Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1935)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Thursday, June 27, 1935 See Possible British First National Plan (Continued from page 1) try which it created it would have been easy for three or four American executives to meet in a back parlor in Wall St. and determine a "squeeze" policy for England where the Sherman anti-trust laws are not operative. He characterized the law as the "exhibitors' defense act" and cautioned them to beware "how you play with your defense." It was Rowson's viewpoint that the blind booking clauses are being scrupulously observed, but that the advance booking clauses are being continuously breached and demonstrated to be unenforceable. The quota had "triumphantly" realized its aim which was to establish British production and fill the gap created by the "striking" decline in foreign, including American, production and had prevented the growth of "fantastic" rentals based on monopoly, Rowson added. He expressed it as his idea that 25 per cent of British films were low in quality because insufficient money was spent on them and suggested as a remedy a compulsory clause in the statute placing minimum negative costs of quota pictures at £10,000 or £12,000. It is impossible to contemplate the demise of the law which expires in 1938, continued Rowson, since the industry thereby created relies on a protective government policy. He did suggest amendments maintaining a ban on blind booking, a legalization of advance booking, maintenance of the peak quota levy at 20 per cent, a clause setting the minimum negative cost for the first two years of the extended law at a lower level than would prevail for the remainder of the life of the bill and abolition of the stipulation which now sets forth the scenario writer must be British. Backs First National Idea His paper led into the discussion of the possibility and advisability of a British First National. Rowson supported the proposal of the floor but pointed out any such scheme would have to be modified to meet the requirements of English law. He said, however, he regarded such a step as a logical development in the near future. Again touching upon the status of the quota, Rowson urged the conference to take a determined stand on reduced percentages as well as to strike out for a quality clause written into the Films Act in order to eliminate the "pound-a-foot-quickie." British exhibitors assembled here saw a first public demonstration of fullscale television on a theatre screen. The Baird process was the one used. The demonstration suggested a great improvement was essential before television became a commercial proposition for theatres. Magnification destroyed detail and impaired definition. Captain A. G. D. West, lecturer, frankly advised the delegates there was nothing to worry about insofar as television was concerned for four or five years. In his paper, "Television and the Cinema," West gave it as his opinion that the best results currently were obtained by telecine-scanning Wall Street Columbia Gains On Big Board Net High Low Close Change Columbia vtc (cl) 68 65-4 66J4 Consolidated Film 3H 354 14454 354 Eastman Kodak . . 146 145 Fox Film "A"... 15 145/6 405/6 4054. Paramount Publix 4*6 45"6 456 H Pathe Exchange.. *6 Pathe Ex. "A"... 954 RKO 2J4 *i 954 954 2lA 2/8 Warner Bros 4 4 4 Warner Bros, pfd 25 25 25 — *6 Technicolor Off on Curb Net High Low Close Change Technicolor 22 2154 21*6 — *6 Trans Lux (.10K) 2J4 254 254 Bond Issues Show Small Decline Net High Low Close Change General Theatre Equip. 6s '40 ctf 10J4 105*6 1056 — % Loew's 6s '41 ww deb rights.. 104 103^ Wi% — % Paramount B'way 554s '51 603/6 60*6 603/6 — Vt Paramount F. L. 6s '47 9554 94 94 —35*6 Warner Bros. 6s '39 wd 65 6354 64 — 54 (c) Plus stock extras. (K and v) Paid this year. (Quotations as at close of June 26) which uses film as an intermediary in all transmissions. The operating cost of £12 per hour is saved on repeat performances, he added. He said it was now possible to transmit television via cable, thereby making it feasible to supply programs to a circuit of theatres through the one operation. It was his prediction also that London theatres will be using regular television items within two years and provincial theatres within three or four, getting the service from local television stations. On Thursday, the Right Hon. E. E. Shortt, K.C., president of the British Board of Film Censors, will discuss "Problems in Censorship" and Thomas Ormiston, M.P., "Cinema Costs and Hire." In the afternoon, H. V. Davis will discuss the future of the small, independent theatre in a paper called "Little Man, What Now?" A trade exhibit this year is an important feature of the conference. Formally opened by the Lord Mayor on Tuesday at Whitehall Rooms and Prince's Rooms, the display is as comprehensible as in former years. Civic receptions, golf, trips to West Country beauty spots and two night showings of "The Clairvoyant" and "Look Up and Laugh" are among the incidental amenities of the conference which concludes with a dance at the Angel Hotel Friday evening. Research Survey Delayed Hollywood, June 26. — The Academy Research Council's survey of the acoustic and soundproofing characteristics of all types of set and construction materials gets under way Monday with a meeting of the newly appointed sub-committee. It was to have started today but heavy production at the studios forced its postponement. The new committee consists of the following construction department heads: H. V. Barry, Radio ; Oscar Brodine, U. A. ; Art Fields, Columbia; Fred Gabourie, M-G-M ; Lewis Geib, Warners ; Archie L. Hall, Universal; Joseph Stofel, Fox, and Gordon S. Mitchell, manager of the Research Council. Empire Films Holds Toronto Convention Toronto, June 26. — Empire Films will hold a six-day convention at the Royal York starting tomorrow. Oscar Hanson, general sales head, will conduct the sessions. About 12 representatives from Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, St. John and Montreal will attend in addition to a number of sales executives from New York. Tomorrow will be Education Day. Jack Skirball, sales manager of Educational, and Harvey Day will outline the company's product. On Friday Arthur Dent, general manager of B. I. P., will talk on his company's output. Saturday will be Republic Day. W. Ray Johnston, Norton Ritchey and Edward Golden will represent the company's home office, while Herman Gluckman of the New York Exchange and Herman Rifkin of Boston will also be present. Herbert J. Yates also is expected. Sunday will be given over to social activities, while on Monday and Tuesday individual meetings will be held on sales policies. An exhibitor luncheon is planned for Saturday. Sam Smith of British Lion will attend the session. N. L. Nathanson, who is financially interested in British Lion, is in England. Hanson was in New York yesterday conferring with Yates on contracts for product. He left for Toronto last night to open today's session. Empire handles all of the product mentioned above. KMT A Meet Favors MPTOA Affiliation Kansas City, Mo., June 26. — The K.M.T.A. voted to affiliate with the M.P.T.O.A. at the first session of its meeting here today. A motion to leave the choice of an organization up to the directors was overridden. However, a motion that the group reconsider its choice tomorrow was voted. Thomas Edwards of the Ozark, Eldon; Frank Cassil of the Rialto, St. Joseph, and A. J. Simmons of the Plaza, Lamar, were named as a committee to write a resolution approving the proposed plan of the state auditor to collect fractional amounts on the Missouri sales tax by means of metal tokens. A group liability insurance plan to cut the cost to exhibitors was presented by President John Stapel. The exhibitors were warned against operating without such coverage. Representative Frank H. McFarland of Kansas said a sales tax will probably be passed by the legislature of his state at a special session in September to raise funds to carry out the President's social security plan in the state. FWC-Hamrick Pool Deal Is Completed Los Angeles, June 26. — Charles A. Buckley, Fox West Coast legal head, returned from Portland today, having completed final legal negotiations in the Hamrick pooling deal. F.W.C. is* now in full control of the circuit of 11 theatres in Portland, Tacoma and Seattle, four of which are temporarily not operating. The group will come under the jurisdiction of Evergreen Theatres, F.W.C. subsidiary. 7 Otterson Pact Scheduled for Signing Today (Continued from page 1) will accompany Otterson to Chicago for the meeting. Leon Netter, film buyer, and M. A. Gowthorpe, theatre financial officer, may also attend. Others expected at the meeting are John and Barney Balaban of B. & K, George Trendle and Walter Immerman of Detroit; E. V. Richards of New Orleans, Karl Hoblitzelle of Dallas and Ed Lucas of Lucas & Jenkins circuit. Before his departure Otterson is expected to confirm the borrowing of H. M. Wilcox, Erpi vice president, for a general survey of Paramount operations. Wilcox will be given an indefinite leave of absence by Erpi. Watterson R. Rothacker, new Otterson aide at Paramount, left for the coast yesterday where he will take up his duties as studio contact for the home office. Rothacker will establish temporary headquarters at the General Service Studio, when he arrives next Monday after a stop-over in Chicago. He will remain on the coast all summer and may return here about Sept. 1 to begin a European vacation. O.K.'s Publix Enterprises Report Federal Judge Francis G. Caffey approved the final report of the trustee of Publix Enterprises yesterday, which permits the payment of a final dividend to the creditors of the former Paramount theatre holding company. Orders asking for the discharge of the trustee in bankruptcy, Irving Trust Co., and concluding the company's affairs will be entered within the next two weeks by Referee Oscar W. Ehrhorn. Hecht-MacArthur May Do 3 Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur may make three instead of two for Paramount under the terms of a new contract, terms of which have not yet been settled. Under the deal now in negotiation, the contract will call for two features with an option on a third. Julie Hayden's contract has been turned over to Paramount by Hecht and MacArthur. She is now on the coast working in a Paramount film. Terms of the Hecht and MacArthur pact are not expected to be completed for several weeks. Mass. Leases Up to Court Boston, June 26. — Olympia Theatres' receivers will acquire Paramount leaseholds in Lynn, Haverhill and Newton and John Deery will acquire five leaseholds in Salem under a proposal worked out with Paramount which will be submitted to the Federal court here on Thursday for approval. The proposal releases Paramount from lease obligations in Salem. If the deal is approved by the court, Charles Goldreyer, former New York independent operator, who now operates the subsequent run Rialto in Salem, may operate the houses for Deery in that city, it was reported. Indications here are that a petition for reorganization of Olympia may be filed within the next 10 days or two weeks in Federal courts at Boston and New York.