Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1939)

'Fast Time' Reaches New Communities Albany — Daylight saving, a headache for exhibitors during the summer, will be observed on a wider scale in New York State this year than ever before. Rochester, the largest city that had adhered to standard time, voted last fall to join the 40 cities operating on the ‘‘hour ahead” plan. Syracuse, next to Rochester in population, may follow suit. The question was scheduled for a referendum there April 21. The addition of Rochester and of Auburn, the latter having a population of about 36,000, means that more than 80 per cent of the state’s residents will be in communities which turn ahead the clocks. If Syracuse adopts daylight saving time, several smaller cities and villages in that area will probably do likewise. This would put more than 90 per cent of the total population on an altered time schedule, officials of the New York State Mayors’ Conference say. Binghamton, southern tier city with a population of 76,000, is another which might go on daylight saving time and cause neighboring communities to do likewise. Of the 150 villages, only 36 have not been observing daylight saving schedules. Three cities, Batavia, Jamestown and Ogdensburg, will operate on a limited daylight saving period this year. Plattsburgh and Watertown, heretofore on daylight saving for a part of the summer, will be among the 42 operating on it from the last Sunday in April to the last Sunday in September. The cities which have not announced a change are in central, southern and western New York. With the exception of Binghamton and Elmira, they are in the class of less than 25,000 population. (For more information on the national trend toward daylight savings time please turn to page 111. Fred Pelton to Sail lor Parleys in Hollywood London — Fred Pelton, M-G-M production manager at Denham, sails next week for New York. He is scheduled to join Ben Goetz, supervisor for M-G-M here, and Victor Saville, producer, for conferences with studio executives in Hollywood. Goetz recently took to America with him a print of “Goodbye Mr. Chips,” while Saville arrived in New York this week. Filth State Allied Unit Is Formed in Rochester Rochester — Allied of New York has organized its fifth state-wide unit here, with Max Fogel as temporary chairman and Charles A. Tibbets as secretary. Members of the unit’s grievance committee are William Tishkoff, Donald Whittington and George Frank. Tishkoff and Fogel constitute the membership committee. Soviet Acclaims Chaplin As a "Great" Artist New York — Charles Chaplin was acclaimed as a “great and courageous” arttist in articles in the Soviet press on the occasion of his 50th birthday, according to word reaching from Moscow. Commenting on the fact that throughout the vast areas of the USSR and even in the remote districts which in the past hardly received a newspaper, Chaplin is known, one writer says: “This is serious and intelligent love and popularity expressed by people who at the price of terrific struggles have won the opportunity to enjoy the vividness of art and, therefore, cherish serious intelligent art. “On behalf of millions of Soviet movie fans,” the writer concludes, “we wish to convey to Charles Chaplin across the Atlantic our gratitude, love and confidence in his bright future. Among the best artists of our time, a place of honor belongs to Chaplin.” Denver Exhibitor Fined $1,400 tor " Nation " Run Denver — Robert E. Allen, local theatre manager, was fined $1,400 and released under bond when he exhibited “The Birth of a Nation.” Judge Philip B. Gilliam held Allen guilty of violating a city ordinance prohibiting showings of films which “tend to stir up or engender race prejudice, or are calculated to disturb the peace.” (Continued from page 26-C) spell of fishing. He hasn't been home in two months. After a brief vacation, the MPTOA head plans to attend meetings of the Theatre Owners of North and South Carolina at Myrtle Beach, S. C., June 5-7 ; Theatre Owners of the Southeast, Theatre Owners Protective Ass’n of Texas of which Judge Roy L. Walker of Lampasas, Tex. is head, and the KMT A gathering in Kansas City . . . The opening game of the Yanks at Yankee Stadium drew a host of film folk Thursday afternoon . . . Joseph Bernhard says a meeting of Warner theatre zone managers is not scheduled for another two months, the last being held here in conjunction with the distributing company’s convention. Eddie Schnitzer and Sam Lefkowitz left for Atlantic City over the weekend for a vacation. The Warnerites had planned to go to Miami, but when they learned how hot it is down south they changed to the eastern seashore, which is nearer home . . . E. K. (Ted) O'Shea is due Monday from a tour of M-G-M exchanges in the south . . . Dave Levy has a couple of freckles left over from his Miami baking . . . Herman Starr took over "Buddy” Morris’ duties as vice-president and general manager of Music Publishers, Warner subsidiary, Thursday. Buddy’s plans are indefinite for the nonce. Quit Nova Scotia; Sunday Film Act St. John, N. B. — Local exchanges have been ordered by their home offices to discontinue selling accounts in the province of Nova Scotia until corporation lawyers have probed the ramifications of the new film control act passed in the last few minutes of the legislative session. The act, sharply regulating the sale and exhibition of pictures, has no effective date, which means it goes into force by proclamation when the government deems such action advisable. It is feared here the loss of the Nova Scotia outlet might close the maritime branches and return their function to the Montreal center. While it makes no provision for regulation of film rentals (as did an earlier measure), the act requires film companies to file with the censor board at Halifax all information with respect to terms and conditions on individual contracts: it prohibits deprivation of the number of films the censor body considers necessary to operation of a theatre, makes overbuying a penalty, and prohibits preference or the giving of “unfair advantage” by distributors to any exhibitor. Penalties range from $500 to $1,000 and imprisonment on each proof of guilt. Sees "Moderate" Upswing During Second Quarter New York — Although theatre attendance and boxoffice receipts are expected to hold at levels only slightly in excess of last year, the industry will experience “moderately improved conditions” during the second quarter of 1939, says Poor’s Publishing Co., in a survey. “Reduced amortization charges on films recently released will allow the showing of better earnings, even should theatre attendance show no gain from the present level,” the forecast goes. Contrasting with this fairly satisfactory outlook, a combination of political factors are disturbing, is the observation. These are the government suit, the Neely bill and threats of National Labor Relations Board hearings on wages, strikes and union activities. “It appears logical, however,” says the report, “that should the producers be forced to eliminate their theatre investments from their corporate setups, common shareholders would receive their pro rata equity in both producing and exhibiting divisions, through distribution of stock.” Slotnick, Cantor Repairs On Theatre Progress Baldwinsville, N. Y. — Reconstruction is well under way on the theatre owned by Sam Slotnick and Ruben Cantor which was recently demolished by fire. The new structure, seating 850, is expected to be completed in about six weeks. 26-J BOXOFFICE :: April 22, 1939