Motion Picture Daily (July–Sept 1938)

Friday, July 22, 1938 MOTION PICTURE DAILY 4 Purely Personal ► LOU WEINBERG, Columbia's circuit sales chief, and Max Weisfeldt, short subjects sales supervisor, mill compete for the title of the industry's worst golfer in the near future. Current betting is that the — — hed scores in the match will not "b, . 300. Rafael Ramos Cobian of Cobian (Productions, Inc., arrived yesterday from Hollywood with the print of his first Spanish picture, "Mi Dos Amor," for Paramount release, and will negotiate for further productions with that • company. • James R. Grainger, Republic president, will arrive today from 'Buffalo and leave tonight for Dallas jfor conferences with W. G. Under\vx)d and C. C. Ezell, franchise holders. He will be gone most of next week. • Harris P. Wolfberg, M-G-M district manager in Kansas City, and 'Mrs. Wolfberg, who have been in town for a few days, will spend the weekend at Great Neck and will return to Kansas City early next week. • Arnold M. Pickkr, Columbia foreign department executive, became a ' father yesterday. The new arrival, a girl, was born at Doctors' Hospital and weighed seven pounds, nine ounces. • Albert Howson, Warner censorship director, will be interviewed Monday at 6:30 P.M. over WYNC jon the subject, "The Biographical Film." • Ethel Merman came in from the coast yesterday for a three-week vacation. She will attend the Roxy [ opening of "Alexander's Ragtime : Band." George L. Carrington, vice-presiident of Altec Service, has returned -to New York from a 10-day trip through the middle west. • Joel Swenson of the Hays office had intended to visit Norway and Sweden this summer but has deferred the trip to next year. • ; William Sussman, 20th CenturyFox eastern district manager, will leave Tuesday for conferences at the ' Boston exchange. • K David E. Rose, head of Paramount production in England, will sail from New York July 28 on the lie de France. • Jack Benny plans to leave Hollywood tomorrow for Saratoga, N. Y. He will return to the coast in a month. • Roy Haines, Warner eastern and Canadian sales manager, left last night for Buffalo. He will return Monday. • Harry Cohn, Columbia president, is in New York from the coast for a few weeks. • Will Hays, en route to the coast by train, is due there Saturday. Short Subject Reviews "The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok" {Columbia) That fertile field for film plots — the era of the emergence of Texas and the southwest from the dominance of unscrupulous carpet-baggers — is used as background for this serial which also involves the title character in the ensuing adventures. There is plenty of the right kind of serial action with Indians, shootings, hard riding, and fighting to create an interested following. Gordon Elliott has the title role. He gives a convincing portrayal of the western character and is first rate where the action is concerned. The film was handsomely photographed by Benjamin Kline and George Meehan. Mack V. Wright and Sam Nelson directed. The first chapter runs 28 minutes. Additional installments run 18 minutes. "G." "Hollywood Handicap" (M-G-M) A light vignette of the racetrack with an excellent demonstration of "vocal music" by the original "Sing Band." This colored troupe does its stuff with refreshing novelty and the surrounding framework of story cleverly involves many film personalities who are known for their devotion to the bangtails. Good. Running time, 10 mins. "G." "Nellie, the Indian Chiefs Daughter*' (Universal) A burlesque variation of the villainheroine-hero theme is the idea back of this cartoon. It follows familiar lines. The animation tricks provide the comedy. Good. Running time, 7 mins. "G." "Sons of the Plains" (Vitaphone) A brief and attention-holding story of pioneer days, done in Technicolor, the beautiful outdoor kind and featuring the Mauch twins is offered here. As babies the boys are separated when Indians attack their parents' wagon and carry off one while the other is hidden. Later, in adolescence, they meet. One is the adopted son of an Indian chief and the other is returning from California. A clever sideplot is injected into the narrative here, dealing with Indian agents' treachery and a bit of suspense is worked up that eventually brings the boys to recognize each other as brothers. It's different and should draw favorable response. Running time, 19 mins. "G." "The Jeep" (Fleischer-Paramount) Popeye's canine friend from the cartoon pages, the dog that disappears and possesses all sorts of magical powers, makes its debut here. Popeye has the dog track down the lost "Swee' Pea," which it does, but not before much unique and clever animation is screened. Good. Running time, 7 mins. "G." "Mechanix Illustrated" ( Vitaphone) Done in color, this reel offers glimpses into the workings of research laboratories where such activities as the killing of microbes with ultraviolet rays and experiments with liquid air are carried on. Also there are sequences dealing with the compact kitchens on Pullman diners and the manufacture of paint. The comment is lightly technical and the material presented with interesting variety and theatrical effect. Running time, 10 mins. "G." Grainger Is Honored At Buffalo Luncheon Buffalo, July 21. — Exhibitors in western New York turned out in force today at a reception and luncheon for James R. Grainger, president and sales head of Republic, at the Hotel Statler. This was his first upstate visit since his new appointment. Jack Berkowitz, local Republic head, sponsored the affair. Among those listed as attending were Vincent R. McFaul and Robert P. Murphy of Sheat Theatres; A. Charles Hayman, Richard Walsh and George McKenna of LaHay Theatres ; Louis Schine of the Schine circuit; Mr. and Mrs. George Gammel of Gammel Theatres; Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Behling ; Joseph A. Schuchert; Theophilus, Constantine and Nicholas Basil of Basil Bros. ; William Dykstra, George J. Biehler, Matt Konczakowski, Stanley Kosnowski, Harry H. Goldsmith, Harry Yette, Jack Bellman, Ted Jarvis, Marvin Atlas, Sylvester Graff, I. R. Lounsberry, Clifford Jones, Jake Levene, Al Zisser, Burt Buchanan, Harry Rondet, Harry Dillemuth, Spencer Balser and Jake Rappaport. Wall Street Board Declines Continue Net Open High Low Close Change Col. . 1454 1554 14/ 1454 / . m 154 m 154 Cons. pfd. . m 754 8/ + 54 E. K .17714 179 177/ 178 54 G. T. E... . 1454 IS 14 14 — 54 Loew 5154 sm 4854 49% -254 Loew, pfd.. 106/ 107 106/ 106/ — 54 Para 1154 11/ 10 105/ 54 Para. 1 . 92/ 92'/ 89/ 89/ + 54 Para. 2.... 11 1154 10 10/ 54 Pathe , m 9 7'/ 9 +1/ RKO . 3 3% 254 27/ — 54 20th Fox . 2454 247/s 23/ 235/ 54 20th pfd... 34'/ 34/ 33 33 —2 Univ. pfd.. 41 41 39/ 39/ —2/ W. B 654 6% 6 65/ / W. B. pfd. 38/ 39 38 38 54 Technicolor Heaviest Curb Loser Net Open High Low Close Change G. N 7/16 7/16 7/16 7/16 Sonotone ..154 154 154 154 Tech 22/ 22/ 21/ 21/ —15/ Univ. Corp. 254 254 2/ 2/ ..... Bonds Off Vz to SVi Points Net High Low Close Change Loew 3/s '46. ...100/ 99/ 99/ — 5/ Para. Fict. 6s '55 98 96/ 96/ —2/ Para. Pict. '47.... 82/ 80/ 805/ — 154 RKO 6s '41 73 71 71 —5/ W. B. 6s '39 82 80 80 —3/ (Quotations at close of July 21) Pick-a-Back Plane Brings Reels Here (Continued from page 1) material was sent out as a special supplement to the regular issue. The films deal with the reception of Douglas Corrigan in Dublin and the visit of the British royal family to France, and were shown in the metropolitan area last night. The synopses of the various reels follow : Movietone News: The Corrigan story and royal family visit to France. President Roosevelt in Yosemite Park and aboard the cruiser Houston. Hankow preparing for attack. German advisers to Chinese Army departing. Evacuation problem studied by American Ambassador to China. Floods in Japan. Rodeo in Salinas, Cal. Arkansas Peach Queen selected. "Little Rhody Boys" take office for day in Providence. Slum clearance gets under way in New York. Celebrities at showing of "Alexander's Ragtime Band." Girl Scouts off for cruise on a schooner. Lew Lehr with monkeys. News of the Day: Corrigan story. President in Yosemite Park and on Houston. Ambassador Kennedy visiting President Hyde of Ireland. Irish troops taking over Spike Island from British. Women's Page. Paul Runyan, golfer, in slo w motion shots. Police supervise children's boxing bouts. Floods in Japan. Paramount News: Corrigan story. Royal visit to France. Girl Scouts on schooner cruise. German Army advisers departing for Berlin. Roumanian flyer crashes plane in Norwalk, Conn., necessitating postponement of projected flight. Youths who "kidnapped" yacht return to Santa Cruz, Cal. Statue of Liberty undergoes rebuilding. Headliners' Club in Atlantic City present awards for best reporting in radio, war reporting, cartoon and newsreels, last named to Al Mingalone of this reel. Universal Newsreel: Corrigan and British visit to Paris. President off on Houston for fishing following Yosemite Park sightseeing. Advisers to Chinese Army leave for Berlin. Air show in Villacoublay, France. Rodeo in Salinas, Cal. Kennedy visits Ireland. British test new speed plane. Dogs draw "chariots" in Baker, Ore., race. Fred Snite, Jr., in infantile paralysis lung, watches races at Arlington Park. Fourteen Girl Scouts off on cruise. Irish troops occupy Spike Island. Indians play whites in state of Washington polo game. RKO Pathe News: Corrigan story. King of Sweden celebrates his 80th birthday. Slum clearance begins in New York. President Roosevelt at Yosemite Park. Football in Singapore. Flying priest, Father Schulte, arrives in north woods of Canada. German advisers to Chinese military depart from Hankow. Scientists battling waters of turbulent Colorado River. Film stars play polo in California. London Rules Approved London, July 21. — The London County Council has agreed to the recommendation of its entertainment committee and will impose the new rules relative to the operation of film houses on all new licenses approved even before Jan. 1, 1939, when the rules originally were to go into effect. 1