Motion Picture Daily (July–Sept 1938)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Milwaukee Shortage Aids Revival Spread The Newsreel Parade Milwaukee, June 30. — Shortage of product and poor business are current headaches of local exhibitors. As a result of the former, reissues have put in their appearance with Fox's Palace, first run house, currently dualing "The Count of Monte Cristo" and "I Cover the Waterfront," and the Riverside showing "Son of the Sheik" with its regular vaudeville show. Rumblings of further requests for a cut from the projectionists are heard with various houses reported having issued ultimatums to the union that unless they receive relief within the next two weeks they will close. Indications are that there will be more closings in this area this summer than last. Fox is operating its Grace and Riviera on weekends only. Reports are that other neighborhood houses may be conducted on similarly curtailed schedules or blacked entirely until fall. Conn. MPTO Plans August Golf Tourney New Haven, June 30. — The Connecticut M.P.T.O. is planning a third annual industry golf tournament at Racebrook Country Club Aug. 2. Although details have not yet been arranged, a committee consisting of the following exhibitors, exchange men and allied industries' representatives has been appointed : Lou Anger, Leo Bonoff, Harold Eskin, B. E. Hoffman, Irving' C. Jacocks, Jr., Adolph G. Johnson, Edward G. Levy, Arthur Lockwood, Sam Rosen, Harry F. Shaw, Max Tabackman, William Vuono, Robert Cobe, Morris Joseph, Abe Mattes, Morris Nunes, Barney Pitkin, Edward Ruff, Philip Sherman, Ben Simon, Lester Tobias, Lou Wechsler and N. C. Wrisley. Tickets at $5 will include luncheon, dinner, and golf, as well as non-golfers' activities, with prizes for all. Thomas Dixon Busy On New Film Story Charlotte, June 30. — Thomas Dixon, author of "The Clansman," upon which the "Birth of a Nation" was built, is working on a new fulllength sound version of the famous picture. Dixon, who is serving as clerk of the Federal Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, is completing "The Flaming Sword," a sequel to "The Clansman" and "The Leopard's Spots." He is now editing the copy in his office at Raleigh. To Mr. Dixon, the New Deal is anathema, but after his fire and brimstone campaign in behalf of Alf Landon for president, he received an appointment under Judge I. M. Meekins, a holdover from Republican days, to be clerk of the Eastern District Federal Court. Breck Fagin in New Job Kansas City, June 30. — Breck Fagin, who formerly was manager of the Uptown, Royal and other theatres here, has been named assistant manager of the Electric, Kansas City, Kan., under Jack Truitt. Mr. Fagin has been manager of the Capitol at Grand Island, Neb., for a year or two, and has handled publicity for TriSlate theatres there. Movietone News Vol. 20, No. 84 (20lh Century-Fox) War is graphically pictured in the opening clip of this reel, with Japanese naval vessels shelling Anking from the Yangtze River, planes bombing the city, a landing party disembarking at night, and parts of the city aflame as Japanese troops advance over open country and through the streets. Real interest and entertainment is to be found in the race on the Sacramento River between a new and an old river steamer. A group of American sailors disembark to see the sights of Paris, and in Cincinnati mothers stage a child-calling contest. The latest bathing suit styles occupy the fashion footage, and a group of Army bombers wing their way high above Mt. Lassen in the west. Lew Lehr has verbal fun at the expense of the world's tiniest man, seen in a boardwalk chair and on the beach. The Massachusetts race in which War Admiral lost badly to Menow, and an exhibition of American Olympic diving champions hold the sporting spotlight and complete a good reel. Running time, 10 mins. A. News of the Day Vol. 9, No. 282 (M-G-M) A pictorial method of presenting important news is employed in the opening sequence. The news is the current flare in England concerning the bombing of English ships off Spain, presumably by Italian planes for Franco. The method is a verbal description of the situation, with pictures of Prime Minister Chamberlain, ex-Prime Minister Lloyd George, the signing of the Anglo-Italian pact recently, threats at Gibraltar, Premier Mussolini, and the recent bombing exhibition in Italy. The entertaining race between old and new river steamers on the Sacramento River is well pictured, the aged Civil War veterans are seen converging on Gettysburg, prospective life guards compete for posts in Chicago, shots of a U. S. Army bombing squadron flying over Mt. Lassen offer beautiful mountain scenery, and Crown Prince Gustav Adolph of Sweden speaks briefly in faultless English. The sporting division pictures the annual college crew race at Poughkeepsie, and the Suffolk Downs race in which War Admiral is soundly beaten by Menow. Running time, 10 mins. A. Paramount News Issue No. 95 (Paramount) Youth opens this reel, age closes it. The mighty navy crew clipping 14-3/5 seconds from the four-mile record, ends Western supremacy in the Intercollegiate Regatta on the Hudson at Poughkeepsie. New York City, playing host to 15,000 educators in convention here, shows gigantic exhibits of modern school crafts. Names and events in the headlines pick up Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden, en route to a New York hospital ; Aunt Sarah Stevens, born in slavery in 1807, making claims in her native Georgia to title of oldest person in the United States ; and men in the New Mexico mountains seeking trace of lost Chicago heir Medill McCormick. Menow's eight-length victory at Suffolk Downs and Sir Hubert Wilkins' announcement from New York of his contemplated trip under polar ice in a submarine bring the reel up to its last clip. At Gettysburg for the last time are survivors of the Blue and the Grey of the Civil War gathered together on the battlefield of 75 years ago. Running time, 9 mins. I. K. RKO Pathe News Vol. 9, No. 99 (RKO) John Montague's performance on the links with a baseball bat, a shovel and a rake instead of the conventional golf irons will create plenty of stir among the devotees of the game. This clip is perhaps the high spot of the issue. The topics include : Search for John Medill McCormick in the Sandia Mountains ; Sweden's Crown Prince Gustav Adolf rushed to a New York hospital while his son acts for him in the Tercentenary celebration ; Mussolini's Bersaglieri, crack regiment, celebrates its 100th anniversary with some fancy gynnastics ; a 34-mile surf board race at Catalina Island ; greyhounds chasing a live rabbit in Australia ; interiors of the palatial Bermuda-New York airliners in flight ; Menow winning the $50,000 handicap at Suffolk Downs racetrack. Running time, %]/2 mins. F. Universal Newsreel Vol. 10, No. 680 (Universal) Veterans of the blue and gray Armies in tents at Gettysburg are shown in the opening clip of this reel. The activity of some of these men 75 years after the historic battle is amazing. It's a fine human interest number. The son of the Crown Prince of Sweden is an attractive individual. He is shown leaving the Kungsholm and participating in other exercises observing the 300th anniversary of the landing of the Swedes in Delaware. A new 16-inch coast defense gun is shown under construction. An Argentine training ship arrives at New Orleans. Some shots of new hats are presented. Considerable fast movement is included in the four other subjects — the Poughkeepsie regatta, a track meet at Evanston, 111., a steamboat race on the Sacramento River, and Menow winning the Massachusetts handicap at Suffolk Downs. Running time, 9 mins. J. Dickinson, Jr., a Lawyer Kansas City, June 30. — Glen W. Dickinson, Jr., son of the head of the Dickinson circuit, has been admitted to the bar in Kansas and is now associated with the circuit, managing the theatres in Manhattan, Kan., and supervising those in Herington, Junction City, Great Bend, Ellsworth, and Beloit, Kan. He will also act as counsel for the company. Friday, July I, 1938 Canada Drive Opened For Reduced Rentals Toronto, June 30. — The latest move on the part of the Independent Theatres Association of Ontario is to launch a campaign for reduced film rentals for the coming season, the agitation having been started prior to the signing of contracts for 1938-'39 product by independent exhibitors.) The reason advanced by Harold f secretary of the association, is thatvgeneral falling off in business justifies a demand for lowered cost of film for next year. "Bad box-office due to general conditions cannot be remedied by us," declared Mr. Kay in a statement on the subject, in which he called on ex-, hibitors to work together for mutua' protection. "We should be in a posi , tion to get price reductions on picture: for next year's product. There have been drastic cuts in production cost Much of the product now being deliv ered is below the expected and adver tised standard. Distributors are seek ing to make an iron-clad contract ever more rigid through alteration of cer tain clauses where small glimmering of exhibitor rights still exist." Courses at Nebraska Presented by Coope\ Lincoln, June 30. — Two fellow ships, each amounting to $500 eacl year, have been presented to the Uni versify of Nebraska by J. H. Coope in the form of a $25,000 endowmen in honor of two former business me here who were his friends. One is named after the late Joh E. Miller, department store ownei and is for the college of business ad ministration, and the other for th late Charles Stuart, owner of tn Stuart (Cooper's deluxe house), an I is in agriculture. Both men served until their recerj deaths on the board of trustees fc Cooper's Foundation for underprh ileged children which he set up her several years ago and which is e.v pected to grow to $1,000,000. Mr. Cooper has houses in Nebrask; Colorado, and Oklahoma. Sioux Center Has Nc Use for Film Hous Sioux Center, la., June 30. — Th city polled the largest vote in the hi tory of the city when the questk "Shall the town license a theatre < movie house" was submitted to tl voters. The vote was 429 opposed 343 for, so Sioux Center will rema a town without films. Garrett Wanscheer had proposed build a $15,000 film house if the que tion had carried. The proposition w voted down two years ago. The cit claims to be the largest in the sta without a film house, with a populli tion of 1,650. To Build at High Poin High Point, N. C, June 30. — Co tractors have been authorized to ; forward with the construction of Hi; Point's new theatre on South Ma St. The bulding, which is to be erect* for North Carolina Theatres, In will cost $85,000. This figure does ri include equipment and furnishing The total cost of the theatre will in excess of $100,000.