Motion Picture Herald (July-Aug 1935)

8 MOTIONPICTUREHERALD July27,l935 This Week MOTION PICTURE HERALD'S NEWS SUMMARYCOVERINCTHE SCREEN WORLD Selecting Audiences The exhibitor who overlooks the special audience groups in planning his campaigns is depriving himself of much patronage, declare public relations experts who advocate direct exploitation apart from the usual channels. These classes, they say, must be sought out and made aware whenever there is product on exhibition that they have been demanding. RKO, Paramount, Warner, MGM, Universal, United Artists and Republic are conducting specialized campaigns. RKO has contacted thousands of communtiy groups, educational and religious leaders and others on 11 pictures on its 1934-35 release list. The reasons for the campaigns, both national and local, and their effect at the box office are detailed on page 13. NRA Legacy Officially laid to rest this week, the Code Authority of the Motion Picture Industry leaves a legacy — the Los Angeles clearance and zoning schedule and the general provisions therein which were to have been incorporated in other key city plans awaiting approval when the U. S. Supreme Court brought the activity to an end. Retiring Code Authority members consider the general provisions as worthy of attention when exhibitors in a few months again find it necessary to set up clearance and zoning. The provisions, which West Coast exhibition factors, both circuit and independent, are retaining, can be considered as a foundation upon which local interests in any territory can erect an equitable workable clearance and zoning structure, in the opinion of the retiring Code Authority. While the clearance and zoning perennial issue is dormant at the moment because territories are following precedents laid down by local boards, the Code Authority and established custom, there exist many problems which require attention, particularly in Kansas City and New Orleans. A digest of the "model" general provisions, together with the national picture, is found on page 15, and the complete text of the provisions starts on page 16. Jersey City Arises Jersey City folk have turned to swatting distribution policies instead of mosquitoes, now that the Jersey Journal, of which A. D. Mackie is dramatic editor, is making the populace first-run conscious. The city "desires to get out of the 'hick' class when it comes to presenting films," says a letter sent to the film companies, and "feels that it is the only city of its size (300,000) in the United States which is compelled to show 'second run' features. First to endorse the movement was George P. Skouras, who with his brothers Spyros and Charles Skouras is operating the Fox Metropolitan Playhouses as well as theatres of their own. Mr. Skouras said he had been fighting for this privilege since he took charge of the State theatre in Jersey City. Story is on page 43. Spoor Emerges George K. Spoor, who 40 years ago made his first appearance on the scene cinematic when he financed the projection device of Edwin Hill Amet, and went on with G. M. Anderson to form Essanay Film Manufacturing Company, is planning to return to production and exhibition. According to announcement by Edward H. Barron, attorney for the Spoor family in Chicago, a new producing and exhibiting company will open negotiations in a few weeks for long-term leases of key theatres in six large cities. In these theatres will be shown productions to be made under Mr. Spoor's supervision, employing his large film — -"third dimension" process, a Spoor projector and his patented sound board. The story appears on page 14. Also . . . Editorial Page 7 This Week in Pictures Page 10 The Hollywood Scene Page 56 J. C. Jenkins — His Colyum Page 71 The Cutting Room Page 57 What the Picture Did for Me Page 73 Showmen's Reviews Page 48 Managers' Round Table Page 77 Asides and Interludes Page 25 Technological Page 63 Productions in Work Page 61 Letters from Readers Page 64 Short Subjects on Broadway Page 7! The Release Chart Page 85 Box Office Receipts Page 66 Classified Advertising Page 90 Again y '''Nell Gwyn " From time to time during the past year British newspapers, magazines and the London trade press have become exceedingly agitated over the American Production Code Administration having laid profane hand on the British picture, "Nell Gwyn." The incident, seemingly, only missed becoming subject for a debate in Parliament by a narrow margin. The PCA, it appears, thought the picture could take to advantage a little cleaning up in spots. Hence, quite interesting is the information at hand from the censorship authorities of the Province of Ontario, Canada, which advises that "Nell Gwyn" has been rejected in toto. Reason : "While admitting the historical accuracy of this picture, the evidence is clearly demonstrated that King Charles II was already supporting one mistress at the time he commenced to support Nell Gwyn, which renders this picture unsuitable for Ontario." 77?^ Costly Law Leading corporation lawyers, receivers and trustees and others face the prospect that their 51 specific claims aggregating $3,222,315 for services in connection with the bankruptcy and reorganization of Paramount Publix Corporation, will be sharply pared. That impression was left by Judge Alfred C. Coxe in the U. S. district court in New York last week as he pointedly questioned attorneys who pleaded fairness and reasonableness of their claims. The court commented many requests were high and others did not seem justified. Thus encouraged, the opposition, in the person of former Federal Judge Thomas D. Thacher, special counsel for Paramount, was prepared at the resumed hearing Thursday to challenge many of the applications and ask that some be disallowed entirely. The account of the court hearing on claims is on page 39. Paramount Earnings Evidence that Paramount is responding to reorganization doctoring and that the company is headed for a substantial profit this year is seen in net earnings of $2,411,414 for the first quarter of 1935, as reported to the U. S. district court by counsel for the trustees. This compares with a net of $5,469,512 for 1934, $5,076,317 for 1933 and a loss of $19,945,569 in 1932. Cash on hand June 22 was in excess of $20,000,000. Story and table on pages 41 and 42.