Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1935)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Friday, September 27, 1935 Seven Groups Are Reported Seeking Roxy (Continued from page 1) moters of the Roxy and Rothafel was the first operator and resigned shortly before the corporation went into receivership. He joined RKO when the Music Hall was planned for Radio City. Blumenthal has been instrumental in the reorganization of Fox Metropolitan. He is said to have been interested in bringing Joseph M. Schenck into the circuit. Schenck is president of Metropolitan Playhouses, which has replaced Fox Met. Cohen is an adviser on the bondholders' committee of the Roxy while Cullman has been both receiver and trustee for the theatre during the last two years. Haring & Blumenthal, real estate concern, at one time operated a large circuit in Greater New York. This company recently leased a number of its New Jersey theatres to Warners and now operates the French Casino on Broadway. The Utica, Brooklyn, and the Crescent, Bronx, are two of its local theatres leased to independents. Fabian "Further Away" Fabian operates the Strand, Paramount and Fox in Brooklyn in addition to a number of theatres upstate. His father was the original founder of the Fabian circuit, whose stronghold was in New Jersey. When queried about his interest in the Roxy, Fabian said he had been negotiating on and off for the past two years and he believed he was now "further away than when he started with the bondholders." Brandt Brothers have a circuit of about 45 theatres in Greater New York. Harry Brandt is president of the I.T.O.A. and at one time had a bid in to reorganize Fox Met Consummation of a deal with any one of the seven groups is seen as distant, it is stated. Bondholders are said to be insisting on 100 cents on the dollar and none of the reported plans submitted provides for such an arrangement, it is said. On Dec. 15, the second semi-annual auditors' report on the Roxy is due to be filed with Federal Judge Francis G. Caffey. It is possible that at that time a suggestion to consider one of the reorganization proposals may be broached. Paramount Names Studio Executives (Continued from page 1) the new reorganization setup Mel Shauer will assume special duties formerly assigned to Irvin Talbot in the music department, probably only temporarily. Rasdall will have supervision of all studio employment except talent, reporting directly to Keith Glennan, in charge of studio maintenance. John E. Otterson will return to New York in two weeks, accompanied by Herbert Wilcox, who has been conducting a studio survey. Trans-Lux Board Meets Trans-Lux board of directors yesterday held a routine monthly meeting, it was stated after the session. Schwartz Sues NSS And Display on Pact Suit for $500,000 was filed yesterday in Manhattan Supreme Court by Saul Rogers in behalf of Master Arts Products, Inc., and Isadore Schwartz against National Screen Service and the American Display Corp. A preliminary injunction is sought to prevent competition of these two firms with Master Arts. Summonses in 'the suit were served yesterday on Herman Robbins and Sam Dembow, Jr., of N. S. S. and on Charles L. Casanave, head of American Display. Schwartz alleges that several years ago he sold Advance Trailer Corp., then engaged in the trailer and general advertising and accessories business, to National Screen, and that National Screen took over the trailer end of the business and organized Master Arts to continue the advertising branch of the enterprise. He was engaged as general manager under a five-year contract at $600 per week, he alleges, and agreed to stay out of the advertising and accessories business himself. Two years later, he says, he bought Master Arts for $30,000 and gave up his contract, at the same time signing a contract to prevent National Screen from engaging in the advertising and accessories business. Since then, he asserts, National Screen has financed American Display. Herman Robbins declined to comment on the suit yesterday, pending study of the papers and conferences with his lawyers. Casanave likewise declined to comment until he familiarizes himself with the action. Vaudeville Circuit Is Federation's Aim (Continued from page 1) mind, Whitehead declared. If that aid is not forthcoming, effort will be made to proceed with the plan without assistance, relying on help now being solicited from the outside. "We have no intention of burning down any motion picture theatres," said Whitehead, "but desire to accomplish our aim in a constructive fashion." Competition is the method planned. Whitehead said there is hope that independent film theatre operators, many of whom have communicated with him, may assist the establishment of the circuit on a pooling arrangement. They have expressed a willingness to play vaudeville if they can get it at a reasonable price, he said. Charter Screen Ad Co. Screen Broadcast Corp. has been formed to work with advertising agencies and theatres on advertising films running from 60 to 90 feet. A. E. Fair is president. Distributors associated with the venture include M. P. Advertising Service Co., New Orleans ; United Film Ad Service, Inc., Kansas City; Al W. Smith Film Service, Minneapolis ; Screen Broadcasts, Inc., Dallas; M. P. Advertising Service, Cleveland, and A. W. Cauger Service Co., Inc., Independence, Mo. Jewish Holidays Here Sundown tonight ushers in Rosh Hashona, which continues Saturday and Sunday. On Oct. 7 the Jews will observe Yom Kippur by fasting during the day. ITO A Decides On Suit Over Short Forcing (Continued from page 1) been dated for the Dorset, a competitive house. Fox and Warners were also criticized for alleged non-deliveries. Members of the I.T.O.A. adopted a resolution empowering Weisman to file suits against the exchanges to force them to deliver pictures promised on last year's schedule. It is said by the exhibitors that exchanges are releasing the higher allocations in contracts and withholding the lower bracket films, in addition to taking certain pictures off the contracts and re-selling them in new pacts. Conn. Group Wants Film New Haven, Sept. 26. — Shortage of prints in the territory and inclusion of "Top Hat" in last year's contracts were the main topics of discussion at the first fall meeting of the Connecticut M. P. T. O. Exhibitors complained that they had been forced at the eleventh hour to "bicycle" pictures because of the continued print shortage. Previous demands to increase prints have gone unheeded. Claiming that only two of the three Astaires contracted for had been delivered in the past season, the exhibitor members resolved to take a firm stand that "Top Hat" be included or be delivered under last year's contracts. In the absence of Dr. J. B. Fishman, Adolph G. Johnson, vice-president, presided. Ohio ITO Seeks "Hat" Columbus, Sept. 26. — Members of the Ohio I.T.O., who bought the full block of RKO 1934-35 product, and who, through the medium of the sales book, were led to believe that three Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers features, "Roberta," "The Gay Divorcee" and "The World by the Tail," would be delivered, are being urged to notify their RKO exchange by registered letter that they expect to play "Top Hat." Circuits and Unions Resume Talks Today (Continued from page 1) unless certain concessions are made, it is understood. Springer & Cocalis some time ago were successful in obtaining a court order against Empire merging with another union. Century's contract, signed two years ago, has a clause which prohibits the union from linking with any other. While the two circuits have not turned deaf ears to a merger at this time, it is said no approval will be given unless satisfactory terms can be arranged with similar provisions in present pacts. Schenck to Europe Hollywood, Sept. 26. — Joseph M. Schenck leaves for New York in a few days and from there to Europe, where, it is understood, he will handle details attendant upon the change of the Fox name to Twentieth Century-Fox. Theatre Groups Ask $45,000 from Steuer An application on behalf of Knickerbocker Theatres, Inc., and the Clinton-Apollo Theatre Corp. for an order requiring attorney Max D. Steuer to turn over to them $45,000 was made in the Manhattan Supreme Court yesterday. The petition further explained that there are two checks for $25,000 and $20,000, respectively, in the possession of Steuer, and the attorneys for the theatre interests asked Justice Edward S. Dore to determine the amount of compensation to which Steuer is entitled for his services heretofore. The application explains that on July 3, 1935, Steuer appeared before a board of arbitration which decided that the Clinton-Apollo Theatre Corp. was entitled to a $25,000 judgment and Knickerbocker Theatres, Inc., was entitled to a $20,000 judgment against the Greater New York Vaudeville Theatre Corp., RKO subsidiary. The awards were made as the result of a violation of agreements on leases. The petitioners further assert that Steuer has failed to turn over to them the two checks, claiming that he is entitled to a fee far in excess of the money held by him. Steuer has already been paid a $5,000 retainer, according to the petition. In opposing the application Steuer averred that the agreed upon price of his services was $150,000 and that he is entitled to the entire $45,000 plus a balance of $105,000. Steuer says he appeared personally in 18 hearings in connection with matters turned over to him by the syndicate which operates nine theatres on the lower East Side. He requested that the court make the following persons parties to the proceedings : Benjamin Sherman, Charles Steiner, Louis Schneider, Bernard Fliashnick and Louis B. Appleton. Justice Dore reserved decision on the applications. Korda Has Dietrich For One, He States (Continued from page 1) at Denham in its first year for American release. Seven or eight will come from London Films and others from United Artists owner-members or producers like Mary Pickford, Samuel Goldwyn and David O. Selznick. He revealed that Charles Chaplin is considering a picture here as well and that Miss Oberon will make two a year, one at Denham and the second for Goldwyn in Hollywood. Douglas Fairbanks, Sir Connop Guthrie and Maurice Silverstone were among those at the press reception. Universal in Warner Deal Universal has closed with the Warner circuit in Philadelphia for the complete lineup for 1935-36. It includes all theatres in the Philadelphia district, and completes the arrangements calling for Universal product in all Warner houses over the country. Ted Schlanger and Lester Kreiger represented Warners and Sig Wittman and Joe Engel represented Universal. "Salute" Starts Strong St. Louis, Sept. 26. — "Red Salute," RelianceU^ A release, is doing splendid business at the Ambassador. In its sixth day the picture did more than $180 better than opening day.