Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1936)

8 MOTION PICTURE HERALD July 2 5, 19 3 6 This Week The WPA Invites Bids Specifying that "the contractor shall agree to cause to be released and/or distributed one newsreel story on the subject of WPA activities each month during the life of this contract through the medium of a nationallydistributed newsreel," forms inviting bids on a contract to produce films "to consist of subjects and sequences of State and/or citywide interest, recording the story of Works Progress Administration activities" were dispatched under date of July 17th from the WPA headquarters in Washington, D. C, to a list of producing companies including 4 of the 5 standard commercial newsreels. Bids were returnable July 24th. Complete text of the specifications, description of product and method of award, is published on page 13. Diplomats See "Time" Following the protest against the current issue of the March of Time to Secretary of State Cordell Hull by the Dominican Minister at Washington, a special screening of the disputed sequence was held in a Colonial garden on a private Virginia estate before an audience composed of Washington diplomats. The screening was arranged by Time Magazine 's Washington correspondent after the state department had "regretted" the incident to the Dominican government and had refused to suppress it because of the American principle of freedom of the press. An account of the protest, answer and screening is found on page 26. Fox Bankruptcy The William Fox bankruptcy hearings continued this week in Atlantic City and the creditors scored a semblance of a victory in their attempts to examine the books of the All-Continent Corporation when an entire page of one of the corporation's ledgers reached the court as evidence. Mrs. Fox, and her daughter, for whom the corporation was formed six years ago as a trust, has repeatedly refused to allow her books to be opened for examination and creditor attorneys are still trying to get the ledgers into court. For details of the hearings, see page 48. Process Server Unconscious humor was injected in the $5,000,000 damage suit which Paramount Pictures has brought against Samuel Goldwyn for the loss of the Gary Cooper contract, when Mr. Goldwyn's butler mistook a process server bearing the papers for the suit, for a newly elected member of the board of United Artists. The mistake was shortlived. Mr. Zukor's reasons for bringing the damage action are related on page 18. Film Stock Holdings The Securities and Exchange Commission at Washington this week presented a consolidated report of holdings of officers, directors and principal stockholders of corporations subject to the securities and Exchange Act, in its annual official summary as of Dec. 31, 1935. Holdings of individuals, with classification of stock, are listed, by company, on page 42. Alan Crosland Dead Alan Crosland, noted motion picture director, died this week of injuries he received in an automobile accident in Hollywood on July 10th. The director, who was only 41 years old, had a brilliant career in the motion picture world. Obituary details are given on page 61. Editorial Page 7 Pictorial Preview Page 16 British Studios Page 36 This Week in Pictures Page 10 The Hollywood Scene Page 41 What the Picture Did for Me Page 68 Showmen's Reviews Page 62 Asides and Interludes Page 37 Managers' Round Table Page 73 The Release Chart Page 87 Technological Page 85 Chicago Page 56 Box Office Receipts Page 53 The Kennedy Report Released in Wall Street, scene of a backstage battle long pertinent to the affairs of Paramount, text of the Joseph P. Kennedy report on the condition of that company, together with recommendations and suggestions for the improvement thereof, became public property last week. Denied to stockholders at their annual meeting and closely shielded since submitted to the board of directors on June 12th, the report coincides substantially with forecasts of its contents given currency in informed quarters. A summary of the Kennedy findings and text of the report are published on page 44. Strike Concluded Striking workers at the Camden plant of the Radio Corporation of America went back to work on Wednesday after members of the United Electrical and Radio Workers of America voted unanimously to accept an agreement worked out by officials of the company and the union. The agreement provides for an election to be held under the auspices of the National Labor Relations Board. The report of the settlement is on page 28. Expensive Visitors Cost to studios of entertaining visitors, always an item as summer vacationists descend on the production colony armed with letters of introduction from exhibitors, newspaper critics and people who know people who know people, touched a new high this year with one studio charging off to entertainment of a convention party loss of time and labor equaling $10,000. More about this on page 41. In the British Studios Gaumont-British is well along on its increased schedule of product for American and British release, with five pictures in work at Shepherd's Bush. At London Films, the signing of Walter Reisch to write and direct a special feature for Vivian Leigh, West End actress signed by Alexander Korda, was a development of the week. Other nezvs of British production centers appears on page 36. Will Day Passes Will Day, managing director of Will Day, Ltd., an accessory company, and known for many years as the unofficial historian of the motion picture industry in England, died this week at his home in London after a short illness. He was 63 years old. For a sketch of Mr. Day's career, see page 42.