Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1924-Mar 1925)

EXHIBITORSHERALD 33 Adventists Open Caustic Drive on Blue Laws (Special to Exhibitors Herald) WASHINGTON , D. C., Feb. 17. — Sunday closing laws, reform decrees, and various persnickity reactions of modernity, many the product of the Lord’s Day Alliance, it is alleged, are the target of a drive launched at the national conference of the Seventh Day Adventists here. "If the plans of the Lord’s Day Alliance do not miscarry,” the Adventists charge, "every avenue through the United States will be closed except those which lead to the church door.” Drastic bills, a statement said, have been introduced into legislatures of four states already which would mean reform of laws. Hays Urges School for Child Actors; Aids Homeless Girls Organizes Relief Fund, Outlines Plans for Juvenile Shows and Asks for Cooperation of Directors in Eliminating Censorable Scenes While at Coast Studios (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LOS ANGELES, Eebruary 17. — “Teeming with activity’’ is the best way to describe Will H. Hays’ recent visit to Hollywood for the industry as a whole feels that the president of the Motion Picture Producers & Distributors Association has accomplished more along constructive lines than at any other time. Specifically Hays’ activities this trip included: 1. Ultimatum making it necessary for child actors to continue their schooling or retire from the screen. 2. Formation of the Motion Picture Relief Fund. 3. Outlining of plans for juvenile shows. 4. Completion of arrangements for the Hollywood Studio Club for homeless girls. 5. A request that directors cooperate in eliminating censorable scenes from scripts. During Mr. Hays’ stay here the annual meeting of the Coast branch of the M. P. D. A. was held. Joseph M. Schenck was reelected president; Hal E. Roach was named first vice president ; Victor Clark, second vice president, and Fred W. Beetson, secretary-treasurer. February 28, 1925 Zanft Is Given State Office by Gov, Smith ( special to Exhibitors Herald) ALBANY, N. Y., Feb. 17.— Gov. Alfred E. Smith has just announced the appointment of John Zanft to fill the vacancy in the Board of Trustees and Managers of the state reformatory at Elmira. The appointee is the vice president and general manager of the William Fox circuit of theatres. He succeeds Lt. Gov. Seymour Lowman, who was first appointed to the board in 1918 and is resigning in order to assume the duties of his new office. Mr. Zanft believes the duties required in filling the new position will inflict no encroachment upon the position he has been holding with the Fox company. Old Bill Killed, New One Would Censor Thefts (Special to Exhibitors Herald) OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA., Feb. 17.— With the former bill for censorship killed in committee last week a new bill has replaced it which carries all of the sting and more promise of being passed through the assemblies. It was introduced by Senator Johnson. “Don’ts” in the bill include the motion picture showing of robberies of any kind, person, bank, store or train ; any scene that is “obscene, indecent, cruel, or immoral or such as would tend to corrupt or debauch morals,” is forbidden. Designated fines would follow conviction. Seventeen senators sponsored the presentation of the bill. 0*Toole Asks Tax Free Music from Companies (Special to Exhilitors Herald) NEW YORK, Feb. 17.— M. J. O’Toole, president of the M. P. T. O. of America, has requested every theatre owner to write to each film company asking them to instruct their cue sheet maker to produce 100 per cent “tax free” cue sheets. Likewise he has forwarded a circular letter to all producing and distributing companies to instruct the musical directors in their studios to use only “tax free” music in the application of musical numbers to pictures and in the preparation of music cue sheets for the use of theatres. Kinemart Service for M,P.T.O, to Cut Dues (Special to Exhibitors Herald) SEATTLE, WASH., Feb. 17.— The M. P. T. O. of Washington has been considering for a year financing plans to build up a reserve fund and lessen the amount of dues. After investigating a number of advertising plans and companies, the association has adopted the fashion shows and service of Kinemart, Inc., of California, by which the organization gets 10 per cent of all business done through Kinemart. The advertising firm is represented locally by I. M. Moe. Lesser Agent Visits IVest Harry Rathner, personal representative of Irving M. Lesser, is on a business trip through the middle west to visit Toronto, Detroit, Chicago, Milwaukee, Des Moines and St. Louis. A more complete outline of Mr. Hays’ activities while here follows : 1. In his ultimatum that child actors must attend school, he demanded also that they be chaperoned by parent or guardian whenever working before the camera. The studios will provide teachers to make up for the absence from school, and every child working must have a license from the board of education, as well as a certificate of health. 2. The Motion Picture Relief Fund was formed so that the industry might take care of its own charities as does The Actors Fund of America. 3. In outlining plans whereby photoplays of a type suitable for school children will be presented at prices fitting the school child’s purse, he stated that starting April 1, Saturday morning dime admission matinees for children would be shown in thousands of theatres over the country. More than thirty-five hundred reels are available for^ the 1925 program. These will include a featurd' photoplay, a comedy and a semi-educational subject, making eight reels in all. All of this followed a conference between producers, exhibitors and club women with Hays. Norma Contributes $5,000 4. The final arrangement for the completion of the new Hollywood Studio Club, where homeless girls of the films can find suitable quarters at prices within their means under the national jurisdiction of the Young Women’s Christian Association, was made through a $5,000 subscription from Norma Talmadge. 5. In a heart to heart conference with the Motion Picture Directors Association Mr. Hays asked their cooperation in eliminatirig censorable scenes from the scripts instead of the finished film and showed the megaphone wielders several reels of censor cuts to get over just what scenes are censorable. The reception at the directors’ club house was, outside of the annual meeting of the producers, probably the most important event in Hays’ stay here. Speakers of the evening were Rob Wagner, Antonio Gaudio, Lojs Weber, Fred Beetson, Edward Davis, Herbert Rawlinson, Sam Warner and Mr. Hays. All of the speeches voiced appreciation for Hays, first as a man, and then for what he had accomplished since his tenure of office. Hays’ speech indicated his feeling towards motion picture directors. He termed them, “The key men of the industry.” He explained the great advances that had been made by directors which naturally had contributed to the advances made in the industry. He claimed that the false steps that had been taken could be equally divided among directors. Hays urged every motion picture director to consider well when making a photoplay whether it would offend any foreign nation, race, religion or class of people. Production Now on Increase At the annual meeting of the Producers’ Association production plans for 1925 were outlined. A general tone of optimism prevailed and each member stated that Hollywood and Culver City would see the greatest era of productivity in the history of motion pictures. It was evident at the meeting that the heads of the industry meant to keep the production in Los Angeles despite flattering offers from New York and Florida, and to increase over 1924, which has been made necessary through the building of many new theatres throughout the United States. It was estimated that there would be an increase of about 30 per cent in production during the coming year and the producers told of the signing of new contracts for additional product and the engaging of new stars and the giving of work to additional thousands of artisans. Hays was especially emphatic on the necessity of care in advertising, citing instances of violation of proprieties, particularly by the theatres in exploitation. He asserted that much progress had been made in the correction of improper publicity, in (Continued on page 41)