Exhibitors Herald (1926)

EXHIBITORS HERALD 27 Independents’ Merger Asked As Ohio M. P. T. O. Convenes Business Manager Wood Attacks Distributor-Control — E. P. Smith Again Iowa Chief — Washington Exhibitors Meet — New Jersey Sessions Nov. 18 and 19 (Special to the Herald) COLUMBUS, OHIO, Nov. 9. — Theatre owners of Ohio were to convene at noon today at the Neil House to tackle a number of important problems and lay plans to try to improve upon the rapid progress made by the state organization in the past year under the leadership of President William M. James and Business Manager P. J. Wood, a sample of which is an increase in the membership from 250 to more than 600. Wood Proposes Independents Merge A merger of all Independent exhibitors in the state, to be financed by some large concern, was to be proposed by the business manager to counter any moves by distributors to gain control of additional theatres in the Buckeye State. November 13, 1926 Fox Exploitation Force Wiped Out In Retrenchment ( Special to the Herald ) NEW YORK, Nov. 9.— The entire exploitation department of Fox Film Corporation, of which William Rudolph has been in charge, was wiped out of existence last Saturday by a retrenchment order issued by William Fox himself. The retrenchment order was in the nature of a general housecleaning and hit the publicity, advertising and Eastern scenario departments, each of which was reduced by about one-half. Stanley Acquiring 8 Davis Theatres , Pittsburgh Says ( Special to the Herald ) NEW YORK, Nov. 9. — The Harry Davis chain of eight theatres in Pittsburgh is soon to be acquired by the Stanley Company of America, according to a report current in film circles here and printed Saturday in a Pittsburgh paper. The deal was started shortly after the Stanley Company acquired control of the Rowland & Clarke theatres, according to the report from Pittsburgh, and is now said to be practically settled and ready for the signing of contracts. Luncheon to Davis and Finley Marks Ship Film Service to Immigrants (Special to the Herald) NEW YORK, Nov. 9. — The motion picture industry, as represented by the M. P. P. D. A., gave a luncheon yesterday at the Waldorf to J. J. Davis, secretary of labor, and Dr. John H. Finley, chairman of the Council on Adult Education for the Foreign Born. The luncheon was to celebrate the inauguration of a motion picture service for immigrants on the United States line of steamships. Americanization pictures are to be shown to immigrants on their way over so they will be well started on their way towards citizenship when they land here. Ninety attended the luncheon, representing educational, civic, charitable and patriotic organizations. Dr. Finley was toastmaster. Addresses were made by Secretary Davis and Will H. Hays. T wo Get $200 in Raid on Ft. Wayne Theatre (Special to the Herald) FT. WAYNE, Nov. 9. — Two men held up Mrs. Jule Dragoo, 35, in the box office of the Jefferson theatre last week, escaping with $200. The loss is covered by insurance. Mr. Wood declared that “The past inactivity of the large distributing companies in Ohio is not due to any love they may hold for the Independents in Ohio, but simply that they have been more concerned over conditions in other states.’’ Addresses a t this afternoon’s session of the two-day convention, which is the sixth annual gettogether, were to be given by Eli Whitney Collins, president of the M. P. T. O. A., on “The National Organization”'; James A. Devine, secretary of the Ohio League of Building and Loan Companies, on “What Organization Has Done for the Ohio Savings and Loan Institutions” ; Martin J. Quigley, editoi1 and publisher of the Exhibitor’s Herald, on “What the Trade Paper Means to the Exhibitor,” and by C. C. Petti john, general counsel of the M. P. P. D. A. Golf Tournament Staged Exhibitors limbered up for the convention by vieing in a golf tournament yesterday at the Elks Country Club. In the evening there was a preconvention dinner meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Ohio M. P. T. O. After the opening of the first session today by President James, an address of welcome was to be made by Mayor James I. Thomas, with response by Vicepresident T. J. Harwood of Cleveland, a welcome from the Columbus Chamber of Commerce by its president, J. A. Maddox, and reports by Secretary George M. Fenberg, Treasurer Sam E. Lind and Wood and James. Governor Vic Donahey of Ohio is to address the exhibitors at a banquet tonight in the ballroom of the Neil House. Vernon C. Riegel, state director of education, also is to speak, as well as Messrs. Quigley, Pettijohn and Collins. Dancing will follow. Smith in New Term As Iowa Business Manager (Special to the Herald) DES MOINES, Nov. 9.— E. P. Smith, business manager of the Iowa M. P. T. O., has entered upon his new term with the assurance of continued strength of the working organization, which he has been instrumental in effecting during the past six months. The confidence in Mr. Smith’s work was registered when the board of directors, elected at the state meeting here October 25 and 26, chose him to represent the association. The new board consists of Tom Brown of Iowa City, W. H. Eddy of Indianola, Thomas Arthur of Mason City, John Waller of Osceola and B. I. Van Dyke of Des Moines. The convention decided to leave it up to the board to select the officers of the organization. Among the association activities discussed by the hundred attending the session were arbitration, contracts, music tax and pictures. The resolutions committee, which will report later, included Tom Brown, M. R. Blair of Cedar Falls and Arthur Watson of Knoxville. Washington Convention Conducted in Seattle (Special to the Herald) SEATTLE, Nov. 9. — Early arrivals for the Washington M. P. T. O. convention opening here today indicated several hundred exhibitors would attend the two-day meeting. These include a number from Oregon, Montana and Idaho. A movie ball and a midnight screening are among the features. Robert W. Bender, manager of the Columbia theatre here, whose appointment as general chairman was announced by J. M. Hone, executive secretary, has on his committee the following: Carl Reiter, Orpheum; Lloyd Dearth, Pantages; Floyd Maxwell, Pacific Northwest Theatres; William M. McCurdy, President theatre; John Hamrick, Blue Mouse circuit; John Danz, Capitol; LeRoy V. Johnson, Liberty; Frank Edwards, Winter Garden; H. W. Bruen, Pacific circuit; and J. A. Bradt, Roycroft theatre. Seider Asks New Jersey to Act on “Trustifying” (Special to the Herald) NEW YORK, Nov. 9. — Practical steps to avert “complete trustification of the industry,” as President Joseph M. Seider of the M. P. T. O. of New Jersey writes in his appeal to exhibitors to attend the state organizations convention November 18 and 19 at the Ambassador hotel in Atlantic City, are to be sought at the two day meeting.