Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1931)

14 MOTION PICTURE HERALD May 16, 1931 MARC H I APRIL I MAY 5ECOMD WEEK | THIRD WEEK | FOURTH WEEK | FIRST WEtk | SECOND WEEK | TWIRDWEEK | TOORTH WEEK | FIRST VVEEK 100/. / ■ — . / ✓ Box office receipts, 10 cities, 1930 (eight weeks) Average receipts, 10 cities, 1930 (eight weeks) Although theatre grosses remain slightly under a year ago, they are now becoming more steady than they were in 1930. This fact is brought out in a tabulation of box office receipts published since March, 1930, with the above graph based on comparative figures for the eight weeks from the second week in March to the first week in May inclusive. It will be noted in Box office receipts, 10 cities, 1931 (eight weeks) * Indicates end of Lent each year. this chart that the theatre during the Lentern period in 1930 suffered a more protracted period of depression than it did' this year. Whereas business dropped 15 per cent in 1930 during Lent, 1931 gained with a decrease of only 10 in grosses, a fact which substantiates a survey published by the MOTION PICTURE HERALD. Torchy Comedies On Educational's 1931-32 Program C. C. Burr, wlio made the original series of Torchy comedies, based on the Sewell Ford stories, for Educational, will produce a new Torchy series to be released by Educational as part of its 1931-32 program of 52 two-reel comedies. Ray Cooke, juvenile comedian, has been signed for the lead in the new series of six two-reelers. The series will be produced at Educational Coast studios. Visugraphic Claims Audience of 25 Million in Ten Months What is claimed to be an indication of public acceptance of advertising pictures is contained a report issued by Visugraphic Pictures, which shows that in a 10-month period, more tlian 24,800,000 people saw commercial shorts made by that company. JThe report, prepared by Mrs. Marie BarreTI, manager of Visugraphic's distribution, and said to be based upon signed statements from managers, revealed the following : Total number of showings in this period. Theatrical— 27,942 : Attendance— 19,919,282. Non-theatrical — L^,184 : Attendance — 4.894,578. Sarnoff, Brown, Rothafel Arrive on Coast for Confab Hollywood ( QP ) — David Sarnoff. Hiram Brown' and S. L. ("Roxy") Rothafel arrived here on Thursday to inspect the Radio and RKO Pathe studios and to confer with production executives regarding new season's production schedules. The visit is Sarnoff's first to the RKO lot. One Up on Reno Hollywood — Following hurriedly called confabs and much heated discussion. Radio executives junked the title, "Waiting at the Church" and in its place selected "Take This Woman." The publicity department, here and at New York, breathlessly informed the world of the change. Followed more hurriedly called confabs and much more heated discussion, and, within 48 hours after the switch. Radio executives junked the title, "Take This Woman," and in its place selected "Waiting at the Church." Germans Demand End of Quota Law Ask Low Rentals Berlin — Abolition of all quota restrictions and resumption of complete international competition, is demanded by the German exhibitors' association, C. E. A., through its president, Herr Scheer. Only by competition can reasonable prices be assured, he told the big Munich convention of the organization. Cheaper rentals are demanded as a complementary sequence to the announcement of Klangfilm, that it is preparing to bring out apparatus for the smaller and mediumsized theatres at a price of $1,400. The C. E. A. passed resolutions at Munich also demanding to correct abuses of censorship, abolition of "blind-booking," and reduction in fees for talking equipment licenses. Yates' Patent Action Against Saland Opens Wilmington — Leon Gaumont, one of France's foremost motion picture men is tlie center of interest in the patent suit trial which started in U. S. District Court here on Wednesday. The suit involves developing and drying machines Gaumont invented for films in 1909. While Gaumont is not in court, his depositions will be submitted by the plaintiff. Cinema Patents ( H. 1. Yates-Consolidated Film). Defendants are Craft Film Laboratories, Steven J. Devoe, Flushing, N. Y., Harry Glickman, Brooklyn, and Nat Saland of Long Island. The suit is based on the alleged infringements of two patents issued in 1916 to Gaumont, one for developing films, and the other for drying films. Gaumont had applied for his patents in 1909 when the industry was in its infancy, but he did not receive his patents until seven years later, and one of his patents, that for drying films, was later assigned to the Societe Etablissements Gaumont of Paris. Both patents later were assigned to the plaintif¥s it is contended. Counsel for the plaintiff opened the case with an explanation of the patents, describing the methods of sending films through the developing, fixing and hypo-bath and then through the drying cabinets. Herbert A. Huebner, counsel for Cinema Patents, yesterday claimed thousands of handymen and mechanics are violating the general patents. Cinema Patents conceded that Craft had legally acquired 26 Gaumont machines, but the question at issue is whether reconstruction of these machines constitute infringement of the patents now said to be held by plaintiff.