Variety (Jan 1935)

Tuesday, January 1> 1935 PICT II RES VARIETY ■ Washington, Dec. 81. . Proposed wa^e schedule tor exhlWtora In Greater New York', will be discussed at public hearing at Raleigh Hotel here on January ^ .11, following Tecdmmendatlons of fact-flndliig' cornmlttee appointed several months' ago "by Divisional AdiniriI&tra|tor Sol AT Roschblatt. Schedule, flxjng minimum pay pf projectionists, ranges from low : of 75 cents an hour to top of; $6, aiid Is based on a aO-hpur week, for each operatorj Proposed scales would apply for. perlgd of 10 years with arrangement for riayision at stated Intervals after the: first two years of the term. ^- Stipulation. is -maide that wherie boptti costs on Oct. 1. were less ■ than $60 per booth per week, the basic minimum shall be $60 knd that where cost Is reduced subsequently no reductloii siiall exceed 33 1/3 per cent per week. . Rbcommeinded minimum scale follow^sr^^ . . -ADMlSSiON PRICES- Over 4,000—$6iO0 ah houf. Cost of putting the Strand, N. T,, Into- shape for. re.openlng, calculated for ertd of .January or Feb. Iv will run between $76,000 and $100,000. The whole celling under the ven- -tilators—has-to-4>e-plpped- -out—and rebuilt, constituting a major por- tion of expense. Entire orchestra also, has to be reseated, together with most of the balcony, back portion of which will be taken care of by removal of some orchestra chairs for substltu - tlon there. House will also be com- pletely recarpeted and redecorated except for the stage and front . of house which escaped damage from Are and water. Fire occurred the night of Dec. 14, making it a six wfeeks' loss on : operation if re- opened Feb. 1. Either 'Devil Dogs of the Air,' first Cosmopolitan to release through Warner Bros., or 'Sweet Music' (Vallee - Dvorak), will reopen the Strand, WB meantime probably selling several pictures to other "Broadway houses tor first run. Re- leases held up by lire include 'Bor- der Town' (Muni), 'Maybe It's Love,' 'White Cockatoo' and 'Right to L ive.' an sch eduled to go out: th«P month. v Since the fire WB has sold three aiway, 'Sweet Adeline' to Par (4), 1 Sell Anything' and "Murder In Clouds,' current, respectively, ' at Mayfair a,nd Rlalto. MPTOA'S 15TH ANNUAL CONY. IN N. 0. FEB. 23 Largest turnout in History is ex-: peoted for the 16th annual conven- tion of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, to be held this year in New Orleans Feb. 23 to March 1 at the Roosevelt hotel. This will be the first MPTOA convention since the adoption of the code. —■ It is -expecte(a"tha;t'Ed:rKifykendair wlll be reelected president for an- other year. MONOGRAM'S PAUSE Trem Carr East As Studio Ahead of Schedule 'woodr-De c. 31. Trem Carr leaves here by train Wednesday (2) for New York for confabs in Monogram's new year's product with Bay Johnston; He will be back here Jan, 18.- '■- Currently Monogram is dark pro- duction-wise, not putting in another picture until Jan, 10. With only six.to make to complete the current year's schedule, the: company :. will ease up and. put .only one-plctyre a month before cameras until the end of the filming season in Jiine, Re- c ently the company has bee n put- ting two a month before cameras. Indie Exhib Wins lortant tank Impc Night' Decision ; / .- Marshalltown, la., Dec. 31. - A decision of far-reaching Import aa regards 'bank nights' In theatres has been handed down by Munici- pal Judge L. R. Sheets In favor, of Don Thornburg, theatre operator here, charged with operating a lot- tery In connection With bank nights at his theatre. Off Price War Hollywood, Dec. 31,, A new film laboratory^ reported heeled with large capital to assist in partial financing of Independent producers, will be opened here with- in the next two montlis. . ' H, T. James, who operated the Ches ter B ennett laboratory prior to selling the plant to Consolidated, several years ago, will head the new organization.; It Is understood that James has secured : ample' capital through his gold mining activities in northern California during the past three years. Jack Snydei-, former sales man- ager of Biennett liab, who resigned from the sales staff of Consolidated last week, goes Into the new firm as; sales manager. Jack Ouerln will have the spot of lab superintendent in the setup. ^ Working undercover. Jamais pur- chased a building . In the . Santa Monica Blvd. district, and Is mov- ing In developing and pirlnting ma- chinery, ;, ■ .... ^ - Operation of another laboratory on the Coast, catering to Independ- ent producers may .preclplta.te a price cutting war, as competition Will. necessarily be. keen among the processors. ' . • , Paramount Is retaining Its As- toria, L. L, studio property under a plan .of reorganization worked out by the trustees witii Prudence Bonds ■ arid :otiiera concerned, ex- The decision paves the way for an appeal by the state, the attorney ^ .^^.^^^^..^^ £finfir ftl ha , v l iig n i lpd recent l y t hat;^ ^salr--^4o-hack-t^res-are-owedr-in--' the theatre bank nights, operated by many theatres in the state, are Illegal. The court decision comes on. the heels of Information from -the—office^ofthe attorney general that this ruling might be altered in the. light of other court decisions that had been found. Thornburg swore that those who participated in his theatre bank nights were not required "to pur- chase tickets and that the only re- quireriient was that the person be registered in the theatre office. In his finding the court held that Thornburg neither directly nor in- directly receives any • pecuniary compensation In connection witb tending Par's tenancy of the prop erty to. July 1, 1941, Unlike the Criterion-Loew/s New York site. Par considers the Long Island prop- erty worth holding. The plan of the trustees entails a reduction In the Interest on a mortgage of $930,000^ from 6 to 6% per annum,-rln-return- for^which Par's lease oh the three bvlldlngsi expiring Jan. 1, 1936, is lengthened to July 1, 1941, or five and a halt years. This Is the date on which th(6 mortgage expires. under the new arrangements, . Par agrees to pay a\i back inter- est on the mortgage accrued from Jan, 1, 1933, when defaults began, but at the 6% Instead of the 6% rate. The total will run around $93,000, to be paid oft In cash on approval of the reore^nlzatlon prb come On rental of the property hav- ing been sufficient to take care of this during Par's bankruptcy. Paramount N e wB, under the plan, will take a new-lease on part of the property for the life of the mortgage at $133i000 yearly. HUBERT VOICHT QUITS, OLMSTEAD IN AT COL Hollywood, Dec. 31. Hubert Volght quits Columbia studio publicity post Jan. 6, when lie will be Isucceeded by Ed. Olm- ■s t e ad, b ro ught on last mouth fi uu last iiiuuth from New York to hsmdle special ex- ploitation - on 'Broadway Bill.' - Resignation of Vojght took place after nearly three years with Co- lumbia in the position. He has sev- eral major studio offers, with one reported from Warners to take charge of art and special work at the Burbank plant RE-RE-REVISED REVISION Motio.n Picture Lab Code Gets More • Going Over > Washington, Doc. 31, A re-re-revlsed draft 'of the re- vised motion picture laboratory code will be submitted to industry mem- bers for .ia.pproval and signature late this week. Deputy Administrator William P. Farnsworth predicted today, Aithough-pact was virtually set two weeks ago, minor clarifica- tions and phriaseplogy changes have been made subsequently during con- ferences with various NRA boards and advisors, VB-ct continues basic ; 40-hour week and former wage, scales' but cuts work time for employees on night assignment. •. ^ Hollywood,'Dec. 31, Writers calling for a. showdown, on their code demands, a meeting of the producer-wrlter-^ve and five committee will be held Friday, Jan. 4, to vote on .the pact proposals of the scenarists, with the expecta- tion that "the producers will" vote ag»in?tjhe^ei^^^ done in the case of the actor agenda. Session will be the first get-to- gether of this committee In six weeks, meetings having been halted wheii the two factions failed to agree as to what should he ,wrlt- ten into the code, covering writer- studio relations. Since then the writers, through, the Screen Writers' Guild, have drawn up a lengthy code proposal, although chary that the producers will be In accord with the demands. Writers pusheid the coming meet- ing In order that they can get a yes or .no and are ready, they state,; to appear to the NRA board for a stralghtenlng_o.ut__of the \sItuatlon if the producers turn them down. It was the nixing of the actors In, their five and five committee that br-ought --about—the Actors—Gu'lld- jump to Equity and the; proposed future tie-In with .A,. F. of L, through an AAAA charter, : Although the documentary. de- mands of the^ writers will not be made public until after the meet- ing, it is known that the demands comprise: . : • A'new~de"arin wriier-credity and regulations tha.t prohibit scribblers from getting contracts calling for credit, no matter, how much or how little they 8upply. ;tp ' the finished picture. Arbitration of disputes by a com- mittee of five, comprising two writers, two actors and a fifth, ap- pointed by the code administrator. Provision for a week's notice on dismissal for week-to-week writers. No more than 12 weeks' layoff for scenarists on a yearly contract basis BILL SMALLEY and no layoff to be less than seven days. Elimination df loans, of cpn- tractees without the permission of -thei-wxiter.. involved ^ . Washington, .Dec. 31, First complaint of violation of Interference-wlth-leage provision of the film code to reach the NRA was dismissed Wednesday (26) by the ' governmerit compliance council, which held William C. gmalley of Hamilton,:. N. Y„ failed to jprove point in proceedings against Schlne circuit. Acting by unanimous vote after hearing challenge of authority by. chain -attorneys, council decided - 'complainant has not sustained'the burden of proving that respondent knowingly and Interitionally inter- fered with pending negotiations be- tween complainant and his land- lord pertaininer to or affecting this possession', operation,, or'occupancy • of the' Hamilton theatre, Hamilton, N. Y., for the purpose of prevent- :. ing the consummation of such nego- tiations so as to deprlye-complain- - ant of continued, operation, posses- sion, or occupancy of such theatre.: Upon the basis of evidence submit- ted, the Compliance. Counc.l]|_dpe3_ hot find .a violation of the code aa charged and> therefore^ recommends that the: case be closed.' " . - • Case wM filed several months ago when Glove City Aniusement Com- pany, Inc., of qioversvllle, acquired , the Hamilton by purchase at about this time Smalley's ; lease expired. " Charglnjg Schlne Interests had In- aucea owner to sell In order to drive.- him out of business In that location, . Smalley took the matter to the cbdo authority, which forwfird-papsed the snarl to the government and did not itself act on the alleged violation. Cimrlie Christie Selling Cameras Hollywood,. Dec, 31.. Charles Christie, former comedy producer, now sales manager. for Mitchell Cameras, Is back from a world sales' tour, , with orders for equipment totalling $150,000 from producing companies In various foreign., countries. Eight l-ates t. model Mitchells were s'pld to pro- ducers In India, who plan to go In for heavy production schedules dur- ing the next year. M Christie, who has been produc- ing in the east," arid director William Watson; accompanied the Mitchell exec from New York. PAR PROD. BULGES WITH NINE IN WORK In aelling of atpriea, 26 percent to be paid on' the making of the deal and the remainder within a reason able limit after the story Is finally written. All contracts to be in writing. Promise on part of producer* that at ho" time will writers be engaged through a central booking office.;' LOU GOLDBERG'S CLAIM Fi l m , P , A.;8ayg He First Submitted 'March.of Time' Newareel Idea Hollywood, Dec. 31. Paramount Is experiencing its heaviest year In production In a -number-of-yeaFSr-withTnlrie-plcturea— In work over, the holiday season^ each getting started on the old year's budget. . Those working are 'Ruggles of Red Gap,' 'Caprice Espagnpl,' 'Wingsm the Dark,' 'Rumba,' 'Mis. slssippl,' 'All the king's Horses,' 'Win or Lose,' 'Now I'm a Lady' and 'Car 99,' ;;■ Production schedules indicate,that the studio will continue the rush for at least .the neit- eiglit weiaks. i Mabel Kinney Heading Fed. Fem Training Dept Hollywood, Dec. 31. Federal Apprentice Training de- partment for women and girls will be launched here and in Frl.sco the first week in January, with. Mabel E. Kinney, chairman . of the extras standing committed, In charge. She will assume these dutieis In addition to her NRA and state postki ! Similar organizations ~ are.. being Initiated In every state for the pur-; pose of tralnlngf. women and girls of minor age for jobs to be found for them, ■ ■ ■■■ •■ the 'bank night.' COL'S SECUKITIES APPUC. Washington, Dec. 31, Application for registration pf two securities issues on New. York ex- changes was filed last week by Co- lumbia Pictures, Studio asked Securities and Ex- change Commission for perniit to list, voting triist certificates for 6,023 share's no-par commpn on N, Y, big board and 4,340 shares no-par com- Bxoh on curb. Lang East for Story Confab with Ladunann ' Holly wood, Dec, 31; Walter Lang is heading east for a vacash and Broadway 0.6., during which time the Radio film director Will huddle with Marc Lachmann, who sold an original, ^J^our Stdrs for Love,' to Felix Young, RICO. Ra- dio producer. Lang.will direct, Jim- my McHugh arid Dorothy Fields will interpolate the musical num- bers, and Vera Caspary - Bradford Ropes have the adaptation asslgn- merit. V : It's a Broadway story from Lach- mann's practical experience with shoestring legit producer , who.se shows he p.a,'d. Hollywood, Dec. 31. In order to make additional music arid photographic tests, Walter Wanger's 'Private World,' scheduled to start Wednesday, has been set back until the 10th. Frances Langford, new Wagner cpntractee, goes into the cast She Is also scheduled for one of the leads in 'Vogues: of 193B,' Wanger musical. ■ Lou Goldberg, film exploiter, has retained counsel in a claim purport- ing to show that he was the origi- nator of the idea of a newsreel for Time magazine along lines being carried out by this publicatlon.ln its. production of 'March of Time' and that he submitted it to 'Time. Goldberg claims he prepared an analysis of a newsreel of the type the magazine Is getting put, suggest- ing that It be known either as 'Time, on the Screen' pi- 'Time Marches On' and presented it to Roy E. Larsen, vice-president in charge. of circula- tion, after discussing the plan. At the time, two years ago, Larsen al- legedly wrote Goldberg: that while the idea interested the magazine, it would not go forward with it. .'March of Time' series of news- reels will be released one a month by First Division. Helen Strauss With Wanger . Helen Strauss will represent Wal- ter Wanger in New York. Wanger is opening offices In New Y'ork this week. ■ ■■./.■^'■; ' Miss vStra.u.s.s. was iformerly with Fox. . . : ■