Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1935)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Wednesday, July 31, 1935 Kent Declares Fox Is 'Proud' Of Its Merger (Continued from page 1) of action open to the stockholders. A spokesman for the committee said that there was a possibility that an application might be made by the group for an injunction to restrain officers and directors of Fox from carrying out the merger, or of petitioning the Attorney General of New York State to apply for the injunction. Other courses of litigation were also discussed, it was said. The committee, in addition, is considering the employment of accountants to study the terms of the proposed merger and its effects on stockholders. The latter step suggests the possibility of an action to recover for alleged damages. Little could be learned of Pidwell other than that he is a former officer of one of the large trust companies located here. Denial was made, however, that he was acting on behalf of his former employers. His interests were said to be "merely those of a Fox stockholder and others similarly situated." Para. Fees Again Cited in Congress (Continued from page 1) in real estate reorganizations, Congressman Sabath of Illinois today introduced a bill providing for the designation by the President of a Federal conservator. Under the bill, any plan of reorganization of a real estate corporation could not be confirmed by the court until it had been approved by the conservator. Reporting to the House on his investigation, Sabath called attention to the Paramount reorganization resulting in claims for some $3,200,000 for expenses of attorneys, committees, etc., and read a list of the claims. "This is a sample of what these committees, depositaries, attorneys and banks are doing to these unfortunate bondholders and property holders," he said. "These charges usually run from five to eight and ten per cent of the par amount of bonds, notwithstanding that many of these bonds have only brought five to six cents on the dollar." Academy's Council Favors Use of 2,000-Foot Reels (Continued Raw stock will be delivered to cameras in 1,000-foot rolls. Sound recording will not be disturbed and editing will be facilitated, it is claimed, by eliminating the need of finding suitable changeover points. It is figured this will save producers approximately $138,000 a year. The Research Council conducted a survey of theatre equipment throughout the world with the aid of the M.P.P.D.A. and found that 2,000-foot reels can be used practically everywhere, except in Spain, Argentina and Puerto Rico. Some projectors in Argentina cannot handle the larger reels and postal laws prevent shipment of the 2,000-foot size in Spain and Puerto Rico. from page 1) Present reels are approximately 10 inches in diameter. The new standard reel suggested will be 15J/2 inches in diameter, and equipment dealers have indicated that the cost of manufacture will not be double the present size. Some changes will be necessary in exchanges. Film will be shipped to exchanges in rolls of 1,000 feet and will be spliced there for shipment on reels to theatres. Vault spaces will have to be enlarged and gear ratios on winding machines will have to be changed from 4 to 1 to 2^4 to 1, in order to prevent fatigue among employes. Shipping cases will have to be larger. Shorts and newsreels will continue on the present 1,000-foot reels. ITOA to Get Plans For Booking Today (Continued from page 1) time and assured the committee that he would detail the various phases of the booking and buying proposal to the I.T.O.A. members today. According to the plan a corporation is to be formed, shares of which will be distributed to members of the circuit for an interest in their theatres. Krueger Goes to Coast St. Louis, July 30. — Carl Krueger, for the past nine months connected with the F. & M. publicity department, has left for the coast. Before joining F. & M. he was special representative on Max Reinhardt's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and also handled Olsen & Johnson. Skouras Will Stay In 2 Jersey Houses (Continued from page 1) landlords. The new leases are for 10 years, retroactive to July 15. Several weeks ago the court disaffirmed leases on both houses which had until 1954 to run. Substantial reductions were made under the new agreements. Seeks to Arbitrate "Cellini" Objection (Continued from page 1) appear before the New York arbitration board for a hearing of the case. United Artists refuses to cancel the picture and is demanding $60 as the rental fee. Geller states that because of the Polish and Italian element it would be impossible for him to show the picture. Geller claims that under an announcement made some months ago by the Hays office, an exhibitor does not have to play a picture if a particular community takes offense. FitzPatrick to Add Film Made in Peru Increasing his program to three features, James A. FitzPatrick plans to produce a special film in Peru this winter. He has completed the exteriors for "David Livingstone," his first, and is trying to sign Clive Brook for the name part. He is also cutting, editing and recording the tentatively titled "Oriental Paradise," an all Technicolor picture, which was made in Japan under supervision of Mrs. FitzPatrick. The story for the Peru picture has already been completed. Nat Shilkret, who has prepared several compositions, including a jungle symphony for "David Livingstone," arrives from the coast around Aug. 10. Cameron Rogers is writing the dialogue. Release is expected some time in December. Tivoli Deal Ready Soon Randforce is practically set to take over the Tivoli, Brooklyn, from the Harry Traub estate on Aug. 15. The contracts are ready and signatures will be affixed any day. British Exhibitors Will Vote on Quota By BRUCE ALLAN London, July 20. — Richard Dooner, president of the Cinematograph Exhibitors' Ass'n., disclosed at a meeting of the Manchester branch that the general council planned to take a referendum of exhibitor opinion in regard to amendment of the quota provisions of the Films Act. Individual opinions thus obtained, plus the official resolutions of branch meetings, would be used, he said, in shaping a policy for suggestion to the Board of Trade. The last exhibitors' referendum in this country, in 1926, resulted in a large majority against the introduction of the quota principle, which nevertheless shortly afterwards became the law of the land. Hub Gets New Premium Boston, July 30. — Another premium scheme has made its debut in the film district. It is Movie Sweepstakes, Inc. The New England franchise is being handled by George Jeffery, formerly associated with First Division on the March of Time. Heins Issues Denial The following wire was received yesterday from Elmore D. Heins of the National Theatre Corp., Roanoke, Va. : "Your article of July 26 relative to bank nights is incorrect. We have had bank night eight consecutive Wednesdays, giving $100 away in four theatres, and it is without doubt the biggest box-office we have ever experienced. Nothing like it. At least 15 other exhibitors have signed for bank night in this territory and many others are ready to follow suit. It's a real business-getter and besides we give a Ford away every two weeks. Mr. Brient (Elmer H. Brient, secretary of the Virginia M. P. T. O.) may be correct about many showmen regarding bank night and Ford Nights as demoralizing, but those who have tried it find that it is like a sinner who has gotten religion, a box-office revival." Under a Richmond date line, Motion Picture Daily said last Friday giveaways were practically non-existent in Virginia. Russians Say They May Buy From the U.S. (Continued from page 1) frequently sacrificed to production speed in Hollywood. However, Shumiatsky, through an interpreter, said that American technical equipment and technicians would probably be introduced to the Russian film industry in an effort to cut down the present average working schedule of eight months, required for the production of a feature there. Walt Disney's cartoons also came in for unstinted praise from the party. Shumiatsky said that he had opened negotiations for exhibition in the Soviet Union of a number of American features and also hoped to close arrangements whereby American production companies would go to the Soviet for locales and that production units from that country would come here for the same purpose. He said that in addition to the technical equipment and raw stock which had interested the party while here, color processes now in use in Hollywood had also held its attention. Soviet inventors are endeavoring to develop a color process of their own, Shumiatsky said, but indicated that a patent interchange would probably be involved before it is placed in use. The Soviet party departs today on the Normandie and will spend two weeks each at British and French studios before returning to Moscow. Decides Kohn Must Accept Suit Papers (Continued from page 1) for payment of allegedly excessive salaries and bonuses prior to the company's financial difficulties, Supreme Court Justice Edward Dore ruled yesterday. Kohn had entered a motion to have himself exempted from substituted service on the grounds that he was no longer a resident of New York. Justice Dore denied the motion. Kohn is now associated with Columbia in Hollywood. Justice Department Gets Allied Charge (Continued from page 1) proved form for further examination by the Bureau of Investigation. Idea of bringing the suit under the Sherman anti-trust act has been dropped. The case is based on Allied's objection to contract bans on double featuring, with special emphasis on M-G-M's Clause K. Reich Again Attacks Films' "N onAryans (Continued from page 1) "non-Aryans" — had been declined film engagements in Germany because they were not "Aryans" according to Nazi standards. Lillian Harvey, who has been in this country for some time working for Fox, is also scheduled to make a picture in Berlin for UFA, but work has been held up and officials refuse to state a reason for the delay. In the meantime Miss Harvey is in London.