Motion Picture News (Jul - Sep 1930)

July 5, 1930 Motion Picture News 35 Kansas Exhibs Laying Plans to Tweak Bluenoses Kansas City — Blue-noses in Kansas will be routed to a fare-ye-well if plans now formulating in exhibitor ranks take form, for the battle for an open Sunday is about to begin. Enacted sixty years ago, exhibitor opinion throughout the state is that the Sunday closing law is antiquated and has outlived its purpose. The first blow in the conflict may be precipitated by theatre owners in a wide open Sunday all over the state by way of hurling the gauntlet of defiance in the face of the state attorney general. A leader in the movement is Harry Moulton, manager of the theatre at Sabetha, where Sunday shows are being given. Local ministers there are moving against him, charging a defiance of the law. Some Showmen Can't Keep Dough Portland, Ore. — Not only do suburban exhibitors have a hard time getting money. It's difficult occasionally for them to hold on to it. For instance, the other day a notorious gunman known as the "sock robber" because he uses such a "receptacle" in which to carry off his coin, shoved a diminutive gun through the cashier's cage at the Alameda here and demanded the "gate receipts." Eva Morarity, cashier, pretended to faint and several minutes elapsed while she sparred for time. The robber became impatient, reached through the window, scooped $50 in silver into his "sock" and hurriedly departed. Not only do the suburban exhibitors have a hard time to get this amount, but they also have a harder time to hold on to it. Cracks at "Ingagi" Have No Effect on Seattle Run Seattle — In spite of "official bans" and wide "adverse" publicity heaped upon the much-discussed "Ingagi," that film has been piling up a big gross at John Danz's Columbia, where it is playing a secondrun engagement. So big are the receipts that Manager Andy Gunnard is holding the picture over for a second week. All this in the face of the fact that the picture played three weeks to tremendous business at John Hamrick's local Blue Mouse during its first run engagement just a few weeks ago. The Columbia management advertises the fact that it takes no part in the present controversy as to the authenticity of the scenes in the film, but merely invites the public to come and see for itself whether or not the picture is faked, as reported. The ads never fail to mention the fact that one of the much-discussed scenes shows "wild women consorting with gorillas." And What a Flapper! "I just got back from Europe, and I suppose you think I'm all tired out. Well, I'm not. I'm not. I'm a flapper, I insist, and almost tireless," Marie Dressier told a New York newshound who was sent to the Savoy-Plaza to find out how a film player feels at 58. Miss Dressier told the reporter plenty, as evidenced by a six-column streamer reading: " 'I'm a Flapper,' Giggles Marie Dressier, Who, at 58, Danced Every Night in Europe." Ministers Fight Sunday Shows; Citizens to Vote Plant City, Fla. — The city commission has issued a call for a special election July 22 on the question of permitting Sunday shows, following the presentation of petitions bearing names of 38 percent of the registered voters. Last summer the Capitol here notified the commission it could not successfully operate during the hot months unless permitted to show on Sunday. The commission was in favor of it and it was agreed that no opposition would be made, so plans to open were arranged. The churches, however, couldn't see it at all and threatened to have the manager arrested if he should open. Rather than provoke a fight, the manager decided to withdraw the Sunday opening, and the house was closed during the heated term. This year the theatre decided to have the proposition put to a vote and caused the petitions to be circulated. 'Dawn Patrol' in Winter Garden Premiere of First National's "The Dawn Patrol," an aviation-war picture, will be staged July 10 at the Winter Garden, New York. F. N. expects a summer run there. Richard Barthelmess is the star, and the story is based on "The Flight Commander," by John Monk Saunders. There are no women in the cast, which includes Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Neil Hamilton, William Janney, James Finlayson, Clyde Cook, Gardner James and Frank McHugh. Depinet, Sears Return From Three-Weeks' Trip Ned E. Depinet and Gradwell L. Sears, general sales manager and western sales manager, respectively, of First National, have returned from three weeks spent in the middle-west, west and south. In addition to conducting regional sales meetings in Chicago, San Francisco and New Orleans, they spent several days at the company studio. Methodists Still Look Hopefully For "Reform" West Palm Beach, Fla.— The Methodist Episcopal church, south, at its annual Florida conference here, adopted resolutions against thost everything, including pictures. Regarding them the resolution reads : "There is a growing conviction that the motion picture industry as now conducted constitutes a real menace to the home and all the moral foundation upon which our country rests. After eight years of failure to fulfill their promise to reform they now renew these promises and, while we hope these reformations will be forthcoming we frankly confess that we have little confidence in those who have so often broken their word. We urge our preachers and people to make a careful study of these influences and take whatever steps they deem necessary to correct them." Lots of Words; Can't Use Them Hollywood — The "don'ts" which hedge in and restrict production don't rest well on at least one writer here. Joseph Franklin Poland, who recently ditched studio politics by opening an office of his own as a writing base, is the squawker. Wails Poland : "Dialogue must be prepared with particular care that no words or phrases are employed which might offend some class or group. Sometimes words that are innocuous as far as one region is concerned, have a significance in other places that demand their omission altogether. The list of forbidden words and phrases is growing steadily." Katz Invades Ottumwa And Walks Out Victor Ottumwa, la. — Sam Katz has met Ottumwa and it is his. The Empire Square and Strand Orpheum have been purchased by Publix from Stephen Braun who has been managing these houses for the past year. The theatres are reported to have been bought for $150,000. This is the first time that Publix has had a theatre in Ottumwa. This purchase carries control of the theatre business, with the two largest houses in Sam Katz's hands. Publix takes the. houses over Tulv 7. Publix Invades Fox Domain; New Theatre for Plattsburg Albany, N. Y. — Publix is edging into Fox territory. The company is to erect a new theatre at Plattsburg, N. Y., this summer. Harry Harris, of New York, representing Paramount, closed a deal, taking over the Plattsburg Theatre property as well as the adjoining church parsonage. It is understood construction will get under way at once.