood, May 3. — Richard A. Rowland, who in 1914 organized Metro and headed the company until 1919 when he sold out to Loew's, has rejoined the company he founded under a term contract as special story and talent scout. He will have a roving assignment. Rowland plans to leave for New York shortly and visit Europe later. Up to the time of his rejoining MG-M, Rowland was general representative for the RKO-Radio studio in New York. He recently handled the story department in the east while Katherine Brown was enciente. Koplar Incorporates Neighborhood Group St. Louis, May 3. — Harry Koplar's new neighborhood theatre venture has been chartered as the St. Louis Suburban Theatres Co. with 25,000 shares of non-par stock and a nominal capital of $1,000. Incorporators are Koplar, George Wendling and J. Fred Brinkmeyer. In his original announcement Koplar said that he planned to start by erect ing four houses. OhioTaxPlan Going Over to Fall Session Senate Recesses Prevent Action at This Time Columbus, May 3. — Ohio's tax program seems destined for a special session of the Legislature to be called by Governor Davey next fall. The present session has established a record for number of bills introduced affecting the industry, but Senate recesses have prevented action. The session will recess May 16 and adjourn sine die May 23, according to the present plan. The Senate, which went into a "five minute recess" three weeks ago, was in session this week, but rather inactive. It recessed again today and will reconvene May 14. This plan, (.Continued on page 2) Bay State Legalizes Reels of 4,000 Feet Boston, May 3. — The Legislature today passed a bill legalizing use of 4,000-foot reel in projection machines. This removes an old regulation limiting reels to 2,000 feet. Operators' Local 182 has passed a resolution forbidding its members from operating with reels longer than 1,000 feet. One of the arguments used in behalf of the bill was that it would cut down mutilation of film and that the larger reels were part of a nationwide movement. Coast's Bank Night Case Is Postponed Los Angeles, May 3. — The grievance board meeting on the bank night case involving the San Fernando and Ventura was called off today when (Continued on page 4) Boys Cashing In Kansas City, May 3. — A profitable enterprise is operated by "news butchers" on the trains and at Union Station here. They ask prominent stars, en route somewhere, to autograph fan magazine covers bearing their picture, and then sell the periodicals for several times their face value. The hawkers report a brisk demand for autographs of this kind. Extend Time On Submitting Fox Met Offer The time in which cash offers for Fox Metropolitan Playhouses may be submitted was extended yesterday from today until next Thursday by agreement between the Fox Met bondholders' committee and prospective bidders, with the approval of Federal Judge Julian W. Mack. The time extension increases the probability of a $4,000,000 cash bid by Paramount, and the company's associates, the Atlas Corp. and H. A. Fortington, had the subject brought to the attention of Trustee Eugene W. Leake yesterday for consideration. Leake, it is understood, will take no (Continued on page 2) Levine Says Mascot Won't Join Republic Hollywood, May 3. — After protracted conferences between Republic Pictures and Mascot, Nat Levine said definitely today that the latter is not joining the newly formed company. Mascot, however, will continue to release through five Monogram exchanges recently absorbed by Republic, he added. Colonels Get the Facts Louisville, May 3. — Vital statistics— or, maybe, they weren't so vital — were presented to the Kentucky colonels at their annual pre-Derby banquet attended by Gov. Ruby Laffoon tonight. For instance, Col. John Alicoate, commanding general of the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels, told them that 62 per cent of the membership had smelled powder in battle. Most of those present were so surprised they looked around to see what the other 38 per cent of non-battle veterans looked like. They were holding up well in spite of the juleps. Col. Alicoate also told them the average age of Kentucky colonels was 42 years and the average weight 158. (Continued on page 4) Clearance in 3 More Spots To Get Action Kansas City, Milwaukee, New Haven Up Next With the Los Angeles schedule out of the way, Campi within the next few weeks will consider territorial zoning plans for Kansas City, Milwaukee and New Haven. The coast plan goes into effect May 15, following which Warners are expected to file protests with the local board on the Forum-Uptown reversal by Campi. Code Authority, at a rehearing of the schedule, placed the two houses in one zone after the Los Angeles board had declared them non-competitive. Fox West Coast has a number of situations it wants changed in the schedule, particularly the status of the Balboa. After a twoday hearing on a complaint by F. W. C. on Harry Arthur's house, Campi decided that a number of independent houses in adjoining areas were involved and that complications would arise if any last minute changes were made. Hence, all matters pertaining to the Balboa were thrown back to the local board, which Code Authority admitted, was better acquainted with the situation to handle it. Exactly 49 appeals were disposed of Thursday. Unfinished business will come up next Thursday. Allied Owners for Paramount's Setup Approval by the trustees of Allied Owners' Corp. of the Paramount Publix reorganization plan was assured yesterday following a hearing before U. S. District Court Judge Robert A. Inch in Brooklyn. Allied has a $5,000,000 creditor claim against Paramount. The hearing was on an order to show cause why the approval should (Continued on page 2) Quigley, Milliken Given a Reception London, May 3. — Martin Quigley and Carl E. Milliken, secretary of the M.P.P.D.A., here to acquaint British producers with the workings of the Production Code Administration in the States, were honored at a press reception tonight. The publisher reached London from Paris yesterday, while Milliken arrived today.