Motion Picture Daily (July–Sept 1938)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Monday, August 8, 19! Lawyers Asked Time to Study Trade Changes (Continued from page 1) merit of Justice as an admission of guilt, similar in flavor to the implications of a consent decree. The prosecution could not be relied upon to accept the promulgation of a trade practice program at this time solely as a voluntary effort to adjust internal industry grievances and complaints, according to the opinion of some industry counsel. The legal study of the situation now in progress and referred to in the statement issued by Sidney R. Kent, chairman of the negotiating committee, will weigh the merit of views such as these, and, in the event they are substantiated, will explore means of effecting self-regulation of trade practices other than that of a procedure by joint action such as is now being attempted, it was said. For example, individual company action in inaugurating trade practice revisions might answer some of the objections being advanced _ to the present procedure, in the opinion of some attorneys. However, inability to discover an approved formula for procedure would be almost certain to result in the abandonment of attempts at self-regulation of trade practices while the Government proceeding is pending, it was said. As stated by Mr. Kent, the legal study which is expected to determine these questions, will be completed shortly after Labor Day. New M-G-M Cairo House Harry Moskowitz, Loew's construction chief, is drawing plans for a theatre in Cairo, to seat 1,550. Other Loew de luxe houses are going up in Puerto Rico and Adelaide. Wall Street Stocks Show Open High Col 1354 13J4 Cons ■ 154 154 Cons. pfd... 856 8J6 E. K 17754 178 G. T. E.... 1436 14% Loew 4954 5036 Para 1036 10% Para. 1 89 89 Para. 2 1034 1034 Pathe 954 956 RKO 234 234 20th Fox .. 2536 26 20th pfd... 34 34 Univ. pfd.. 45 45 W. B 654 636 W. B. pfd. 39 41 Fair Gains Net Low Close Change 1354. 1354 154 1J4 + 5 +1 + 17754 178 1436 14% 4954 5056 1036 1034 + 36 89 89 —1 1036 1056 + Vi 954 954 + 54 234 234 2536 2534 + 54 34 34 45 45 636 S 39 41 + + 5 +3 Curb Generally Rises Net Open High Low Close Change G. N 36 56 9/16 9/16 —1/16 Sonotone ..136 156 156 156 Tech 2434 25 2434 2434 + 56 Univ. Corp. V/i 356 2% 356 + V» Bonds Change Fractionally Net High Low Close Change Loew 354s '46....10056 100 10056 + 'A Para. Pict. 6s '55 9534 9534 9534 Para. Pict. '47.... 8234 8234 8234 — 54 RKO 6s '41 73J4 7354 7354 — 34 W. B. 6s *39. ... 78 78 78 + }4 (Quotations at close of August 5) 'Ragtime Band 9 Gets Off in Terrific Rush; Record Set (Continued from page 1) In a Million," which drew 26,404 persons, with a New Year's Eve thrown in ; "Four Sons," which drew 25,981 ; "Street Angel," 24,171, and "What Price Glory," 23,221. The latter four openings were on a Saturday. For the first two days the Roxy set a running time schedule of 18 hours, from 8 A. M. to 2 A. M., with the feature presented eight times daily and the stage show seven. During this week opening time will be 9 A. M., with an earlier schedule probable over the weekend. At least one Broadway house made a switch in booking to overcome the heavy Roxy draw this week. The Rialto is holding over "Booloo," although it did only $7,200 last week, rather than risk a heavier attraction. "The Crowd Roars" at the Capitol is a strong attraction, having opened within a few dollars of "Test Pilot," according to M-G-M. "Little Miss Broadway" did $30,000 in its second week at the Roxy. Schine Men Endorse Ad Plan at Meeting Glover sville, Aug. 7. — District managers and executives of the Schine Enterprises, Inc., endorsed at their annual convention here the plan of the industry to spend $1,000,000 in advertising. J. Meyer Schine, president and Louis W. Schine, executive director, lauded the plan as proof that producers are going to cooperate more fully with exhibitors throughout the country. Guests included Ned E. Depinet, J. R. Grainger, A. W. Smith, Jr., William Sussman, Carl Lesserman, Ed Golden, Abe Montague, William Scully and Charles Casanave. The convention ended with a steak roast at the summer home of L. W. Schine, at Caroga Lake. Previously, a golf tournament was held at the Pine Brook Country Club. The tournament was won by Norman Ayres. He was awarded a silver trophy. Charles Casanave was second, Jerry Leary, third. Other prizes for low net scores went to Joe Schwartzwalder, Willard McKay, Gus Lampe, George Dembow, Pete Dana, Eddie Golden, Bill Tubbert, Syd Sampson and Wallie Allen. Miscellany prizes went to Charlie Smakowitz, Bernie Bfanze, William Sussman, Clayton Eastman, Harry Berkson, Joe Miller, Lou Golding, Eddie Schnitzer, Eddie McAvoy, James Sanford, Bud Silveman and Lou Lazar. Plan Short on Lincoln Hollywood, Aug. 7. — Warners will make a color short based on the life of Abraham Lincoln. The picture, to be supervised by Gordon Hollingshead, will be a member of the patriotic series. Carey Yarn to Selznick Hollywood, Aug. 7. — David O. Selznick has purchased "Second Meeting," by Lucian Carey, from galley proofs. It is to be published serially in the Saturday Evening Post. Monogram in Favor Of Drive — Johnston Declaring that he subscribes "wholeheartedly" to the industry's plan for the "Motion Pictures' Greatest Year" campaign, W. Ray Johnston, president of Monogram, said prior to his departure for the coast over the weekend that his company would participate in the drive. Monogram is the first of the independent companies to enter the drive, but Republic and several others have tentatively approved it and may enter during the week. Mr. Johnston will be at the Monogram studio for about a month conferring with Scott Dunlap, production head, on forthcoming releases. He stated that the company's plans for producing its own quota pictures in England will be decided at the next meeting of the Monogram board of directors, to be held in September. Chicagoans Pledge $10,000 for Drive Chicago, Aug. 7. — More than $10,000 was pledged to the campaign fund for "Motion Pictures' Greatest Year" by Chicago's independent exhibitors following the meeting, Friday, at the Stevens Hotel, a weekend checkup revealed. More than 100 Chicago, Indianapolis and Milwaukee film men attended the session which was presided over by Gradwell L. Sears of Warners and Edwin Silverman of Essaness Circuit. The pledges received comprised an almost unanimous representation. Among the pledges was $3,000 from Essaness ; $1,200 from Indiana-Illinois Theatres; $1,000 from Jones, Linick & Schaefer; $500 from CGS Circuit and proportionate amounts from many others. The quota for the Illinois Michigan Indiana W iscon sin territory was set at $25,000 and with follow-up committees designated to contact those not present on Friday, it was believed this amount would be reached within a few days. Many New Yorkers Present Among those present were, from New York: Gradwell Sears, William Gehring, George Weeks and William Clark. From Milwaukee : H. J. Mirisch, Asher Levy, H. J. Fitzgerald, Frank Welter, George Levin, E. Weisner, Jack Silliman, Jack Feny, Charles Trampe, John Ludwig, Jack Keegan, L. F. Gran, M. Harmon. From Indiana : Maurice Rubin, Michigan City ; Dudley Williston, Gary ; Kurt Laemmle, Lowell ; from Ironton, Michigan : Martin Thomas, and from Pontiac, Eddie Zorn, also Milt Ellis of Beloit, Wise. From downstate Illinois : A. B. McCullom, Hoopeston ; George Kruger, Hinsdale ; A. H. Hartford, Marsailles. Chicagoans present included: John Balaban, Eddie Silverman, Clyde Eckhardt, Alex Manta, Jack Kirsch, Charles Ryan, Maurice Leonard, Jules Rubens, William Hollander, Larry Stein, Herb Elisberg, Harry Lorch, Nate Platta, Nate Wolf, Ludwig Sussman, Tom Gilliam and Mrs. G. L. Pierce. N.Y. Meet on Ad Drive Set For Aug. 1( (Continued from page 1 ) handle this material. The allop^ic of material to company exchangk utilize Paramount branches in "si! cities and Canada; 20th Century-Fc in six cities ; RKO, six ; M-G-M, fiv< Warners, five ; United Artists, three Columbia, two, and Universal, two. i Following is a list of the compan exchanges which will handle the carr : paign material in each of 36 cities : Albany Atlanta Boston Buffalo Charlotte Chicago Cincinnati Cleveland Dallas Denver Des Moines Detroit Indianapolis Jacksonville Kansas City Los Angeles (Maine) Portland Memphis Milwaukee Minneapolis New Haven New Orleans New York Oklahoma City Omaha Philadelphia Pittsburgh Portland (Ore.) St. Louis Salt Lake City San Antonio San Francisco Seattle Sioux Falls Washington Canada Columbia 20th-Fox 20th-Fox 20th-Fox RKO M-G-M Paramount M-G-M 20th-Fox United Artists Columbia RKO 20th-Fox Paramount Warners Paramount Paramount Warners M-G-M 20th-Fox Universal M-G-M Paramount Warners United Artists RKO M-G-M RKO Universal United Artists Paramount Warners Warners RKO RKO Paramount The campaign committee will supply a total of 1,500 prints of the short subject for the drive. Will Hays Cites Value Will H. Hays, in commenting on the significance of the campaign al a Hollywood meeting late last week said that he sees it as an example tc other industries which, if followed, could inaugurate a buying wave which would overcome the business recession. Arrangements for holding regional meetings for Canadian exhibitors have been completed by J. J. Fitzgibbons. Cliff Lewis Names Aides Hollywood, Aug. 7. — Cliff Lewis, chairman of the exploitation subcommittee of the Hollywood executive committee for "Motion Pictures' Greatest Year," over the weekend named his assistants. They are: Tom Alfred, 20th CenturyFox ; Irving Rubine, Warners ; Frank McFadden, Universal ; Russ Phelps, Walter Wanger Productions ; Harry Loud, M-G-M ; Cy Allen, RKO, Jack Sherman, Orpheum Theatre, Willis Kinnear, Paramount Theatre, Bob Kesner, RKO Hillstreet Theatre and Dean Hyskell, Fox West Coast Theatres.