Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

DIYORCEMENT nGHT TO CONTimiE Kane Takes Stock of Minn. Legislature Minneapolis — Results of the recent Minnesota legislative session were highly gratifying to Northwest Allied States, according to S. D. Kane, its executive secretary who was one of the organization’s lobbyists in St. Paul. A number of bills injurious to the independent exhibitor were introduced during the session, but none was passed, Kane points out. Escape Discriminatory Taxes The fact that the motion picture industry was not singled out for any discriminatory tax was especially pleasing to Kane. A proposal for a state theatre admission tax was voted down by a substantial majority. Failure of the anti-theatre gift night bill to emerge from committee caused many an independent exhibitor to heave a sigh of relief, Kane says. This proposal had the trade considerably worried, he points out. Down Rest Day Bill A bill aimed at the theatres, requiring that employes be given one day rest in seven at current wage and salary scales would have increased overhead considerably. Opposed by Northwest Allied, it never reached the floor of either branch for a vote. Another measure fought successfully by Northwest Allied would have inaugurated daylight saving in Minnesota. Ray Peterson Killed Fremont, Neb. — Word has been received of the accidental death in California of Ray Peterson, formerly an exhibitor here. Peterson had hailed a ride on a truck after his auto ran out of gasoline near Pasadena. He was killed when a passing vehicle sideswiped the truck. His widow and a daughter survive. Slap at Newspapers' Free Shows Minneapolis — Newspapers are coming in for criticism from theatres here for the free and other types of shows which they are staging in competition with the Showhouses, their large advertisers. On the heels of a big Joe Louis boxing show, the Star last week put on a big free baseball show at the Auditorium the day before the opening of the baseball season here. It drew more than 7,500 people. The past week the Journal’s free cooking school at the Auditorium has been drawing capacity crowds afternoons and cutting in to the theatre matinee trade seriously. Admissions Level Tho Costs Mount Minneapolis — Although prices are pretty much along the line and costs generally continue to rise, theatres in the territory still apparently do not see their way clear to boost admissions. As far as Boxoffice can learn, nobody contemplates raising admission prices. Publix and the big independent circuits have no plans along these lines. The general feeling seems to be that conditions in this particular territory do not warrant the raise. These conditions are not nearly so good as in most other sections of the country. SCHAEFFER EXTINGUISHES FILM FIRE Sidney, Neb. — Operator C. W. Schaeffer didn’t wait for the fire department to extinguish a blazing roll of film in the Fox Theatre’s projection booth here. Instead he closed the fire shutters, grabbed a fire extinguisher and had the blaze out by time firemen arrived. Battle Will Be Carried to All Districts, Says Steffes Minneapolis — Failure to put through the theatre divorcement bill at the legislative session which ended last week will not end the fight to compel producers and distributors to give up theatre ownership and operation in Minnesota, according to W. A. Steffes, in charge of the national Allied States’ campaign in this direction. There will be a special session of the legislature starting May 24, but it is indicated that that will be devoted entirely to tax matters and, in consequence, no efforts are expected to revive the divorcement bill for the time being. Will Be Pressed in 1939 But during the next two years the battle will be carried to all the legislative districts and when the lawmaking body reconvenes in 1939 the divorcement measure will be pressed even harder than during the session just passed, declares Steffes who is confident that he can put it over following the present temporary setback. Then, too, by 1939 it is a virtual certainty that the U. S. supreme court will have passed on the constitutionality of the North Dakota divorcement law which the Minnesota Amusement Co. (Publix) has announced it will contest in the courts, Steffes points out. If its validity is upheld as Steffes expects, impetus will be given to similar legislation in Minnesota, he believes. Anti-Zoning Bill Dead The anti-zoning bill, opposed by the vast majority of independent exhibitors as well as the exchanges, is believed dead for all time. Like the divorcement measure, this measure which required exchanges to release pictures simultaneously to all theatres charging the same admission, was approved by the committees of both branches, but failed to reach a vote on the floor. GALA OPENING AT ONAWA Onawa, Ia. — Opening of the new 500-seat $35,000 Iowa Theatre here by Mrs. Muriel Frandsen and Bob Oliver, who also own the Onawa, was made a civic affair. MIDWEST EDITION Is One of the Seven Sectional Editions in Which BOXOFFICE Is Published Weekly. The Other Six Editions Are: NEW ENGLAND, MIDEAST, CENTRAL, WESTERN, SOUTHERN, EASTERN. JESSE SHLYEN, Midwest Editor, 4704 E. 9th St., Kansas City, Mo. Phone CHestnut 7777. MAURICE WOLFF, 801 Wesley Temple Bldg., Minneapolis, Minn. PAUL JAMES, 2711 N. 56th St., Omaha, Neb.