Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1939)

Bookkeepers Union Launches A Drive on Home Offices Sees Television Aiding "Legit” New York— Television will help the legitimate theatre, in the opinion of Max Gordon, Broadway producer who is now advisor and assistant to John Royal, NBC vice-president in the production of television programs. His views, in part: "By furthering and developing television from the start, I hope to prove to theatrical people that television is the greatest supplementary medium for their abilities. It cannot hurt the theatre. In fact, it will help . . . Television means a new outlet for the theatre, through the employment of stage technique in the new radio medium. It approaches the theatre as we know it today more than any other form of entertainment." RCA Agreements Cover Television New York — A television clause has been added to the standard film producers’ agreements covering the use of RCA-Photophone sound-film recordings for television broadcasting purposes. The amendment clears the way for RCA’s recording licensees not only to utilize existing film sound tracks for television at no extra charge, according to Harry L. Sommerer, of RCA, but also for them to make sound tracks especially for television broadcasting. The same royalty will be applied to RCA recorded films for television, Sommerer adds. Television to Highlight SMPE Spring Meeting Los Angeles — Television will occupy the spotlight in the discussions listed for the annual spring meeting of the Society of M. P. Engineers at the Roosevelt April 17-21. Representatives of RCA, NBS, CBS, Dumont and Don Lee Broadcasting will speak at the television symposium, in addition to which Dr. A. N. Goldsmith, chairman of the SMPE television committee, will talk. Among the papers scheduled are “The Polyrhetor — a 150 Channel Reproducer,” by G. T. Stanton, of Erpi, and P. R. Marion and D. V. Water, of Western Electric; “The Status of Lens-Making in America,” W. B. Rayton, Bausch & Lomb; “Review of Foreign Film Markets,” N. D. Golden, of the motion picture division of the U. S. department of commerce; “New Frontiers for the Documentary Film,” A. A. Mercey, National Emergency Council; and “The Time Telescope,” C. R. Veber, department of biophotography at Rutgers University. Take Over Howard Theatre New York — Murray Ginsburg and Tony Banner have taken over the Howard, Howard Beach, L. I. Monogram Meets in Chicago May 4-6 New York — Instead of a series of regionals, Monogram has decided to hold one general sales convention at the Drake Hotel, Chicago, May 4-6. In addition to delegates from 37 Monogram offices, executives of the company’s outlets in London, Paris, Australia and several South American countries will attend. The 1939-40 sales policy will be presented by George W. Weeks, general sales manager. The 200 salesmen and executives also will hear the outline of plans for 32 features and 24 westerns. Composing the foreign contingent are the following: William Gell, managing director of Pathe Pictures, Ltd., of London; Arthur Levey, Monogram’s English representative; Norman Bede Rydge, chairman of the board of Greater Union Theatres and of British Empire Films, distributors in Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania, and Ernest Wettstein, Paris representative. Ansell Withdraws From F-M Pool Sx. Louis — Effective May 31, the operating agreement prevailing between Ansell Bros. Theatres and St. Louis Amusement Co. (Fanchon & Marco operation) will be dissolved, according to Louis K. Ansell, head of the former company. “Our principal reason for dissolution of the pool is that we are in an extensive expansion program of acquiring and building additional theatres and find we can best do so without being tied in with the St. Louis Amusement Co. and Fanchon and Marco,” Ansell said. Houses involved are the Ritz, Empress and Varsity. They revert to Ansell and will be operated under the Ansell name. West to Install Koerner At RKO Division Helm New York — John J. O’Connor and Charles W. Koerner left for the coast over the weekend where the former will install the latter as western division head for the RKO circuit. Mrs. O’Connor accompanies her husband while Mrs. Koerner is due to follow later. Harry McDonald succeeds Koerner in the latter’s former New England post and William McCourt has been named acting manager for the Albee, Providence, the spot until recently held by McDonald. Anti-Censorship Rally by Theatre Arts April 20 New York — The film division of the Theatre Arts Committee will hold an anticensorship meeting at the Hotel Astor the evening of April 20. Speakers already lined up include Louis Nizer, Langdon W. Post, Harry Brandt, Howard Dietz, and E. A. Golden. New York — Encouraged by its contract with Universal, the first consummated by any company for its office employes, the American Federation of Bookkeepers, Local 20,940, AFL affiliate, is mapping plans for an extensive campaign to bring all home offices under its banner. First step in that direction will be a mass meeting of industry workers who will be told what the Universal office staff received as a result of the union contract. Recruiting work already is under way. The Universal contract affected 175 employes in the home office and 27 office workers of the Big U Exchange. It runs for two years and is retroactive from February 21. It provides for immediate increases of ten per cent for all office workers in the company’s employ less than ten years; a 15 per cent increase for employes working over ten years; a 37 V2 hour, five-day workweek; time-and-a-half for all overtime; a two-week vacation with pay for those employed one year and more; one week’s vacation with pay for those employed six months, or less than one year; seniority rights on lay-offs and promotions. In addition, an extra five per cent increase will be granted on Feb. 21, 1940, over and above the aforementioned increase and also a modified “closed shop.” The Big U Film Exchange contract is identical in all details save the one that all employes will be granted a 15 per cent increase immediately, plus a five per cent increase beginning Feb. 21, 1940. A Conciliatory Move On Clearance Ills Philadelphia — Former Congressman Ben Golder, retained by Warner Bros, as counsel in the clearance battle soon due to come into the open, announces he will try to settle as many disputes as possible out of court. Golder invited exhibitors with complaints to come in and talk it over. If the complaints are justifiable, he said, they will be adjusted. If not, the exhibitor will be free to take legal action, he said. Purpose of this procedure “will be to separate the legitimate complainers from chiselers,” he asserted. Bill to Open Interstate Channels to Fight Films Washington — Repeal of the prohibition on the interstate shipment of fight films has won a new adherent in the person of Senator Barbour (Rep., N. J.), who has introduced a bill to that effect in the senate. The law was enacted as the result of racial feeling, the senator declared, but the conditions which brought about its adoption do not exist, despite the fact that the present holder of the world heavyweight title is a Negro, as was the case when the act was proposed in 1912. BOXOFFICE :: April 8, 1939 29