Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1923 - Mar 1924)

March 8, 1924 EXHIBITORS HERALD 27 They Look to The "Herald" EXHIBITORS HERALD stands first in the opinion of motion picture theatre owners because it gives them news and service which is vital to them. For instance, the music tax has been uppermost in the minds of exhibitors for the past three years. The fight between the Broadcasters and the A. S. C. A. P. is without question the most important development in this situation to date. The HERALD is the only motion picture trade paper which has provided the exhibitor with complete and accurate information on the matter. It has "scooped" its competitors three successive weeks and forced other trade papers to content themselves with rewriting the HERALD'S stories a week late. Exhibitors look to the HERALD for the real news in the field and the HERALD never fails them. Foxy Exhibitor Cheats Bandits Of Near $3,000 With almost $3,000 in his pockets, receipts from the Adams theatre which he owns, Frank Levin taxied home with his wife early the other morning only to find two holdup men waiting for him at his door. Suspecting them' to be what they were, he had his wife go and open the door while he argued with the taxi driver and then made a dash across the sidewalk as one of the men came running, drawing his revolver. Levin slammed the door in his face, locked it and telephoned the police. The men were apprehended. Woman Suffers Biggest Theatre Loss .^LB.^NY, N. Y., Feb. 25.— The biggest theft ever committed in a motion picture theatre in Albany, N. Y., occurred during the past week when some one at the Clinton Square theatre made off with a hand bag containing over $2,000 worth of jewelry that had carelessly been left in the washroom by Mrs. Anna Bender, a resident of the exclusive Menands suburb. Mrs. Bender came to the theatre, but before taking her seat, went to the ladies' room. Shortly after taking her seat in the theatre, Mrs. Bender thought of her bag and went at once to the room', but the bag was no longer there. Jury Finds Lawyer Is Guilty in LaMarr Case (Special to Exhihiors Herald) LOS ANGELES, Feb. 26.— It took a jury of twelve men just eight minutes to decide that Barbara LaMarr was more sinned against than sinning when Herman L. Roth, Hollywood and New York attorney, was found guilty of extorting $100 from .'\rthur H. Sawyer, Miss La Marr's business manager. .According to the prosecution, this was the first payment of the sum of $25,000 which Roth was attempting to extort from the actress Wide Exhibitor Interest in "Music Tax" Fight Develops Attorney for Kansas and Missouri Theatre Owners Urges Conference to Discuss Plan— Chicago League Take Action Soon Exclusive stories on the "music tax" situation, published weekly in the Herald, have developed a strong exhibitor support of the coordinated fight being waged by the National Association of Broadcasters, the theatres and other amusement interests against further payment of the license fee on copyrighted selections, according to those directing the campaign. Exhibitor leaders with whom the subject has been discussed have expressed confidence that the theatre owners of the country will join wholeheartedly in the movement which is now assuming definite torm. Kansas Exhibitor Attorney Urges Conference Immediately following publication of the first story in which definite plans of the Broadcasters were outlined, S. A. Handy, attorney for both Kansas and Missouri exhibitors who has made an exhaustive study of the "music tax" proposition, wired President E. J. McDonald of the Broadcasters association, urging a conference in Chicago to "talk matters over with you." l>y it tax free. For this purpose a form has been prepared, copy of which, enclosed, is self-explanatory. Three classifications have been provided under the heading of each interest and the National Association of Broadcasters, through their representatives present at the meeting, offered the allied interests the privilege of naming the annual fee for each of their individual members. "Funds collected under this 'Class B* membership will be used only by the Association of Broadcasters for the expense of maintaining and operating the Music Release Bureau and for the purpose of conducting a nationwide campaign for the amendment of the present copyright laws relating to the public performance of musical publications in the interest and for the benefit of all members of the Association. Plan Is Conditional "If sufficient funds are not subscribed to justify the National Association of Broadcasters in enlarging the scope of its Music Release Bureau to accommodate the allied interests who are invited to membership, the National Association reserves the right to, and will, return your check and discontinue its efforts except tc have the tax removed for broadcasters. "Let us no longer stand in the middle of the ring with our hands at our sides and with the Jack Dempsey power we possess, permitting a small but well-organized group with the power of a bantamweight to hit us at will." .\ttorney Handy's message to President McDonald read: "The EXHIBITORS HERALD reports that the National Association of Broadcasters of which you are president are preparing to contest the claims of the Ame^ic^ln Society of Composers, Authers and Publishers over the 'music tax.' For some time I have been representing as their attorney the Kansas and Missouri Motion Picture Theatre Owners in contesting the claim of the Axnerican Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. These suits are now ending in the federal court in the Western district of Missouri. I would be ^ad to arrange a meeting with you to discuss the question of the theatre owners and the National Association of Broadcasters and hotels combining for the purpose of contesting these claims, and if you will wire me I will be glad to come to Chicago and talk matters over with you." Attorney Handy's telegram reflects tiie interest of many other theatre owners in the movement which, broadcasting men say. is bearing fruit. Chicago Exhibitors to Meet Chicago exhibitors will convene on March 7. when the subject will be taken under advisement and, it is indicated, acted upon favorably. A man high in the official family of the Chicago theatre owners' association said that he felt certain that the local organization would support the broadcasters 100 per cent. Strengthening the broadcasters' campaign are the hundreds of financial contributions received from radio fans who urge that the fight continue unabated. President McDonald of the broadcasters' association has just forwarded to exhibitor leaders of the country an explanatory letter, giving details of the cooperative plan which was devised following the conference in Chicago a week ago of representative broadcasters, theatre men. hotel representatives and dance hall owners. His explan'ation of the plan, as outlined in the letter, follows: "It was proposed at the meeting of the allied interests that the National Associations of Broadcasters create a new class of membership in its organization to be known as 'Class B Associate Membership' and to take in under this classification the allied interests of the motion picture theatre owners, hotel owners, dancing academy and dancing hall owners and outdoor show interests. Receive Music Service "The members of this new classification to be entitled to the services of the music release bureau of the Association and to the use of all music released or approved Zukor and Christian Deny Charges Against Harding's Secretary (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Feb. 26.— A denial that he had attempted to interfere with the Federal Trade Commission's action against Famous Players-Lasky was made by George B. Christian. Jr., former secretary to the late President Harding. In a letter to President Coolidge, Christian expressed himself as being amazed at the impression Mr. Thompson had gained of their conference and further stated that his sole purpose in calling Thompson to the office was of gaining information as to the status of the case. .According to report, .\dolph Zukor. when questioned regarding the charge. characterized it as a deliberate falsehood. Dancing with Paul Whiteman's. T. N. T. March 29