Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1935)

Thursday, August 29, 1935 MOTION PICTURE DAILY Operator Pay Parleys Snag On Ultimatum MOTION PICTURE DAILY* HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW {Continued from page 1) convened at midnight last night at the Central Opera House. About 1,800 _ members agreed with the executive board. Circuit representatives are expecting to meet with the union men today when the results of last night's meeting will be detailed. However, the meeting may not be held, but this depends on whether theatre heads are willing to confer again with the operators on different terms. Harry Brandt, president of the I.T.O.A., yesterday filed a number of suits against Local 306 through Joseph Basson, president, alleging damages aggregating $500,000. Milton C. Weisman filed the papers for Brandt in the N. Y. Supreme Court. Union Demands Hit Phila. Stage Shows (Continued from page 1) fered to scale wages so that the expense would not be much heavier than with one band, but the theatres object to attempting to routine shows with two orchestras. They also object to increases in the personnel. Unless an agreement is reached tomorrow, the houses will go on a straight picture basis until the dispute has been settled. "Streamline Express" (Continued from page 8) straightened out Jory wins Miss Venable from Forbes, Clement returns to his wife and Barnett's wife is the mother of twins. Director Leonard Fields has touched lightly on all these situations, making them entertaining though not too believable. The screen play by Fields, Dave Silverstein and Olive Cooper from Wellyn Totman's original provides some amusing dialogue. George Yohalem's production concentrating on the modernistic lines of the train is interesting. The picture should satisfy on a bill with a more serious subject. No production code seal. Running time, 68 minutes. "G." "Top Hat," this morning's opener at the Radio City Music Hall, was previewed by wire from Hollywood, Aug. 14. "Page Miss Glory," which opened last night at the Strand, was reviewed from Hollyzvood by zvire on July 5. "Anna Karenina," which was previewed by zvire from Hollyivood on July 1, opens tomorrozv morning at the Capitol. Des Moines Theatre Meeting Terminates Des Moines, Aug. 28. — Tri-State Publix annual three-day convention closed at the Kirkwood Hotel here today. G. Ralph Branton, who presided, praised producers for offering for the new season the best product in years. The consensus of opinion among the managers present was that a feeling of better patronage existed throughout the territory. B. & K. and Tri-State worked out improved territory arrangements for Publix for the coming year. B. & K. was represented by Barney Balaban. The convention closed with a banquet and a screening of "The Crusades." Among the speakers of the day were Cecil B. DeMille, Jerome Beatty, A. H. Blank, Bishop Bergen, Mrs. Max Mayer of the Des Moines Civic Club and John Cowles of the Register-Tribune. New RKO Warner First Run Circuit Deal About Ready Omaha Paper's Music Show Stirs Friction Omaha, Aug. 28. — A situation that once caused friction between exhibitors and the Omaha WorldHerald gives indication of returning. The World-Herald sponsored the Midwest Music Festival Saturday night, starring Mary McCormic, the opera singer, and featuring 1,000 musicians, singers, choral groups and bands. The program was staged in Creighton stadium before 15,000 persons at a 25-cent top. It has been announced that the festival will become an annual event. Saturday night business in all houses was hit badly. Topping it off there was a circus in town to mar the matinee receipts. The World-Herald and the local exhibitors came to an understanding last winter when the publisher began booking operas and ballets. At that time he agreed to step out of the theatrical business. (Continued pendent circuit when RKO stepped in and asked for a halt. These deals are off until the major circuit situation is cleared. RKO is planning to double feature on split week policies in all local houses, starting around Sept. 6. Some of the theatres are now showing duals the first part of the week with singles the latter. This booking setup will be changed to follow the Loew policy. RKO has bought a number of independent features to fill in with major product. RKO may tie up with George Walsh at the Strand, Yonkers, pooling the house with the Proctor. A deal is in work. If consummated, it will give from page 1) RKO the benefit of Warners and Paramount, which Walsh has lined up. "Page Miss Glory," first of the new Warner releases, is set to open at the Paramount, Brooklyn, on Sept. 6, following which it goes into the entire Century circuit. Reports Warners were trying to buy back the Century and S. & C. contracts were denied by all three parties. Warners claim both deals are advantageous to the company. Century stated it had been looking for a first run contract for 15 years and now that the circuit has it there is no chance in giving it up. Sam Cocalis yesterday put the damper on re-purchasing reports, saying he hadn't even been approached. Radio Busy on Shorts Hollywood, Aug. 28. — The shorts department at Radio is unusually active under the supervision of Lee Marcus. Al Boasberg, who has just finished writing and directing "Ribber Stay Away from My Door," which stars Leon Errol, has been assigned to direct and write the next of the Errol series. "The Worm Burns," starring Dorothy Sebastian, has also just been completed, and Harry Edwards who directed, is preparing another. Form Academy Pictures Boston, Aug. 28. — Academy Pictures of New England, Inc., has been organized to distribute in New England with Phil Smith, who controls a good sized theatre circuit, as its head. Smith has scrapped the title of Medallion Pictures of New England, originally chosen for his latest film venture. Offices will probably be opened late in September. Lasky to East Monday Hollywood, Aug. 28. — Jesse L Lasky starts east Monday. From Chicago he will proceed directly to Toronto, from where he will depart for England. The fact Lasky is avoiding New York is interpreted here as indicating he probably will have closed a deal on the coast prior to his departure. Dark Now, Lights Soon Chicago, Aug. 28.— The Star and Garter, downtown burlesque house dark for the past three months, reopens Sept. 2. Burlesque and second run pictures will be the policy at 75 cents top. Transfer E. W. Johnson Kansas City, Aug. 28. — E. W. Johnson, formerly with United Artists at Minneapolis, has been transferred to cover northern Oklahoma and southeast Kansas, with headquarters at Kansas City. IBEW Opens Trial of 40 Members Tuesday Hollywood, Aug. 28. — The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers on Tuesday will place the first group of 40 members before a trial board for asserted activity in the National Ass'n of Cinema Craftsmen, formerly called the National Ass'n of American Employes. The organization will charge violation of obligations to the brotherhood and will ask that members found guilty be punished to the full. No findings will be rendered by the trial board until all accused members have been heard. The extreme penalty is expulsion from the I.B.E.W., which automatically prevents members from working in studios having a pact with the brotherhood. Big Crowd Is Drawn To "Glory" Opening The opening of Marion Davies' first Cosmopolitan picture for Warners, "Page Miss Glory," drew a big crowd to the Strand last night. It was said by Warner officials to be the biggest summer opening in the history of the theatre. 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