Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1921 - Mar 1922)

February 18. 1922 EXHIBITORS HERALD 37 Repenting Voters Seek to Repeal Blue Law Ordinance Petition Requesting Another Referendum Signed by 70 Per Cent of Registered Voters at Springfield— Civic League Active Reformers who haze been gloating over their victory in closing the theatres on Sunday at Springfield, Mo., and heralding the fact that the recent referendum held there proved that a majority of people want blue lazvs. can mow change the tone of their bally-ragging for: (Special to Exhibitors Herald) SPRINGFIELD. MO., Feb. 7. — Just four "blue" Sundays have convinced citizens of Springfield that they were misled by reformers. Approximately 70 per cent of all registered voters of the city have signed petitions circulated by members of the Civic League, an organization which is seeking another vote on the Sunday closing ordinance recently adoped in Springfield, the fourth largest town in the state. Expect Another Referendum on April 4 The petitions have been filed with City Clerk Arthur E. Mace. A vote to repeal the Sunday closing ordinance probably will be taken at the general election on April 4. The Civic League is composed of broad minded citizens who have been quick to comprehend the fate into which their city was about to be plunged. Hotels reported a 50 per cent decrease in business on Sundays, most of their patrons preferring to remain over Sunday in towns where amusement was available. Deducts Fare Raise From Admission Fee )ffer of Exhibitor Proves Boon to Business at Ottumwa, la. (Special to Exhibitors Herald) OTTUMWA, IA., Feb. 7— The recent aise in street car fares knocked the bot3m out of the theatre business here. But ot for long. Offer Is Effective Dwight W. Baker of Circle Amusement ompany, operating the Circle, Empire nd Princess theatres, advertised that treet car fare slips would be redeemed t any of his houses tor cash value — 5 ents. The offer was effective. Passengers Get Slips The slips are given to each passenger n the service lines as receipts for the dditional fare paid. In other words, if le supreme court rules against the raise i fare money will be refunded to all olders of coupons. The offer to redeem these coupons immediately has increased materially the ttendance at the company's three houses. Associated Exhibitors First Florence Vidor Film Ready in March (Special to Exhibitors Heraldj NEW YORK. Feb. 7.— Florence Yior's initial production for Associated Exhibitors. "Woman Wake Up," will be eady for publication on March .V Suporting the star in this picture arc "harles Meredith and Louis Calhern. Associated Exhibitors states that this roduction has a decided audience apeal and is in every way an excellent ttraction. lathe Signs New -cntract With Roach (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK. Feb. 7— Pathe has gned a new contract with Hal Roach •hich covers his entire output, which iniudes weekly comedy publications for a eriod of three years. Included under the Dntract are the "Snub" Pollard and Paul "arrott comedies. Signing of a contact with Harold Lloyd was announced >me time ago. opportunities Offered In Foreign Field Says Universal Export Head (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK. Feb. 7— Opportunities >r young men in the motion picture inlstry abroad are pointed out by James . Bryson, foreign manager of Universal, ccording to Mr. Bryson, Universal is on ie lookout for bright young men who xve a command of foreign languages to 1 positions in countries abroad. "Our men abroad are doing very well." iya Mr. Bryson. "Most of them are at ie top and the need is for young men to rve under them in the various countries, he men must be honest, energetic, and ;perienced in the motion picture busies, preferably along sales lines. They ust also be able to speak some foreign nguage." As the Civic League already has tiled more than the necessary number of names of voters, the election could be called much sooner than April 4, but the exhibitors displayed genuine civic patriotism and opposed an earlier election that would cause the city an extra burden of expense, a feature which was entirely ignored by the reformers. More Would Have Signed It has been estimated that fully So per cent of the voters of Springfield would readily have signed the petitions had they been submitted to them. However, 70 per cent was sufficient and the circulation of the petitions ceased when that number was obtained. But one factor caused the defeat of the exhibitors in the Sunday closing ordinance a few weeks ago. according to officials of the Motion Picture TheatreOwners of Missouri, and that was the FLORENCE VIDOR, whose first picture for Associated Exhibitors will be published on March 5. fact that there was only one issue at stake and persons favoring Sunday shows did not think the ordinance would pass.' "Brow beating." juvenile tactics at the polls, on the part of the reformers, was censored by the press and created general disgust among leading citizens. At the general election, virtually 100 per cent of Springfield's vote will be cast, and with 70 per cent of the voters having expressed their opposition to the Sunday closing ordinance, an overwhelming victory for the exhibitors is inevitable. Fleming Again Is On the Warpath (Special to Exhibitors Herald) INDIANAPOLIS. IND.. Feb. 7.— "The Sunday movie must be closed or the Sunday movie will close the church," said the Rev. W. S. Fleming o' Chicago, in an address before the Methodist ministers' association. "Moral conditions are better in Indiana than they were a year ago. Several towns which had motion pictures on Sunday have discontinued them. I urge an open fight in Indianapolis on the part of reform organizations to see that the law is enforced and the theatres are closed. I understood when I was here a year ago that the battle was to be begun immediately. It has not begun yet." Mr. Fleming is district manager of the National Reform Association. Scenarioist Here Miss Jeanie MacPherson. personal assistant to Cecil B. DeMille. the Famous Players-Lasky director, was a Chicago visitor last week. Miss MacPherson was on her way to California after a six months' stay in New York. She is at present adapting Alice Duer Miller's latest novel. Fairbanks in New Plant (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LOS ANGELES. Feb. 7.— Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford have moved their property to the newly acquired Pickford-Fairbanks studio, formerly the Jesse Hampton studio.