The Exhibitor (Jun-Oct 1943)

5 ALLIED LEADERS RAP "CANTEEN " TERMS Sears Answers Ohio Charge Cleveland, O. — Allied leaders at a meet¬ ing held last week discussed the terms de¬ manded by United Artists for “Stage Door Canteen,” and pointed out that indepen¬ dent exhibitors have frequently, and wellnigh unanimously voiced their opposition to 50 per cent pictures. The leaders expressed disappointment that United Artists “should attempt to foist such terms on the exhibitors, thereby reviving a policy which they felt had been abandoned because discredited.” They declared that the offer of United Artists to donate a part of the profits to service organizations “did not mitigate the offense.” New York— Gradwell L. Sears, United Artists vice-president in charge of domes¬ tic distribution, upon his return from Hollywood last week issued a statement refuting the announcement that United Artists was using ’’Stage Door Canteen” to induce Ohio exhibitors to buy not only other features but the Hopalong Cas¬ sidy westerns as well. Sears, in a wire to P. J. Wood, revealed that such a practice was contrary to estab¬ lished company policy, and requested Wood to furnish him with definite infor¬ mation on specific instances where this alleged practice has been employed. Sears’ wire to Wood, secretary. Inde¬ pendent Theatre Owners of Ohio, Colum¬ bus, O., follows: “In connection with the statement that United Artists is using ‘Stage Door Can¬ teen’ to induce Ohio exhibitors to buy not only other features but the Hopalong Cassidy westerns as well and your request that exhibitors report any such instance where United Artists refuses to sell ‘Stage Door Canteen’ unless other pictures are bought, be advised that this is diametri¬ cally contrary to company policy, and I personally will appreciate definite infor¬ mation on specific instances where this alleged practice has been employed. “In the first place, the Hopalong Cas¬ sidys are the class western being pro¬ duced on the market today, and need nothing to promote or further their sale. Secondly, United Artists is presently re¬ leasing, and about to release, pictures of sufficient merit and quality to require no assistance of any kind whatsoever from any other picture, and I refer to such pic¬ tures as Arnold Pressburger’s ‘Hangmen Also Die,’ Hunt Stromberg’s ‘Lady Of Burlesque,’ Walt Disney’s ‘Victory Through Air Power,’ James Cagney’s ‘Johnny Come Lately,’ and the Andrew Stone Pro¬ duction, ‘Hi Diddle Diddle.’ “Thirdly it is a known and generally conceded policy of United Artists for the past 25 years that no exhibitor need buy June 30, 1943 New Appeal Board Ruling NEW YORK — The appeal board of the industry arbitration system tumed up something new in the way of de¬ cisions last week when it ruled that an intervenor could be penalized one day of clearance for each day’s delay over 21 days in playing the product. In other words, where a show is available, and more than 21 days passes before it is played, the clear¬ ance between the two houses in ques¬ tion would be cut one day for each over 21. Thus if the first house played a picture 28 days after availability, the clearance would be cut seven days. In no case could the clearance be¬ tween the two be cut to less than one day however. Case involved the Riant. Conshohocken, Pa., and houses in Norristown, Pa. (EDITOR’S NOTE: For further de¬ tails see Arbitration column.) BROADWAY FIRM DESPITE THE HEAT New York — Despite terrific heat, business continued good in most Broadway firstruns, with the exception of the Hollywood, and, according to usually reliable sources reaching The Exhibitor, the break down was as follows: •THE YOUNGEST PROFESSION” (Metro) — Radio City Music Hall, with the usual stage show, did $70,000 from Thursday through Sun¬ day, with the week estimated to reach $112,000, •‘MISTER BIG" (U) — Globe reported $3,000 on Saturday and Sunday. "DIXIE" (Paramount) — Paramount, with stage show headed by Andrews Sisters and Mitchell Ayres and Orchestra, did $27,000 on Sat¬ urday and Sunday, with the week estimated to hit $71,000. "ACTION IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC" (Warners) — Strand, with stage show headed by Cab Calloway and Dooley Wilson, did $18,150 on Friday. Saturday, and Sunday. "MISSION TO MOSCOW" (Warners)— Holly¬ wood did $7,050 from Wednesday through Sunday. "CONEY ISLAND" (20th Century-Fox) — Roxy, with stage show headed by Enric Madriguera and Orchestra plus Carmen Amaya, did $65,200 from Wednesday through Sunday, with the week estimated to reach between $85,000 and $90,000. "STAGE DOOR CANTEEN" (UA) — Exact figures not available, but reports had grosses in the top brackets. Frank McNamee Confirmed Washington — Frank L. McNamee was confirmed by the Senate on June 26 as regional director of the War Manpower Commission for Pennsylvania, New Jer¬ sey, and Delaware, with headquarters in Philadelphia. The job pays $8,000 a year. the pictures of any one producer to ac¬ quire the pictures of any other producer, and until such time as specific and con¬ crete information is provided me of excep¬ tions to this announced policy, I will have to assume your allegations are incorrect and unfounded.” THE EXHIBITOR PA. STATE BOARD AMENDS PROJ. REG. Body Eases Apprentice Requirements Philadelphia — Significant admission by state authorities that the projectionists’ situation in Pennsylvania was growing acute was seen this week in the disclosure that the Industrial Board, Department of Labor and Industry, had approved an amendment which relaxes the rules re¬ garding apprentice projectionists in most cities and towns of the state. The change was the direct result of the plea by Allied leaders in this area and in the Pittsburgh zone that such a move was necessary. It was opposed by union offi¬ cials. Officially, the letter from J. S. Arnold, secretary. Industrial Board, read as fol¬ lows: “This will advise you that the Industrial Board at a meeting held June 17, 1943, approved the following amendments to Rule 1 (c) and (d) of the Regulations for Operation of Motion Picture Projectors: “Rule 1 (c). Each apprentice projec¬ tionist shall be required to have an ap¬ prentice license. Apprentice projectionists shall be required to submit to an exami¬ nation for projectionist license at the end of the prescribed training period, except that the Department may grant an addi¬ tional period of time not exceeding six (6) months. Thereafter no permit shall be is¬ sued until a period of not less than one (1) year has elapsed. Such licenses will be issued only to persons over the age of seventeen (17) years. “(d) No projectionist license shall be issued until the applicant shall have served an apprenticeship of at least six months or 300 hours in not less than three months under an apprentice projectionist license issued by the Department, except under the conditions as follows. Appli¬ cation for apprentice projectionist license shall be accompanied by a letter from the owner or proprietor of the theatre stating that the applicant will be permitted to learn motion picture projection.” Previously the regulation had called for 18 years of age and at least six months of training. The new regulation does not apply to Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Scranton. Both Allied units. Allied Theatre Own¬ ers of Eastern Pennsylvania, and Allied Motion Picture Theatre Owners of West¬ ern Pennsylvania, initiated the move in April when conferences with Arnold were held. A hearing was arranged later at which time Fred Herrington, western Al¬ lied unit; George Ickes, Duncannon, Pa., exhibitor; and Joseph Conway, Bala-Cynwyd. Pa., exhibitor, were present, the last two from the eastern Pennsylvania body. Conway took the place of Sidney Samuel son, business manager, who had played a part in the preliminary proceedings, but who was too ill to attend the May 20 hearing. Larry Katz, represented the lATSE unions. Briefs were ordered filed. The amendments handed down later are considered signal victories for the Allied units and theatremen in general in the smaller towns. Because of the growing shortage of projectionists, the changes are expected to alleviate the condition.