Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1935)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Monday, May 6, 1935 4 Purely Personal ► (Continued from page 1) ney for the Saenger circuit, is in New York from New Orleans and is breathing freer now that the company's reorganization is finished. • Roxanne, petite blonde band leader whose all-girl orchestra played at the recent Ampa dinner, not too long ago was an exhibitor in Albany where she operated a neighborhood theatre. She returns to the air on an NBC program in the fall and is also dickering with one of the circuits on a tour with a presentation unit. • Sam Eckman, who spent years in New York, wandered for 10 minutes through the maze sometimes known as Radio City the other day, all in search of a luncheon date with Jimmy Grainger. In despair, Eckman finally got Grainger on the telephone for a new set of directions. Quip of the Day Mox Shabbus, Hollywood exhibitor, surprised to hear that Warner Brothers presented a gymnasium to Sing Sing prison, asked: "Are there any more bankers up there to use it — or will they have to throw it open to the general public?" Monty Salmon, district manager for Publix-Skouras in Philadelphia, today steps out as he never did before. It's his 14th wedding anniversary and he's bringing his wife and child to town today to do things and go places. • Charles Mendelson, bookkeeper at the Fox New York exchange, has been made cashier at the Washington office. He left for his new post yesterday. • Walt Disney will make Italian versions of "Silly Symphonies" in the future. The first to be so treated will he "The Tortoise and the Hare." • Harry Sauber's original, "Let's Pretend," and Lawrence Saunder's "Snowed Under," have been bought by Warners. • Lew Alter's musical fantasy, "Metropolitan Nocturne," has been acquired by Radio and will be produced by Lee Marcus. Floyd B. Odlum, head of Atlas Corp. and a Paramount director-elect, is on a west coast visit but not to the Paramount studios. • Herb Williams, Broadway comedian, has arrived on the coast to start work in "Rose of the Rancho," for Paramount. Thomas Walsh's "Husk," which appeared in the Saturday Evening Post has been bought by Radio. • Peter Fairlie has been signed by Fox to do an original for Warner Oland's "Charlie Chan" series. • Tom Waller of Paramount is in Variety Club Chatter Kansas City Kansas City, May 5. ■ — New clubrooms in the Country Club Plaza were opened auspiciously with a housewarming which drew about 400. With a continuous round of goingson, impromptu and otherwise, and dancing in the Plaza Hall, festivities really were colossal. William Wagner was major domo in charge with Harry Taylor vicechairman and these committee members : Barney Joffee, William Warner, Finton Jones, Frank C. Hensler, Robert F. Withers, T. R. Thompson, Benny Benjamin, Joe Manfre. The Country Club Plaza Ass'n gave the club a rousing welcome at the first luncheon meeting in the Plaza district. The turnout, estimated at close to 400, was the largest luncheon crowd in the club's history. H. Merle Smith greeted the club as an important addition to the Plaza section. Arthur Cole was chairman, with Martin and Leo Finkelstein as cokings for the day. Bill Wagner also had a hand in the affairs. Turns from the Tower Theatre and other acts entertained. Barkers that were lucky won prizes, donated by Plaza merchants. John L. Swarts, formerly at the Newman, has been employed as business manager of the club. Fred L. Wolfson is new canvasman, replacing G. L. Carrington, who has been transferred to ' New York by Erpi. Earl Jameson is new house committee member, replacing Jack Cameron, resigned. Initiations will be held Friday nights, and for this function Chief Barker George Baker has named this committee: Hensler, Wolfson, Jones, Dr. Clifford L. Gillis. Two delegates and two alternates will be picked from this slate for the national Variety Club convention in Pittsburgh May 18 and 19: R. R. Biechele, Arthur Cole, Irwin Dubinsky, Hensler, Jones, R. C. LiBeau, Charles Shafer, Taylor, T. R. Thompson, Bob Withers. Philadelphia Philadelphia, May 5. — A full membership meeting was held recently, with Chief Barker Earle SweiGERT explaining to new members the principles of Variety. All members taken in since the Dec. 30 original induction were included. Several Tent No. 13 members plan to attend the Washington Tent No. 11 golf tourney. Much interest has been stirred up by the announcement of Tent No. 13 aiding in sponsoring a Variety Week at the shore following Labor Day. Kings for the day at the May 1 luncheon were Barkers Jack Greenberg and Jim Clark. A gala program, including Boake Carter, Allan Scott, radio commentators, Pop Warner, football coach, and others, was arranged. Kings for the May 15 luncheon will be Jack Berison and Walt Woodward. Minneapolis Minneapolis, May 5. — Nick Lucas, Edith Griffith and Danny & Edith furnished the entertainment at the weekly luncheon. At vote of thanks was given for the State, Alvin and Palace. J. B. Clinton of Duluth and George Fein berg have been made members. A. A. Kaplan has just celebrated his 48th birthday. Bennie Berger and Frank Woski were kings for a day at the latest luncheon. the throes of completing the last act of his play. • Sam Hammer of WHN took time off Saturday to celebrate another birthday. • Jack Steinman, Bronx exhibitor, has returned from a Miami vacation recovered from his recent illness. • Richard Arlen, accompanied by Mrs. Arlen and their son, is driving east. • Bruce Gallup shoots a mean game of pool. Ditto for Jack D. Trop. "Miserables" Hits $45,132, 2nd Week (Continued from page 1) its last nine days at the Paramount, grossed approximately $28,000. "Reckless," at the Capitol for the second week, got in the neighborhood of $19,000. "George White's 1935 Scandals" took in about $31,000 at the Roxy and "Star at Midnight" at the Palace was mild at $8,500. With more than $20,000 in hand for the first two days, "G-Men" at the Strand is headed for more than $60,000. Mexican Currency Difficulty Clears (Continued from page 1) of silver to the point where the pesos are worth more as silver than as coins. For a time there was a shortage of new paper money and business was hit heavily. The new bills resemble United Cigar coupons. * * * Mexico has its first pirating suit. David Carpintero de la Ellave, owner of rights to the novel "El Zarco" (The Wall-Eyed) , has filed suit against Film Exchange, S.A., claiming that "El Tigre de Yautepec" (Tiger of Yautepec) was taken from the book. * * * Considerable talk is heard about a picture here with a boxing story. The sport has become popular in this country. The film is called "Todo Un Hombre" (What a Man). It was made by Producion Regio-Mex. * * * Ufa made a shrewd move by acquiring Teatro Principal as its outlet. The house showed stage plays for 230 years and has a tremendous following for sentimental reasons. Dual Clauses Hang on U. S. Court Appeal (Continued from page 1) restrictions had been embodied in the sales contracts in the Philadelphia and certain other territories, but were not standardized nor in effect nationally. The Philadelphia district court held that the clauses resulted in collusion and restraint of trade and declared them to be illegal. An appeal was immediately taken to the higher court by the defendant distributors and is expected to be heard before the new selling season is far advanced. If the appeal is successful from the distributor viewpoint, and results in a reversal of the lower court's ruling, the contract dual bans would be legalized and would be employed on a large scale, probably " nationally, to prohibit the showing of subscribing companies' pictures on the same program with a second feature. Authoritative distributor opinion holds that a probable minimum of six major distributors would make use of the contract bans next season if they were legalized. These are United Artists20th Century, M-G-M, Paramount, Fox, Radio and Warners. Universal and Columbia, it is believed, would not reverse their position of opposing double featuring restrictions. If the pending appeal cannot be decided before the opening of the new selling season, it was said, distributors would probably incorporate the dual ban clause in their new contracts with its enforcement being made subject to the court's decision, when made. Rialto, Roxy Tussle For "Frankenstein" (Continued from page 1) Rialto, is scheduled to be heard by Judge William Bondy tomorrow. The Rialto claims its agreement with the Roxy gives it first call on alt films of a crime or mystery theme which have been rejected by the Music Hall and that therefore it is entitled to the Universal picture in dispute. The Roxy has claimed the picture on the grounds that the agreement with the Rialto does not specifically cover pictures of the Frankenstein type. The Rialto offered to submit the dispute to arbitration but the Roxy refused, although, it is understood, new efforts to settle the question outside of court will be made today. In the meantime, "Mr. Dynamite" has been spotted into the Roxy for Friday in the event the dispute is not cleared away by the end of the week. James Redmond Buried Richmond, May 5. — Funeral services for James A. Redmond, 77, pioneer amusement promoter and former treasurer of the old Richmond Theatre who died here Friday, were conducted in St. Benedict's Catholic Church. Burial was in Hollywood Cemetery. Besides his widow, Redmond is survived by two daughters and a son, James A. Redmond, Jr.