Exhibitors Herald (1927)

July 30, 1927 EXHIBITORS HERALD 17 War on Booking Hits at B & K Combines and Saenger Circuits Told to Limit Buying to Own Houses Distributors Bar Sales to Chains for Theatres in Which They Have No Financial Interest (Special to the Herald) NEW YORK, July 26.— Distributor members of the Hays organization have declared war on booking combines. As the result of several meetings of representatives of the distributors at the Hays office, the latest of which was held yesterday, it was decided not to sell film to combines which are organized only for the purpose of booking. Legitimate Chains Not Affected Legitimate theatre chains are not affected by the ruling, the action being aimed only at those combinations of houses which are banded together for the purpose of buying pictures more cheaply through employing a commissioner or agent to do the booking for the entire combination. Hays OK on Booking Conference Reported (Special from Department of Commerce) WASHINGTON. July 26.— Although Will Hays and Paramount are understood to have given their approval to the proposed conference of the Federal Trade Commission on block booking, it is not believed a sufficient number of distributors have signified their interest for the commission to go ahead with the plan. Proposals that representatives of the exhibitors be invited to attend are now receiving full consideration but it is not believed the conference will be opened to that extent. Department of Justice officials yesterday denied new stories appearing in newspapers that a new inquiry of the industry had been undertaken. Certain to Kill Ticket Tax, Says Senator Smoot ( special to the Herald) NEW YORK, July 26. — Elimination of all admission taxes from the federal levies is certain when Congress meets in December, according to M. J. O’Toole, business manager of the M. P. T. O. A., who said that Senator Reed Smoot, chairman of the Senate finance committee, declared last week in Washington that it was the intention of that body to repeal all such levies in the next tax measure. “Apart from the fact that there is a treasury surplus,’’ O’Toole stated, “there are special reasons why official Washington stands ready to set aside all extra levies on theatres. This is due to the fact that the M. P. T. O. A. has ‘sold’ the idea that the screen is an element of expression, like the newspapers, and that theatres are community institutions.’’ O’Toole declared that for this reason, there never will be another admission tax levy by Congress. Kansas-Missouri Film Salesmen Aid Drive for M, P, T. O. Members (Special to the Herald) KANSAS CITY, July 26. — At a meeting of the board of directors of the M. P. T. O., Kansas-Missouri this week a plan of cooperating with exchange representatives in a membership drive by the M. P. T. O. K.-M. was approved. The move marked a great contrast in the present feeling between theatre owners and the former attitude which existed not so many years ago. Votion Has Operation (Special to the' Herald) HOLLWOOD, July 26.— Jack W. Votion, casting director for F. B. O., has gone to the Hollywood hospital to undergo an operation for sinus trouble. His return to the studio is expected this week. Among the larger combinations which it is said will engage the attention of the distributors are Balaban & Katz and the Saenger Amusement Company. Each of these has many houses which they own outright or are financially interested in, but it is also asserted by many of the salesmanagers that both these companies have taken into their booking a lot of houses in which they have no financial interest. No Trouble for Own Houses The companies will have no trouble buying for their own houses, but if the arguments of several of the distributors prevail, they will not be able to contract for pictures for the houses with which they have only booking arrangements. Two other concerns which are in trouble with the distributors and to whom sales will be denied are the Affiliated 'Theatrical Utilities Corporation of New York state, and the Associated Theatres of Ohio. The first named is a combination representing close to 150 theatres in upper New York state and Western Pennsylvania, the prime movers being Fred Zimmerman amd Nikitas Dipson. Charles Casanave is president of the Associated Theatres of Ohio. The distributing companies are determined to put a stop to the growing custom of theatres banding together for the sole purpose of forcing down the price of film. Said one prominent official of a distributing company: “If we don’t get this thing stopped before long there will be only about a half a dozen combines to sell film to, and we can go out of business or else sell our pictures at whatever price these combinations see fit to offer us, regardless of the cost of the production or whether we are allowed to make enough money to continue to exist. Hold Up Play Dates, Ohio Exhibitors Told (Special to the Herald) CLEVELAND. July 26.— Ohio exhibitors are urged to hold their play dates in letters being sent out by P. J. Wood, business manager of the M. P. T. O. Pictures can be bought "four months hence at much lower prices,” the letters say. “It has reached a critical point where we must take some action or we will be taken in a way that will be disastrous. We must start somewhere to combat this evil and there are a number of us who believe that the best place to start is with some of the big companies, even if they are as big as Balaban & Katz and the Saenger Amusement Company. Both of these own a lot of houses, but they also have gathered in a lot of others which they are not interested in except to do the booking for on a commission or flat payment basis. “This booking combination thing has reached a point where some wise man goes to a group of theatre owners and offers for a stated sum or a commission to buy the theatre’s pictures at several hundred dollars less per week than the theatre owner has been paying.’’ Eighteen Pictures Are in Preparation at De Mille Studios (Special to the Herald) CULVER CITY, July 26.— There is intense activity in the Pathe-De Mille studios these days Four pictures are in production, two more will launch production within a week, four are in the process of editing and cutting, and eight are in the hands of the scenario department preparatory to early filming Elmer Clifton is far at sea in an old windjammer filming “The Wreck of the Hesperus.'’ Final stages of editing are being done on “The Country Doctor,” and the special, “The Fighting Eagle,” in which Rod LaRocque and Phyllis Haver are featured. “Plarp in Hock,” and “Beautiful But Dumb,” Vera Reynolds’ latest picture, are in the cutting rooms. “The Wise Wife,” and “The Angel of Broadway” are in production. Donald Crisp is busy at West Point filming “The West Pointer,” which is William Boyd’s first picture as a star. William K. Howard is preparing “The Main Event,” which is another Vera Reynolds picture. “The Forbidden Woman,'’ and “The Girl in the Pullman” will go into production at an early date. Strike of Musicians and Operators Ends (Special to the Herald) ATLANTA, July 26.— The Metropolitan theatre management here has ended the strike of musicians and operators in this house by agreeing to continue operation of the full force.