Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

32 .1/ o t i o n P i c t u r c N e Tr i November 2 2, 1930 Iowa Allied Unit Head Resigns Post; Says Secretary Has "Gone Bolshevik" Trouble Brewing in Ranks as Members Oppose Tactics Of L. P. Martin Des Moines — Trouble is brewing in the ranks of Allied Theatres of Iowa, whose president, Tom Arthur of Mason City, has resigned. He says that Secretary L. P. Martin has "gone bolshevik" arranging the booking of stock companies and making tieups without presentation to the board. Clifford Niles of Anamosa, Earl Xeu of Carroll, John McClay of Dubuque, M. Puffer of Webster City, and Vice-President Fred Hagerman, all members of the board, are reported opposed to permitting Martin to "make the organization a business proposition," according to Arthur. Martin, Arthur declares, serves without salary, but is asking for $300 per week at the new election of officers in January. The organization council meets next week, with fireworks being expected. The Iowa association was organized in August and has a membership of 160. It is affiliated with Allied States Association, and was the first organization formed in the expansion program undertaken by the association. Navy's Photophones to Top 300 Installations Increase of the number of RCA Photophone installations in ships of the fleet and shore stations will exceed 300. This is about a 25 per cent over the original estimate. Training schools for operators will be installed at naval bases at Brooklyn, San Diego and Cavite, P. I. Aner to Produce Films Of New Spanish Firm Ernest Vilches Prod, is to make a series of Spanish talkers, starring Vilches, with John H. Auer, formerly of Universal and Columbia, in charge of production and Edward L. Klein handling distribution. Jobyna Ralston Returns John R. Freuler, president of Big 4, has signed Jobyna Ralston for the lead in "Sheer Luck," initial release of a series of eight melodramas which Bruce Mitchell will direct. Miss Ralston, wife of Richard Arlen. retired from the screen after her marriage. Andree Films Good Rochester — After 33 years in which they had lain beside remains of the ill-fated Andree expedition, films taken by members of the party have been developed successfully, Eastman Kodak has been advised. In French Talker Hollywood — Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., is starring in "Un Aviateur Malgre Lu" Can Aviator in Spite of Himself), French talker being made by First National. Are They So Far Apart? Hollywood — The wheeze about all's fair in love and war ought to be amended to include exhibition. The day of the break between the United Artists and Fox West Coast Theatres, Joe Schenck planned to preview "The Bat Whispers." The picture, being on wide film, required special projection. So to the enemy Schenck turned. Moreover, he got his house: the Fox Wilshire. Schenck may be sour on Fox and maybe he won't sell the circuit U. A. pictures, but he accepted the competition's hospitality for that one night, anyway. Witwer Widow Victor in Lloyd Plot Theft Case Los Angeles — While Harold Lloyd was absolved of any personal blame in the theft of the plot, he and his film company must make an accounting to Mrs. Sadie Witwer, widow of the late H. C. Witwer, on profits from Lloj'd's picture, "The Freshman." The decision by Federal Judge Cosgrave may mean the turnover of several million dollars to Mrs. Witwer. Lloyd plans to appeal. The action, originally brought for $3,000,000, was filed by Witwer, who died in 1929. Trial was begun May 20, 1930, and continued until July 12, when the court took the case under advisement. Witwer contended that "The Freshman" was a steal on his magazine story, "Emancipation of Rodney," filming of which, he said, he discussed with Lloyd executives before start of "The Freshman." Earnings of the film are estimated at $4,000,000. Witwer left an estate of $16,500. Witwer's case was presented by Harold Fendler, son of Mrs. Grace Fendler. who for 12 years sought to claim part of the proceeds of "The Bird of Paradise" on a charge of plagiarism. New Publix Units Supplant Arthur Toronto — Jack Arthur's name is out of the billing for the Imperial, Toronto, and the Capitol, Montreal, as the producer of the stage presentations at the two houses, complete Publix units replacing the former stage features. For the new policy at the Toronto Imperial Helen Kane was featured as the guest artist. Miss Kane this week is at the Montreal Capitol. Jack Arthur has local supervision of the imported units. Following the dropping of local talent from the Toronto Imperial, the ballet of 12 dancers has been booked for the Publix circuit in the United States, it is announced. Arthur's stage shows formerly played the Uptown, Toronto, and the Uptown has been starving since it was placed on a secondrun diet two months ago, when the "meat" was transferred to the downtown Imperial. F. P.-Fox Kept From Building By 10Year Pact Toronto — Neither Famous Players nor Fox has started construction of their big picture houses on Vonge Street, Toronto, because of a 10-year agreement not to build a new house in the downtown section of the city, it is stated. Both have acquired large sites for theatres, but the agreement has six more years to run. The situation is one of watchful waiting, however, and a misstep on the part of one would lead to the immediate start on a theatre by the other company, it is said. Famous Players even has its blueprints ready, but, in the meantime, Fox features are being regularly booked into the local Paramount houses. The situation hinges to some extent upon Famous Players' use of the Uptown, which is owned by Loew's, but is being operated on a rental basis. Slam on 3 Press Agents Irks AMP A Members Harry Reichenbach handed out a few' brickbats and bouquets in a prepared speech read Thursday at the AMPA by President -Michael L. Simmons. Mentioning by name the press agents he considers best, with a number of the more prominent advertising and publicity men eliminated and three that he considered the worst, he caused a mixed feeling of surprise and resentment at what many later declared they considered uncalled for aspersions. Paramount came in for some of his brickbats and Reichenbach said he wouldn't work for that company due to its politics. He admitted he was pretty good himself, in handling publicity for the Clarke-Fox Film group in the Bill Fox jam. De Mille Recovering Hollywood— Cecil B. De Mille is at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital following an emergency operation for acute appendicitis. He is expected to be released in about a week. The operation, surgeons said, was performed in the nick of time, as a delay of even an hour probably would have been fatal, for the appendix would have broken.