Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1928)

February 25, 1928 EXHIBITORS HERALD and MOVING PICTURE WORLD 19 Sapiro Heads New Exhibitor Unit N. Y. Independents Seek Support Throughout U. S. 5 Houses Acquired In North Carolina By Publix-Saenger Tieup with T, O. C. C. First Proposed Move — Would Compete with Chains Through Booking Office (Special to Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World) GREENSBORO, N. C, Feb. 21.— According to a statement from H. F. Kincey, general manager of the Publix-Saenger chain of theatres in North Carolina, an important deal was closed last week by which the PublixSaenger Theatres of North Carolina acquired full control of five theatres in Hdgh Point, N. C, the Broadhurst, American, Rialto, Broadway, and Orpheum. The acquisition of these houses marks the first development in the expansion program announced by Publix-Saenger Theatres two weeks ago. Publix to Build Toledo Theatre Toledo is soon to have a modern theatre. The new theatre, to be built by Publix, will be located at the corner of Huron and Adams Streets, opposite the largest department store in the city. The work of razing present structures on the site will commence within the next few days. Rapp & Rapp of Chicago are the architects. Detailed plans for the construction of a municipal theatre in Philadelphia have been presented to Mayor Mackey and the city council. The project has been given the assurance of the friendly dnterest of the Stanley Company and the Theatre Managers Association of Philadelphia. The proposed plan calls for the construction of an $800,000 theatre on a city-owned plot. It is proposed that the theatre's top price shall be $1. It is proposed to finance the venture partly by gifts of money. France Moves to Begin Restriction of American Films ( special to Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World) PARIS, Feb. 21. — Restriction of American films in France will begin on March 1, rather than September 1, as had been expected by American producers. The rapid move came as a great surprise when the Council of Ministers approved the Herriot commission's decree. The restriction will cut down the showing of American films in France by at least 25 per cent, it is said. However, it is said that American producers are taking the new move rather quietly because of the great demand in France for American films. Atlanta Met Reopened by National Amusement ( special to Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World) ATLANTA, Feb. 21.— After remaining dark for a week following its closing February 11, the Metropolitan theatre was reopened last night, under the management of the National Amusement Company, of which Robert B. Wilby is president. Carter Barron, former Georgia Tech football star, who has been assistant manager of the Capitol since that house opened, becomes manager of the Metropolitan. (Special to Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World) NEW YORK, Feb. 21. — -Aaron Sapiro became president of a new organization of independent motion picture theatre owners known as the Motion Picture Exhibitors Association of New York at a long and exciting meeting in the Hotel Plaza here last Saturday. Sapiro's salary is reported to be $100,000 a year. Tieup with T. O. C. C. Planned Two of the first steps proposed for the organization will be a merging of the T. O. C. C. with it and a linking up with similar organizations all over the country to make a "functionally coordinate" organization of all independent exhibitors. The move carries Sapiro's recent eiforts in promoting cooperative buying and marketing into a new field. His association intends, by creating a new central office for the booking of films, to put the owners of more than 250 of the smaller theatres in New York in a position where their combined buying power of $2,500,000 a year can compete with the chain theatres controlled by powerful corporations. Ford Suit Recalled Sapiro achieved some measure of national prominence recently by bringing a $1,000,000 libel suit against Henry Ford, claiming that he and the Jewish race had been maligned, also that Ford in his Dearborn Independent had been wrong about cooperative marketing, which was Sapiro's favorite) child. After one mistrial the suit was settled out of court. Ford publicly apologized, retracted his charges, and even endorsed cooperative marketing. Sapiro started in California. Then he became a Chicago attorney. Now he is a New Yorker, living in Scarsdale. He doesn't intend to spend all his time on the motion picture industry, and the $100,000 a year represents only a part-time job. He expects to apply to other industries the same method of cooperative buying and selling which he brought the farmers of the West. Sixty Exhibitors Convene About 60 independent exhibitors went to the Hotel Plaza for the meeting at which he was to outline his plan for the last time. This was to be a meeting of take it or leave it, and the exhibitors decided to take it. They hailed the new cooperative movement as the first real step toward helping the small theatre owner to retain his commercial individuality while at the same time enabling him to put his buying power on an equality with the vast resources of the producer-controlled chains. The aim is to have newer and sometimes first run pictures come to the smaller neighborhood theatres at the same time, or soon after their presentation at the larger Broadway houses. "To coordinate but not to consolidate" is the aim of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' Association, as of Sapiro's other cooperative projects, he said Influence Centralized Under the plan, each theatre or small grotip of theatres will exercise its own discretion in the buying and selection of its films and presentations. But those activities which will be benefited by a centralization of power will be combined into a central office so that greater influence may be wielded in facing the competition of producer-owned theatres. Independents at the Saturday meeting condemned the activities of the chain theatres in 'coming into new neighborhoods and destroying property values with their ruthless buying of land and buildings at any price to stifle competition.' " Sapiro pointed out that his connection with the new organization was not as an attorney but as a busines adviser. He said he had not yet been admitted to the bar in New York. Represented at the meeting were the Consolidated Amusement Enterprises, Inc. ; the Small-Strausberg Circuit, Inc. ; William Brandt Enterprises, Inc. ; Joelson Suchman Enterprises, Inc. ; Grob & Knobel Theatres, Meyer & Schneider Circuit; Federated Theatres, Inc. ; Steiner-Blinderman Circuit, Inc. ; Leo Brecher, J. Arthur Hirsch, Sol Brill, John Manheimer, Samuel Lesselbaum, Playhouse Operating Company, Rudolph Sanders, Salkin Enterprises, Arthur M. Rapf, Edward Rugoff, H. Gainsboro, Samuel I. Berman and Charles L. O'Reilly. Film Exports for December Increase ( special to Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World) WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.— December exports of motion picture film totaled 26,556,649 feet with a value of $719,710, compared with 21,004,590 feet valued at $662,844 in November, according to figures just made public by the Department of Commerce. Mayor Walker Turns Down Presidency of Stanley Company at $150,000 Is Report (Special to Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World) NEW YORK, Feb. 21. — Mayor Jimmie Walker of New York has turned down a $150,000 a year job as president of the Stanley Company of America, according to newspaper dispatches. It is said that the original offer was for $125,000 a year by Mrs. Mastbaum, wife of the late Jules Mastbaum. When the Mayor refused the offer was boosted to $150,000. Walker is said to have been considerably tempted to accept after repeated requests were made by Morris Wolf, the firm's counsel, and Irving Rossheim, who was later named president, after the Mayor's refusal.