Variety (May 1931)

^4rtc?i«iyr May 6, 1931 PICT VARIETr AVHh; icisflmoiiy find ■ aveumoflts •ndcd last wetk,/no decision^ 5e liaudca down until.,fttll in the ^ir bi'oiieht in the N.. V. Supreme Coiirti ))y Ed win. Stanton dhd-Fred. Wuni'hi minority ?tockl)Oiclcrs of: . io-^v. 's. against Nicholas . Schenclc, Pavid Bci'nsteln,. Arlhiup^ I^^^ etlii^i'-'^. -'Scllon Avas to Teeoyer; $9,- poo ooci allegedly unethical - i)rolU BiaUo by these Loe^v offlcers from tlte"K:i!o :or tUelr stock holdings to fox Vttm In February. 1929. . . XUwvors must siibnilt their . final briefs to Judge GbtlHp by May 30.' It ■ has boeii Indicated, by both: sides that foUOwlng/the' decision: an ap- \pcaV,ls,llkely/y ■ . . - v nicanwhiie, it is .stated Nicholas Cchpnclc Will not. retire as active head of LOew's until he is -60.' /TUats 12 years olt. XIntU then he will retain his.- post as pree- Jdent oE * Loew's, Inc., : which jncliidcs Metro. This, indication, al- ■ Uioiigh. unofflcial. Is authoritative in a general iB-ay.lt includes the en-; . lUre c.xccutlve setiip o£ the two coiii- • panics aa rioW, conSlitut.eia. . . Princlijal point of contention In Jhe suit is wliether Scheiick,. Bern- Vein and L<3e^V 'Violated any fldur clary capacity, as .directors Of the . company, wlien they agreed to Iwll' .their accumuliitlve 'holdings tb: Fox ■ Film without cbnsuUing.- or notlfy- jne. the board of-directors or sto'ck- '.holders;;" \;':/ \';-;:. .' ^: Petioit, May 5. : Tracy and DuncanV.bris.inatbfs'Of - flic Jobhy act,', .-ire also fliling the . role Ot 'thb: ■fltilshers of tlic same idea.' They leave the; employ of Piihiix, at the Michigan the.atre. to ■ 'go on as a susta;inlnicr' riadio program >la M'XYZ. . / ; . This, act.' tlve first bt the 'vogue ■ for ]ol)l)y entertainment, is also the last. liSiid for lobby work exclusively. One i i'iispn for the falling off. In de;-. mand is tiiat the ibbtilcs rto longer . '•re cifbwdcd ; with standees . every night. Staiidees. Only On the weck- '(Bnds as a. rulc, .li then. ' $2 House Contest ■ In front bf.thC Criierion. New ■yprk/ -w-hcrb ParamoUnt's ■"Sinillhg Ijleutenant" win open. : at $2,. signs say . that' prizes of up to .tiiO will be. paid tb those who;guess the day and hour. of;. the picture's-Start. . '' ; .'• Prizes are \$2S to tlie .first re-; . corded ^at' 'th^.' theatre, ..with $.5. each for the next^ flve Best guessers, Manufacturers PI a h ni i n g Regular Fefatiire Releases with Subtle Ad Plii^ Figure Indie Houses Will Welcome Revenue to Play Them ^ Using VNiames''^ with First Onie Ready TAX CLOSING 1^ RKO'S DOUBLE BURN AT COL'S F-WC DATES ■ Hollywood, May 5. Columbia's "pirlglblc" gbea' to 'Pox, east and west, for release,- and RKO: is plenty, peeved. B ICO also observes tliat . despite fta Columbia contract fbr product, and playing Col. features and shorts, the best COli-released- short, "Mickey Mouse," is distrlbuted through For ■West Coa^t. '-v Sleeky Syracus^ . ■ . Syracuse,.:May 5., 'Sirlv'lnff to build tip buslriesa for Friday midnight prehiieres,, Keith's la Inviting all pa.tronS:Of the 9;-p. m. • final .sho.w of thb week - tb remain .Without, additional ciidrgei for' tlie . >wl screening. .: . Response thus fair has:been riegll. Wble, testltyihK anew tliat.this is a > o'clock town. States which tax the boxofflce will bceonte .the; inlerlor. centers of the country, and the maijorlty of picture theatres in the U. S. during the past year: rbalize^ ,less than 10% profit in weekly revenue. This includes theatres of all classes. .' The warning to state governments Is being Issued by pmclal film men. It follows Immediately, upon the heels of the Adoption of the lu.'cury tai ln Nortl; .Garplinat ■which clalma one cent f or e.ybry 10 taken into any N. ,0: boxotflce. Poihtlngf 'out that this state will be .enriched br'about »3o0,000 thrbugli this new tribute from its .250^Olm Itlieatrea, .picture Industry's sages also. declare; that North .'t;.-irbjina can also lose, that much or more. :■ ■ Those farriillar with; the 'present N. C. .theatre , status .calculate that tuily 80 thealtrea in 6hat state -will bb ;lorced tO fold because';, of.: .the nbwf, leglslatibn. Besides which pic- ture-companies -will halt, all build ing of new theatres. South Carolina, .Top ■ jlorth Carolliia is ■tlie second state to adopt, the admission tax. - Just ia.ycars ago South Garolina: adopted a similar measure. Partially be- cause of these terms, arid more flo tiian gebgraplilcally- Irt the reason picture executives declare that South Carolina has lieen practical- ly abandoned by showmen.'. Today it is the poorest state, from, the en tertainment angle in the nation. The North .Carolina' tax .is espc. cially hard on the . small hbus.es ;sis the bi>e cent' arrangement: is suth that; while the big theatres pay out 10%, those theatres charging five cents have to-turn over-20%.of the gross as tax. ■ . . North Garolina is-t-ho only .one' of 31 states which: at the^ beginning pt th6ir:legisiatiVe sessions had admis- sion taxes up for 'conslderalibn; The 'r'emaining; 30; rejected ; the idea-of faxing the fllm. iiouses; '' Paratnoun t-Publix lias the strong est repcesentatloii: .iii North Caro; lina with 24 theatres. ; : ' V RApib^ STORY :5d6UTS Hollywood, May 6 . 'fivrty;. hbberts. Coast '■ aicenarlo head lor: lladio, ;jind Jane- Murhn, •taiT; Avrlter, left ior NeV York .yea- tthln-y. (;4) on a atory liunt,: ini to C(>i;\^i'er,' with ' ICay BrOwri,' eastern Scenario head.; V ' • ■ .M iss SlMrnn has been'working on •a : s.Tcf.ti - adaptntion of her play, "U-.iMK.;, Vvho Tok-e," : which, was pul ipii dt' the: Mason here, baclted: •In-' li.i.lio/ (imV-sUliin Studio is In'/.lti^ ov.ci- tli.o.srTj|)t;fi)r Uliu pv.T '■- ;■.-■'' ;- ■}■'■-, ■ ; ";;• Milwaukee. May 6. 'Vi^ith but three votes in:, its favor and those ■ cast • by; farmer assembly.- men, the, proposed 4% tai on gross receipts of Wisconsin theatres went to quick oblivibrt. tO the tune pi!.' 72 tb 3 last Friday (1). ;Ncw3paper3- thrpughOiit the state went, after it hamriier and tongs, and theatre operators ' are aSialh sleeping nlglits. \^ \ ; ; ' SAINT jbHNSON" AGAIN ; . ;; ': Hollywood;; May i ' ' 'Walter Huston will :be starred in '•Saint Jobrtsori:' 'at Universal ahead oit-''BoilHevlard,;' >'; : .'. • : ' ■' Botii pi(?turi3'' have been- ou-and offei's at- that studio. . ; ■ Borro.wing Louise ; \>;--.| ; ; - Ilollyw 6 Anita rioul.sa ljorrbvved iVy Kadio for '-Are These Our .C!illdr..'n?" I.- HALF OF DUAL BILLS Roxy, Fox, or House; StaffBonus ^Neltirig. more; for -th.b ;united ; ' -Artists' Ne.w Yorij e.icch.insn tha^ any - other 'Ciiaplin,'; UA; has iiaiided; bonuses :bri 'the 12- weelc; engagement'i . of t "Cit j; Llghtii:' .to tlie house'^ staft at the Cohan. ■ ,• ■.- .-,- ■ -'''■ \ Hollywood, May i. y' CommereiaiJy .financed ;^ motion pictures; ar'e offering ;thtL first ohal^ tehgo: to 'ill* ; film industry .on its own ground. Several series of shorts have air' ready been made on capital sup- plied by national ' advertisersi but the idea is new extending to fea- tures. , Makers;^^giira these ^ will be particularly ace.eptabis as the sec- ond ■ iialf of doubls feature ;pra* grarhsi ■;',- These films dtftar from ;th» , so- called commercial. 'and Industrial pictures which are used purely'for direct, aales exploitation; and sales, instruction. The new type la made particularly for theatre tise, the ad- vertising'plug being indirect, being confined to a quick mention of & certain product or subtly displaying labels in a picture that otherwise is a regular program featura. Several Independent organizations here liave plans tiiat producers feel threaten the present system Of pic ture production- and release. ' S Cents Per Seat ;;'' ■ - Already some of these shorts are being accepted by second and third run theatres throughout the coun- try, the exhibitor being paid Hve cents a scat per night for the aliow- ings. 'Ae same distribution plan Is figured for the featurea. First feature to reacb here' for editing was made in Alaska, the in direct plug being for' a fur com- pany. Second la now being cast with a budget, cash . for which is supplied by a tire company, large enough to permit a location trip to India. . ; - ".- . ; Story and ."Names" ; In the case of this feature, every- thing i>ossible is being done to make It acceptable for general showing. Story, is by a recognized author and. the cast will contain actual picture names. Entire pro duction will be handled. by men schooled in the picture business The company putting'up the dbu'e^ will be satisfied foir' its part-to have a few signs in exterior scenes ad- vertising its tires. Tlie. Double Feature Angle 'With the double-feature an ex tensive . policy the promoters feel that at no time In the history of the picture business was such an eitcellent opportunity being ottered to break into the theatres;. In this' guise with paid advertising. German Star in Person In Small N. Y. House Fi-ari/! ' Buiiman. Btar 'of ".Student .Spin. Wen die Woilchen Bluehen (To be a student when;- the. violets bloom), German picture, which opened at' the Little Carnegie, New York, Friday (1), ia'Imaklntf a per- sonal appearance- twice dally with the film. He sings some of the sjorigs in the flim, also other songs It's the first time the Little Car ;ncgle lias - played live .' talent };u(;cc.s3tul,: pi'olog3 . ijiay. go ,lnj; de splto restrictions of a very small stage. . FOR PAR-WB Renewal of thoigetrtbgothcr deal between Paramount and Warners, broken when on the verge of con- summation last fall following Par ■Warner conferences, is . reported warm; Status of stock In both cases and incre.ising manpower to max! mum extent in Paramount are indl caters not only to Insiders but out- side oincials. ;; ' :; It is revealed that while the 'War- ner-Par deal was he.ir realization a year ago, I'ar increased its persSon- nel much In the same -vviy as It is riowr iioing. The; significance; of this is that -R-libn the deal was called off Par eliminated; many of the men It. had added while the conferences were on.. That the; s-tme' personnel build-up is in progress .at present, despite rigid economies being en- forced in both ■threatre operation and prbdiictibn, IS- causing P.ira- riiount'.men to place credence in rc- ports of another get-together. Low Stocl<s ■ High parts of the Industry .see In the new ;iow' points rcaciieU Oy the .stock of both companies the, pps.si- billty of a trade arrahgemeht. . Biit thls;;condltlon during the: pjist 'webk also had anotlier interpretation. J. J. Raskbb's pull-out from the Warners is credited' moist widely with having coritriinitcd chiefly to the placement of the Warner point- age. The financier is' .reported; to have sold practical 1>; all of his War ner holdings. ' ; ;_ Warner odlclal's remain non -co.m mittal on the stock sifitus. RKO ain-is to- oXterid it.f iieig)\l),br-". hOod vaudo policy and -may take over nil Fox doluxers in Greater - New Vprlc 'on a straiglit buy. . Pur- pose is to blear .a local, lane for non- cbnipetlilve vaiule spots in its own beiiaif, Proposed deal <loes hot- in- clude tiic Roxy. Fox Brooklyn, and ; probably the Academy will also be excluded. ■ -.;■' : Prbposals are only ;ih the talking ; stage, nothing dennitbly being form- ;; uliUed except RKO's willingness to, buy and Fox's cle;sIro to Bell. -The straight buy :)roposltipiV lii- RKO- is : the Miosf likely. Around eight or nine liousps in M.-inliattah, Brooi;lyh ■ - and the Bronx ai-e Involved, foi: a -. lotcil that may exceed .J.7,500,OOO.;. .; Anibhg tlie; houses- included Is; tlie ;Audubon, uptown spot. This theatre is direct competition with the RKO Coliseum, npd both playing combo programs of vaude and dims. If :,\cqulring;the Xudubbn, RKO is - apt to shift tlie policy at one or th» other houses to leave only one vaude spot. Similar policies m.iy be aimed for other-comixctitlve spots acquired by RKO. UFAONBTO LOEW BOYS BUY IN ON BROKERAGE FIRM Dave and Arthur Loew are re ported having purchased, an inter- est, as of March. 31, In the stock exchange firm of MerVln Ash & Co^ The Loewr boys become special part ners';- ■ It la unknown If, th<!y con- template being active In.tlic brbUcr-r age-hPuse. 'Both are 01Ilccrs pt',th^^ Loew company. . ' Besides Ash and ithe Loews, firm members are ; Cha;'rit>s King arni H. A. Grconliail. Kravetz Out of H-F If . -;'• Jfpllvwo/Hl. May Max ' kr.'i.vel;!, r'-alty . ao'iiiIslLi<;n head of Ilu.ghft.s-Franklln tiicalioa iH out. \ ■■' ■■';; - . Gardner's Fi«t At;U., . ' Hollywoba, May-6. Cyril Gardner, at Universal as dlre;etor; for tlifce mpnthe. will do "Up An:l Up" OB his first ' lie was biatcd • to doV'imi>iit'*"' Virgin," but since this was post- .poned hi> has 'ooen on the waiting U«',, : ■'■■- - ■':■' .,■■ - Radio WonH Roa.dshow ;^ Holly wood. May 5,, ' ;iVidlo won't roJid.show, .any-Of n^j: year's product. Clinrlcs RoitKnzweiir so announ';ftd .*>ie liist day of t!i convention hero. , ' -, ; ' : Chinefie and Gntltay. rirr-lo, ,lo>-.i $ 1. SO h bu^f-H. li.'ivp l.(—n K')i i:'i wit i JI at tiie acarf ltX '.'f i'PU'isliO'.v pii-i.urcs Ufa jijiis taken ; oyer the Cosmo- , politaii theatre on Golnnxbus Circle,' Xcw :i*ork, 'legit ;hOuse dark for many niontiis. Ufa Gerhxan talkers will ;i>o' sliowri as .weli;as; I'fa .ver- (iloivii- in,;olKcr languagca; ; House may ; n'bt ,open;-;for about s;x Weeks, the llioatro meanwhile. uiVdoi-going ajtbrations, --■ KENNEDY REPORTED AS FINANCIAL ADVISOR Joseph Kcri'nedy may return to,; films under certain bankers' plans now: being formulated to slant th# tbrnier I'iulie iiead in a new capacr ly, a.s flhanrial advi.sor in: one. of. ' the; major coinpanies. This com- pany iii one with ■w'hi(>h Kennedy hlih',T(o lias not been connected;^ . ICennedy j.s; rcpped ;is - pecull.irly fit ted-for 1110 now; post by rca.son of lii.f ;-past expcrl'-nce fn films as re- ,■ organizer b£ the firianclal Btructure ' of; FBb, Keith's, and .later of Pathb. Tlie company: cbnccrncd -is one in' wliich flriariolal interests dbwntow.oi are lieavily.lntcvcsted.; . Accbrdlhg to pi-esciit plans^ Ken- nedy will: riot ,be the actual driving head bt the; company. Instead hb will act, as, a coat control executive ,wlth vclb power and second In cbm- , mand. - ' . ■, '■ '•. ;;■ U's New Talent Weak Hollywood. May 5..' Ur.tvr-r.'i.'if'.'j rccenti, hunt for ta'^tit liasn't. b.'iirX'eil .'ini' prizes ybt. Most (if till! pii,-.-ill>;iiti'.'3 rounded up are alrc.'tdy using the second half of ih<-lr rouii'l trip tickets, "tlve lot; regaril.s ;tiie .search, ,; cbridlictP.d in wbst'irh coll.ogos arid; stock : cpm- pa,tiies, ;as ■ a , waste,,: oi:. time and tnoiiey. ■ ;■ '^'; ;:■ ;.;; ' '."Kent; Morgan, student at Utah .\i{rlcul)iir.'it Gbllc-je,,; is ,tal;ing ,a- spcond' series Of ti:sl!),^h,pwj;vcr. 'lie . inay-yet ;!'alo-a job. :; , ' . Vacationing ., )f5"' iy R' I'.fi t - l{;i,''l ib, studio s,f.>rT ;eil11')!-;. and J.itif} ^iurf)n, ; allti.or,, Aviil .<i)ir-inl a'-nioiilh vac'atinliliig iij : \.-v.- v..!-i:.;- ■ ■ , •,-,: •' , T-ti,"„v, .Tr-ri\,'> /v',v)fv' 't'-e- C>\''t„tl,it»; \';i\f'<ii '■' ■■'■ ; ',;': '■■,■ ■■ ■ -■ ', -.;