Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1930)

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28 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD November 8, 1930 It's Up to Film Product Now With St. Louis Labor Deadlock Last Overtures of Exhibitors Are Rejected by Musicians — First Three-Year Agreement Is Signed by Operators at Albany, and Two-Year at Troy — Settlement at Oklahoma City That first-run theatres of St. Louis will continue indefinitely without pit orchestras, organists and stage shows is now considered certain following rejection by the Musicians Mutual Benefit Association of the latest compromise offer of the St. Louis theatre owners. At the same time, possibilities of a sympathetic strike by projectionists and stage hands were definitely eliminated. // CHIC" CHATS At Albany, the first three-year contract ever made between the operators and exhibitors has just been placed in effect after concessions by both sides. At Troy a two-year contract has been voted. In San Francisco the California supreme court has refused to act on an appeal in the fight of Nasser Brothers and others against the musicians' union. At Oklahoma City, new contracts with the operators provide for an increase of $2.50 a week in salary and establishment of a six and a half hour day, and the stage hands also received a salary increase. Sympathetic Strike Possibilities Ended (Special to the Herald-World) ST. LOUIS, Nov. 6. — The musicians' rejection of the latest compromise offer of the theatre owners is considered certain to mean that the first run houses will continue indefinitely to operate without pit orchestras, organists and stage shows. The theatres offered to employ 100 musicians for ten months with the proviso that theatres without pit orchestras would be immune to picketing and that the musicians could be discharged on six weeks' notice. The musicians considered the offer as "grossly unfair," especially the provisions on picketing and discharge. Possibilities of a sympathetic strike by the projectionists and stage hands were definitely removed by a decision of William Canavan, head of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes, following a conference with Joseph N. Weber, international president of the American Federation of Musicians. If the business of the first-run theatres continues to hold up fairly well, the probability of the musicians obtaining any further concessions is considered very, very remote. However, should business fall off considerably it is predicted that the owners would not he adverse to again using pit players, organ music and stage shows. There are some surface indications that the amusement loving public is tiring somewhat of the "average" type of sound pictures. Outstanding attractions continue to gross up. December, January and February are expected to prove decisive if the dispute is not settled before that quarter arrives. Albany and Troy Operators Agree (Special to the Herald-World) ALBANY, Nov. 3. — Retroactive to Septemher 1 last, a three-year contract has just been entered into between operators and the exhibitors, following a series of conferences, one in New York City. Each side made concessions. This is the first contract of this length ever made between the two parties. Full time operators, working a six day week, Albany not having Sunday shows, receive an increase of $1.25 a week, making their salary ■$60, the chief operator receiving: $70 instead of $68.75 as in the past. Overtime is to be paid for at $2 an hour up until midnight, after which the rates will be $3 an hour. At the Ritz theatre, a Warner downtown house, the new contract provides for four full time operators, effective at once. At the Strand, the R K O Grand, and Harmanus-Bleecker Hall, the assistant operator will receive $45 instead of $18, with a provision that at the end of the third year he will become a full time operator at a salary of $60. These three theatres have three full time and an assistant operator. All are firstrun. At the Madison, a Warner residential house, the assistant operator is raised from $18 to $22, this theatre having two full time men and an assistant. The same applies to the Albany theatre. In Troy, a two-year contract has been entered into between the two parties with some slight increases granted, but with working conditions remaining practically the same as in the past. Suit Dropped in Musicians' Case (Special to the Herald-World) SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 6.— The state supreme court has refused to act on the appeal made by Nasser Brothers, Central California Theatre Company and Consolidated Theatres, Inc., in a controversy with the musicians' union. The dismissal left the controversy where it started and the next move, if any, will be up to the musicians. The controversy, heard by the lower courts, was over a contract assertedly broken by the theatres. This was entered into in September, 1928, and was to have been effective until Aug. 31, 1930. In dismissing the appeal the court explained that the contract had expired and that any order it might make would be futile. Attorneys point out that about the only thing that can now be done is for the musicians to start an action for damages. Oklahoma City Agreement (Special to the Herald-World) OKLAHOMA CITY, Nov. 6.— Increase of $2.50 a week is one of the stipulations of the new contracts signed between Local 380 and the vaudeville and motion picture theatres in this city. The operators obtained a six and a halfhour day in the contract and another increase of $2.50 a week next September. The new scale calls for $57.50 and $65 ; next year the scale wil be $60 and $67.50. Numa Won't Stop Custard Pies Any More (Special to the Herald-World) LOS ANGELES, Nov. 6.— Numa, the film lion, is dead. He died at a zoo here this week, leaving 28 children and grandchildren. Veteran of scores of screen comedies, Numa was the backstop for custard pies in the old silent days and roared for a living in the new talking picture era. Although he was owned by a zoo, he was more or less common property, for whenever a producing company needed him for film scenes he never turned down the invitation. He was 19 years old. NEW YORK. \17 E had one of our periodical chats the * » other day with a man who knows perhaps as much about wide film, its developments and progress, as anybody in this business. From this point south in the column is something of what he told us. It was the comparatively recent development of the talking picture which definitely reawakened interest in the wide film, after it had been lying dormant for several years. The reason for the sudden enthusiasm for a new method was due to the limitation of the angle of vision in the talking film, and the consequent necessity of finding something which would eliminate this failing. Nine years ago the first serious attempts were made to develop wide film, which has reached the point today where nearly all producing companies are vying with one another in the perfection of a wide film width which will solve a particularly vexing problem. In the earliest Biograph days, pictures were made on a film wider than the 35millimeter standard width in use at present, with an old style wide film projector used for the showing. We have heard the statement made in a very positive tone that there has been no real improvement in photography since the old Biograph days, with the exception of "trick" camera work. The first efforts in the direction of a new technique in modern wide film, commenced about 1921, involved the use of three cameras and the making of three prints which were meant to be synchronized. Due to technical difficulties, this experiment was abandoned in favor of a two-camera method, with the lenses one above the other and overlapping. Filming required the use of a right and left hand projector. It was discovered, however, that the prints could not be made to match properly, since they differed in density, resulting in bad projection and a definitely discernible line on the screen. About one year later was attempted the use of a film 70 mm. wide and six standard sprocket holes high, but not only was difficulty experienced in taking and projecting, but the condition known as "breathing" (loss of focus at frequent intervals) developed in screening. This was attributed to the film being of insufficient strength. With a change to a 70 mm. film four sprocket holes in height, the "breathing" was partly eliminated but the film would not last, which involved heavy expense in replacement. In 1926 was brought out a 56 mm. film with a special lens for use in projection. A picture made by Robert Greathouse and Billy Bitzer, who has been handling cameras on studio lots for nearly 35 years, was shown at the Cameo in New York for three weeks. Despite favorable press notices on the experiment, the companies were still not interested. The expense seems to have been the principal objection. Famous Players screened a picture at the Rivoli about 18 months ago, following the beginning of a 65 mm. development some six months previous to the showing. As the situation stands today, several of the larger producing companies have each one a different width film. Warner Brothers, with the Vitascope development, uses a 65 mm.; Paramount is experimenting with the same width; Spoor's method utilizes a 62^ ; and Fox uses a 70 with an image 1 by 2 inches. The wide film question just now has the attention of the entire industry, with a definite settlement still for the future. — "CHIC" AARONSON.