Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1935)

Friday, August 9, 1935 MOTION PICTURE DAI LY K.C. Talking Film Setback On Giveaways (.Continued from page 1) favor setting back pictures played with giveaways as much as 28 days. Elmer C. Rhoden would like to see premiums set back. He believes the solution lies in the use of the M.P.T.O.A. contract rider. He said he believed producers would use it if first run houses ask for it. "We want to move up, not back," commented W. D. Fulton, operator of five independent houses. "It is better the way it is." A number of showmen would like to see less giving away and more showmanship, but are using various kinds of promotions for competitive reasons. These would like to see pictures with which exhibitors use giveaways set back. At present distributors follow no definite policy in differentiating between houses which use giveaways and those which do not. Even on double bills the policy is not uniform. River Floods Hit Theatres in Ohio (Continued from page 1) has been turned off and exhibitors generally are hard hit. In northern Ohio, however, no dark houses are reported and film service has been maintained by detours. Samuel Dallas Drowned Defiance, O., Aug. 8. — Samuel Dallas, 27, manager of the Valentine, independent house, was drowned in the Maumee River today when his motorboat capsized while trying to navigate in the flood. G. A. Weible, a friend, who was returning with him from a fishing trip, also was drowned. Rains Hit Texas Houses Dallas, Aug. 8. — Heavy rains recently and plant infections of various kinds have injured crop prospects with the result that box-offices are beginning to feel the pinch. See No Real Change In Goldstein Houses (Continued from page 1) with Paramount. Court confirmation of the transfer is expected late this month. The houses involved are : Broadway, Springfield; Victory, Holyoke ; Calvin and Plaza, Northampton Palace and Colonial, Pittsfield ; Strand, Westfield ; Garden, Greenfield; Strand, Palmer; Casino, Ware; Rivoli, Chicopee, and State, Utica, N. Y. The last three are leased by another corporation. Clifford Resigns Post with Quigley Co.; O'Neill Succeeds Edwin S. Clifford, who has been associated with the Quigley Publishing Co. since 1919, has resigned as manager of the Chicago office and will be succeeded in that position, effective Aug. 15, by C. B. O'Neill, formerly advertising manager of Better Theatres. O'Neill has been associated with the company for the past 10 years. Clifford for several years was managing editor of Exhibitors Herald and secretary of the company, and later general manager of Exhibitors Herald-World. The management of Quigley Publications extends to Clifford its best wishes for continued success in his new work. i Purely Personal > JERRY SAFFRON and Harry C. Arthur walked into the Tavern the other day to discuss a deal. As the meal progressed, Arthur got stronger. Joe McConville then joined the group and he wilted in short order. Louis Astor dropped in weak from his negotiations with the F.W.C. group and didn't last long. Then Abe Montague was called in and when he found he could not cope with the situation Jack Cohn was brought in. After a two-hour battle Arthur finally capitulated. • Lillian Hellman, author of "The Children's Hour," leaves today for Hollywood to complete an assignment for Samuel Goldwyn. She also will do an original story to serve as an introductory vehicle for Merle Oberon in this country. • Ed Finney is busier than a housewife at her spring cleaning. He and his staff have moved two floors higher in the RKO Building and are fixing up the new quarters. • Adolph Zukor is planning a twoday golf tournament at his private course up at New City. Several of the country's leading professionals will play. JOE MOSKOWITZ, Bob Goldstein, Arnold Van Leer, Irwin Zeltner, Louis Nizer, Bob Benjamin, Harry H. Thomas, Al Friedlander, William Feitelson, Sam Rinzler, Mitchell Klupt, Al Hovell, Jack Goetz and Ed Fay grouped at various tables at the Tavern during the mid-day hour yesterday. • E. C. Mills, Ascap general manager, will be in Chicago and other middle western cities on business for the next two weeks. • Ed Kuykendall heads for Jacksonville, Fla., today to attend the southeastern exhibitors' meeting there on Sunday and Monday. • Dave Gould, manager of the MG-M Puerto Rico office, is in town on a number of deals. • Irwin Zeltner of Loew's starts on his second week's vacation today. He's going to the Jersey shore. • George Batcheller and Maury Cohen plan to leave for Hollywood next week. Dave Palfreyman postcards from Moosehead Lake, Me., that he took the local course for a hole in one. Court Refuses Quick Hearing In St. Louis (Continued from page 1) ner Brothers, Inc., Vitaphone Corp., First National Pictures, Inc., Vitagraph, Inc., Warner Brothers Circuit Management Corp., General Theatrical Enterprises, Inc., Paramount Pictures Distributing Co., Inc., RKO Distributing Corp. Vitagraph was not named in the anti-trust indictments. The present proceedings are in the equity division of the court. Report Suit Coming On Shorts Forcing (Continued from page 1) hibitor, and member of the I.T.O.A., which has Weisman on an annual retainer. Weisman's charges, it is understood, will also attack the weekly payment plan for shorts. Exchanges assert the suit will not be a surprise. "Lab" Men to Make M-G-M Quota Films (Continued from page 1) production when, as officers of Booth Dominion Prod., they will see launched in Toronto "The King's Plate," first of a series of six features that company will make as British Empire-made quota pictures for M-G-M. Toby Wing will play the feminine and Kenneth Duncan, an English actor, the male lead. Sam Neufeld will direct. G. R. Booth of Toronto is president of the corporation ; Goetz is vice-president and Gottlieb, secretary and treasurer. The arrangement with M-G-M gives that company distribution in England and the Dominions, but Booth Dominion Prod, will retain the rights for the United States and the remainder of the world. _ A former ice-skating rink and swimming pool in Toronto have been converted into a studio and Blue Seal sound installed. Burt Kelly, formerly the "K" in K. B. S. Prod., has been organizing for three months and will handle production. Goetz leaves for the Canadian city tonight. Schenck, Anger in East Hollywood, Aug. 8. — Joseph M. Schenck and Lou Anger are in New York, having left secretly by plane the other day. Schenck is in the east to attend the Fox stockholders' meeting in connection with ratification of the Twentieth Century-Fox merger on Aug. 15. RKO Deal Made on Arbitration Award (Continued from page 1) 000 in cash, is a contingent release of RKO from its leases on the Apollo and Hollywood. Both houses are to be taken over by Loew's under new leases now awaiting official approval. In the breach of lease case RKO was charged with failing to play the same product at the Apollo and Hollywood that was played in other RKO houses, as required under the lease. The arbitration award, in addition to the financial damages, directed RKO to make specific performance of the leases at both houses in the future. This was described as "impossible" by RKO attorneys at the time of the award. Also involved in the case was the release by Loew's last year of certain product it had contracted for, which it permitted RKO to play in houses not in competition with Loew's. This release aided RKO in avoiding a product shortage in the metropolitan area. The Apollo and Hollywood, however, competed with Loew's Avenue B and Delancey. The case was heard over a period of several months before a board of three arbitrators, and the litigation costs were estimated at more than $50,000. The award was confirmed by the county court over RKO's objections. Both parties were to bear the cost of the arbitration equally. The reported amount of the settlement suggests that RKO's payment will be sufficient to cover Clinton-Apollo's share of the arbitration costs. I. E. Lambert of the RKO legal department could not be reached for comment on the settlement. AIR CONDITIONING CHARTS that represent standard practice in air conditioning for motion picture theatres. Practical advice on how to attain the best atmospheric conditions for your house winter and summer. Devised to be put on the wall for constant reference. Available until the supply is exhausted at 25 cents each, payment with order. Write direct to QUIGLEY BOOKSHOP 1790 BROADWAY NEW YORK CITY