Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1931)

46 MOTION PICTURE HERALD April 11, 19 3 1 Pastor Charges Film Ads Show Ignoring of Industry's Codes Chicago Theologian Urges Woman's Club to Support Four "Reform" Movements Chicago — By reading motion picture advertisements authored by Chicago and St. Louis circuit theatres, Dr. Fred Eastman of the Chicago Theological Seminary endeavored to show the representatives of 100 state, county, and city women's organizations, meeting at the Chicago Woman's Club here, that the industry's Production Code and the theatre's Advertising Code are ineffectual and repeatedly are being disregarded by the producers and their theatres. After describing the Hays organization and its public relations department as "agencies created by the motion picture trust to convert the public, not the movies," and referring to it as "a naive organization that has no power to eliminate a single foot of objectionable film," Dr. Eastman urged the women to support four so-called "reform" movements, which, he promised them, would make motion pictures everything the women desired them to be. The reforms he asks are: Passage of Senator Dill's bill call• ing for a federal investigation of the industry. Effectual picture censorship at the source. Previewing by the state department before shipment of all films designed for export. Passage of the Brookhart bill calling for elimination of block booking and blind buying. Public support of the Chicago board of censors and elimination of "pink" or "adults-only" permits for picture exhibition in Chicago were asked by Father Dineen, a Chicago clergyman identified with exhibition reform movements here. Separate programs for both children and adults were recommended by Mrs. Alice Miller Mitchell, former chief censor of the Chicago board, as a solution of the "child movie problem." Other speakers at the meeting included Nelson A. Green, editor of Educational Screen; Mrs. O. E. Brooks, chairman of the joint committee on motion pictures of the Chicago Woman's Club; and Paul Hutchinson, editor of Christian Century. Mrs. Arthur Plank was chairman. 17 Fox Houses Already Sold; 1 80 of 208 Now in Operation Fox has disposed of 17 houses since Harry Arthur took over operation, including three in Brooklyn to Louis Frisch, who will resign as head of Fox Brooklyn and Long Island houses. Of the 208 remaining, 181 are in operation, but will be reduced by summer. A. H. Schwartz circuit and Dave Rosenzweig are negotiating for others. Urges Blue Law Home Rule Philadelphia — The All-Philadelphia conference has passed a resolution urging home rule in reference to Sunday blue laws. Spring and the Dustpan With the advent of spring, exhibitors turn thoughts to theatre housecleaning, and with it the customary fresheninq and decorating of lobby and interior. This year, more than ever before, concentrated effort should be given over also to proper mechanical facilities for cooling, so that when "Ol' Sol" sends the mercury skyward and it reads "90" in the shade, the competition of heat will be met with comfort. To Transfer Loew's To Film Securities {Continued from page 23) part of the present financing program, have Deen sold by the company. Clarke early in the week foreshadowed the withdrawal of Halsey-Stuart from present refinancing by omitting the name of Charles B. Stuart, vice-president of Halsey-Stuart, in announcing the composition of the directorate he would recommend for election at the forthcoming annual meeting. Halsey-Stuart had been expected to continue in the Fox picture. The company had previously been prominent in Fox financial affairs, having underwritten Fox Theatre notes and led in the reorganizing plan of a year ago, when Clarke purchased control of Fox from William Fox. Halsey-Stuart's short term financing plan was accepted by Clarke at that time pending betterment of the stock market, when arrangements would be made for permanent financing. When Clarke brought Glenn Griswold to Fox Film recently as a vice-president in charge of public relations and financial publicity matters, he had in mind the creation of a new type of liaison officer between the industry and Wall Street. Thus Griswold was prominently active in the current financing arrangements. Griswold had been editor of the Chicago Journal of Commerce prior to joining Fox. More Newspaper Writers Move Talents to Studios Hollywood (QP) — Invasion by newspaper writers from New York continues with Imogene Stanley and Irene Kuhn, former members of the editorial staff of the New York Daily News, arriving Sunday, April 5, with Fox contracts. It is reported that Edward Doherty, former West Coast reporter for the Chicago Tribune and recently of the staff of Liberty and the New York Daily News, is considering motion picture writing contracts. 250 Publix Houses Dark It is understood some 250 Publix houses here and in Canada are dark. Reports put the company's total number of houses at 1,659 in both countries. New Fire Code Would Handicap Film Industry {Continiied fromp age 13) with the National Fire Protection Association for 10 years in safeguarding against the film hazard and endeavoring to confine nitrocellulose film to professional use, keeping it from amateurs who may not understand its hazards and who do not have proper facilities for safe storing and handling. As a result of this co-operative activity, fire losses in exchanges have been reduced to a small fraction of previous totals. Point to Recent Fires Regulations adopted in 1919 and amended in minor details in 1922 and 1926 have proved fully satisfactory in application to exchanges, but with new developments it seemed advisable to revise them to bring them up to date and make them more inclusive in application, according to the association. The need for widening the scope of the regulations, it is pointed out, was indicated by a number of serious fires the past few years. Film of the professional type is a nitrocellulose product considered particularly hazardous by authorities because of its ease of ignition, the fact that it will decompose or burn without the necessity of an external air supply, and in combustion may generate poisonous and explosive gases. This variety of film, however, is distinguished from the narrow width amateur film printed on socalled safety stock, which presents no more of a fire hazard than a similar quantity of paper. A. H. Nuckolls, chemical engineer of Underwriters' Laboratories, Chicago, is chairman of the committee which will present this report. Much of the time of the convention will be devoted to action on more than a score of similar technical reports embodying revised standards for the control of specific fire hazards and for new methods of fire fighting. New Chain To Use Turnstile In 25 Houses; Cuts Prices Indianapolis— Five local men under the company name of Syndicate Theatres, Inc., have bought operating control of 15 houses in Indiana and 10 in Ohio, planning a circuit with admission prices slashed 30 per cent from standard. The turnstile is to be used, without ticket sellers or ushers in the houses. Reports indicate that Eastern interests are behind the proposed effort. Stock has been issued. Lord's Day Unit Has Million And Half Names on Petition London — Petition against Sunday opening of theatres to be presented by the Lord's Day Observance Society now has 1,425,000 names. Takes Salvation Army Post A. O. Brown, Lambs' Club Shepherd, is chairman of the theatrical division of Salvation Army's 1931 maintenance drive to raise $528,000. The campaign will be from May 18 to June 1.