Motion Picture Daily (July–Sept 1938)

Alert. Intelligent Picture Industry MOTION PICTURE DAILY and Impartial NO. 60 NEW YORK, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1938 TEN CENTS Majors Give Positions on Shorts Sales Theatre Policies Govern Efforts in Most Cases Paramount, like M-G-M, does not insist that exhibitors buy its shorts in order to obtain the features, but the policy varies with other major companies, according to statements by sales executives over the weekend. Several companies said their policies are flexible. The issue of "shorts forcing," long an exhibitor grievance, came to the tore late last week when Max A. Cohen, president of Allied Theatre Owners of New York, disclosed a letter from William F. Rodgers, M-G-M sales head, saying that where a theatre does not use shorts, the company does not demand their purchase. Mr. Rodgers told Motion Picture Daily that the same applies to the M-G-M newsreel. "We have never forced the sale of newsreels," he said. "Very few theatres do not use them, but M-G-M will not insist on an ex (Continued on page 7) Chicago Trust Case Comes Up Tuesday Chicago, Sept. 25. — A hearing on the Allied of Illinois anti-trust suit against Balaban & Katz is scheduled for Tuesday before U. S. District Judge Wilkerson. The B. & K. corporations and the individuals who, are defendants in the suit have retained Kirkland, Fleming, Green, Martin and Ellis as counsel. Because of the importance of the suit it is expected Judge Wilkerson will set aside several days on the calendar for a hearing at a later date. Protest Newsreel London, Sept. 25.— Following diplomatic protests against allegedly critical comment on Prime Minister Chamberlain's foreign policy in the current issue of the British Paramount newsreel, the offending passages have been withdrawn. Paramount has asked all its subscribers to remove the sequences, against which there were press protests, as well. Legislatures, Courts Coming Film Headache Several Cases Pending; 42 State Sessions The industry will be confronted with potentially the most formidable legislative and court chapters in its history beginning next week and continuing into 1939, home office legal and executive figures assert. The U. S. Supreme Court convenes next Monday and has or will have on its calendar four or five cases of major concern to the industry for final determination within the succeeding few months. Congress will convene immediately after the first of the year with all indications pointing to the reintroduction of an anti-block booking bill and other measures affecting the industry. The legislatures of 42 states will convene during January in regular sessions. The Florida legislature will (Continued on page 4) Academy Changes Delayed in Hope Of Peace Moves Hollywood, Sept. 25. — Efforts are being made to settle the row that has held up reorganization of the Academy of. Motion Picture Arts and Sciences following the guild ultimatum that producers should withdraw. The board of governors has refused to accept the resignations of Frank Capra, Howard Estabrook and W. S. Van Dyke and +ias also refused to (Continued, on page 7) Hammons Plans Trip To Set English Deal Hollywood, Sept. 25.— E. W. Hammons, before he left for New York, indicated that later he will go to London to arrange a deal for English distribution of New Grand National product to supplant the two-year deal with Associated British Film Distributors which expired Aug. 31. Edward L. Alperson will leave next (Continued on page 7) MANY N. E. SPOTS DARK ON WEEKEND Storm News At 12:37 Friday Motion Picture Daily received the following cable from S. G. Rayment, editor of Kinematograph Weekly, London: ODHAMS DIRECTOR EMANUEL ASKS IF YOU CAN CONTACT LOUIS BRAHAM OF MENTONE STREET LAURELTON LONG ISLAND FAMILY ANXIOUS KNOW WHY NO NEWS STOP CABLE REPLY DEEPLY APPRECIATED At 12:52 the following reply had been sent: BRAHAMS ALL WELL HE WILL WRITE In the meantime the Queens Borough police headquarters had connected with the 105th Precinct, a radio car had picked up Mrs. Braham and transported her to the nearest phone, and she had telephoned to Motion Picture Daily. Wednesday Session With Arnold Asked Counsel for major companies having theatre operating affiliates or subsidiaries-suggested to officials of the Department of Justice over the weekend that the projected conference between the two be held Wednesday.. A reply from Department officials either confirming that date or setting another some time this week is expected to be received today. General counsel of the five companies operating theatres, or their alternates, will attend the Washington meeting. Regarded as certain to attend are J. Robert Rubin, Loew's ; Austin C. Keough, Paramount, and Robert W. Perkins, Warners. Representatives of 20th Century-Fox and RKO will be designated today. They will probably be Felix Jenkins for 20th Century-Fox and Col. William J. Donovan for RKO. The conference was proposed by (Continued on page 7) Lack of Power, Repairs Delay Opening; Total Damage Unknown Many theatres operating in the New England area were still darkened yesterday after the ravages of hurricane and flood waters on Wednesday. Difficulties with power lines and washed out roads still prevent reopening of houses. Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts received the brunt of the storm. Minor damage was reported in New Jersey, Long Island and New York, but the theatres are open. The Greenport, a Prudential house in Long Island, where a wall collapsed, is to be rebuilt. Work will start this week. Major circuits here sent construction men into the stricken areas Saturday, but reports on the extent of the damage were still incomplete. Paramount reported 12 houses in the New England area closed by floods and power shortage. Insurance adjusters accompanied repair men into the field. Marquees, roofs, signs and display windows were the chief sufferers. RKO, with houses in Providence, Boston and Lowell, was hit only in Providence where water closed the Al (Continued on page 7) Paramount Still in Dark About Damage ! A final estimate of the damage to M. & P. circuit houses in Massachusets from last week's hurricane will not be completed for several. days due to the extent of. the damage and the inability of circuit headquarters to communicate with certain localities in which its theatres are located, Y. Frank Freeman, Paramount vice-president, said yesterday. Martin Mullin and Sam Pinanski, (Continued on page 7) Canadian Business Up, States Rodgers Theatre business in Canada is definitely on the uptrend, after a poor summer, it was said by William F. Rodgers, M-G-M distribution head, on his return Friday with Tom Connors, division manager, from Toronto, where they negotiated a new season film contract with N. L. Nathanson, head of Famous Players Canadian. M-G-M's Canadian business is much better than last year, Mr. Rodgers added.