Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1934)

Tuesday, March 20, 1934 MOTION PICTURE DAILY 7 Who? What? When? Omaha (Continued from page 6) of the Film Boards. From 1925-28 lie handled considerable legal business ior the MPTO of Nebraska and Iowa, [n 1931 he received his present appointment. He is married and has a son, age 6. He is a member of the Omaha and N'ebraska Bar Ass'ns, the Omaha Country Club and the Omaha Chamjer of Commerce. St. Louis St. Louis, March 19. — David Nelson, substitute for Louis Ansell as :he unaffiliated exhibitor member on he St. Louis grievance board, has jeen connected with picture theatres lor 24 years, or since he left high ;chool here. In the early days he was a musician, )ut later became interested in exhibiion. In 1919, he joined the Famous Players Missouri Corp. and for that ;ompany managed the Lafayette, S'ovelty and Grand-Florissant for various periods. From early 1920 until April, 1924, le was manager for Harry Koplar's .Yebster Theatre in North St. ^ouis. Then he purchased the Irma nd with his wife operated that house intil March 29, 1925, when he was .ppointed manager of the new Maplevood in Maplewood, Mo. His wife ontinued to manage the Irma until October, 1925, when they sold the louse. He remained as manager of he Maplewood for four years. In March, 1929, he took a part in*erest in the King Bee on Jefferson \ve. but disposed of his interests i April, 1930. In June, 1930, he was lade manager of the Wellston on Easton) Ave. in Wellston, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis, and has been very successful with the house notwithstanding that the district from which it draws its principal patronage was very hard hit by the depression of 1929-34. He is a member of the MP.T.O. of St. Louis, Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois, an affiliate of the national M.P.T.O.A. Robert Burnett, impartial member on grievances, is a member of the law firm of Stern & Burnett with offices in the Ambassador Theatre Building. Born in St. Joseph, Mo., on Oct. 7, 1892, he received his early education in the grade and high schools of that city. Later he attended Iowa University and Missouri University, receiving his LL. B. degree from that institution in 1915. Upon passing the Missouri bar examinations in June, 1915, Burnett immediately entered practice in St. Louis. When the World War involved this country in 1917 he enlisted in the Army Air Service as a private and worked his way up to a captaincy. W hen the armistice was signed he was stationed at Mineola preparatory to embarking for France. He was honorably discharged from the army in December, 1918, with the rank of captain. During his legal career he has represented some film companies as their attorney, but has not had previous experience as an arbiter. He is a member of the American, Missouri and St. Louis Bar Ass'ns and of the Westwood Country Club. Francis R. Stout, impartial member on clearance and zoning, was born in St. Louis in 1895. After attending the local public grade and high schools, he attended Missouri University in Columbia and then took his law course in Washington University, St. Louis, graduating in June, 1917, with his LL.B. degree. Admitted to the bar, he began to practice here in August, 1917. He is a member of the law firm of Stout & Spencer and is married. Stout has never been retained as counsel for any film concern, but has occasionally figured in legal cases for some of the companies. He is a member of the Missouri Athletic Ass'n. Columbus Ideas on Boards Are Varied Columbus, March 19. — Reactions among the exhibitors to the code boards, in the light of more mature deliberation, bring out some interesting sidelights. Some, including a few habitual "conscientious objectors," see no reason for the existence of the boards, especially the grievance body, and contend that the industry will be involved in additional "red tape" without commensurate results. Others express themselves as feeling that non-resident members, unfamiliar with local conditions in a given situation, cannot possibly render service which will represent "the greatest good to the greatest number," regardless of their inten tions. Diverse opinions are voiced all along the line. Culled from the maze of suggestions as to how the interests of the exhibitor might best be served, if no boards existed, is the slant of P. J. Wood, secretary and business manager of the recently-organized Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, whose idea is that a highly able disinterested man, aside from an attorney, of broad commercial experience be employed at each exchange center. His duties would be tantamount to those of a judge in a law court, arid he would adjudicate exhibitors' cases. This arbiter would, of necessity, need be paid a salary of generous proportions. "But," says Wood, "he would be worth it." "V" 1933 Loss Down $233,390 Under '32 Universal Pictures and subsidiaries showed a net loss of $1,016,893 for the year ended Oct. 28, 1933, according to the company's annual financial statement just completed. The report compares with a loss of $1,250,283 for the preceding year ended Oct. 29, 1932, and includes taxes and deduction of $583,614 for amortization and depreciation. Blue Law Vote May 15 Ridgewood, N. J., March 19. — Repeal of blue laws and authorization for Sunday films will be voted on by Ridgewood May 15. Last year the liberal issue lost by 263 votes. Dickinson Recovering Lawrence, Kan., March 19. — Glen W. Dickinson, circuit head, has left St. Luke's hospital in Kansas City after three weeks' serious illness and is recuperating. First engagement at Boston clicks ■ big! Now watch for reports from St. Louis and Toledo! A DARRYL F. ZANUCK production STARRING jack OAKIE Presented by JOSEPH M. SCHENCK thrt UNITED ARTISTSy