Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1931)

June 2 7, 1931 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 51 YOUR PUBLIC AND YOU IT IS the aim of this department to serve with practical common sense. It is the p these columns developed into a working Pu hibitors may make use of a common mediu represents to you, your business. To Mono your interests and you! For instance, what pictures have you found to be particularly acceptable in your community ? You are a voice of the industry. Have you made your voice heard? Within the past month we have seen tentative schedules of the year's coming releases announced by each large producing company. But these schedules are tentative. They are subject to many major and minor changes. What are some of the pictures you would like to see the Hollywood and East Coast Wizards make in the next twelve months? There are, for instance, the educational, juvenile subjects, like "Skippy" ; fine, human interest stories, like "The Millionaire" ; historical epics and glorified Westerns, like 'Cimarron" ; problem pictures of the type of "Seed." There are the gangster heroics, the tarnished and illicit ladies, the free loves, and souls and sexes — ^which have been your choice for good entertainment? Register — And Vote! There is no voice so stridently impressive to the producer as the voice of the exhibitor. You are his public. Without you, his schedule of announced releases would be as flat as the cold pancake. The producer needs you. Are you ordering what you want? It is all very well to criticize, and be dissatisfied with the product the salesman offers you. Do something more than that. Now is the time to indicate your preferences in the types of pictures. This department of Motion Picture Herald is in a position to forward directly to those agencies responsible for the making of the coming year's product the reactions, the wishes and the complaints of the theatreman. Therefore, it is to your interest as well as to ours, to have you register your viewpoint. Let us know what you think about this whole subject, and, in return, we will tell you exactly what we have done about it. If you prefer not to have your names used your wishes will, of course, be respected. But let us have an open forum through these columns — an unhampered and honest discussion. Have You a Speech To Make? If you have a speech to make, this department has excellent material for your use. What do you know definitely about the details of censorship in your state? How much do you know about the Brookhart bill and its predecessors in Washington? These are questions that vitally affect your business, and while you have been submerged with the details of theatre management, the problems of summer ventilation, fire prevention, lower wages or advertising, the importance of state legislation may have escaped you. In the meanwhile, some of the best legal minds in the country have been studying and thoughtfully analyzing the ramifications of the law that may hamper or help your business. This department offers you detailed, free information. A postal card addressed to Motion Picture Herald will bring it to you. Motion Picture Study Progrann From the office of Mrs. Thomas G. Winters, assistant director of the public relations department of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors in Hollywood, a vahiable little pamphlet has come to us. It is titled "A Motion Picture Study Program," and has, as its foreword, ". . . with its audience of many mil By RITA C. McGOLDRICK the theatreman definitely, constructively and urpose of Motion Picture Herald to have blic Relations Department through which exm of expression and exchange. Your public N Picture Herald, our business represents lions a week, the motion picture has become one of the outstanding phenomena of today, and therefore worth a bit of study and understanding. It has its very human sides — the directors, stars, audiences. Some of the topics concern themselves with history and information. Others may well be discussed and understood by thoughtful persons." The attractive four-page booklet has for its topics : Early History ; The Business of Picture Making ; the Artistic Phases of Picture Making ; Outstanding Personalities of the Industry ; The Problem of Moral Standards : 1. Public Opinion — the Box Office; 2. Legal Control ; 3. The Studios' Movement Toward Self Control. Educational Importance ; American and Foreign Made Pictures ; and a complete and valuable bibliography for study programs, not only for women's clubs and organizations interested in the study of the motion picture, but for those actively engaged in the exhibiting of the screen's offerings. This pamphlet is available for those of you who may care to have it in your files, if you will write us for it. It is worth your consideration. An Endorsed List Because of the demand for the endorsed lists that this department has offered you from time to time. Motion Picture Herald will publish and distribute each month hereafter, a composite list of endorsed pictures taken from the most reliable reviews and from the personal observation and judgment of the editor. The list will be, as far as it is possible to make it so, an authentic guide to exhibitors and public groups everywhere to the month's decent and fine pictures. It will be timely, complete, and reliable. Exhibitors and clubs may have the service by addressing a request to Motion Picture Herald, 1790 Broadway, New York City. Radio Reprints This department also writes and distributes each week a radio service on news and notes of the studios and the reviews of the week's best pictures which is broadcast by dozens of clubs and organizations all over the country, and used for club reference and discussion by hundreds more. Have you a radio contact in your territory? The broadcast is a free service. Many stations accept it gladly. Your local orroups may be able to make splendid use of it. Radio is the most valuable propaganda medium in the world. Make use of it for better pictures, and for better business. If you cannot plan for local broadcasts, the radio reprints are informative and up-to-the-minute. This is an additional helpful service which the Herald is glad to offer to you. Sunday Shows for Pelham At last the two years fight for Sunday shows at Pelham Heiehts, N. Y., has been won by the theatre interests. The village board vetoed the blue law. Do D. Bloom to Canada Selection of Dewey D. Bloom to take charge of sales and exploitation of British pictures being distributed In Canada by Regal Films, Ltd., is in line with the plans of Regal to increase its number of British releases. Bloom has had extensive experience in the United States in the selling and exploiting of motion pictures. Bloom, whose home is in Hamilton, Ontario, has also spent some time with studio executives in England. Bloom came to the States from eight years of service in Canadian Westlnghouse Company, and joined the publicity department of the Selwyns, stage producers. Next he joined Fox in charge of one of its Broadway houses, then to publicity for Associated Pictures, to Pathe in charge of Long Island studio publicity, and next to his own offices. After a tour of England and Continental Europe, where he was manager for Gertrude Lawrence, he organized publicity departments for the Kit-Kat chain of restaurants. Next he joined Metro-GoldwynMayer, and It was while he was roadshowing "Trader Horn" that H. L. Nathanson, general manager of Regal, came in touch with him. Kentucky Upholds Chain Store Tax Chain store legislation, with which the subject of circuit theatres on occasions has been linked in addresses before exhibitor organizations by foes of the chain stores, saw several important developments in the past week. The Kentucky court of appeals upheld the tax on gross retail sales, the measure affecting all retail stores but principally chain and large department stores. At Columbus, Ohio, the bill to tax chain stores was killed in committee in the lower house. In Illinois the senate amended the measure before that body to license only chain stores retailing groceries, meats, drugs or tobacco, eft'ective July 1, 1932, to set the license levy at $25 each for the first three stores and $200 for each additional store. Back to First-Run The Fox Coliseum in Seattle is back in the first-run fold again, following the closing of the Seattle Fox and the Blue Mouse. Gets $250,000 For Film H. L. Gumbia has sold "The Mad Parade," which he recently produced independently, to Paramount for $250,000. It will be released shortly.