Exhibitors Herald (Jul-Sep 1922)

July 29, 1922 EXHIBITORS HERALD 37 Prominent Lawyer Becomes Advisor to California Unit Appointment Is in Line With League's Efforts to Further Cooperative Movement — Annual Convention to Be Held in August (Special to Exhibitors Herald) SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., July 18.— What is considered one of the most judicious and constructive moves made by an exhibitor organization is the appointment of Frank R. Devlin of Berkeley as general advisor to the Northern California division of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America. Mr. Devlin was former United States district attorney for Northern California, superior judge of a nearby county and president of the state railroad commission. Appointment Made for Co-operative Purposes Attorney Devlin's appointment is in line with the league's program of co-operation and co-ordination. A department of public service, inaugurated a year ago, will be given the immediate attention of the advisor, who will represent the organization for one year. Announcement of the employment of Attorney Devlin has just been made by Thomas D. Van Osten. managing director of the organization. Operators to Fight Reduction in Salary Will Not Consider Cut in Present Scale, N. Y. Showmen are Told (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK. July 18.— Trouble be:ween the projection machine operators ind exhibitors of New York over the kvage question is brewing. The exhibi:ors, as represented by the Theatre Owners Chamber of Commerce say they ire unable to pay the present scale and :hat a reduction must be made. The pperators are equally positive in their Insertion that they will accept no reiuction. Contract Up Sept. 1 The contract for the present wage Ifccale between the Moving Picture MaI thine Operators Protective Union. , Local No. 306, and the T. O. C. C. ex• bires September 1. and negotiations over t a new scale have been on for some time. Last week a mass meeting of the 900 tnembers of the operators' union was field to consider a new wage scale. After the session, an official of the IT. O. C. C. said: "Business in the houses controlled by members of the organiza:ion has fallen off about 50 per cent as i result of the general financial depression, but rentals and wages have not some down. We have proposed that operators accept a voluntary cut of 10 ->er cent in wages." Took Previous Cut "Our men are emphatic in their refusal to listen to any reduction of wages," -aid President Kaplan of the operators. The wage scale of the operators took 10 flight during the war and since that time we have suffered one 5 per cent -eduction. This is positively as far as we intend to go." New Firm to Produce And Distribute Films Is Launched on Coast (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LOS ANGELES, July 18.— Principal Pictures Corporation, a producing and distributing organization, with home offices in Los Angeles, has been organized. Officers of the concern, which expects to transact an annual business of over $3,)00,000, are Sol Lesser, president; Irving Lesser, vice-president and Eastern manager, and Mike Rosenberg, secretary, :reasurer and Western manager. Principal Pictures Corporation will operate as an independent concern and will nake twelve feature pictures a year, the irst of which will be an original story >y Elinor Glyn. This picture, temporarily titled "The World's a Stage," will go into production at United Studios :his week. Robbins to Film Next Picture in New York (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, July 18.— Jess Robbins, producer for Vitagraph has arrived in New Vork accompanied by Mrs. Robbins. Edward Horton. who has starred in Robbins' Too Much Business"' and "The Ladder Jinx" for Vitagraph is also in New York. The producer has announced that his next picture will be made here, in the preparation of which he will work with Arthur Goodrich, author of "Yes or No." Will H. Hayes, president of the Iff. P. P. D. A., on being advised of the appointment of Mr. Devlin and of the organization's plan to cooperate with every branch ofthe industry in legislative and other matters, sent a telegram commending the league on its progressive step and assuring the movement his hearty assistance. Hold August Convention Attorney Devlin will assume his new duties officially at the convention ot the Northern California division which will be held here on August 15. The meeting will be held at the Palace hotel, and in honor of the occasion a holiday has been declared by the exchanges. In addition to some 400 exhibitors, it is expected that every branch will be represented at the deliberations. The convention will close with a banquet, when the industry will have as its guests the governor and other high state executives. Names Convention Committee In charge of convention arrangements are C. C. Griffin, president; P. J. HanIon, chairman: Alan E. King, R. A. McNeil, Joseph Bauer, Sam Gordon, and Mr. Van Osten. Pizor Repudiates Evans Statement Lewen Pizor, chairman of the special committee on Film Boards of Trade of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey and Delaware, in a communication to the Herald has repudiated a statement given to the press by John S. Evans, member of the board of managers. The Evans statement was to the effect that the special committee of the Pennsvlvania league had refused to consider the application of the Hoy system. In repudiating this statement, Chairman Pizor writes: "This article was published without the knowledge or approval of the committee referred to by Mr. Evans. A committee representing the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey and Delaware has been and is conducting negotiations with the Film Board of Trade to establish a working agreement between the two bodies that will provide for the adjust ment of grievances and differences between them. No decision has been reached by the committee and no opinion authorized by it for publication." Will Prosecute Distributors (Special to Exhibitors Herald) COLUMBUS, O., July 18.— Distributors and not exhibitors operating in exchange centers will be prosecuted for violation of the orders of the division of film censorship, according to a letter addressed to Martin G. Smith, president of the M. P. T. O. of Ohio, by Vernon M. Riegel. director of education in charge of censorship. In other cities and towns, the letter continues, the exhibitors will be held responsible for infraction of the law. The letter further says: "It is suggested that exhibitors require the distributors to guarantee to them that the pictures will come to them in conformity with the orders of the division of film censorship. It is suggested furthermore that the exhibitors require the distributors to guarantee to them indemnification for all loss, cost and expense that may result to theatre owners as a result of the failure of distributors to obey the orders." Another victory for the exhibitors is the order recalling all of the passes and credentials that were issued by Mrs. Evalyn Snow for the purposes of inspection. National League and Hays Endorsed (Special to Exhibitors Herald) OCEAN VIEW. VA.. July 18.— With optimism as the keynote of the convention, members of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Virginia, who gathered here last week, endorsed the M. P. T. O. A., President Sydney S. Cohen and Will H. Hays policj of "confidence and cooperation." Opposition to the Hoy system was voiced in one of the resolutions adopted. A feature of the convention was the motion picture ball which was attended by popular screen and stage stars, brought to Ocean View by Marcus Loew and Nils Grantlund. publicity and exploitation director for Loew, Inc.