Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1937)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY 28 N. Y. Critics Select "Deeds," "Carnival" {Continued from page 1) required. Eighteen critics, representing 13 New York daily newspapers, represented the constituency. "Mr. Deeds" won on two ballots and "La Kermesse Heroique" on the first. The best female performance of the year when to Luise Rainer for "The Great Ziegfeld" on four ballots. The best male performance was adjudged to have been Walter Huston's for "Dodsworth" on five ballots. Huston always has been a favorite in this procedure, but, nevertheless, it took five castings to send him across the line. Opposition to him centered largely around Spencer Tracy which means some of the critics apparently like Tracy. However, the battle of the torrid session really raged over the best direction of the year. It took 10 ballots to assemble the necessary twothirds for Rouben Mamoulian in recognition of "The Gay Desperado." Fritz Lang for "Fury" was the Mamoulian nemesis in this division. This year, taking on tone, the critics will signalize their own awards with a cocktail party at the Waldorf on Jan. 24. No particular program was evolved last night and probably there won't be one. A party will be held, it seems. Arrangements also are under way for a coast-to-coast NBC broadcast, probably from 4:30 to 5 P. M., E.S.T., on that same day when Richard Watts, Jr., will be master-ofceremonies. The designation went to him as dean of the New York film critics prior to his appointment as dramatic critic of New York HeraldTribune, succeeding the late Percy Hammond. Assistants Also Voted While 13 papers were represented, they totaled 18 critics. Some time ago, it was determined to admit the second-string reviewers, although in the instance of the double-headers , the papers generally cast their votes as a unit. The ballot-casting roster included: Ed Price, Brooklyn Citizen; Winston Burdett, Brooklyn Daily Eagle; Leo Miskin, Morning Telegraph, who voted by telephone from a sickbed ; William Boehnel, New York WorldTelegram; Kate Cameron and Wanda Hale, Daily News; Regina Crewe and Robert Garland, New York American; Irene Thirer and Archer Winsten, New York Evening Post; Rose Pelswick, New York Evening Journal; Seymour Roman, Brooklyn TimesUnion; Howard Barnes and Marguerite Tazelaar, New York HeraldTribune; Dorothy Gates, The Daily Worker; Bland Johanesen, New York Daily Mirror ; John T. McManus and Frank Nugent, Nezv York Times. Withdraw Carewe Report Washington, Jan. 4. — The Securities and Exchange Commission today revealed the withdrawal of the registration statement of Edwin Carewe Prod., Inc., at the request of the registrant. "Woman Alone" Here G.B. is releasing "Sabotage" with Sylvia Sidney as "The Woman Alone" in this market. "Sabotage" is the British release title. He Wonders Maurice McKenzie, executive assistant to Will H. Hays, the other day, received a post-Christmas card from Terry Ramsaye, editor of Motion Picture Herald, who is on his annual pilgrimage to Hollywood. It was postmarked Oracle, Ariz. Now McKenzie wonders if there isn't something prophetic in the circumstance. 30S-ITOA Agreement Is Near Completion (Continued from page 1) by which the membership of Allied will be absorbed by 306. The completed agreement between the theatre group and the union will require ratification by the full membership of both bodies before becoming effective, and the same is true of the Allied-306 agreement, which is described as in the nature of a formality, made necessary by legal procedure, the initial arrangement being the important one. The final drafting of an agreement, now in progress, follows a recent meeting with the members of the survey board appointed by Mayor LaGuardia to solve the multiple union situation in the city. Points in dispute between the two groups in their original negotiations were settled at that time. Pommer-Laughton Unit London, Dec. 26. — Charles Laughton will in future make his British films for a new production unit in which he will be associated with Erich Pommer. They will make four pictures a year, Laughton playing in one of them, at London Films' Denham studio for United Artists world release. Beck in U. A. Post Myer P. Beck has been started as publicity manager for United Artists, working under the supervision of Monroe Greenthal, advertising and publicity director. Louis Berg has been placed in charge of the writing staff and Arthur Jeffrey in charge of newspaper contacts. Spokane Tax Is Lumped Spokane, Jan. 4. — The City Council has decided that theatres and junk dealers will pay their licenses in a lump sum starting 1938. The current practice is for theatres to pay in quarterly installments and junk dealers twice a year. Signs More Rights Al Friedlander of Fortune Films, who originally closed for the distribution of "The Robber Symphony" for the United States only, now has the rights for all of North and South America. Erpi Increases Prices A 10 per cent increase in price for W. E. Mirrophonic sound equipment will be placed in effect on Feb. 1, C. W. Bunn, Erpi general sales manager, has stated. Paramount Product Meet Starts Friday (Continued from page 1) Zukor, board chairman, and Neil F. Agnew, vice-president in charge of distribution. A study of planned product for 1937-38 will feature the sessions. Among the studio executives who will attend will be Eugene Zukor, A. M. Botsford, Harold Hurley, Bogart Rogers, Jeff Lazarus, C. J. Dunphy, Fred Leahy, Mel Shauer, George Bagnall, A. C. Martin, Henry Herzbrun, Jacob Karp, Manny Wolfe, Boris Morros and Sam Frey. From New York will be Balaban, Agnew, J. J. Unger, Charles Reagan, Russell Holman, Austin Keough, Robert M. Gillham, Y. Frank Freeman, Albert Deane, George Weltner, John Hicks, Jr., Milton Kusell, John Graham and Walter Cokell. Gillham arrived today. Paramount's theatre associates who will attend include John Balaban, Chicago ; E. V. Richards, New Orleans ; Karl Hoblitzelle, Dallas ; N. A. Nathanson, Toronto; Frank Walker, New York; M. A. Schlessinger, Johannesburg, South Africa ; Sam Pinanski, Boston ; Martin Mullin, Boston; A. H. Blank, Des Moines; R. B. Wilby, Atlanta ; J. J. Fitzgibbons, Toronto ; Sam Goldstein, Springfield, Mass., and M. A. Lightman, Memphis. John Balaban May Not Attend Chicago, Jan. 4. — John Balaban, ill with influenza, may cancel his proposed trip to the Paramount meeting on the coast unless approval is given by his physician. Columbia Meet Sunday Columbia will hold its fourth and final mid-season divisional sales meeting Saturday and Sunday at the St. Moritz. Abe Montague, general sales manager, will preside at the gathering of eastern sales forces. Numerous home office executives will attend. Loew Auditors Convene First of a series of meetings of Loew's field auditors got under way yesterday at the Astor with Alan Cummings presiding. Every year the field auditors convene in New York for a three-day discussion of the year's activities. RKO Heads to Hold Talks on the Coast (Continued from page 1) Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Kansas City, Chicago, Cleveland, Rochester and Syracuse. Reisman to Australia Phil Reisman, head of the RKO foreign department, will sail today on the Berengaria for Australia. He said yesterday he did not know how long he would be away. Belmont a Film House The Belmont, former legitimate house on W. 48th St., will open the middle of this month as a film house. It will be operated by S. S. Krellberg, with Edward Kern, former press representative of the Filmarte, in association with him. First run films in all languages will be the house policy. Tuesday, January 5, 1937 Two Pictures Here N earing New Marks (Continued from page 1) and is expected to do another $20,000 before the first week is ended. If the James Cagney picture gets the $40,000, it will top "Give Me Your Heart," which opened the house, by more than $2,000. The picture will run three weeks. "One in a Million" tallied $58,000 in four days at the Roxy and yesterday got approximately $6,000, indicating a possible $80,000 week, a record under Howard S. Cullman's man j agement. According to 20th CenturyFox, 114,134 persons visited the the j atre during the first four days. The j picture will be held for a second and final week. Leon Errol is the stage headliner. "That Girl from Paris" garnered \ a buxom $80,000 in the first four days at the Music Hall. According to RKO-ites, the week will probably end with close to $115,000. This film, likewise, will be held over. College Holiday Strong The Paramount grossed $50,000 in five days of the second week of "College Holiday." The picture is being held a third week and Glen Gray and his Casa Loma orchestra will be replaced on the last seven days by Mario Braggiotti and his band. On Jan. 13, "The Plainsman" will open with Ray Noble on the stage. "After the Thin Man" at the Capitol got $78,000 in its first week and approximately $40,000 on the threeday holiday weekend. The picture is definitely set for three weeks. The Astor, for the fifth week of "Lloyds of London" on a two-a-day policy, grossed $13,000. It is possible the picture may be held beyond Jan. 17, when the 20th Century-Fox contract expires. Loew's is not ready to put in "The Good Earth" for at least j another month or six weeks. "The Man Who Lived Again" got about $11,000 at the Rialto. "Jungle j Princess" took in around $9,000 the week before. "Thin Man" Going Big In 39 of the 42 key cities where "After the Thin Man" is current, , grosses are running ahead of "San ! Francisco," according to Loew's. In Tulsa and Oklahoma City new house j records were established. Musicians' Union Elects Cincinnati, Jan. 4. — Oscar F. Hild was elected president of the Musi j cians' Local No. 1 at the annual meeting here. Others elected were : Wil K Ham Bell, vice-president ; Volney L. jj> j Hofmann, secretary ; Charles Joseph, I treasurer ; Frank Yago, sergeant-at i \ arms. Directors are : Arthur Bowen, t V, Theodore Hahn, Joseph Lugar, Rob | 1: ert P. Moore and Robert Snyder. Imperial Set in 2 Weeks Imperial Distributing Co. is expected to complete its exchange organization, with officers in 26 cities over the country, in about two weeks, it was indicated yesterday. Thus far, branches have been established in 14 | cities. "Thin Man" Going Big In 39 of the 42 key cities where "After the Thin Man" is current, grosses are running ahead of "San Francisco," according to Loew's. In Tulsa and Oklahoma City new house records were established. In comparison with "Libeled Lady," the previous Powell-Loy combination film, "After the Thin Man" is 30 per cent ahead in the 42 cities.