Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1931)

June 13, 1931 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 11 SECRET REPORT HAS AROUSED M. ?! S. TO NEW FIGHT ON CAUMONT DEAL Columbia One-Up on RKO and Fox By Trade Asks Why Facts Slicing 1 i Hours from Work Schedule ^re Not Revealed It looks like a competitive battle between RKO, Fox and Colunnbia in the race to bolster personnel morale, with Columbia one-up at the close of this week's session. RKO, Fox and Columbia have definitely tabooed salary slashes, with Columbia this week gaining a lap by reducing working periods 1% hours weekly. Columbia's home ofRce closing hour, beginning Immediately, will be 5:30 P.M. daily, instead of 5:45, while the office will close at 1:00 P.M. on Saturdays, instead of 1:30 P.M. Schlesinger Finds Way to Mint But Cold Isn't There M. A. Schlesinger is at it again — counting the potential millions which he, and apparently he alone, believes lie ahead in the form of royalties on alleged patent violations of another Lee DeForest device. Last year, Schlesinger, who purchased various DeForest patents, started suit against Western Electric claiming violation of the Ries sound patent. At that time he said he was all set to hire a corps of assistants and auditors to aid him in handling the tremendous bookkeeping job in counting the millions which he expected would come from victory against the Bell interests. Schlesinger lost that suit on appeal and forgot about the royalty business until this week when the U. S. court of appeals on patents gave to Schlesinger priority rights to a certain sound-on-film printing machine invented by a former DeForest engineer. And, though the court's decision had barely reached the press, Schlesinger began to figure out who's going to pay on this one and how much. "It's the biggest thing we've got," said Schlesinger, but even that failed to cause a ripple in the laboratory field. The decision, Schlesinger pointed out, will be administered fairly and equitably, but what he failed to state is that the patent is being violated by only interests which are very inconspicuous in the industry, and does not at all concern the large and more important laboratories which do not use the device. Publix and RKO May Try Plan fo Lease Transfers Although the theatre pooling plan of Publix and RKO was stopped in its formative stages through legal objection, it is understood that after further discussions a new arrangement has been arrived at whereby the leases of one company will be turned over to the other in various localities. It is said that the plan will be tried first in Chicago, with RKO at the receiving end. Universal After Juveniles v/ith 1931-32 Serials L'niversal will concentrate in serials all production and financial resources which are available for juvenile appeal in next season's product. Starting with "Battling with Buffalo Bill," the company intends to line up "name" casts for the four serials planned for 193132 release. John Wayne will star in the initial release, with Johnny ]\Iack Brown playing "Bill" and either Dorothy Revier or Marceline Day as the female lead. Jim Thorpe, Indian athlete, is spotted for a lead in support. "Heroes of the Law," "Airmail Mystery" and "Danger Island" will complete the quartet of serials for 1931-32. In the Good Ol' Days Sponsored reels are exactly 31 years old! Back in 1900, Tom Crahan contracted with the Edison interests on behalf of Northwest Transportation Company, to make an eight reeler, paying $5 a foot for the negative. The Alaskan gold rush had just started and Northwest, which operated a string of boats between Puget Sound and Alaska, wanted a picture for promotional purposes. When Crahan and Robert Bonlne, Edison's man, arrived at Alaska, their first sight was a huge sign, freshly painted by Harry and Herbert Miles and reading: Miles Brothers PHOTYGRAFTERS & MUG ARTISTS Cabinets, $27 a Dozen Cash, Dust or Nuggets British Coal Magnate's Son Reported Loser by Half Million on Film — Warner Shalceup Rumored By W. H. MOORING, London Unless present plans are modified in the light of subsequent revelations, there is to be further parliamentary agitation here concerning the process by which GaumontBritish is alleged to have come under American domination and its effect on the British industry generally. Those M. P.'s leading this agitation are -Messrs. Remer and Muggeridge, and both are understood to be basing their case on the secret and confidential report prepared at the instigation of the London Trades Council, acting in liaison with the Trades Union Congress. Already this report has been received and examined by the Board of Trade, who, however, have no authority to make its contents public. Alfred M. Wall, secretary of the London Trades Council, is not disposed to issue the report to the press, though he has agreed to consider doing so. The trade on this side is . asking : Why all the secrecy ? The report was prepared for the London Trades Council by Geo. T. Slow, a member of the stafif (without officer's status) of the statistical department of the Customs and Excise. Mr. Slow is therefore a civil servant in the employment of the Government, and presumably in making the report on Gaumont he drew on certain sources of information not usually open to the Trades Council. Assuming that the executive of the London Trades Council entertains no doubt concerning the analysis of the situation which Mr. Slow has put before them with the utmost confidence and assurance, why should not the full facts so revealed be immediately released to the public? In New York it is stated that Fox is to sue Gaumont in connection with the recent financial deals arranged between the two. The point is made that Fox executives purchased certain Gaumont stock under the impression that by so doing they would gain a hold on Gaumont sufficiently strong to insure blanket of playdates for their product. Actually Fox alleges, in addition to a 49 per cent stock held by Gaumont interests, the chairman of a financing (subsidiary) company, the Metropolis and Bradford Trust, holds a balancing influence through a 2 per cent share. If this reveals the true state of affairs, can the Trades Council report, which states definitely that Gaumont-British is under American influence through these same financial deals, remain unchallenged? Is the Trades Council now dubious concerning the accuracy of the report which already has been sent with (Continued on page 27)