Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

DEVAffiY IS NEW AllIED COUNSEL Former Minn. High Court Head Signs With Steffes Minneapolis — Northwest Allied States leaders believe they are better set than ever before to launch a winning fight against invasion, circuit expansion, producer ownership or operation of theatres and unfair trade practices as a result of the employment of J. P. Devaney as counsel and advisor of the organization. President W. A. Steffes signed the oneyear contract with Devaney last week. The latter, one of Minnesota’s foremost lawyers and political leaders, recently resigned as chief justice of the state supreme court. Will Aid in Legislation The contract provides that Devaney shall be a member of the Northwest Allied executive committee and act in an advisory capacity on the executive committee as well as general counsel. His duties, it is announced, will be to enlist public aid and sentiment for the passage of the Neely-Pettengill block booking bill and to assist in bringing about state and national legislation “to drive out some of the unfair trade practices which now exist in the amusement business.” However, President Steffes makes clear, if negotiations for the proposed round table conferences are successful and the conferences produce results Devaney’s efforts along many of the aforementioned lines will be unnecessary. Authorized at Convention The employment of Devaney was authorized at the recent convention here when an $18,000 war fund was pledged through special assessments and raised dues. The Devaney retainer, believed to run well into the five figures, will come out of this fund. Devaney is, perhaps, one of the biggest men in his profession ever to serve the independent exhibitors. The late Gov. F. B. Olson appointed Devaney Chief Justice of the state supreme court in 1933 with the state bar association’s emphatic approval. He was elected for a six-year term in 1934 by the largest majority received by any candidate, but resigned in February, 1937, to resume private practice. Heads Nat’l Lawyers Guild Devaney was elected the first president of the newly organized National Lawyers’ Guild, an organization of liberal lawyers with headquarters at Washington, D. C. He followed Attorney General H. S. Cummings and Assistant Attorney General Robert Jackson as the third witness before the U. S. senate judiciary committee in support of President Roosevelt’s judicial reform. In the public prints during the past few months he has been mentioned as a possible appointee to the U. S. supreme court bench to fill the present vacancy. In the American Institute of Public Opinion’s poll covering a cross-section of 175,000 lawyers to determine the foremost members of the bar he ran fifth. Exhibitors Will Consider Protest Tactics Minneapolis — Twin City independent exhibitors, members of Northloest Allied States, are to meet to decide what measures would be taken against “the most flagrant offenders among the local film exchanges in the matter of percentage, preferred playing time arid rental demands and withdrawals.” There is considerable sentiment among the exhibitors for picketing of the exchanges alleged to be unfair to the theatre owners. Northwest Allied leaders claim there has been no break yet in the boycott against percentage pictures. Twin City independent exhibitors several years ago picketed one of the film exchanges here because of resentment over contract demands. The results ivere highly satisfactory , it is pointed out. At another time a threatened boycott of an exchange ivas instrumental in gaining the exhibitors their point. Small Towns in Fair Lincoln — Small town theatres are coming in for a share of the gravy this summer in the signing of the State Fair’s beauty pageant which will be run off in small towns to pick a candidate for participation in the state contest this fall. W. A. “Bill” Herington, promoter of the pageant, has signed about 52 of the local shows already and a great many of them are being held in the theatres. REOPEN AT CALEDONIA Caledonia, Minn. — After a complete remodeling job, the State 'Theatre here was reopened this week. The owner is L. B. West. Patrons Petition on Behalf of Cash Gift Omaha — Members of the Motion Pictures Exhibitors Assn, of Omaha have collected thousands of signatures of patrons asking that the giveaways be continued, but no decision has yet been made on their disposition, according to Miss Regina Molseed, secretary of the association. The petitions to which patrons are affixing their signatures were started soon after Bank Night was attacked in state supreme court by Attorney General Richard Hunter. Even though no decision on the disposition has been made, the petitions still are being kept in the lobbies. The petitions do not ask outrightly for retention of Bank Night but say instead: “When we attend the theatre at Bank Night performances it is for the purpose only of seeing the show.” Irving Heller, city manager for the General Theatre Corp., Columbus and Swan at Columbus, Neb., has collected 1,500 signatures. MARTIN TO MANAGE WYOMING THEATRE Kansas City — Don Martin, assistant manager of the Electric, Kansas City, Kas., has been placed in charge of the Rustic at West Yellowstone, Wyo., and George Baker v/ill be in Kansas City the remainder of the summer. A. F. “Peck” Baker, George’s father, will go to West Yellowstone on a vacation shortly. George just returned from opening the Rustic, and reported the weather so cold he had to don winter underwear and go to sleep with hot rocks in the bed. George asserted gals who came mto the show sat on their feet to keep them warm. 1 )0 YOU NEED A BLOWER THIS SUMMER? brand new blowers With "V" Belt and Pulleys ' — WM ~ “ . B *149'^® CASH II SOUTHERN THEATRE SUPPLY CO. P. O. BX 333 ^ NASHVILLE, TENN. 134 BOXOFFICE : : June 26, 1937.