Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

LA EXCHANGES BEGIN Branch Heads Refer Action to Home Offices; Affects 500 Los Angeles — Encouraged by the recent passage of the Wagner Labor Bill and the general trend of workers to unionize, Lps Angeles’ Filmrow workers have fallen in line and are making plans to affiliate with the exchange employes branch of the lATSE. Los Angeles is probably the last of the large exchange centers to take this step, the reason being that it is recognized as one of the weakest union towns in the country. Nearly 500 workers will be affected by the move, which is being made under the direction of Harry Newman and William Beatty, executives of the lATSE, both of whom have refused to comment on the drive. Local exchange heads have also refused to comment on what policy their respective companies will adopt when the move becomes final, indicating in every case that it is a problem for the home office and not the branch manager. Observers, however, are of the opinion that the exchange heads are resigned to the fate of eventual unionization, having seen virtually every other exchange center unionize within the past several months. To Complete Organization The first meeting of the exchange employes was scheduled for this week, the date and place of which had been set at the time of this writing. At the meeting, the plans, aims and wage scales of the new group were to be discussed, a petition for a charter was to be made and temporary officers were to be appointed. So far it is planned to include all bookers, shippers, poster clerks and inspectresses in the union, with a probability that all front or general office workers will also be brought in. Tentative wage scales to be demanded for these workers are as follows: Head booker, $75 per week; assistant bookers, $50; head shippers, $40; assistant shippers, $32.50; poster clerk, $35; assistant poster clerks. $25; head inspectresses, $25; and inspectresses, $20 per week. The average increase in each classification is about 20 per cent, with a smaller scale for the independent exchanges and poster companies. "We have no complaint to make against our working conditions or hours. Our only fight is for better pay. which we hope will replace what in many instances cannot be called a living wage,” said spokesmen for the exchange employes. “Los Angeles exchanges are noted as being among the lowest salaried in the country, yet workers at the studios, doing exactly the same work as our shippers, inspectresses and poster clerks are receiving from 20 to 30 per cent more pay.” Although it has not yet been definitely decided, it is believed that when the new organization is formed it will be affiliated with the Projectionist’s Union, local 150, whose headquarters are on Filmrow. Film Row Club Goal Is $25,000 Los Angeles — Setting their goal at $25,000, pla7is were laid last week by officers of the Film Row Club, at a luncheon meeting at the Elks’ Club, for a series of parties to raise money for the Filmrow relief fund. A general arrangement committee will be appointed shortly to take over active planning for the events. The first of the parties has been tentatively set as an all-day picnic and dance to be held about July 4. Plans for the next Filmrow dance, on May 22, were also discussed at the meeting. Park Competition Looms in Denver Denver — Summer competition for Denver’s film houses is coming up this month, with the opening of two amusement parks. Both have spent thousands of dollars in improvements expecting the biggest years in their histories. Lakeside Amusement park, opening May 22. has spent $60,000 on improvements in rides, buildings, and the park proper. Elitch Gardens, opening May 15. has spent $75,000 in modernizing its ballroom, building a new junior roller coaster, installing new games, and other improvements. SUCCESSFUL TOUR BY WASHTON STATE UNIT Seattle, Wash. — With 100 successful performances to its credit, the Washington State Theatre, only one of its kind in America, officially completed its first year and returned here to prepare to open a four-week engagement at the Repertory Playhouse. The one hundredth performance was given in Longview, Wash. The theatre, founded in April last year by a $35,000 grant from the humanities division of the Rockefeller Foundation, began its actual tour with a complete acting company playing Shakespeare’s “Comedy of Errors.” The comedy was presented to adults and high school students in every community in the state. The Rockefeller grant is for a threeyear period, and at the end of that time the Washington State Theatre is to become an independent educational theatre company operating in cooperation with the state board of education. UNI«ING Meyers Slander Suit Settlement Mystery Seattle, Wash. — Was Victor Aloysius Meyers, Washington’s baton-wielding lieutenant governor, damaged to the tune of $10,000 a word by Radio Comedian Fred Allen’s wise-crack? At present it is all a deep mystery. Late in March, Meyers filed a $250,000 slander suit against 20th Century-Fox, Fox Distributing Co. and local theatres that exhibited the picture, alleging his career had been damaged by the comedian’s following remark in the picture “Thanks a Million”: “Up in Washington they elected a jazz band leader lieutenant governor, and, if people will vote for a jazz band leader they’ll vote for anyone.” Now the suit, upon stipulation of the parties, has been dismissed with prejudice, which means it cannot be reinstituted. The defense counsel declined to say whether a settlement had been made and referred inquiries to Meyers’ attorney, who by the way, was out of town. Anyhow we know the case is closed. BILLBOARD BATTLE POSSIBLE IN TRISCO San Francisco — Another billboard battle became possible here this week when the city planning committee recommended to the board of supervisors that advertising signs be prohibited on all streets approaching the Golden Gate bridge. The bridge, which links San Francisco to residential Marin county, will be formally opened the end of this month. Outdoor advertising firms are already planning erection of 24-sheet and other stands in available locations in the vicinity of the approaches. The city planning committee’s recommendation was referred to the city attorney for legal scrutiny, and will be returned to the supervisors within the next two weeks. Ban at Bay Bridge Failed One of the hardest-fought issues in the recent city election was the proposal to ban billboards on all approaches to the San Francisco Bay bridge. Initiated largely by the clubwomen of the city and placed on the ballot by petition, the billboard ban was defeated by only a narrow margin of votes. If the board of supervisors approves the suggestion to banish advertising from the vicinity of the second of the two bridges, it is considered probable that local advertisers will seek to test the ban’s legality in court. 46 BOXOFFICE : : May 8. 1937.