Motion Picture Daily (July–Sept 1938)

lert. telligent »o MOT ft I MOTION PICTURE DAILY and Impartial )L. 44. NO. 55 NEW YORK, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1938 TEN CENTS Majors Again To Confer on Move in Italy lariRcation Is Expected Today on Details Heads of home office foreign dej rtments are tentatively scheduled to eet again today to discuss future Fulicy on distribution in Italy as a suit of the decree establishing a govnment controlled monopoly on film stribution in that country. J Clarification of several phases of the •cree, which was requested after an litial meeting of the foreign manners last week, is expected from Eu•pean representatives of the major impanies this morning. This addianal information, together with the certainment of individual company , ewpoints over the weekend in infances where they were not obtain)le earlier due to the absence of some {Continued on page 3) talian Decree Now Before State Dept. Washington, Sept. 18. — Publicaon by the Italian Government of its ecree establishing a monopoly "for le purchase, importation and dis-ibution of foreign films" has been fficially reported to the State Deartment by the American Ambassaor at Rome. Officials in Washington concerned .ith motion pictures expressed them«lves unable to evaluate the effect {Continued on page 3) ore Circuit Deals Are Closed by RKO RKO has just closed a number of i ircuit deals, says General Sales Manager Jules Levy. In New England K. L. McAvoy, eastern and Canadian ales manager, has signed for the 31 i^eiber & Shea houses ; the 15 Nate i joldstein houses ; the Graphic Circuit vith 12 houses, and the Charles Morse Circuit. Mr. Levy has also signed with Robb i Rowley. In the Minnesota ternary L. E. Goldhammer has signed leals with the Weempner-Frank Circuit; in the Milwaukee area 100 per :ent deals have been made with the Eskin Circuit, and in the west Western and Southern Sales Manager >Cresson E. Smith has signed with Westland Theatres. Radio New 8 — Page 9 Meet in Paris Paris, Sept. 18. — Continental executives of American companies held a three-hour meeting at the local office of the Hays organization on Friday, with Benjamin Miggins, 20th Century-Fox Continental manager, presiding, to discuss the Italian decree for a state monopoly on the handling of all foreign product. No decision was taken, but it was indicated that the decree will have serious consequences for American companies in Italy, probably causing their suspension. With French producers also hit by the edict, the news created a sensation in local film circles. Quiz Errors Cut Contest Films by Five Because of errors discovered in "Movie Quiz" booklets which make it impossible to give correct answers to the questions pertaining to five contest pictures, the campaign committee decided yesterday to judge any answer submitted on the five pictures as a correct one. The pictures involved are "Gateway," "The Texans," "The Crowd {Continued on page 6) Grand National to Set Schedule Soon New Grand National expects to have its initial production schedule completed and available for announcement in Hollywood this week, Earle W. Hammons, president, said before departing for the west coast over the weekend. Mr. Hammons will be in Hollywood on the final production arrangements for a week and, following his return to New York, final organizational work on the new company, including the election of a board of directors and complete roster of officers, will be begun. Arrangements for British distribution of the company's product also may be completed next week. Grand National's current contract with Associated British Film Distributors expires this month and a new deal will {Continued on page 6) THEATRE BUILDING BOOMS NATIONALLY INo Action Is In Sight On Concessions That further moves toward a program of industry self-regulation have been postponed indefinitely was indicated by S. R. Kent, president of 20th Century-Fox and chairman of the distributors' trade practice committee, before leaving for the coast Saturday night for his semi-annual visit to the studio. He will be gone three weeks. Mr. Kent said distributors have not reached an understanding on a trade practice program, and he would not predict future developments. He also {Continued on page 3) Says Quotas Hurt Quality of Films An Argentinian Government representative appointed to study the effect of film quota legislation on native production in European quota countries recently reported back that such measures acted to lower, rather than improve, the quality of native films. Since the filing of the report there has been no agitation for quota legislation in the Argentine, according to John Nathan, Paramount managing director for that country, Paraguay and Uruguay. Mr. Nathan arrived in {Continued on page 6) Rowland Joins Small As Executive Aide Hollywood, Sept. 18. — Richard Rowland has been appointed executive assistant to Edward Small, president of Edward Small Prod., in a move which contemplates an expanded program. Mr. Rowland takes office immediately and "The Duke of West Point," first Small film for U. A., starts at once with "King of the Turf" next in line. Mr. Small's expansion program calls for an increased number of productions this year. The company moved today into the former Major Pictures studio building which it will occupy completely. Averaging Fewer Seats; Most Construction In Small Towns A considerable amount of new theatre construction and extensive remodeling is currently under way throughout the country. The large majority of new theatres will have seating capacities ranging from 600 to 1,000, as distinct from the average seating capacity of about 1,200 which prevailed during the boom construction of several years ago. In relation to the entire construction picture, there is comparatively little activity in the large metropolitan centers. Circuit heads here explain this by an acute overseating condition" in many of the large cities which in recent years has militated against the building of new theatres. It is noted by architects, also, that the trend continues strong toward rejuvenation of old houses, with substantial amounts being spent to bring {Continued on page 3) Foreign Problems Hays Board Topic The increasing number and seriousness of the problems affecting the industry's world markets was considered by the M.P.P.D.A. board of directors at a three-hour meeting on Friday. The session was adjourned to Thursday morning. No details of the discussion of foreign problems were made available but {Continued on page 6) 20th-Fox Increases Ad Budgets by 33% Twentieth Century-Fox is increasing its international advertising and publicity budget 33 per cent over last year to publicize 1938-'39 attractions, according to Charles E. McCarthy, department chief. The increase, he said, is due to a greater number of percentage attractions that will carry key city "assist" newspaper campaigns and elaborate prerelease exploitation on the big specials such as given "Alexander's Ragtime Band." Mr. McCarthy has added two new divisions to his department, radio promotion and roadshow "AAA" production exploitation. The Roxy campaign on "Alexander's Ragtime Band" was the first real test of the new setup and will serve as a model.