Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1936)

Wednesday, April I, 1936 MOTION PICTURE DAILY Ask Copyright Protection on Music Records By CLARENCE LINZ Washington', March 31 — Extension of copyright protection to phonograph records as a means of preventing the abuse of their use by broadcasters was asked of the House Patents Committee today by representatives of the manufacturers, who charged that many small radio stations were using records without so designating them, and playing popular compositions so frequently that their >ale was killed. Sales of 500,000 to 1,000,000 copies of a popular record were not unsual before the advent of broadcasting, it was declared by H. A. Huebner, representing the Brunswick and Columbia companies, but today 100,000 is a high figure, seldom attained. It was claimed that the manufacturers lose money on the majority of records, Huebner citing a recording made by a well known artist who received S350 for her performance, after which a total of 1,162 copies were sold, the income being $418.32, on which royalties of $46.48 were paid. Since the total cost of production was $512.68, the company took a loss of $94.36. The four-cent royalty paid by the two companies is equivalent to 10 per cent of the manufacturing cost of the records, he said in asking for retention of the present license, but it was revealed by W. R. Altschuler, of the American Record Corp. that his company pays only one and onequarter cent a side under an agreement with the publishers, who have looked upon records as a means of exploitation. In the event that copyright protection is extended to records, it was promised, only a reasonable fee would be asked of broadcasters, but would be coupled with a limitation upon the number of times a record could be used within a given period. Unless this protection is given, it was declared, the record industry may be forced out of business. Protection of the type proposed is accorded records abroad, it was said by Isabel Marks of Decca Records, who told the committee that the BritI ish manufacturers last year collected £20,000 for the use of records in broadcasting. Decca Records paid royalties of §60,000, while the American Record Corp., which distributed 0,000,000 copies last year, paid royalties of $70,291. Both of these companies make 25-cent records. Exhibitors will be given an opportunity to present their views on the 1 copyright legislation April 13, when Ed Kuykendall, president of the M. P. T. O. A., will be heard. The final two days of the hearing will be devoted to the producers and distributors. Dig Butler Out Truckee, CaL, March 31.— David Butler has been dug out of snow drifts twice since arriving here to film "White Fang." He had an idea he could walk on the ice crust used by other members of the company. He weighs 265 pounds. Schwartzkopf to Speak Col. H. Norman Schwartzkopf, superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, will talk on "The Application of Sound Motion Pictures to Criminal Identification" at the Spring meeting of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers at the Edgewater Beach Hotel, Chicago, April 27. Loew's Goes Into Chicago, Detroit {Continued from paye 1) explained that the Paramount interest was in subsidiary management companies equally owned with United Artists Circuit. The interest in these companies, it is understood, involves only the operating agreement and becomes non-effective with the expiration of that agreement in a year. A new agreement, similar to those now held by Paramount subsidiaries, is to be worked out with Loew's. B. & K. manages the Chicago theatre through Randolph Operating Corp. and George W. Trendle of United Detroit Theatres manages the house in Detroit. In the latter city the choice of M-G-M product has been playing the United Artists, usually on two-week stands, while the one-week runs of M-G-M go to the Michigan, also operated by Trendle. The new agreement is regarded as most likely to affect the B. & K. Chicago, flagship of the Loop, which has been getting that city's choice first run of M-G-M product. ITOA Federal Suit Against Majors Due (Continued from page 1) expected for some time as part of the I. T. O. A.'s fight against the sales practice. No action has been taken yet in Municipal Court here on the suit for $61 brought by RKO Distributing Corp. against the Ridgewood Amusement Co., operating the Star, a Harry Brandt house in Brooklyn on a claim on a short subject contract. In an answer, Ridgewood charged major distributors with violations of the New York state anti-trust laws, and that it was forced to take the short subjects in order to obtain the distributor's features. With respect to the planned Federal court action, it has not yet been determined whether the action will be filed by one theatre or a group. Covington Ban Lifted Covington, Kv., March 31. — With no new cases of spinal meningitis reported, health authorities Saturday lifted the three-day quarantine on theatres, churches and schools. The action, however, is contingent on the quarantine being immediately reinstated if any additional cases develop. Reports Kidnapping Bucyrus, O., March. 31. — Harry White, assistant manager of Schine's Bucyrus here, reported on Monday that he had been kidnaped by three men after they had demanded that he open the theatre's safe the night before. Police are investigating. J&e _^ne knows ^ "Will DO PIENTY AT THE BOXOFFICE" —Hollywood Reporter WITH Chester MORRIS * Helen MORQAN Distributed by REPUBLIC PICTURES