Motion Picture Daily (July–Sept 1938)

Alert. Intelligent Picture Industry MOTION PICTURE DAILY and Impartial ^ 44. NO. 3 NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 1938 TEN CENTS Monogram to Many Places Build Studio, Weeks States Seeking 10 Operator Cut Location for New Plant Not Revealed Hollywood, July 5. — Monogram will build its own new studio in Hollywood, it was stated here today by ieorge W. Weeks, Monogram director of sales, who declared: "Exhibitor reaction to such of our pictures as 'Boy of the Streets' and Girl of the Limberlost,' recently released, makes this move necessary. We have aimed to reach the man in the street. It has been proved that the man who rides the street car must be served. Our policy is to please him." Speaking of double bills, Mr. Weeks said, "it has often been demonstrated that the second picture is the dessert of the dinner. When the first course is undigestible the dessert frequently makes the whole meal enjoyable." Mr. Weeks will leave here Friday Ifor New York. Location and other details concerning the new studio were not divulged. CBS, NBC Billing For 6 Months Up Over Last Year's CBS and NBC cumulative billings for the first six months of 1938 showsubstantial gains over the billings for the ^same period last year, with CBS up 5.3 per cent and NBC showing an improvement of 5.4 per cent. CBS scores the achievement of recording the greatest amount of business for a six-month period by any single network in radio history, with gross time billings amounting to {Continued on page 12) FCC Sets Rules on Air Use in Politics Washington, July 5. — Rules governing the extension of facilities of broadcasting stations to political candidates were issued today by the Federal Communications Commission, stressing that no broadcaster is required to extend such facilities but (Continued on page 12) More Radio— P. 12 Circuits Want Chicago Example Extended A 10 per cent reduction in wages accepted by the Chicago operators' union for July and August is indicative of efforts being made by circuits and exhibitors generally in the larger cities to obtain concessions during the summer slump, it was said here yesterday by circuit spokesmen. The Chicago cut was effective July 1 and will save $50,000 for exhibitors in that city. Balaban & Katz, Paramount affiliate, and RKO are the major circuits benefiting by the Chicago concession. RKO circuit headquarters here yesterday said that similar reductions have been requested nationally. Negotiations are being conducted locally by the circuits' zone or district managers, and some theatre managers are acting collectively. New York operators and stagehands' unions have not as yet taken any move toward a reduction, although exhibitor representatives asked for relief during the summer. The local unions have had the circuits' request before them since last March. Interstate Motions Overruled by Court Dallas, July 5. — All defense motions to modify findings of fact and conclusions at law in the Interstate Circuit anti-trust case recently sent back from the Supreme Court today were overruled by Judge W. H. Atwell. He gave his findings and conclusions on the case, as requested by the high court. George S. Wright, attorney for Interstate, now has 90 days in which to perfect the appeal. In his rulings Judge Atwell held, as before, that in fixing prices on subsequent runs and the time to elapse before re-running Interstate and several major distributors acted in violation of the monopoly laws. Rose Here Today to Discuss Para, Plans David Rose, who will head Paramount's production activities in England, is scheduled to arrive from the coast by plane today for home office conferences with Barney Balaban. Paramount president, and John W. Hicks, vice-president and foreign department head, on final arrangements (Continued on page 11) KENNEDY APPEALS FOR COOPERATION German Rules Apply Berlin, July 5. — All regulations covering the German film industry and the importation of foreign films have been extended by official decree to Austria. Says British Plants Need U S. Producers English studio activity depends on the stimulus to be given British production by American companies under the new quota act, but one thing is certain, that cheap quota "quickies" are a thing of the past, it is reported by James A. Fitz Patrick, who returned Monday from London. Mr. Fitz Patrick went over with the intention of winding up FitzPatrick Productions, Ltd., which made quota films for M-G-M last year. Shortly after his arrival there, he was asked by a major company to defer liquidation of the company pending the discussion of a production deal. He cut his London stay short and returned here to negotiate the deal, which provides for four double quota films, two of which may be in color. Mr. FitzPatrick's studio is at Sound City. He credits M-G-M's "A Yank at Oxford" with setting an example for other American companies in the production of films in England. England, U. S. Need Each Other, He States at Silverstone Party Equity Turns Down Request from Pathe Pathe News was refused authorization by the council of Actors Equity yesterday to photograph Equity members at work without paying such actors. The newsreel's request was made in anticipation of including in its future news productions shots from several plays whose authorship and casts might make news events of their presentation. The established Equity rate for photographing members at work is one week's pay for every day or part of a day the members work. The Equity council made consideration of -the regulations to end ticket speculation on Broadway plays a special order of business for its next meeting, July 19. Joseph Vitale and Hugh Rennie were named temporary delegates to the Associated Actors & Artistes of America in the absence (Continued on page 11) By AUBREY FLANAGAN London, July 5. — A pointed and dramatic appeal for collaboration between the film interests of Great Britain and the United States was made here today by Joseph P. Kennedy, American Ambassador to England, following an unexpected appearance at the farewell testimonial luncheon given Murray Silverstone, who, as executive head of United Artists, has given up his post as managing director of the company in England, and will make his permanent headquarters in New York. The luncheon was sponsored by the Cinematograph Exhibitors' Association and the Kinematograph Renters' Society (distributors), and apparently it was not generally anticipated that the Ambassador, who had just returned from a visit to the United States, was to appear. The American Ambassador, once concerned in, and always considered a friend of the motion picture business, made his appearance when the luncheon was almost over, accompanied by Fayette (Continued on page 9) Atlas to Increase Its RKO Holdings Atlas Corp. expects to acquire an additional one-twelfth of RCA's holdings of RKO stock and debentures during July in order to comply with the requirements for obtaining a sixmonth extension of its option to purchase the balance of the RCA holdings, an official of the investment company said yesterday. Under the provisions of the option Atlas was privileged to acquire the remaining 555,254 shares of RKO (Continued on page 9) Tarkington Starts Suit Over "Penrod" Booth Tarkington filed suit yesterday in N. Y. Supreme Court against Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc., and asked for an injunction restraining the exhibition of "Penrod and His Twin Brother." Mr. Tarkington based his suit on an alleged contract made with Warner Bros, on March 6, 1931, in which he (Continued on page 9)