Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1939)

(Continued from page 27) of the Victoria Cross, had five minutes of the King’s time at the World’s Fair. The King wanted to know what he was doing in America. “I’m in the film business,” replied the captain and then the conversation switched to the navy where both served . . . Spotted at the preview of “Land of Liberty” at the Federal Building at the World’s Fair, Will Hays, who made a quick exit, Barney Balaban, Jack Cohn, Arthur DeBrea. Gabriel Hess, Gordon White and Vincent Trotta . . . Daniel Casey, Universal’s general manager for Australia, is reported on his way to America ... Ed Thorgersen, 20 th-Fox Movietone commentator, Is first of the sports announcers to be signed for the football broadcasts. He will do his stuff for La Polina over the Mutual network. Erich Pommer, joint managing director of Mayflower Pictures, Ltd., sails Wednesday for England on the Queen Mary. Pommer may announce the result of his negotiations with Paramount for a renewal of his quota deal before he leaves . . . The lads over at Warner reversed the usual procedure and put the trade paper critics on the pan for a change. This time it was a frying pan; to be specific, the projection room on the room. The black hole of Calcutta had nothing on that projection room; it was that hot. After a few reels of the travelogue, some of the less valiant gave up. Before the screening was over an S. O. S. was put in for iced drinks. At the finish. Publicist Ira Tulipan came around to carry out the remaining survivors — who should have known better. Barney Balaban got the jump on the returning Paramount coast conventioneers by landing at his desk early Monday by way of plane . . . Ralph Pielow, Albany branch manager for M-G-M, is slated to take over the New Jersey district managership for the same company and recently relinquished by Dave Levy, who on Monday assumes his new post at Universal . . . Stuart Dunlap, South American manager for M-G-M, has gone to the coast to visit his family before returning to his headquarters . . . Lou Lusty has gone back to Hollywood . . . William Goetz was a visitor . . . Arthur Loew is limping again, the cause being a return engagement of an injury sustained while playing at tennis recently . . . Myrna Loy, hubby Arthur Hornblow jr., Cary Grant. Margot Grahame, Joseph Von Sternberg, Rex Ingram and Mrs. Howard Dietz were on the outgoing Normandie . . . Andrew Stone, director of “Victor Herbert,” is around from Hollywood on a talent scouting expedition. Budd Rogers has closed a deal with Harry Brandt for an engagement of “Black Limelight’’ at the Globe late this month . . . A. P. Waxman way down front for the deciding polo game between America and England at Meadowbrook . . . The Department of Secondary Education of the National Education Ass’n selected “Good bye, Mr. Chips” as the subject of its first radio symposium which inaugurated a series over WNYC. Chief speaker was Dr. John Edward Dugan of Princeton High School. Archie Mayo is at Banff and Lake Louise, Canada, making exteriors for Walter Wanger's “ The House Across the Bay” in which Joan Bennett will be featured . . . . . . John Mednikow, Chicago independent exchange operator, was a visitor for several days . . . Paul Nathanson, son of N. L„ spent a couple of days here conferring with Arthur Lee . . . Sally Eilers has gone back to the RKO lot to start work on “Full Confession” . . . Anthony Collins, arranger and composer, is en route to the coast from England to score “Nurse Edith Cavell” for Herbert Wilcox. He also did the musical arrangements for “ Victoria the Great” and “Queen of Destiny,” Wilcox pictures . . . Stuart N. Lake, magazine scripter, is under exclusive contract to Lichtig and Englander, agents . . . Joe Schenck has been in Washington the past week . . . Bob Goldstein’s Tavern seems to be the favorite U A luncheon spot. In one day, Murray and Manny Silverstone, Harry Gold. James Mulvey, Harry D. Buckley and Sammy Cohen gathered there for the noon-day repast. E. J. Smith, general sales manager for Imperial for the past two and a half years, has resigned and will announce new plans shortly, he says . . . William Lawrence McGovern is the father of a sixpound boy born at Brooklyn General Hospital. The name is more familiar to lawyers in the business than laymen, McGovern being identified with the department of justice and handling the local end of the all-industry suit for the government . . . Victor Jurgens, March of Time cameraman, while en route to Guam, underwent an emergency appendectomy aboard the Gold Star and has recovered from the operation . . . Nat Feldman of Daily Film Delivery Service is summer weekending it at Mt. Freedom, N. J., with his family . . . Joseph Ornato has begun work on “Good Scouts” for Century Television Pictures . . . July 13 is a big day for Tex Ritter, Monogram’s buckaroo star, who begins a personal appearance tour then. Lou Golding, Fabian general manager upstate, was in from Albany for general home office conferences . . . Jack Ellis is chairman of the testimonial dinner being tendered Dave Levy, new Universal local branch manager, June 28 at the Astor . . . Dick Rowland is in town, as spry as ever . . . Walter Hoffman, general manager for Walter Reade in Morristown, spent the early part of the week in the Mayfair Theatre Bldg, going over odds and ends with Leo Justin, Morris Jacks mid M. Buchbinder . . . Jascha Heifetz has returned to the coast and sails for Honolulu soon . . . Darryl F. Zanuck has been here and in Washington on personal and business matters . . . Rex Ingram sailed for England on the Normandie to play in “Thief of Bagdad” for Alexander Korda. Allied Code Report (Continued from preceding page) relations which would lead us voluntarily to abandon such methods. This statement was later repeated in substance by Mr. Rodgers in a telephone conversation with Mr. Yamins. It was upon this assurance that Allied entered into the negotiations. Since then the distributors have made every possible use of the negotiations to defeat the Neely Bill, to influence the attitude of the Department of Justice in pending litigations and otherwise to handicap Allied in its efforts to secure real and lasting benefits for the independent exhibitors. Because we regard this as the most important factor entering into our decision that the proposals should be rejected, we feel that we should retrace our steps and give an outline of the manner in which this programi was developed. At hearings on the Neely Bill in 193 6 a suggestion was made by spokesmen for the distributors that negotiations be initiated to settle problems within the industry — obviously to prevent favorable action on the bill. The next serious proposal along this line came coincident with a visit of Big Eight executives to Washington to head off the Government's suit. The first draft of the proposals (December 1) was sent to the Department of Justice with a statement that they had been agreed to in principle notwithstanding the fact that your Committee had stated — and they hereby reiterate that statement — that no such agreement had been reached. The long silence after the January 16 meeting W'as suddenly broken when the distributors burned the midnight oil — to quote one of the trade papers — to get out the March 30 draft on the eve of the hearings on the Neely Bill. That draft was presented to the Senate Committee by Mr. Rodgers as a reason why the bill should not be passed. It is set forth in the minority report of the Senate Committee as a reason why the bill should not pass. According to press reports the draft has been carried by the distributors to the Secretary of Commerce in an effort to induce him to use his influence with the Department of Justice to settle the Government suit on the basis of the proposals. The preamble, which appeared for the first time in the March 30 draft, would require that exhibitors agree that the provisions of the Code including the continuation with slight modifications of compulsory block booking and illegally imposed clearance, not to mention many other abuses are the fair trade practices of the industry. Moreover, the effect of agreeing to the Code would be to in effect validate all other practices observed in the industry and not specifically mentioned in thb Code. * Mr. Rodgers has made it plain that these proposals represent the maximum concessions that the distributors are willing to yield. Therefore no further progress can be made along that line! t the exhibitors agree to the proposals they will be greatly handicapped in, if not actually debarred from, seeking further relief by other means. This demonstrates the fallacy of the argument that this is a “step in the right direc U°a ’ r 1S not a step in any direction, it is the end of the trail. i ne loregoing report was considered by the Board of Directors of Allied States Association on an"6, j i,1939, and was aPProved. The Board dlre?*ed that the report be presented to the tenth Annual Convention of the Association as embodying the views of the Board in respect of t»ht-,proposed Trade Practice Code and Rules of Arbitration. Dougherty, Genhard and Grace Join 100% Club Los Angeles — Robert Grace, Washington booker; Albert Genhard, New Jersey salesman, and William V. Dougherty, Washington salesman, were added to the roster of Paramount’s 100 Per Cent Club at the company convention here. The trio also received bonuses and special insurance policies. Takes 21 -Year Lease New York — United Long Island Theatres has taken a 21 -year lease at an aggregate rental of $220,000 on the new 600-seat theatre being constructed at 99th St. and Queens Blvd., Forest Hills, L. I. United operates other houses on the island. 30-D BOXOFFICE ;: June 17, 1939