Exhibitors Herald (1927)

December 31, 1927 EXHIBITORS HERALD 21 Anti-Blues Arrest 250 Dealers Exhibitors Force Issue To Win Sunday Permits Police Courts of Pittsburg, Kan., Do Land Office Business When Busybodies Hit Snag (Special to the Herald) KANiSAS CITY, MO., Dec. 28. — The Sunday closing menace has become serious in Western Missouri and all of the state of Kansas, for the first time in several years. A genuine blue law war in Pittsburg, Kan., a town of 25,000 population, is causing widespread interest in that the exhibitors have sworn out complaints and caused the arrest of more than 250 business men of the town on charges of operating their businesses on Sundays. The arrests included druggists, garage owners and others in all walks of industry. Police Courts Hang Up S. R. O. As a result the police courts in Pittsburg Monday were doing a standing room business. Prior to last spring Pittsburg motion picture theatres had been closed on Sundays for about twelve years. Last spring, however, they opened and there at first was no opposition forthcoming. Then the ministers and many laymen got busy and the city council passed an ordinance prohibiting Sunday shows. Several exhibitors were arrested. Chicago Operators Want 25 Per Cent Raise, 6-Hour Day Operators’ demands for a wage increase of 25 per cent and a six-hour day with seven days’ pay are before the Chicago Exhibitors Association following a meeting of operators’ representatives, including Thomas Reynolds, union president, Thomas Maloy, business representative, and Jack Clifford and Ralph O’Hara with an exhibitors group headed by Jack Miller. The exhibitors, declaring they could not pay the demanded increase, prepared for a general meeting later in the week and a second session with the union men next Wednesday. Saxe Circuit Sells for $2,000,000; New Firm Now Called Midwesco (Special to the Herald) MILWAUKEE, Dec. 28.— Control of the 45 theatres passed from the Saxe Amusement Enterprises Tuesday morning, Dec. 20, to the Midwest Co., Inc., which in turn will transfer the theatres to a smaller subsidiary corporation, known as the Midwesco Theatres, Inc. The transaction involving the exchange took place at the law offices of Kaumheimer & Kaumheimer who represented the Saxe brothers. John Dillon, New York banker, who represented the Midwest company stated that half of the theatres involved were bought outright, while in the case of the rest, just the lease was obtained from the purchasing company. The sale price was set at approximately $2,000,000 and includes the Wisconsin roof garden which also passes from control of the Saxe brothers. It is understood that Skouras Brothers of St. Louis will be the managing directors of the Midwesco theatres. George Skouras and William Goldman are expected to move to Milwaukee at once to assume the position of Oscar Brachman who handled finances and leasing for Saxe. Fitzgerald remains as general manager. Saves Family and Music from Burning Apartment ( Special to the Herald) NEW YORK, Dec. 28.— Jack Picker, assistant to Major Edward Bowes of the Capitol theatre, rescued his baby and wife when they were imprisoned in their burning apartment, and also made possible a Friday rehearsal at the theatre, as he saved the music manuscripts from the blazing building. Wife Laughs at Comedy; Husband Doesn’t; Dead Mrs. James Joseph enjoyed a screen comedy in a Chicago South Side theatre — for a few minutes. Then she noticed that her husband was unresponsive to the screen offering. She shook him and found him dead. Glenn H. Taylor, attorney, was retained as counsel for the exhibitors, who contended that the city ordinance did not repeal the ancient Sunday labor law of Kansas, which is a state, and not city, law. It was under the latter law that the exhibitors had business men arrested. “We hope to arouse the citizens of Pittsburg to see that it is not fair to close motion picture theatres on Sunday and permit everybody else to operate their businesses,” Taylor said. “The result of all these arrests should be to arouse people to a point where they will demand a calling of an election on Sunday shows.” The advance announcement of the exhibitors that they would file complaints against business houses which operated on Sunday caused about fifty places of business to close, but hundreds remained open. Joplin, Mo., a city of 60,000 population, which has Sunday shows and is only a few miles from Pittsburg on a concrete highway, has been a mecca for Pittsburg patrons on the Sabbath. At Warrensburg, Mo., a town of 8,000, Nick Bradley, prosecuting attorney, announced he would close motion picture theatres on Sundays under the ancient Missouri labor law. R. M. Shelton, manager of the Star theatre in that city, came back with the announcement that if his theatre was closed he would file complaints against all businesses which remained open on Sunday and make it impossible for a person to buy a box of matches or obtain change for a church collection. Opens Sundays Despite Police Chief’s Orders (Special to the Herald ) IRONTON, OHIO, Dec. 28.— Joseph Sterns, manager of the Marlowe, has started to open his theatre on Sundays for both afternoon and evening performances. He gave a percentage of the receipts of the opening day to make up an $1,800 deficit in the football season’s funds. Chief of Police Thornton ordered the house closed but Manager Sterns is proceeding along the line that the people of Ironton desire Sunday shows. England Okays “Circus** Why? Charlie* s English (Special to the Herald) LONDON, Dec. 28. — Charlie Chaplin’s new picture, “The Circus,” which recently was given before the Prince of Wales and other royalty, is classified as a British production, coming under the British quota in accordance with the new film bill. The reason for this is that Charlie Chaplin is British and he is the producer, promoter, star, and author of the picture. “Sunrise” Excels “What Price Glory” And “7th Heaven ”at Carthay Circle B. O, (Special to the Herald) NEW YORK, Dec. 28: That “Sunrise” is doing a bigger business at the Carthay Circle theatre, Los Angeles, than either “7th Heaven” or “What Price Glory,” is indicated by figures brought from Hollywood by James R. Grainger, general sales manager of Fox Films. It was the box office performance on “Sunrise” which prompted the Miller Brothers, who operate the Carthay Circle, to contract with Fox for four pictures of roadshow caliber to follow. “Four Sons,” directed by John Ford, will be the first, followed by F. W. Murnau’s “The Four Devils” Frank Borzage’s “The Street Angel,” and Raoul Walsh’s production of Laurence Stallings “The Cock Eyed World.” The box office records revealed by Grainger indicate that in its first week “Sunrise” did $2,103 more than “What Price Glory” and $918 more than “7th Heaven.” The second week “ Sunrise ” did $2,366 more than “ What Price Glory” and $838 more than “7th Heaven” and the third week “Sunrise” did $128 more than “What Price Glory” and $18 more than “7th Heaven.”