Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1924-Mar 1925)

February 14, 1925 EXHIBITORS HERALD 43 Censorship in Indiana Loses; Seeks Blue Sunday in East Drastic Measure Offered in N. Y. by Lord’s Day Alliance Would Place Ban on All Labor — See Bill Killed in Committee — Repeal Status Unchanged It’s the same old story in Indiana. First it’s the threat of censorship legislation followed inevitably by defeat of the bine noses. I'his year is no exception. New York can now turn from censorship matters for a time to consideration of the most drastic Sunday closing measure ever presented to the general assembly in that state. J, Charles Davis Has Formed New Company in Independent Field (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Feb. 3.— To bring sales methods used by the older industries into the motion picture business is the purpose of Davis Distributing Division, Inc., just organized by J. Charles Davis, 2d, as president; J. K. Adams, vice president, and Oscar Gunkel, treasurer. The first of the specials to be distributed on the independent market bv the company will be “The Tales of a Thou J. Charles Davis, 2d sand and One Nights.” The company will handle also six outdoor dramas produced by J. J. Fleming Productions, as well as eight Westerns made by Clifford S. Elfelt Productions. Mr. Davis says that the policy of his company will be to “help the dealer move the goods off his shelves into the hands of the consumer and thus make room for more goods.” T race Follows Heated Murray-V on Stroheim Quarrel on Metro Lot (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LOS ANGELES, Feb. 3.— Differences between Eric Von Stroheim, director, and Mae Murray, star, regarding the filming of “The Merry Widow,” which last Wednesday led to a stormy session on the lot during which the director was reported to have resigned, have been amicably adjudicated. Several versions of the quarrel, which ended when the director walked off the lot, have been given. The director declared, it is reported, that he had been fired. Louis B. Mayer was quoted as saying he resigned. Extras on the lot at the time stated that Miss Murray became enraged at the director and voiced an exclamation that displeased von Stroheim. When Monta Bell took up the scene where it had been stopped, officers employed by Von Stroheim refused to go on the scene unless the original director was restored, it is reported. Following apologies Von Stroheim went back to work in supreme control of the production. Tabloids Using Minors Are Target of Officials (Special to Exhibitors Herald) MILWAUKEE. WIS., Feb. 3.— A drive on theatres featuring tab shows which employ minors has been launched by the district attorney in Milwaukee. According to reports, at least two arrests are expected shortly. Plans to Rebuild Soon (Special to Exhibitors Herald) ALBANY, N. Y., Feb. 3.— Louis Buettner, president of the Cohoes Amusement company, announced the past week that the Strand theatre in Mechanicsville, destroyed by fire three weeks ago, would be rebuilt this coming summer. An architect is busy on plans for a theatre of 1,100 seats, which will be erected on the site of the other. The house was valued at $118,000, and insured for $85,000. Stories of these two important matters follow : Censorship Probably Killed in Committee (Special to Exhibitors Herald) INDIANAPOLIS, IND., Feb. 3.— The public morals committee of the Indiana general assembly, house of representatives, has agreed unanimously to recommend the indefinite postponment of the Hinkle motion picture consorship bill. The bill provided for the creation of a board of censors of five persons. The action of the committee, if approved by the house, will remove the censorship question from the present session of the legislature. The bill was without a single adherent when it was discussed during the public morals committee hearing. The much heralded Blue Sunday bill has been introduced in the Indiana legislature by Representative Kissinger for the Lord’s Day Alliance. He said the bill was handed to him by “the Rev. Johnson” of Ft. Wayne, who is head of the Indiana organization. Running true to form, for Indiana legislators have a reputation of introducing any bill that is handed to them, Kissinger felt duty bound to introduce this particular bill. Thomas J. Johnson of Ft. Wayne, is registered as a lobbyist for the Lord’s Day Alliance. The bill would make it unlawful for “any person to labor or employ any person to labor or to pursue any trade or secular business” on “the first day of the week, commonly called Sunday or the Lord’s day.” Under the second section of the bill, it is made unlawful to keep open and use “for secular purposes” on this day “where a fee is charged directly or indirectly” dancing places, saloons, theatres, picture shows, bowling alleys, billiard parlors, poolrooms, soft drink establishments “or place of public assembly or amusement.” The amusement centers that are barred from being open on the day are declared by the bill to be public nuisances if they remain open and the operators are to be guilty of a misdemeanor, for which the bill prescribes a penalty of from $100 to $500 and imprisonment may be added from one to six months. It provides further that the building or establishment be made subject to a lien for the payment of the fines and may he sold to pav them. For any violation not specifically prescribed, the bill makes a penalty of from $5 to $50 for the first offense and $25 to $500 for the second, to which may he added imprisonment from one to six months. Not a Wheel Could Turn in New York (Special to Exhibitors Herald) ALBANY, N. Y., Feb. 3.— New York State is threatened with the bluest of Blue Sundays, at least to the extent of a bill introduced in the legislature last week by Assemblyman Edmund B. Jenks, at the re quest of the Lord’s Day Alliance. Either Mr. Jenks or someone else was very careful to have the words “at the request of the Lord’s Day Alliance” written on the top of the bill. No doubt Mr. Jenks was fully aware of the storm of disapproval which the bill would arouse, and was not anxious to be the center of this. The. bill, which it is safe to say, will never be reported out of committee, is one of the most drastic ever introduced in the New York legislature. Sunday motion picture shows are absolutely under the ban, as well as all labor except of necessity or charity, all public work, all haircutting, manicuring and shoe polishing, all trades. Smith in New Plea For Censor Repeal (Special to Exhibitors Herald) ALBANY. N. Y., Feb. 3. — The drive to abolish the New York State Motion Picture Commission and thus bring about the repeal of censorship gained added impetus Monday night when Governor Smith in a special message to the legislature said: “The Motion Picture Commission should be abolished. The penal law will take care of bad pictures, and if you believe it to be not strong enough then strengthen it.” including repair work at garages must not be done or indulged in on Sunday. But that is not all. The bill further specifies that all reduced fare excursions must not be run on a Sunday and that the hauling of freight, except perishable goods and livestock, must cease. And as for caddies, they are forbidden as well as all other help on golf courses, baseball parks and public tennis courts. All shooting, hunting, racing, baseball, football, hockey, pool, billiards, dancing, theatrical acts, and in fact about everything under the sun is forbidden by the bill introduced. Week Sees But Four Firms Incorporated (Special to Exhibitors Herald) ALBANY, N. Y., Feb. 3.— There was a slump in the number of companies incorporating in the motion picture business in New York state during the past week. The records in the secretary of state’s office show that four such companies were incorporated, including the following: Lyrio Operating Co., Inc., capitalized at $200,000, with S. Roseman. R. Wertheim, I. Tow, New York city; Alben, Inc., $10,000, A. Hills, B. Strauss, H. Dittel, New York city; Five Chatham Square Theatre, Inc., with A. Goldman, W. Goldman, P. Morris, New York; B-C Productions, Inc., H. L. Finkelstein, M. Horowitz, E. Stern, New York city, the last two not specifying the amount of capitalization.