Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1939)

N. Y. Allied Brewing FBI Continues Upstate Probe; A Film Exhibit Here 70 Complaints Checked Over New York — Allied of New York is inviting all branches of the industry “from Hollywood to New York” to participate in the World’s Fair Motion Picture Exposition, which the local unit is sponsoring at the Hotel Astor here, May 23-24-25. Purpose of the exposition is to give the industry the opportunity for representation in New York during the Fair. Manufacturers are being solicited to set up displays; studios are being invited to send stars and interesting production material, and all distributors will have an opportunity to display anything pertaining to their operations. Details are being worked out with Fair officials for transportation of visitors to the exposition to the Fair grounds. Committees to handle various phases of the work are being formed by Max A. Cohen, Allied’s local unit president. There will be a banquet and a “World’s Fair Night” during the exposition. The public will be asked to pay a “registration fee” to visit the exposition. Three committees have been set up by Cohen. Robert Goldblatt of Tarry town is chairman of the convention with E. Thornton Kelly, executive secretary, and Mitchell Conery of Ravena, R. P. Merriman of Syracuse and A1 Francis of Buffalo rounding out the group. Sam Shain, Motion Picture Daily, has been named chairman of the theatrical committee; Don Mersereau, Film Daily, head of the public relations committee; Marvin Kirsch, Radio Daily, in charge of radio; Jay Emanuel, The Exhibitor ; Charles E. Lewis, Showmen’s Trade Review, and Terry Ramsaye, Motion Picture Herald, the exposition committee. Red Kann, Boxoffice, is chairman of the publicity committee. H. M. Richey of RKO is chairman of the reception committee which consists of Jack Bellman, Republic; A1 Herman, Universal; Milton Kusell, Paramount; Ed McEvoy, RKO; E. K. O’Shea, M-G-M; Edward M. Schnitzer, Warner; Charles Stern, UA; William Sussman, 20th-Fox; George W. Weeks, Monogram, and Lou Weinberg, Columbia. N . Y. ITOA's Attorney Studies Trade Draft New York — Milton C. Weisman, attorney for the New York ITOA, is studying the arbitration setup advanced under the trade pact and is expected to report back to Harry Brandt, president, in a few days. His analysis will be the subject of a deferred organization meeting Wednesday. Brandt tells Boxoffice he is primarily interested in workable arbitration and that, so far as he is concerned, the rest of the pact fades into significance. “I say this because, if we can arbitrate on a fair basis, it obviously means all disputes can be cleared through the proper machinery set up for such a purpose.” "Spy" Print Heads For Hitler New York — As their "contribution to the program of world appeasement," Warner proposes shipping a print of "Confessions of a Nazi Spy" to Adolf Hitler. Leon G. Turrou, G-Man whose book is the basis for the film, is reported to have made an effort to obtain a passport so that he could make a stab at personal delivery. Warner says he couldn't get the necessary papers. Seeking Easement of Clearance; Study On Albany — Voicing strong resentment over the present clearance setup, as well as an alleged print shortage, the combination of which is held to be imposing drastic hardships, about 24 members of Allied representing about 70 theatres in this area moved for immediate study of their problems in an effort to secure relief. The group met at the Ten Eyck Hotel. Mitchell Conery, regional vice-president, appointed committees to investigate both problems. He ordered reports, which, when completed, will be forwarded to the organization’s counsel in New York. According to some members who have looked into the clearance situation personally, the bulk of pictures do not become available to them until three to four months after first runs. This is said to be further aggravated by the scarcity of prints. In many instances, particularly in the low bracket films, there have been found to be but two prints on hand in the local exchange, which services about 285 accounts in this area, members declared. A legislative report was made by E. Thornton Kelly, executive secretary. Kelly complimented the unit on the manner in which it has been fighting the Crews’ twomen-in-a-booth bill. Members viewed a two-reel health subject. After listening to complaints over clearance, Kelly said the situation was equally as bad in Buffalo. He ventured the opinion that most pictures could clear the last subsequent house in 60 days and that distributors would get their rental revenue that much faster if clearance schedules were revised. The unit’s next meeting is set for May 1, also at the Ten Eyck. A Sunday Show Bill Again in Albany Albany — Stricken from the calendar three weeks ago following clerical opposition, a bill to amend the general village New York — Avowedly designed to secure “facts, figures and affidavits” from exhibitors who have complained to the government as a means of supplying the information which the department of justice must offer in its bill of particulars, the visit of Seymour Kreiger, federal investigator, to Albany, Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, Newark and Boston has “virtually cinched the government’s case,” a reliable source here claims. Kreiger is estimated to have personally checked into “tooth sides” of about 70 exhibitors’ complaints in the towns mentioned. Although operators he visited had already filed complaints with the department in Washington, Kreiger’s tour was designed to scan contracts, correspondence with local exchanges and all types of documents that bore out the complaints. In this respect, he is said to have secured many identical letters from two or more local exchanges that purport to show there was discrimination against independent operators. In each instance, Kreiger asked for and was given the assurance that complainants will appear as witnesses when the government suit comes to trial, according to this source. He traveled with a specially prepared clearance map. The territories he visited reputedly show a greater density of affiliated theatres than in any one given area in the country. Kreiger was escorted throughout New York state by E. Thornton Kelly, executive secretary of Allied of New York. He was met in Boston by Arthur K. Howard, business manager of Independent Theatre Owners of New England. George Gold, president of Allied of New Jersey, took Kreiger over that state’s towns. "For Auld Lang Syne" Ready lor Release New York — Production of “For Auld Lang Syne,” with Spencer Tracy, Deanna Durbin, Lowell Thomas, Robert E. Sherwood and Raymond Massey has been completed and is now ready for distribution to theatres participating in Will Rogers National Theatre Week which starts April 20. Harold Rodner supervised the sequences made on the coast while A. P. Waxman supervised scenes taken in the east. laws regarding Sunday motion pictures, sports and other exhibitions, again is up before the state legislature, this time sponsored by Assemblyman James Owens, Republican. The original measure was sponsored by William Webb, the legislature’s only theatre manager. The bill by Owens adds a new section requiring referendums on Sunday shows after 2 p. m. if 20 per cent of a community’s qualified electors sign a petition to that effect. Only a majority vote would be necessary to bring to a community shows on the sabbath. BOXOFFICE :: April 8, 1939 30-E