Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1930)

November 15. 1930 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD 25 Lightman to Ask Service Charge Reduction (Continued from page 21) in the event of a reduction, to designate railway express as the medium of transportation of films and records booked to them." The resolution read further that "the organization will impose upon all its members increased attention to obligations to make shipments to exchanges by the very first possible express after the period for which films may be booked to them shall have expired." It was the opinion of leaders as expressed in the resolution that such a reduction would result in an increase in return shipments by express. Kent's talk from the floor of the convention was straight from the shoulder. The general manager of Paramount minced no words in discussing the industry's problems which have been met and problems which must be faced in the future. Although it has been understood generally that Publix would eventually unload some of the smaller theatres which it acquired in its expansion program, his statement that "many small houses are going back to progressive independents," was the first official acknowledgement of the trend in circuit ownership. Kent in his frankness astonished his listeners on several occasions. "The progressive independent today," he said, "has as great a future as anyone in the business and I didn't feel that way a year ago." He advised caution in adoption of wide film, declaring that he did not believe that the time was ripe for its introduction. Referring to wide film, television and other developments, he declared that he considered it unwise to "push them down the public's throat." He brought a healthy laugh during his introductory remarks when he said that "five years ago I wouldn't have had the nerve to get up and talk before you exhibitors unless I could make a fast getaway." Kent is of the opinion that sound is adjusting itself rapidly insofar as production is concerned. His thought is that production forces are getting back to the fundamentals of the silent picture, using "sound only as an accessory." That sound, color and wide film can be M P T O A Pledges Aid To Relieve Jobless (Special to the Herald-World) PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 13.— The MP T O A, through Secretary M. J. O'Toole, is definitely on record to assist in whatever way it can in relieving the unemployment situation. O'Toole will keep in touch with Colonel Wood of the Hoover staff to suggest whatever may seem advisable to lessen the tension caused by unemployment. made an asset when not overdone is his frank opinion. Color, he felt, had not yet "reached its ultimate perfection." When use of it is not overdone, however, he said, it is an asset, declaring that all color is used now only in rare exceptions. The Paramount executive, who sponsored the 5-5-5 conference which wrote the new contract and arbitration regulations, put sincere comedy into his discussion of these meetings, declaring that "If you want to take a postgraduate course in patience" just be chairman of such a committee. "The new contract," he holds, "is the best and fairest yet drawn. We corrected many things and some can be improved." M. A. LIGHTMAN Exhibitors and distributors, he said, sat across the table in a spirit of give and take — and at this point he took occasion to express his appreciation of the service given by Lightman and of the splendid cooperation given by Allied, whose executives "played ball with me on the job." Further strengthening his definite opinions on the independent exhibitor, Kent said that "No business can prosper that prospers at the expense of the small man." Sees Personalities Returning There has been a great deal of argument in the picture business on the star system, many holding that it built false values. While not labeling it as a star system in his talk, Kent did say that "personalities are coming back next year, which is going to be a tough one on specials." Touching again upon the subject of the independent, he said that the independent man in the local community knows everybody and cannot be replaced satisfactorily by a fifty-dollar-a-week man who has no interest in the community. It is a foolish industry, he said, if it does not keep the independent alive. The leaders have got to see to it that the small man is given a break. The Paramount circuit, he contended, has personality to deal with, holding that when you take a manager out of his community you are pulling roots out of the ground, for it is hard to replace him and "that is an advantage you can't take away from the independent." Because the sound picture today has lost its novelty, he said, people no longer are going to the bigger town, a situation which has corrected itself in favor of the small town exhibitor. There are two things of real importance to the exhibitor, Kent held. "Aside from organization there is only one thing important and that is good pictures at the right prices." Home talking pictures, he thought, should not be sold in competition to the exhibitor. Special product, he held, should be produced for this outlet. His remarks at the Armistice Day banquet were directed naturally more to the public than to the trade. The producers, he said, did not want to put filth in pictures. "It is the public that sometimes calls for pictures that are a bit strong, to put it mildly. We have had several instances in our own company where we expended millions on clean pictures and got nothing but flimsy, lousy support from the public. Take 'Old Ironsides' and the Byrd film. 'Old Ironsides' cost $2,250,000 and we lost $1,250,000. Nobody wants to make rotten, obscene pictures, and, all things considered, we have maintained a mighty high average in this business." He stressed here the necessity of producing pictures which will bring youth into the theatre. Ask Action on Service Charge Important in the business transactions was adoption of the resolution directing Lightman to confer with Western Electric and R C A on the service and part charges which are held by exhibitors to be excessive. For a time during the discussion of this subject there was every reason to believe that the fireworks of old were again sputtering. Walter Vincent, Jack Miller and Willard Patterson, three great campaigners, started the ball rolling, with Ed Kuykendahl of Mississippi expressing some definite opinions. "Charge What They Please": Miller Miller charged that Western Electric service men were becoming order takers and charged anything they pleased. He said further that when he installed equipment he was told the service charge of $20 to $30 a week would come down as the equipment increased. But this charge remains the same, he added. Kuykendahl sustained him and said that if there ever was a time when the reductions promised by Western Electric were needed it was now. Now is the chance, he said, for the company to prove its sincerity. Patterson defended Western Electric saying that the money spent in research should be taken into consideration, to which Miller replied that when he paid $14,000 for his Comerford Urges Units To Give Industrial Aid (Special to the Herald-World) PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 13.— M. E. Comerford announced at the convention the formation of the Pennsylvania Economic Association for the purpose of assisting in "necessary work of helping Pennsylvania industrially." Press, screen and radio will be mobilized in this industrial rehabilitation movement and Comerford believes that other state units of the M P T O A should get behind a similar undertaking in their own localities. equipment he was told that research was taken into consideration. Jack concluded with the statement that "If I didn't believe in our method of handling things I would be with Allied." The M P T O A, he said, needed more action. The discussion ended with Vincent moving that R C A be included in the resolution, and it finally was adopted with both companies named. In making the motion, which was seconded by Miller, to include R C A in the {Continued on page 26)