Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

IIMIIMAIIAPCIHLH^ St. Louis Union Officials Report Political Expenses St. Louis — A statement of political expenditures by high officials and members of the local unions of the lATSE and MPMO filed with Recorder of Deeds English reveals they spent a total of $3,155.32 in their efforts to defeat City Comptroller Louis Nolte for re-election, and that they also contributed $3,175 to the Democratic party. Nolte Re-elected for Sixth Term The union hoped to retire Nolte to private life because he had permitted a city employe to operate a traveling motion picture projection machine used to give picture shows in various institutions. John P. Nick, lATSE vice-president, and other local union officials wanted the city to employ union projectionists, but Nolte declined on the grounds the union would require two men instead of one and that the union scale was higher than the wages being paid the city electrical engineer who was operating the projection machine. At the election held in April, Nolte was the only Republican to be elected, being renamed comptroller for his sixth four-year term. The report filed with Recorder of Deeds English reveals Nick donated $525; Clyde A. Weston and C. O. Newlin, $200 each; St. Louis Theatrical Brotherhood Local No. 61, $1,000, and MPMO Local No. 143, $1,250. Among the large expenditures made by the unions in the political campaign were $899 for a sound truck and $600 for the wages of a sound engineer. Bill for Union Scale Introduced Just prior to the election Nick and Nolte held a conference on the city’s projection problems and finally Nolte agreed to the introduction of a bill in the Board of Aldermen specifying that in the future the projectionist must be paid the union scale of wages. But the bill died in the last session. It has been revived at the present session of the aldermanic body. The bill provides the projectionist must be paid $230 a month. The former projectionist for the city resigned from that post to relieve Nolte of the fight being made upon him by the unions. Another bill that has been dropped into the aldermanic hopper revises the safety code for motion picture theatres and the operation of projection machines therein. It provides that one operator must be employed for each machine. An individual two-operator bill was passed at the last session but was later vetoed by Mayor Dickmann. The unions’ agreement with local theatres now provides that an operator must be employed for each machine, but many private picture exhibitions ignore the rule. Theatre owners have objected to the writing of a union requirement into the city ordinances. LEO PLAYS .vr HOI.IAM OOI) CONVKNTIO.N The powers that be in the Milwaukee exchange would do well to watch Eddie Lipson’s next expense account. At last reports he was about $175 in the red during the trip out. D. E. Ross, salesman in Chicago, had a bright idea in Chillicothe, Ohio. He wanted to “gang up’’ on a “guy we haven’t been able to sell for five years.” The train, hoivever. wouldn’t wait. The food’s so good (and free) that Sam Shurman, Milwaukee branch manager, is almost constantly tormented. After bringing his weight down from 210 to 160 he’s just about ready to go off his diet. Adam J. Shumow, Milwaukee salesman, doesn’t drink, smoke or gamble. Possibly you can figure out his weakness. It took a lot of talking to shame Fred Bartos of Chicago out of a blue pants and yellow sweater combination he wore on the train. His convention attire is quite modest. Verdict Awaited on Cash Nights Indianapolis — Judge Wilfred Bradshaw of municipal court was to determine Friday whether theatre cash night drawings are legal. The action was brought by John W. Langwell against the Tower Theatre, General Pictures Corp., owner of the theatre and Louis Goulden, company president. The suit set out that Langwell was declared winner of $100 at a cash night drawing in the theatre but the manager refused to give him the money. Lewis Murchie, Langwell’s attorney, said the prize was refused on the ground that Langwell had registered twice for the award. Before determining evidence in the case. Judge Bradshaw first must determine whether cash night constitutes the operation of a lottery. "Art" Dancers Fined St. Louis — Girl dancers must wear more than a pair of sandals when they perform here, even if they do call it art. City Judge Ruddy has ruled. Recently he assessed fines of $300 each on two dancers billed as “The Girl From the Moon’’ and three men connected with a carnival who operated the sideshow in which the females did their stuff. LOUIS B. GOULDEN, who for the past ten years has been president of the Fountain Square Theatre Co., has disposed of his interests in the company and tendered his resignation as president and director of the company. Goulden is president of the General Theatres Corp., which operates the Tower Theatre in Indianapolis and also heads the Stanley Theatres Inc., operators of many theatres in Indiana. The Fountain Square Theatre Co. operates the Granada and Sanders Theatres in addition to the Fountain Square Theatre. Indianapolis had the pleasure of having a juvenile star as a visitor last week. Muriel Kearney, the 12-year-old actress, spent a short vacation in the city with her uncle, R. C. Kearney. The Local Variety Club entertained Guy Craig of Columbia and Curtis Butler of Universal at a dinner Friday night in the local tent. The dinner was given in honor of these two men who have outstanding records in charity work with Variety. Mayor John Kern and Chief Barker Carl Niesse made short talks on their achievements. About 75 members attended. Lee Balsly. head of the 20th Century Fox advertising and sales division at the home office, was a visitor at the local branch during the week. The Mid-West Theatre Supply Co., Inc. (Ohio corporation) has been admitted to do business in Indiana. They will manufacture and sell theatre and motion picture house supplies and equipment. Sam Eibeck, Columbia booker, resigned for a similar post with Affiliated Theatres, Inc., with offices in the Chamber of Commerce Bldg. The Alni Theatre, South Whitley, Ind., has been taken over by Don LeBlum, Decatur, Ind., exhibitor. Jack Schwartz, circuit operator, is planning to build a new theatre in Beech Grove, a suburb to Indianapolis. Johnny Howard, formerly of Indianapolis, and now in Detroit at the head of Paramount exchange, was a visitor along Filmrow and local theatres. The Wabash Theatre, Clinton, Ind., is installing a new air conditioriing system. The Amuzu Theatre, Oakland, Ind., is undergoing a complete renovating and remodeling. A. O. Hassensall, operator of the Grand Theatre, Evansville, is building a new 700 sealer on the main thoroughfare. The new theatre will be a first-run. The Paramount Theatre, Indianapolis, has installed cooling equipment. Jack Finklestein is the operator. The Maumee Theatre, one of the Marcus houses, has new projection and sound equipment. Harold Hayes, new operator of the Royal Theatre, Fairmount, Ind., is planning extensive improvements in the house. 74 BOXOFFICE May 8, 1937.