Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1937)

Wednesday, January 6, 1937 MOTION PICTURE DAILY MPTO Program for Meet Taking Shape Out Hollywood Way Expect 25-30 Allied Directors to Attend Program arrangements for the national convention of the M. P. T. O. A., which will be held at the MiamiBiltmore Hotel, Miami, March 16, 17 and 18, are rapidly taking shape, Ed Kuykendall, president of the exhibitor organization, reported to members in a bulletin issued yesterday. Among the subjects listed for discussion at the business sessions are trade practices, the quality and entertainment value of current pictures, double features, the music tax, the score charge, overbuying, unreasonable clearance, radio competition, significant court decisions, pending litigation, unfair legislation and labor relations. In addition to specific business discussions, a general forum on theatre operating policies and problems is planned with addresses by prominent technicians, engineers, architects, advertising and maintenance men. Open discussions on better theatre management, improved theatre design, construction and equipment, better film merchandising and ways and means of increasing attendance and maintaining high standards in exhibition will be another program feature. Members have also been invited to send in additional suggestions for inclusion on the program. Transit Arrangements Complete Special rates already have been arranged at three Miami hotels and reduced rail fares and a special convention train will be available to all exhibitors and their friends attending the convention, the M. P. T. O. A. bulletin states. Through cars from other points will join special convention trains from New York, Chicago and New Orleans, according to arrangements. The eastern special will leave New York, March 14, arriving in Miami March 16 after picking up convention groups from Philadelphia, Washington, Richmond, Charlotte and Atlanta, where it will join up with the delegations from Chicago, Cincinnati, Denver, Omaha, Kansas City, St. Louis and Memphis. West coast, Oklahoma City and Dallas groups will converge at New Orleans. The social side, of the convention will feature a golf tournament, receptions, sightseeing and the annual banquet, which may be "speech-less," according to the bulletin. Reservations for equipment display space will be made by the organization after Feb. 1. Kuykendall promises that the convention will be "self-supporting" and that no "money-raising schemes" will be "sprung." Conferences Set on Lineup for Condor Conferences on the proposed lineup of Condor pictures will get under way here either today or tomorrow. George Hirliman and M. H. Hoffman have arrived from the coast to talk over production with A. J. Van Beuren, who is also identified with the new company. At the meetings a decision will be reached on the number of pictures Hoffman will make. With the company now financed for $1,500,000 a like sum is scheduled to be added shortly, it was learned yesterday. Hoffman may sail for Europe following the local meetings. Hollywood, Jan. 5. — Gus Edwards released from his obligations as Republic's eastern talent scout by Nat Levine. Edwards will return to New York in a few days to take up radio work. Lieut. Commander Lucien B. Green has been assigned by the Navy Dept. to act as liaison officer with Samuel Goldwyn's unit making "Hurricane" in the South Seas. "Man in Possession," starring Jean Harlow and Robert Taylor, started at M-G-M. . . . Jesse L. Lasky's next at Radio probably will be "Song of India," with Nino Martini starred. . . . Joan Perry's option lifted by Columbia for six months. . . . Ralph Bellamy held by Columbia for another year. . . . Ketti Gallian borrowed from Paramount by Radio for role in "Stepping Stones." . . . Two pictures set to start at Warners — "Dance, Charles, Dance" and "Talent Scout." . . . Harriet Hilliard feminine lead in "New Faces of 1937," Radio. Carol Hughes replaces Joan Blondell in "Marry the Girl," Warners. . . . "Trouble in Morroco," a Larry Darmour production, started at Columbia. . . . Maurice Conn starts "Valley of the Terror" with Kermit Maynard. . . . Gertrude Michael in Hollywood Hospital for treatment. . . . Mary Boland ill with flu. . . . Arthur Todd luncheon guest of "Marry the Girl" cast at Warners in honor of his 28th year in pictures. . . . Malcolm Bullock, still man at Paramount on loan from Samuel Goldwyn. . . . Frank Capra com Columbia Sales Meet Opens Here Saturday Branch managers and representatives from Albany, Buffalo, Boston, Philadelphia and New York will attend the two-day Columbia midseason sales session which will start Saturday at the St. Moritz with Abe Montague, general sales manager, presiding. Home office executives scheduled to attend include Jack Cohn, vice-president ; Abe Schneider, treasurer ; Joe McConville, Rube Jackter, Lou Weinberg, Louis Astor, Max Weisfeldt, Hank Kaufman, Leo Jaffe, Maurice Grad, Milt Hannock, Leonard Picker, William Brennan, Al Seligman and Fred McConnell. This is the fourth and last of the divisional meetings. Liquidation of contracts and new product will be discussed. McConville Coordinator Joe McConville, sales supervisor, will be coordinator in Columbia's "Montague Sweepstakes," the sales and billing drive to be started Jan. 17 and continued until May 1. Radio Holds Lily Pons Hollywood, Jan. 5. — Lily Pons, whose latest musical, "That Girl from Paris," is at the Music Hall, has signed for another annual picture at Radio. Ann Sothern, John Beal, Hermes Pan, in charge of dance routines, and P. J. Wolfson, writer, also have been re-signed. pletes assembly of "Lost Horizon" after two months in the cutting room. + Casting — Peggy Wood in "Call It a Day," Warners. . . . June Travis loaned by Warners to Republic for "Without a Net." . . . Lew Ayres in "Danger, Men Working" and Leif Erikson in "Saturday Night's Free," Paramount. Helen Jerome Eddy in "Michael Strogoff," Radio. . . . Jane Wyman in "Public Wedding," and Joe Cunningham in "Marry the Girl," Warners. . . . Robert Allen and Edward McWade in "Weather or No," Ralph Malone in "Racketeer in Exile," Columbia. . . . Donald Cook, Lucille Osborne in "Without a Bet," Republic. . . . Frank Elliott and Rita Gould in "Maytime," M-G-M. + Directors— Rowland V. Lee replaces Alexander Hall on "Robber Barons," Radio. . . . Hall is ill. + \ Writers — John V. Clymer signed '• by Sol Lesser to work on Bobby Breen's next. . . . Grover Jones and Grant Garrett doing sketches for the Zukor Silver Jubilee broadcast. + Story Buys — "I Married an Artist," Avery Strakosch and "All Steamed Up," David Garth, by Columbia. . . . "Tomorrow's Headlines," Thomas Ahern, Radio. Title Change — "Coast Patrol" to "Rough, Ready and Handsome," Radio. "Beloved Enemy" to Keep Tragic Ending "Beloved Enemy" will be nationally distributed with only one ending, which will be the one incorporated in the film now at the Rivoli in which Brian Aherne meets his death. A "happy" alternative ending was provided by the producer, but after several tryouts for audience reactions in upstate New York towns it was decided not to make use of it. The original plan was to use the first ending in the larger cities and the "happy" ending in smaller centers. "Enemy" Gets $37,000 "Beloved Enemy" in its first week at the Rivoli garnered $37,000. For the three-day holiday weekend, the picture grossed $17,000. 12 "Thin Man" Holdovers Loew's reports holdover engagements on "After the Thin Man" in 12 cities : New York, Atlanta, Baltimore, Cleveland, New Orleans, Harrisburg, Hartford, Nashville, Reading, Washington, Philadelphia and Wilmington. "Thin Man" Big in Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Jan. S. — -"After the Thin Man" is heading for new records at the Penn. In the first three days the picture knocked off a sensational $16,500 and is going strong. It will move from the Penn to the Warner Friday and is believed to be good for a couple of weeks there. It is topping the previous record holders, "Mutiny on the Bounty" and "Born to Dance," by wide margins. From 25 to 30 directors of Allied will attend the annual convention of the organization to be held at the Emerson, Baltimore, Jan. 21-22. Scheduled on the program will be election of officers, reports by committees, mapping of the 1937 program, and selection of the place for the 1938 convention. Nathan Yamins, president, and Abram F. Myers, general counsel, will speak. The legislative program for the year also will be outlined. Among those who will attend are Yamins, Fall River, Mass. ; J. B. Fishman, New Haven ; Arthur Howard, Boston ; Herman Blum, Arthur Price and Frank Hornig, Baltimore ; Aaron Saperstein, Chicago ; H. M. Richey and Fred Lodder, Detroit; Al Steffes, Ernest Peaslee and Bennie Berger, Minneapolis ; Lee Newbury, president of Allied of New Jersey, and Sidney E. Samuelson, Newton, N. J. ; Myers, Washington ; Fred Herrington and M. A. Rosenberg, Pittsburgh ; H. A. Cole, Dallas ; Martin Smith, Toledo; P. J. Wood, Columbus ; Moe Horowitz, Cleveland ; R. R. Bair, Indianapolis ; Fred Maertz and Ray Tesch, Milwaukee. Coast ITOA Sets Meet Hollywood, Jan. 5. — The first annual convention of the local branch of the ITOA will be held on Jan. 25 at the Ambassador, the board of directors stated today following its meeting. The one-day meet will consist of the presentation of a report of the organization's activities for the past year and the election of new officers. There will also be a luncheon for/ members and their families. Simultaneously the group announced that their third annual show will be given on Jan. 13, to which only ITOA members will be invited. The organization's war chest will benefit. Allied to Meet Jan. 19 Allied of New Jersey will hold its next meeting at the Hotel Lincoln on Jan. 19. Routine matters will be discussed. Perry N. Verkoff Dead Hollywood, Jan. 5. — Perry N. Verkoff, character actor and former director, died here yesterday. He was 56. Verkoff's last film appearance was with Mae. West. Greenwood Rites Thursday Hollywood, Jan. 5. — Funeral services for M. E. Greenwood, M-G-M studio manager, who died Monday, will be held Thursday afternoon at the Forest Lawn Cemetery. Pallbearers will include Edward J. Mannix, J. J. Cohn and Cedric Gibbons. Rites for Ray McDermott Cincinnati, Jan. 5. — Requiem high mass for Ray McDermott, former Cincinnati musician, director and pianist of the radio feature, "King's Jesters," who died in Chicago Saturday, was intoned at the Church of the Nativity here today. Burial was in St. Mary's cemetery. Roxy Hearing Jan. 19 Federal Judge Caffey yesterday adjourned the hearing on the Roxy reorganization proceedings, scheduled to come before him on Jan. 15, to Jan. 19.