Motion Picture Daily (July–Sept 1938)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Wednesday, September 28, 1938 U. S. to Give Suit Aims in Talks Today (Continued from page 1) less general in nature, a very different picture was outlined by usually reliable sources outside the Government. From these sources it was learned that Mr. Arnold and Solicitor General Robert L. Jackson, irritated over the failure of the distributors to reply to the letter suggesting the halting of theatre acquisitions, are prepared to make the department's views emphatically known. Mr. Arnold, it is said, will tell the company representatives that unless they make their position clear on that point, consideration will be given to new Grand Jury proceedings. Department officials are declared to be resentful of the failure of the companies to take prompt steps not only to clarify their position with respect to acquisitions, but also to offer plans for settlement of the case or to make known their proposals for bringing about the reforms at which the department aims. Unable to Reopen In Providence for Week (Continued from page 1) Loew's State were under water. It took from Thursday morning until Sunday morning of continuous pumping to get the water out of Fay's and the Carlton. Business in Albany Returning to Normal Albany, Sept. 27. — Theatre operators in this area predict that business will be restored to normal by the end of this week, following the storm. Most of the circuit houses reported business 40 per cent under normal, and independent neighborhood houses suffered even more severely. In the area of Rutland, Vt, transportation tieups seriously affected business, with indications that it may be weeks before completely normal conditions return. Report Loss Slight In Local Territory Film delivery companies which service Long Island, New Jersey and Upstate New York report that all theatres in their territory escaped with only slight losses, and all are open with the exception of the Greenport, Prudential house in Long Island, wrecked by the storm. Delivery service is now normal after several days' difficulty with floods and roads blocked by fallen trees. Frank L. Gates of Warners, who returned yesterday from a quick tour of New England houses, found damage small in most of the Warner houses in Connecticut and Massachusetts. The Palace in Norwich was still unable to open because of flood conditions in the city, and the Garde in New London was closed because of virtual military law. All Loew and RKO New England houses were open yesterday with the exception of Providence, where lack of power facilities prevented resumption of operation. Freeman Conferring With Theatre Heads Y. Frank Freeman, Paramount theatre head, began a series of meetings at the home office vesterday with a number of the company's operating associates. The sessions are scheduled to continue for several days. At the meetings are Karl Hoblitzelle, who returned Monday from a European vacation; R. J. O'Donnell, A. H. Blank, Ralph Branton and J. H. Cooper. All plan to leave New York, Friday. Mr. Freeman will leave Friday for New Orleans for conferences with E. V. Richards and will go from there to Atlanta. Barney Balaban, Paramount president, and Stanton Griffis, chairman of the executive committee, will also leave New York Friday for a visit of several weeks at the company's studio. Quits Sterling Circuit Seattle, Sept. 27. — Rex Stevenson, booker for John Danz' Sterling circuit, has resigned, effective Oct. 1. He will move to California where another theatre connection awaits him. Richard Mannheimer will succeed him. ITOA in Quandary The I.T.O.A. is in somewhat of a quandary. At its last meeting Harry Brandt, president, told members that the next regular meeting would be held in two weeks, meaning next Wednesday. Since that is Yom Kipper, it is expected that the meeting will be canceled. Ordinarily, it would be held the following Wednesday, Oct. 12, but that is Columbus Day. Mr. Brandt is expected to solve the problem by setting a new date. "King" Has Big Advance An advance exploitation campaign has been prepared for the opening at the Paramount today of "If I Were King." Basil Rathbone and Ellen Drew, featured players, are in town and have been interviewed by the metropolitan press. Many tieups and window displays have been utilized to carry plugs for the picture. A contest in a leading evening paper was arranged a week in advance. Five thousand letters were sent to educators asking for scholastic comment on the film. Altec Officials Return L. W. Conrow, president, and G. L. Carrington, vice-president and general manager of Altec Service Corp., have returned from a series of regional conferences in Detroit, Chicago and Kansas City. A new technique of adjustment for reproducing equipment has been developed, they report. The Harry David Circuit at Salt Lake City has just contracted for service. Mills Civic Hero Last week's hurricane made a civic hero of E. C. Mills, chairman of the Ascap administrative committee and one of the community fathers of Shelter Island. The island was in the path of the storm and damage to property was so severe that the discouraged burghers were on the point of a mass movement away from the island, instead of remaining to rebuild. Mills called an emergency town meeting and, citing the civic spirit that rebuilt San Francisco and other communities which have suffered major catastrophes, persuaded the townspeople to stick it out and build anew. Johnson* s Relatives Victims of Big Blow One of the tragedies of last week's hurricane came to light yesterday with the funeral of Mrs. J. F. O'Neill sister of James Johnson, advertising copywriter at 20th Century-Fox. Mrs. Mary Johnson, mother of Mr. Johnson, and his sister were at their summer home at Westhampton Beach, L. I., when the storm struck. The house was washed away. The two were listed as missing. Searchers found the body of Mrs. O'Niell Sunday and the funeral was held yesterday at St. Bartholomew's Church. Mrs. Johnson is still missing. Mr. Johnson was unaware of the tragedy until he received a wire from a sister in Chicago who noticed her relatives' names in a newspaper list of those missing in the storm. "Room Service" at Rivoli $45,000 Hit "Room Service" is doing a landoffice business at the Rivoli, garnering a reported $45,000 for the first week, the daily and weekly take equaling the theatre's top grosses of the last three years, according to RKO. A three-week run is assured. The third week of "Spawn of the North" gave the Paramount a reported $31,000. "Marie Antoinette" at the Astor netted $11,200 in a sixth week. "Fugitives for a Night" grossed $6,200 at the Rialto. Garner Memorial Speaker Claremore, Okla., Sept. 27. — VicePresident Garner has accepted an invitation to make the principal address at the dedication of the Will Rogers Memorial Museum here Nov. 4. John Boles will sing a solo. SMPE Speakers Named The Society of Motion Picture Engineers has arranged the schedule of speakers at the opening day luncheon of the annual fall convention at the Statler in Detroit Oct. 31. Mayor Richard W. Reading will welcome the delegates, and speakers will include Dr. C. F. Kettering, research head of General Motors ; Jamison Handy, president of the Jam Handy Corp., and George W. Trendle, president of United Detroit Theatres Corp. Films Are Moving In Truck Strike; Accessories Halt (Continued from page 1) cies accepted film for delivery but bills of lading were marked "subject to delay." Efforts of the Mayor's office te*,effect a settlement of the strike fl^'re unsuccessful up to a late hour *last night. Grosses Up Since Drive Start — Blank (Continued from page 1) 1 to continue the good results to the end." Managers of all Cleveland theatres will meet today at the Cleveland M. P. Exhibitors Association rooms to map plans for drive activities throughout the remainder of the campaign. M. B. Horwitz, regional chairman, will preside at the meeting. A Cleveland promotional committee for the drive has been organized already to direct local publicity for the balance of the campaign and have originated a local contest based on the national one. Profit of £122,224 Reported for Odeon London, Sept. 27. — Profit of £122,224 after interest payments and taxation, and profit of £368,197 before those payments have been reported by Oscar Deutsch, president, at the first annual general meeting of the Odeon Circuit. He reported assets, in theatre equipment, furniture and the like of £3,770,325 and liabilities of £98,151. Allied Defers Sessions Allied of New Jersey has deferred regular bi-weekly meetings here until after its annual convention at Atlantic City Oct. 19-21. Plans for the convention are being shaped up by Irving Dollinger, president, and a committee. Wall Street Board Closes Uneven Ask for RKO Allowances Wicker, Neilson & Riddell, attorneys for Alfred West, who started the original equity receivership suit against RKO, filed a petition in the U. S. District Court here yesterday for an allowance of $2,000 for services rendered from January, 1933, through June, 1934. Net Open High Low Close Change Cons .. m m X E. K. ... ..165 166 163 163 —2 G. T. E.. .. 12 12 12 12 + 54 Loew .. 4654 46% 46 .4654 Loew, pfd. ..10654 10654 106J4 10654 Para. .. 87/s, 9H 854 854 — H Para. 1 , 78 78 78 78 +2 Para. 2 .. 954 954 954 954 + u Pathe 8 M m 7?4 -54 RKO 2 2 m 2 20th Fox .. 2154 2254 2154 22 -54 20th pfd.. .. 31 31 30 30 —2 W. B. .. .. Sti SU 5 5 — Little Curb Activity Net Open High Low Close Change Tech 1754 1754 1754 1754 Trans-Lux V/s V/g VA VA — % Univ. Corp. 3!4j 356 356 356 + 54 Bond Issues Decline Lightly Net High Low Close Change Keith 6s '46 91 91 91 —1 Loew 354s '46 98-34 9&H 98->4 —1 Para. Pict. '47.... 75 75 75 W. B. 6s '39 72 72 72 (Quotations at close of Sept. 27)