Motion Picture Daily (July–Sept 1938)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY 3 New Theatres Under Way in Many Sectors Reports from various parts of the country indicate a considerable amount of new theatre building and renovation of existing properties, especially in the south. The Hialeah in Miami, a Paramount Enterprises, Inc., house, has been remodeled at a cost of $3,000. The Surf is being built for Herman Weingarten in Miami Beach, to cost $75,000, and his Cameo there, costing $100,000, is near completion. The Capitol in Clearwater, Fla., a Sparks house, is being remodeled. A 550-seat house is under construction in Statesville, N. C, for A. Fuller Sams, Jr. Joy N. Houck's Strand in New Orleans is being modernized. Alton Craver and the Hoftheimer Brothers are building a new theatre in Greensboro, N. C. The Coffieeville in Coffeeville, Ala., seating 300, will be opened in a few weeks by N. H. Goodwin. The Dudley in Kaplan, La., has opened. David Sagg is building a $55,000 house in Louisville. Hartman Will Open the Columbia Oliver Hartman will open the Columbia in Electric City, Wash., shortly. Abe Blumenfeld will remodel the Orpheus in San Rafael, Cal. J. J. Franklin is redecorating the 1,400-seat Strand in San Francisco. Mariemont Amusements, Inc., recently formed, plans an 800-seat house in Mariemont, Cincinnati suburb, to cost about $200,000. The Shea circuit plans a new house in New Philadelphia, O. Earl Barrett will open a new house in Atoka, Okla., and Buffum & Doty shortly will open a 300seat house in Broken Bow, Okla. The Rialto in Windsor Locks, Conn., is to be renovated at a cost of $15,000. Warners have remodeled the New Warner, Bridgeport, and the Waldorf, Lynn, Mass. The Pioneer Theatre Corp. is remodeling the Spencer at Spencer, la., and the Isis and Grenada in Webster City, la. George R. Norman plans to open the new 700-seat Vista in Storm Lake, la., in a few weeks. Frank Rubel and Arthur Downard are remodeling the New Grundy in Grundy Center, la. The Avenue in Toronto will be opened shortly by Goldhar & Soloway. J. M. Franklin is building a new theatre, the Mayfair, in Dartmouth, N. S. Jewish Holidays Aid Grosses on Broadway (Continued from pane 1) vious weeks' takes of $40,000 and $32,000. The Paramount yesterday had its biggest opening in a long time with "If I Were King" and a stage show headed by Tommy Dorsey and his band and Connie Boswell. By 5 P. M. the take was reported as $5,000, ahead of the "Spawn of the North" opening by $900, and about $10,000 was expected for the day. There was a terrific crush before the doors opened and police cars were called out to keep the crowd in check. Crisis Stops Talks On Decree in Italy (Continued from page 1) then would leave little to negotiate for, home office foreign managers asserted. Meanwhile, American distributors are required by the decree to file all existing contracts with Italian accounts with E.N. I.C., the new Government-controlled distribution agency, by Saturday. Local 306 Sues for Operators' Back Pay Suit in the N. Y. Supreme Court by Joseph D. Basson, as president of Local 306, for $5,240 back wages in behalf of six operators, against Edjomac Amusement Corp., Max Rudnick, Edward Madden and Joseph Quittner, operators of the Eltinge at 242 West 42nd St., was revealed yesterday. The action was disclosed when Mr. Quittner applied for a dismissal of the complaint. Mr. Basson charged that the defendants breached a contract made March 1, 1932, with the union, by discharging six operators May 4, 1933. Subsequently, the complaint stated, in May, 1934, the defendants were ordered by the Supreme Court to reinstate the operators, but have allegedly failed to pay their wages for the period during which they were not employed. Chicago Engineers Threaten Walkout Chicago, Sept. 28. — Theatre engineers here, members of the International Brotherhood of Operating Engineers, were set to stage a walkout at midnight tonight unless B. & K., Warners, Jones, Linick & Schaefer and RKO theatres restore a voluntary pay cut of 10 per cent which the union granted last July. About 120 theatres will be affected. The houses involved may be picketed starting tomorrow. Union officials say the engineers have charge of heating and air conditioning plants. Lab Talks Broken Off Negotiations between Arthur Gottlieb of Du Art Film Laboratories, where a strike is in progress, and Motion Picture Laboratory Technicians, Local 702, were broken off yesterday and the union posted pickets in front of the Loew Building on Broadway and Caravel Films on Fifth Ave. Mr. Gottlieb said he did not intend to resume talks with the union. He said he contemplates legal action. Open New Durban House The first large theatre in the proposed new South Africa circuit was opened recently in Durban. It is called the 20th Century, signalizing the fact that it will be the outlet in Durban for 20th Century-Fox films. The 20th Century cost $225,000 and seats 1.350. Capital was subscribed locally. The owner is Independent Picture Palaces (Pty.) Ltd. Abandon Trip to Sudan London, Sept. 28. — The Alexander Korda production unit on "Four Feathers" has abandoned a planned trip into the Sudan because of the international situation and inability to borrow British troops. Reels on the Cuff Newsreel cameramen will not be required to pay admission to any games played by member teams of the National Hockey League as a result of a resolution adopted by the league at its meeting in Toronto yesterday. Newsreel men have been required to pay admission to some games in the past. The resolution was championed by Stanton Griffis, chairman of the Paramount executive committee, who is also chairman of the board of Madison Square Garden, owner of the New York Rangers team. Disney Show Honors Mickey's Birthday Hollywood, Sept. 28. — Walt Disney observed Mickey Mouse's 10th birthday last night with an unprecedented press preview of eight forthcoming short subjects at the Filmarte Theatre, taken over for the evening. Correspondents and personalities from the talent and executive rosters passed up concurrent previews of features to pay homage to the incomparable rodent, to the returning of the "Three Little Pigs," to Wilbur, a new Disney creation, and to the producer and his cartoon associates. Reserved for last place on the program and presented with special emphasis as the first Disney short produced from an outside work purchased for . the purpose was "Ferdinand the Bull," a Disney treatment of the book by Munro Leaf and Robert Lawson. Appoint Hilgers to Represent Republic Clair E. Hilgers, formerly with RKO and Universal, has been appointed special sales representative by Republic and will handle contacts in the field for James R. Grainger, president and distribution head. Mr. Hilgers is now in New York awaiting Mr. Grainger's return about Oct. 15. For the last six months Mr. Hilgers was Universal branch manager in Oklahoma City. Prior to that he was Paris manager for RKO two years and was 20th Century-Fox branch manager in Kansas City and Dallas. Two Share in Legacy Rosalie Spatcher Knisherm, ballet girl of the Music Hall, and William J. Reilly, former manager of the Roxy, were named principal beneficiaries in the will of Mrs. Edna M. Elliot, 70, a Broadway figure who has attended films constantly in her declining years. She had received many courtesies from Mr. Reilly and Mrs. Knisherm, whom she watched at rehearsal, and showed her appreciation in concrete fashion. RKO in Product Deal The Martin Circuit, with houses in Georgia, Florida and Alabama, has closed for the RKO 1938-'39 product. Guy Brown, Atlanta branch manager, represented RKO. "World" in Third Week "Edge of the World," released by Pax Films, is in its third week at the 55th Street Playhouse. Thursday, September 29, 1938 Labor Claims Violations of New Films Act By AUBREY FLANAGAN London, Sept. 28. — Already, in^ess than six months of the Films fc^s operation, labor interests are alleging wholesale breaches of the law by British producers. The Trade Union Congress has protested against evasions of the act. Categorical accusations that the fair wages clause in the act are not being observed by producers have been made in an official complaint lodged by the Association of Cine Technicians, who allege that the majority of films made under the new Films Act do not comply with its labor clauses. The A.C.T. claims not a single penny of the additional costs spent by companies which previously spent less than the £7,500 labor cost, has been paid to technicians either in salary or improved conditions. The act says by inference that trade union rates shall be paid to employes. Only in one of the seven major films in production are satisfactory wages being paid, it is stated. Technicolor 8-Month Net Up to $862,612 Technicolor Motion Pictures Corp. earned $862,612.35 in the first eight months of 1938, as compared with $451,258.16 for the corresponding period last year, it was said yesterday by Dr. Herbert T. Kalmus, president and general manager. The figures are after estimated adjustments but before Federal income taxes. This is a new high for Technicolor, which has shown progressively improved earnings since its start several years ago. The company has declared a dividend of 35 cents a share payable Nov. 1 to stockholders of record Oct. 17. Wall Street Stocks Increase % to 4 Points Net Open High Low Close Change Col. . ioy2 12 10% 12 +I/2 Col. pfd... . 29 29 29 29 —3 Cons . m 154 Cons. pfd.. ■ 654 8 654 8 +1 E. K .162 167 162 167 +4 G. T. E. . . 12 1354 12 uy2 +1M • 44J4 4sys 44-4 48 +vy2 Para. . m 954 8 +V/s Para. 1 76 &oy2 76 my2 +2/2 Para. 2 10 sy2 + §4 Pathe . m m + Va RKO . v/s 254 m 2 20th Fox . . x>y2 23 >4 20 23ys +m Univ. pfd. . 35 35 35 35 -VA W. B 5 554 5 554 + Va W. B. pfd. . 30 30 30 30 +m Curb Rises Lightly Net Open High Low Close Change G. N 7/16 7/16 7/16 7/16 +1/16 Tech 16?4 20J4 16^ 20 +254 Trans -Lux 2 2 2 2 + y» Bonds Close Uneven Net High Low Close Change Keith 6s '46 91 91 91 Loew 3y2s '46.... 9954 9954 9954 +154 Para. Pict. 6s '55. 8754 8754 8754 — 54 Para. Pict. '47.... 74 74 74 —1 W. B. 6s '39 7354 71 7354 +1J4 (Quotations at close of Sept. 28)