Exhibitor's Trade Review (Nov 1925 - Feb 1926)

Page '8 Exhibitors Review The Week's Worthwhile News FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12 NEW YORK.— Collapse of negotiation with a Wall Street banking house for the flotation of a $10,000,000 stock issue sends Vital Exchange, Inc., into bankruptcy. The inove comes as a complete surprise to film •circles, which had been led to believe that negotiations begun by David R. Hochreich, president, were about to be consummated. Internal fight for control is also reported in some quarters. WASHINGTON,— Consideration of the -repeal of the admission tax voted yesterday hy the United States Senate is before comenittee. The repeal of the taxes on amusement was crowded through by a non-partisan ■block and passed by the narrow margin of 36 to 34. vCHICAGO.— Frank J. Rembusch, president of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners •of Indiana, is a speaker at the conference of <the Federal Motion Picture Council. The •organization, which is seeking a national censorship drive, is thrown into turmoil as a •result of the address by Judge Ben B. Lindsey, of Denver, warning against censorship. .NEW YORK. — John S. Woody returns to (production field with plans for making a feature based upon the exploits of the James And Younger boys. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15 "NEW YORK.— E. Thornton Kelly assumes his duties as head of the new Contract Bureau of the Motion Pic'.ure Theatre Owners of America. The bureau was created by Joseph M. Seider, business manager, to continue the work of bringing into the fold ®f 4he national organization all units representing exhibitors throughout the United States. NEW YORK.— Jake Wells, of Norfolk, "Va., member of the Administrative Committee of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, completes plans for his drive in Jbehalf of the Virginia State organization^ to <thwart a bill to levy ten per cent admission 'tax. , BROOKLYN.— Eighteen new officers are "directing the destinies of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Brooklyn. They are: IRndoJph Sanders, president ; H. S. McNa♦mara, wceipresident ; Abraham Philips, sectMStary; Louis Schiffman, treasurer; Meyer Rosenthal, sergeant-at-arms ; Eugene Zorner, business manager. Board of directors : Elias Bernstein, Eugene Zorner, Sam Fisher, Louis Reson, Ben Idson, Max Pear and Fred Stein. CHICAGO.— Mrs. Walter E. Hughes, representing 3,000 members of the Illinois Women's Athletic Association, will recommend the unequivocal opposition to the Upshaw Bill, which provides for national censorship of motion pictures, and ask for active participation of the women in a campaign to defeat it. NEW YORK.— Carl Laemmle, president of Universal Pictures Corporation, is on his way to Universal City, Calif., to supervise production on the "Greater Movie List" for 1926-27. CHICAGO.— Frederick H. Grueneberg, Sr., head of the Consolidated Realty and Theatres Corporation, in which 6,000 persons are said to have lost $4,000,000, is found guilty of using the mails to defraud. NEW YORK— Richard Barthelmess holds ;a contract with First National Pictures, Inc., ifor eight pictures to be made within two years after expiration of his present contract with Inspiration Pictures. WASHINGTON— American film producers dominated the world film trade during 1925, according to a report from the Commerce Department. Calendar of Coming Events Feb. 25.— Meeting New Jersey M. P. T. O., at Newark. March 10. — Executive Committee, M. P. T. O. of Ohio, meets at Columbus. April 19-20.— M. P. T. O. of Western Pennsylvania. Convention at Pittsburgh. June 1 to 5. — Annual Convention, M. P. T. O. A., Los Angeles, Calif. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16 NEW YORK. — Receiver in equity is appointed for the Davis Distributing Company. This move is made in the United States District Court, officers of the company explained, in order to protect the interests of the producers and various creditors. WASHINGTON.— The fate of the theatre admission tax repeal by the Senate still appears in doubt. There is much sympathy in the House for the Senate's action in wiping out admission taxes, but it is not believed that the repeal will be approved by the House conferees in full, but that some modification will be made. NEW YORK— The board of directors of the De Forest Phonofilm Corporation met to discuss matters pertinent to the recent reorganization of the company's activities. COLUMBUS, Ohio.— The executive committee of the M. P. T. O. of Ohio will again meet here March 10, The question of closing in July will be one of the factors taken up at that time. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17 NEW YORK. — Approximately forty pictures will be the output of the First National Pictures, Inc., for 1926-27. About eleven of these will be produced in the East and the balance in California. A total of nearly $11,000,000 will be spent for these productions. ROCHESTER, N. Y.— Funeral services are held today for John Jacob Bausch, founder and president of the Bausch & Lomb Optical Company, of this city. Mr. Bausch, who was 95, died Sunday after an illness of four weeks. KANSAS CITY, Mo.— In an effort to prevent future conflict and to harmonize heretofore conflicting interests with the motion picture industry, the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Missouri and Kansas is Washington, D. C, Feb. 19. The Conference Committee sitting on the question of Tax Repeal has decided to repeal theatre admission taxes up to 75c. This decision when incorporated into law will affect 99% of the theatre owners of the country and will be held with approbation by the entire motion picture and amusement industries. organizing a new association. This group, which will be composed of civic leaders, ministers and club workers, will be known as the Friars. PORTLAND, Ore.— Formation of a Motion Picture Theatre Owners unit in Oregon is progressing rapidly. While exhibitors will retain membership in the Oregon League, it is planned to affiliate the M. P. T. O. unit with the national organization. A meeting will be held this month to complete plans. NEW YORK.— Fox Film Corporation will hold a semi-annual sales convention in Los Angeles in April. ST. LOUIS— General Committee on Our Community and Its Youth of the St Louis Community Council recommends a committee be appointed to study undesirable motion pictures and theatrical performances and to recommend city and State legislation to bring about improvements. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18 NEW YORK. — Secret negotiations are continued by Mike Gore, president of West Coast Theatres, Inc., and his brother Abe and Sol Lesser, on plans for the financial reorganization of the company. It was learned the West Coast heads were in conference with First National executives. This conference is reported to have been arranged by First National to head off reported sale of the Gore and Lesser interests to a large producing and releasing organization. ALBANY, N. Y. — Assemblyman Charles A. Freiberg, of Buffalo, is drafting a new bill for the legislature to permit children between ten and sixteen to enter motion picture theatres unaccompanied by a parent. TRENTON, N. J.— The New Jersey State Legislature today has before it a bill which would empower the Public Utilities Commission to supervise the fixing of the basic rates on insurance. The bill was introduced by May M. C?rty on behalf of the New Jersey M. P. T. O. NEW YORK.— Hy Daab, F. B. O. studio publicist, arrives to assume the duties of advertising and exploitation manager of Film Booking Offices. NEW YORK— Inspiration Pictures, Inc., of New York, incorporates for $100,000 in the State of Delaware. The move is explained as a protective measure for operating in the State of California. M. P. T. O. A. Business Manager Has Breakdown Joseph Seider, business manager of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, has been taken ill and is suffering from a general breakdown due to overwork. Mr. Seider has been putting in fourteen to sixteen hours a day on matters of vital importance to his organization and was beginning to feel the effects of his strenuous labors several weeks ago but would not rest until the contract situation had come to a satisfactory conclusion. He will leave today for Atlantic City for a ten day rest and has been advised by his physician to take it easy for at least three weeks if he wishes recuperation. Trinz Passes Away CHICAGO, 111., Feb. 19.— The body of Henry Trinz, of the firm of Lubliner & Trinz, Chicago theatre owners, arrived here today from Hot Springs, Ark., where he died yesterday of heart disease. He was born in 1860 and leaves a widow and six children.