Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1939)

Thinks U. S. Will Independents' Committee Gives Boom Television Anti-Protection League Aid Montreal — Predicting that American energy and resources would spread television rapidly over the United States, Gerald Cook, director of television for the British Broadcasting Corp., said that it would establish a new industry of large proportions. Mr. Cook, after a visit of nearly a month, has sailed for England. “America has the youth, the energy and the resources to make a go of this thing,” said Mr. Cook. “The latent demand for television is most assuredly there. What is needed, I believe, is someone to give an ‘urge’ to it, some organization to give impetus to the whole thing. “The progress of television in the U. S. will depend very largely on what the National Broadcasting Co. and others who will follow NBC on the air, put into it. I believe that at the end of a few years you will have established a new and very important industry.” Mr. Cook, who spoke as a “friendly critic,” has been BBC’s director of television since it was established at Alexandra Palace, in 1936. He went to the United States, he added, to learn at first hand the technical and artistic status of American television, and to find out how NBC and other telecasters proposed to program the new medium. The British television authority declared he believed that his visit had laid the foundation for very close cooperation between his own organization and the National Broadcasting Co. Speaking out of his experience as head of BBC television, Mr. Cook said that the British had found the medium an extremely intimate one in its manner of presenting programme material. “When television is seen in the home,” he added, “it has qualities possessed by neither motion pictures nor the stage. “American manufacturers and television broadcasters should, I think, get television receivers into homes as fast as possible and create television networks, so that rural as well as town viewers will increase immediately. Then the sponsor will come in and your programme service will be put on a firm economic base.” Toronto — The business of organizing the Anti-Protection League throughout Canada is being pushed by a committee of the Independent Theatres Ass’n of Ontario under the chairmanship of J. O. Scott, proprietor of the Weston Theatre, Weston, Ont., who also is a director of the Ontario association. Invitations have been sent to prominent exhibitors throughout the province to act on an enlarged committee to represent Ontario in the movement, while circular letters, outlining the purposes of the League, have been sent by Chairman Scott to all independent theatre organizations across the Dominion with an appeal to enroll members so that the drive will become country-wide in scope. A special sticker is in preparation for use by members on t heatre stationery and exhibitors have been urged to use these stickers on all communications to film exchanges and other appropriate persons. Membership pledge cards have been sent out to associations and individual exhibitors in all parts of the country. The card, sold for $1.00, indicates that the AntiProtection League “is dedicated to the elimination of protection and unfair priorities by conciliation or legislation.” Independent associations have been asked to canvass exhibitors in the different communities for support and the suggestion is made that each organization call a special meeting to obtain concerted action, the contention being stressed that Ontario exhibitors alone cannot bring results and that every province will have to bring in its quota of members through an organized round-up in its territory. Chairman Scott declared in his letter to important exhibitors that clearance and priority had been “stretched and distorted until it has become a most unfair weapon in competition. The independent is being unduly hampered to the extent that his business is hurt and, in some cases we believe, threatened.” Mr. Scott added: “This is the first attempt in this country to organize a unified national drive to deal with a common problem. It will take a great deal of work and cooperation to put this across successfully. That is why we are looking to you for help. Will you enlist in the fight and bring in as many independents in your vicinity as possible?” One who is taking an active hand in organizing the League is N. A. Taylor of Toronto, vice-president of the Independent Theatres Ass’n, manager of the Exhibitors Booking Ass’n, manager of 20th Century Theatres, Ltd., member of the conciliation committee of the Toronto board of trade film section and past chairman of that body. Growth Is Swift “We are impressing upon the motion picture distributors that a revision of clearance arrangements and the elimination of unfair protection will result in better business for all concerned,” declared Mr. Taylor. “The film exchanges will make more money if the smaller theatres are able to make more money. It will be better for everybody in the business if changes are brought about. No person wants to see a picture that is stale and the independents are being forced to play features that are no longer attractive because of present conditions. The film exchanges cannot lose if we can cut out unfair protection.” Announcement was made at the Toronto headquarters of the Independent Theatres Ass’n that already more than 60 members had been secured for the League from Toronto and vicinity although the campaign had been under way only a short time. This represents approximately onequarter of all independent theatres in Ontario and the League committee now is reaching out for the exhibitors in outlying cities and towns in eastern, western and northern Ontario, with key men in large centers being invited to join a provincial committee. The Toronto committee which is already active in the campaign has been announced as follows: J. O. Scott, Weston Theatre, Weston, chairman; Harold Kay, Fox Theatre, Toronto; Mike Goodman, Duchess Theatre; Harry Alexander, Lansdowne Theatre; William S. Brady, Madison Theatre; George Lester and Harry Rotenberg. Word has been received that the exhibitors of Winnipeg are organizing as a branch of the League under the auspices of the Manitoba Independent Theatres Ass’n. The communication came from Russell Cook of Winnipeg, secretary of the Manitoba organization. The Gaiety Passes London — Wreckers are hauling down the Gaiety Theatre in the Strand, home of musical comedy in this city for 35 years and famous for a long time as the working place of the “Gaiety Girls,” reputedly in their time the world’s most beautiful. Setting the Pace Toronto — The exclusive story published in the May 20 issue of BOXOFFICE regarding the solving of a mysterious airplane crash in the North Country through the developing of the negative in a motion picture camera aboard the ill-fated craft found its way into the newspapers of Canada after the facts had been revealed in this publication. The Toronto Telegram carried a re-write of the BOXOFFICE story and various publications have had follow-up comment. Furthermore, BOXOFFICE has published a number of important reports in recent weeks on Canadian developments affecting the motion picture business which have not appeared in any Canadian daily newspaper or Canadian trade publication. Among these are the data and comment contained in the annual report of the Ontario censor board chairman, copies of which are not yet publicly available, and the actual wording and official interpretation of the Act to Create the National Film Board, the import of which had been causing considerable anxiety among film trade executives in key cities. Canadian news coverage in BOXOFFICE is playing a valuable part in the deliberations of Canadian trade officials on current problems and factors. BOXOFFICE :: June 3, 1939 K 83