Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1935)

Motw Picture Industry MOTION PICTURE DAILY Alert, Intelligent the I in All Branches VOL. NO. 75 NEW YORK, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1935 TEN CENTS ITOA Decides On Suit Over Short Forcing Weisman Is Authorized To Start Actions Suit against local exchanges for alleged forcing of shorts will be filed by Milton C. Weisman of Weisman Quinn, Allen & Spett, attorneys for the I.T.O.A., within the next two weeks, it is learned. Several members of the organization have registered complaints with the unit's executive committee during the past few months. At the last meeting of the association at the Astor, it was brought out that Weisman is now preparing the papers and that definite legal action will be brought in a fortnight. Complaints were also made at this session in connection with RKO, which is said to have sold "Top Hat" on last season's program and is reported to be selling it again on the 1935-36 releases. A case against M-G-M involving "China Seas" is before the New York Supreme Court for decision, which is expected today or tomorrow. The Gotham, which bought the picture last year, is not getting the picture, which has already {.Continued on page 7) Circuits and Union Resume Talks Today Circuit and union representatives negotiating the local wage scale did not meet yesterday, as expected, the session being put over until 11 :30 o'clock this morning. Today's conclave will be the first since last Monday and another will not be held until sometime next week, due to the Jewish New Year, which starts tonight. Efforts to merge Local 306 with Allied M. P. Operators and Empire State are proceeding at a slow pace. Century and Springer & Cocalis, the two independent circuits which have 10-year contracts with Empire, are mulling over the merger plans, but are reluctant to approve the amalgamation (Continued on cage 7) No Decision Yet by K. R. S. On Booking London, Sept. 26. — No statement on what its decision is likely to be will be made by the K. R. S. on the Gaumont-Hyams deal as well as further activities of the Odeon circuit until the adjourned meeting is held in two weeks. The question to be determined is whether or not these situations violate the distributors' stand on booking combines. Two Para. Partnerships Signed For Nine Months; Expect Others Paramount partnership arrangements with the Wilby & Kincey and Lucas & Jenkins circuits yesterday were extended from Sept. 28 to July 1, 1936, a period of nine months instead of 90 days, which was the original plan. Several other joint operating deals will be set today, probably for the same nine-month extension. Wilby & Kincey operate a number of theatres in Tennessee, South Carolina and Alabama, while the Lucas & Jenkins circuit confines its operations to Georgia. Expected to be set today are temporary contracts with Louis Dent of Salt Lake City, George W. Trendle of Detroit and Robert J. O'Donnell of Dallas. Vaudeville Circuit Is Federation's Aim Use of a circuit of vaudeville shows to operate in competition with film theatres, as a means of virtually forcing the use of vaudeville in film houses, is the plan of the American Federation of Actors, according to Ralph Whitehead, executive secretary. The A. F. A. Wednesday night at the St. James Theatre adopted a resolution requesting a conference with President Roosevelt to set before him a plan to restore vaudeville to the theatre. The resolution will go forward to the President in a few days. Government aid is necessary at the moment for the establishment of the vaudeville circuit the A. F. A. has in (Continued on page 7) Delay on 2,000-ft. Reels Agreed Upon Delay in the adoption of 2,000-foot reels was decided upon at a meeting of distributors' representatives and others yesterday at the Hays office. The committee voted to ask the Academy Research Council to postpone the industry-wide date originally set for Jan. 1 to April 1, 1936. J. S. MacLeod of M-G-M represented distributors, and others present were Homer Tasker, president of the S.M.P.E. ; Gordon S. Mitchell, member of the Academy Research Council, and Arthur S. Dickinson of the M.P.P.D.A. Korda Has Dietrich For One, He States By BRUCE ALLAN London, Sept. 26. — Alexander Korda, just in from New York, stated today London Films had signed Marlene Dietrich for one picture to be made here in April. This automatically places release through U. A. King Vidor, Harry D'Arrast and William K. Howard, directors all, have affixed signatures to deals with Korda, who added he was hopeful Frank Lloyd would bring his own unit to the Denham studios which London Films is building. A deal is on for Edmund Goulding to direct Merle Oberon's next. Korda said 20 pictures will be made (Continued on page 7) Film Men Arriving For St. Louis Suit Many of the principals subpoenaed by the Government in the equity and criminal actions involving the Ambassador, Missouri and Grand Central theatres in St. Louis have arrived or will reach the Missouri city today. A Warner contingent left New York Wednesday, and last night a number of RKO officials departed. Louis Phillips, Paramount attorney, arrived there yesterday. Spyros Skouras and William Powers are expecting to leave over the week-end as well as Jack Partington and Irving Lesser of Fanchon & Marco. Mexican Inquiry to Delay American Move to Quit Mexico City, Sept. 26. — An agreement has been reached between the Finance Ministry and American distributors to postpone their threatened withdrawal from this market from Sept. 30 to Oct. 15, pending an investigation of the entire tax situation by a mixed committee of nine, three representing the Ministry and one each from the six groups in the industry. These groups are small exhibitors, American distributors, independents, and Mexican and foreign producers. A probe will be made of all phases of the Americans' complaints against high import duties, and Finance Minister Eduardo Suarez is optimistic over the possible outcome. Seven Groups Are Reported Seeking Roxy Five Already Have Plans Before Bondholders Seven different groups are reported after the Roxy, five of which already have submitted reorganization plans to the bondholders' committee. The other two have served notice on the committee that they intend to file plans as soon as the Federal Court is ready to consider proposals for taking the theatre out of bankruptcy. Included in the five which are said to have submitted rehabilitation proposals are Herbert Lubin and S. L. (Roxy) Rothafel, A. C. Blumenthal, Sydney Cohen and Howard S. Cullman, Haring & Blumenthal and Si Fabian. The two groups planning to file plans are Fanchon & Marco and the Brandt Brothers. F. & M. have been operating the Roxy for the past two and a half years under a management agreement with Cullman, trustee for the theatre. This group took over the house when it was grossing around $5,800 a week. Now, the house averages $40,000 a week. Lubin was one of the original pro (Continued on page 7) Paramount Names Studio Executives Hollywood, Sept. 26. — With Watterson Rothacker's election as vicepresident of Paramount Productions, Inc., the local studio personnel has been augmented. George L. Bagnall, former Fox treasurer, has been appointed Paramount studio treasurer with future headquarters here. G. A. Rasdall, formerly with the Bell Telephone Co., has been named head of the newly created personnel department. Bagnall's election will not affect the position of Studio Comptroller A. C. Martin, according to the studio. In (Continued on page 7) RKO Gets Criterion In Los Angeles Pool Los Angeles, Sept. 26. — RKO last night took over the Criterion here and has pooled it with the Hillstreet and Pantages. The Criterion deal is understood to be for a number of years. Simultaneously with the acquisition of the local house, RKO on Wednesday assumed operation of the Embassy, San Francisco, having closed a deal with Herman Cohen. All houses will be under supervision of Cliff Work, supervisor of the RKO western group.