Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1941)

MIEW HAVEN Legislative Avalanche Is Trade’s Pervading Topic New Haven — As Connecticut MPTO met Friday at Ceriani’s with Arthur Lockwood in from Boston to preside, and Allied Theatre Owners of Connecticut met at the Hof Brau Haus, with A. M. Schuman in the chair, exhibitor talk centered mainly on legislation in the state which might affect their interests as a group. Discussion covered the two-men-in-abooth bill S. B. 775, which had made a last-day appearance; S. B. 985, the Sullivan-filed bill in blank, which, it was feared had in mind taxation of amusements; several Bingo bills, several anti-copyright association bills, labor, horse racing and other measures. Exhibitors planned to be present at public hearings before the various committees. In addition to bills already reported, several were filed at the deadline. H. B. 245 would amend Section 2321 of the General Statutes to exempt from inspection, safety and license regulations of motion pictures in this state, machines using only cellulose acetate film not more than 16mm in width, except when such machines shall be used for exhibition in theatres or public places of entertainment regularly used as such and to which an admission fee is charged, such places of entertainment not to include schools, Sunday schools, the Grange, club, church or lodge rooms. Formerly the exemption was for films not more than 100 feet long, one inch wide, requiring maximum of 500 watts to operate the arc, or 1,000 feet long, iy4 inches wide, using inclosed incandescent lamp. S. B. 1085-3-1, another bill levying a state franchise tax of 25 per cent of the gross receipts on copyright societies in this state and requiring licensing of such societies, has an additional provision that “any person, firm, association, or corporation who shall request the playing of any copyright musical number, in any public place, with intent and for the purpose of making such rendition a basis for an infringement suit against the proprietor thereof, or any person; or who shall without first obtaining the necessary license therefor attempt by threats of suit or other means either oral or in writing, to compel persons in this state to purchase licenses for the rendition of musical numbers, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor . . . and be liable to a fine of $500 for each offense. H. B. 923 would appropriate $12,500 to a revolving visual education fund to be used by the state board of education to pay the ordinary recurring expenses and purchase necessary equipment for audio-visual education work. Among the several Bingo bills is H. B. 436, which would limit the prize to be awarded to any one person or organization in any one week to an intrinsic value of $2.00. H. B. 695-2-2 would authorize the park commission to permit amateur ball games, free concerts and music, and athletic sports on Sunday. A second new race or color discrimination bill appears in H. B. 1027, which imposes a fine for any such discrimination in hotels, motion picture theatres, and other public buildings. jyjETRO Pep Club’s new officers, elected at the last meeting: Rosemary Patterson, president; Molly Smith, vice-president; Anna Caparossi, treasurer, and Ethel Philips, secretary. Alex Bookspcm of the Fishman Theatres office, and Mrs. Bookspan are the proud parents of eight-pound, seven-ounce Richard A., horn at New Haven Hospital. Which makes Selig Fishman another grandfather, too . . . Bringing Boston to Goldstein: The Metro manager had as visitors last week, Hy Fine, M&P district manager; Nate Furst, Monogram; Jack Myers, Huh Films, and Smiler Callahan of golf fame. Sol Popolizio, assistant booker at 20thFox, has been out sick with the grippe . . . Frank Mullen, Metro office manager, is out again with a knee injury, sustained while stepping off a bus . . . Harry Fishman, of Fishman Theatres and manager of the Community, Fairfield, off by train with Mrs. Fishman and the family for a six-week vacation at Miami Beach, and Oscar Shanken of the Dixwell, is commuting to Fairfield to keep an eye on things. Meadow Street enjoyed a half-holiday in honor of Lincoln . . . Ernest Doreau of the Middletown theatres is building a new home in the Westview section . . . Morey Goldstein, Metro manager, will move his family to New Haven this spring . . . Harry Shaw readying plans for his March cruise to Panama, after which the Lou Browns will vacation in April. Lou perplexed as to which of his half-dozen invitations to accept . . . The Boh Russells and Jack Halprins did New York in high style last Saturday. Fred Quantrano of the Lido, Waterbury, has a permit from the state police to build a 700-seat theatre in Newington, near West Hartford, and plans to start digging March 1 . . . Philip Schwartz is planning to take out the back wall of his 400-seat Parkway, Bridgeport, and add an additional 200 seats this spring . . . Peter Perakos and Joseph Quittner reported digging for their 1,000-seater in East Hartford . . . Joe Faith’s Bristol house, announced for midFebruary opening, is still not ready. Jules Livingston of Alexander Prevues has sold his prevues to the Lou Anger houses . . . New Haven RKO was among the exchanges reported over quota in the first week of the Ned Depinet Drive . . . Nate and Sam Goldstein of Western Massachusetts theatres were in New Haven for the funeral of their brother, Israel Goldstein, who died in Hollywood, Fla., recently. Mrs. Michael Cascioli of the Forest, West Haven, in the hospital for observation . . . So-called “Stratford” team played a “Columbia” team for a win of 1,848 total pinfall against 1,764, Tuesday . . . A1 Pickus’ players included Milton Hyams, A. Wilson, M. Goldstein, A1 Parizer, and Domenick Somma, while Tim O’Toole and Sid Swirsky of Columbia were assisted by Henry Germaine, Morris Weinstein, Sal Popolizio, and Lou Schaefer. For Gubernatorial Archives— Harry F. Shaw, left, division manager of the Loew Poli New England theatres; Gov. Robert A. Hurley, Connecticut’s new chief executive, center, and Lou Brown, Poli New England theatres division publicity head, shown when the new governor was presented with the special newsreel subjects taken during the inaugural ceremonies. The presentation was made in the state capital in Hartford. 68 BOXOFFICE :: February 22, 1941