Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

ITO Reports Demand for Third Exhibitor Group New York — The notion of Harry Brandt, president of the Independent Theatre Owners of Greater New York, for a third national exhibitor organization, is being kept alive by articles in The Independent, the association’s organ. “Independent exhibitors, disgusted with what they term the ‘sterility of the MPTOA,’ have besieged the ITOA offices with letters demanding and asking for the formation of a new national exhibitor organization headed by a leading public figure who can fight for their welfare with some degree of success,” the paper said in its issue of April 10. Suggest Regional Meetings “The general tenor of the suggestions and inquiries stresses the point that no man is too big for the job and the salary would be made high enough to attract persons of outstanding ability.” Mentioning the name of one “demanding” a third national exhibitor group, the paper continued that with a leader of the calibre outlined heading such an organization, exhibitors “would at least present a united front against the producer-distributor interests.” Suggestions have been made that regional meetings be held to formulate plans, to be followed by a national meeting at which the new organization would take form, the article said. REPUBLIC STARTS MANAGERS' MEETING Chicago — The first of a series of regional meetings for Republic branch managers was held here by J. J. Milstein, sales manager, on April 10 to discuss current product preliminary to the company’s national convention this spring. Among those attending were Max Roth, central sales manager, Irving Mandel, Harry Torch and the Chicago staff; L. W. Marriott, Indianapolis, and Jack Frackman, Milwaukee. Milstein will preside at a meeting in Kansas City on Monday with Gilbert Nathanson, Minneapolis; E. J. Hilton, Des Moines; Henry Novitsky, Omaha; Nat Steinberg and Barney Rosenthal, St. Louis; Sol Davis, Oklahoma City, and Bob ’Withers of Kansas City and his staff scheduled to attend. After two additional regional sessions, Milstein will proceed to Los Angeles to confer with Herbert J. Yates, president of Consolidated Film Laboratories, and the company’s producers on a definite date for the national sales meeting. A1 Adams, publicity and advertising head at the home office in New York, will leave for the west coast next week for the conferences. MPTOA Head Names Radio Committee New York — Carrying out the inundate of the Miami convention, Ed Kuykendall, MPTOA president, appointed a committee Thursday to survey radio competition with theatres. The committee'. Walter Vincent, New York, chairman; Arthur H. Lockwood, Middletown, Conn.; Lewen Pizor, Philadelphia; Samuel Pinanski, Boston. “This committee will welcome ideas and suggestions from exhibitors on the radio problem and will undertake to examine the practical matter of what should be done, how it can be done, and what sort of regulation or control would reduce the damage to stars and theatres to a minimum,’’ Kuykendall said. VanBeuren Officials Talk Feature Plans New York — With the decision of the board of directors of "Van Beuren Corp. to cancel its future production schedule, conferences were begun this week among officers of the company toward setting up its program of feature pictures. George Hirliman, president of Condor Pictures, which with RKO owns all "Van Beuren stock, arrived from the coast this week for talks with A. J. "Van Beuren, chairman of Condor’s board, and Frank M. Snell, in charge of the company’s eastern activities. Early discussions center about production details on “Nine Old Men.” The company probably will make a series of color shorts for either RKO or Grand National release. Van Beuren contracted to produce 32 short subjects for RKO release this season, the last of which is expected to come through in July. Newark Game Test Newark, N. J. — Affiliated Enterprises, sponsors of Bank Night, will seek to determine its rights to continue the game at the American here, which was recently raided by police, when the case comes up before the grand jury next week. Magistrate Valani, sitting in police court, held Charles Horne, manager of the theatre, without bail pending the hearing. DISTRIBUTORS BOW TO SALES TAX RULE New York — Repeated postponements on the part of major distribution companies’ attorneys in moving for permission to have the U. S. supreme court review the decision holding film rental transactions within the city subject to the emergency two per cent sales tax is seen as an indication that they favor payment of the tax without further contesting its validity. Auditing Has Begun This view was divulged by a high city official, who, in the absence of further distributor moves, revealed that the comptroller’s office has already begun auditing the assessments against the distributors and will commence collections in about a month. Only the possibility of a review of the decision remains as an obstacle toward unloosening the distributors’ purse strings to the extent of about $2,000,000, representing arrears in the two years of accumulated taxes plus penalties and interest. Boxoffice’s informant pointed to the fact that had the distributors felt there was a chance of upsetting the decision of the state’s highest tribunal, which upheld the validity of the tax on March 16, some form of action would have been taken before now, particularly as the first quarter payment of the sales tax is due April 15. DEL. TAX EXEMPTION BILL PASSES HOUSE Dover, Del. — The bill ex.:mpting motion picture studios from taxes for 15 years, introduced in the house several weeks ago, passed that body last Thursday. Howard E. Lynch jr., house attorney, explained the bill, declaring it would not exempt from taxation property held by film concerns not used for that business. The bill was introduced by Rep. 'W. R. Ringler of Millville. Three Win Sunday Shows Baltimore, Md. — Three bills permitting Sunday motion pictures in various sections of Maryland in which they have been barred have been passed by the general assembly. Two are subject to referendum. One of these would permit showings in Annapolis and another in Oakland, Md. The third bill provides for showing Sunday films in the fifth district of Anne Arundel county, providing 10 per cent of the receipts from ticket sales go to charitable organizations. Defer Ad Rate Tilt Rochester, N. Y. — The three local newspapers have postponed a threatened increase in the motion picture advertising rate which was scheduled to go into effect April 1. H. M. Addison and Lester Pollock of Loew’s are credited with conducting the negotiations which resulted in a postponement of the rate increase at least to September 1. 24 BOXOFTICE :: April 10, 1937,