Motion Picture Daily (July–Sept 1938)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY First in and Impartial NEW YORK, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1938 TEN CENTS rrosses Leap *n Broadway I ver Weekend ital Is $200,000 for the Labor Day Period iroadwav first run theatres grossed nit $200,000 over the Labor Day ekend, which ushered in the new w season. Strong attractions, the jetus of the "Movie Quiz" contest 'l throngs of out-of-town visitors nbined to send grosses up. Neigh•hood business was described gen ly as "very brisk." Outstanding were the Music Hall, ere "Vou Can't Take It With You" led up $64,000 over Saturday, Sun• and Monday, reported as 50 per it better than last year's holiday e, and the Roxy, where "Alexan's Ragtime Band," in a fifth week, -nered S40.000 in the three days, 40 cent more than last year. With "Boy Meets Girl" and Ben rnie in a second week, the Strand sorted its biggest weekend in three 'irs; the Paramount reported almost "5,000 as the three-day take, with the (Continued on pane 7 ) olumbia Net for Year Is $183,392 Columbia Pictures reported a net ofit of $183,392 for the fiscal year ded June 25, after all charges in'ading amortization, interest and deral taxes. The result cotrmares th a net profit of $1,317,770 for the eceding 12 months. The company's gross income for the riod ended last June from rentals sales of film and accessories nounted to $20,101,699. Earned surus at the close of the period was {Continued on page 8) IBS Billings for August $1,423,865 The second best August in the hisry of the network has been marked to the CBS records, with the billings Additional developments in radio yesterday on page 9. =========== >r the month aggregating $1,423,865. towever, the August, 1938, billings "e below the mark established for the ime month last vear, which was 1,955,280. The decline is attributable, owever, to the fact that last August (Continued -on page 9) Canada Moves To Revamp Its Film Industry Briton May Reorganize It for Government By COLIN R. HAWORTH Montreal. Sept. 5. — A drive to put Canadian motion picture making on a more prolific and financially successful basis is gathering speed here with British Government film officials doing their best to prod hesitant Canadian producers along. Hanging in the air at present is a scheme to bring a Britisher over for the purpose of reorganizing the industry and turning out "strictly Canadian" films, probably under Government control. It is expected that the emphasis will be placed upon shorts, newsreel material and documentary films rather than features. So far this year three leading government film men from overseas have visited the Dominion each in turn urging Canadians to supply more and better films for distribution in Great Britain. Arthur W. Jarrett, director of theatres for Gaumont British told the press : "Canada is very poorly advertised in England despite the fact that English people and exhibitors are (Continuea on page 8) SILVERSTONE SET AS UA PRESIDENT GN-Anglo Pact May Be Finished Today An agreement on the reciprocal distribution deal between New Grand National and Anglo-American Films of London is expected to be reached today following negotiations which extended over the holiday weekend. The deal is expected to involve either the acquisition of a financial interest in New Grand National by the British company or the extension (Continued on page 8) N. Y. Executives to Attend Allied Meet The one-day meeting of the Allied Theatre Owners of N. Y. at Syracuse Sept. 8 will be attended by a number of representatives of major companies. The session will be held at the Hotel Syracuse. Edward Golden of .Monogram will be among the speakers. The delegation of company representatives will leave next Wednesday from Grand Central in a special parlor car attached to the Commodore Vanderbilt. They include Ted O'Shea, M-G-M ; Milton Kusell, Paramount; (Continued on page 8) 20th-Fox May Tie With G. B. On Production Production by Gaumont British in England for 20th Century-Fox is being discussed and the deal may be completed in December, when Joseph M. Schenck, 20th Century-Fox chairman of the board, intends to return to London, he said on arriving yesterday on the Queen Mary. He denied that his discussions with the Ostrers involve resumption of negotiations for G. B. control by Loew's and 20th Century-Fox. Mr. Schenck also said he believed the Government anti-trust suit would serve "a good purpose" in that it will clarify the law and "we will know what to do and what not to do," with relation to theatre acquisition. Twentieth Century-Fox business in England is 50 per cent better than last year and on the upgrade generally in Europe, said Mr. Schenck. He plans to leave for the coast today. Wm. Bioff, Browne Aide, Quits IATSE Hollywood, Sept. 5. — William Bioff, personal representative of George E. Browne, international president of the I.A.T.S.E., has dissolved all official connection with the union, the largest theatrical organization in the world, its west coast offices announced over the weekend. The communication from Mr. Browne containing the information that Mr. Bioff was quitting was (Continued on page 7) Chicago Exhibitors, Operators Disagree Chicago, Sept. 5. — Following a union meeting late last week, operators here stated that they have rejected the exhibitors' demand that the union scale for the coming year's contract be lowered by 10 per c°"t. However, union officials stated that they will renew the contract at the same rate as prevailed last year provided the 10 per cent cut made during the summer months be restored. Additional meetings between union and exhibitor leaders are planned for the end of this week. Election Is Slated for Board Meeting Here Tomorrow Murray Silverstone, chairman of the United Artists executive committee, is slated to be elected president of the company at a meeting of the board of directors here tomorrow. He will fill the vacancy which has existed since the resignation last June of Dr. A. H. Giannini. The board also has on its agenda the ratification of a new five-year contract with George J. Schaefer as general manager of domestic distribution. It was learned, however, that the new agreement has not yet been consummated and that Mr. Schaefer's name has been mentioned in connection with another office. Whether the two circumstances have any relation to each other or not could not be authoritatively determined over the weekend. Informed quarters, however, are of the opinion that final action on the contract may not materialize at the board meeting. The United Artists directors, in addition, are scheduled to ratify an administrative plan for the company which is designed to centralize executive authority in the hands of Mr. Silverstone. It is understood that the (Continued on page 8) Schulberg Closing UA Releasing Deal Hollywood, Sept. 5. — B. P. Schulberg is completing negotiations for a releasing affiliation with United Artists as an independent producer. He will resign from the production post he has held with Selznick International as soon as he completes the deal. His first two pictures for U. A. will be "Ex Hero," by William Saroyan and "The House of Morgan," from a novel by Lewis Corey. Rosenberg* s Illness Delays B&K Action Chicago, Sept. 5.— The suit of Allied against B. & K. and major distributors has been delayed temporarily by the illness of Joseph Rosenberg, Allied attorney. Indications are that the suit will be filed late this week or the early part of next week.