Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1930)

INovember 29, 1930 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD 29 Commissions on Theatre Tickets Sales Aid to Idle (Special to the Herald-World) ALBANY, Nov. 28.—RKO theatres in Albany and Schenectady, N. Y„ are doing their bit these days to help out the unemployment situation. In both cities, unemployed men are selling tickets to RK O theatres and receiving a 25 per cent commission on all sales. In Schenectady, £fty men were chosen by the mayors committee on unemployment and the chamber of commerce. All men are heads of families and bona fide residents of the city. Signs are being displayed on the screens in all RKO theatres in these two cities, asking the public to purchase its tickets from these men in preference to the box office. Hays Pledges Help Of Industry to U. S. To Push Prosperity Will Aid Hoover Committee in Every Way Possible — Plans Are Already Under Way (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Nov. 28.— Will H. Hays has pledged to Arthur Wood, chairman of President Hoover's emergency committee for employment, that the organized motion picture industry will cooperate to the utmost "to help counteract unsound psychological factors that have retarded both prosperity and employment." Plans thus far developed for cooperation, according to Hays, are: First, an editorial committee has been organized to cover significant facts of industrial recovery through the newsreel. Second, leading producers are planning at their own expense to help dispel the psychological forces that retard prosperity through the production of short subjects, a few of which have been made. Third, theatre interests, cooperating with artists of the stage and screen, are helping to arrange benefit performances for the immediate relief of the needy. Fourth, theatre interests have pledged that they will cooperate in the distribution of stills to urge the cause of employment. Fifth, circuit managers throughout the country have been instructed to aid in local employment and relief campaigns. The organized motion picture industry, Hays said, "will aid in every way at its command in such ameliorative measures as are designed to minimize the human suffering and want that come from lack of employment." N. Y. Theatres Plan Series of Benefits To Aid Unemployed NEW YORK, Nov. 28.— All Broadway theatres and all stars on the "street" will be pressed into service to aid in plans being laid by Mayor James J. Walker's official committee, it is reported. Consent has been obtained from the Actors' Equity Association, the Stage Hands' union and the Musicians' union, insuring voluntary service. The shows will be presented at special matinees on Sunday evenings and some at special midnight performances. Exhibitors Give All Receipts of Special Matinee to Unemployed Movement Initiated by Eastern Pennsylvania M PT 0 Expected to Be Adopted by Theatres Throughout Country— Better Business Group Guards Against Premium Makers' Misrepresentation (Special to the Herald-World) t .. in PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 28.— The MiPTO of Eastern Pennsylvania, has decided to donate the proceeds of a special matinee to aid in the relief of unemployment. The resolution to that effect, which was offeredufyy <David Barrist was adopted unanimously at a board meeting last week.' i ^[j (m (X"; of the Following are outstanding phases decision : Every theatre in the Philadelphia zone is to be asked to donate the entire receipts of one matinee performance for the help of the unemployed in the neighborhood of the theatre. An honor roll of the theatres subscribing to this cause is to be published. The 30 theatres represented at the board of managers meeting were pledged immediately and the men present agreed to hold these matinees without delay. It is expected that the movement initiated and sponsored by the organization will i be adopted by theatres throughout the country.' Name Better Business Group H A better business committee, similar to the Better Business Bureau, was appointed1 at 'the same meeting, the purpose of which will be to protect the theatremen against misrepresentation by premium manufacturers arid other "unsavory practices within the industry." The forming of this committee follows a score of complaints that certain of ! these manufacturers sell one product and deliver a much inferior product later. The committee will investigate each proposition thoroughly and endorse it for the theatre operator. Not only the product but also the financial standing of the manufacturer will be studied. l The members of the committee as appointed are : David Barrist, chairman ; Allen Benn and Ben Fertel. They will work in cooperation with the Better Business Bureau. ■, . Cooperation Is Lone Key to Better Films, Mrs. Winter Holds (Special to the Herald-World) HOLLYWOOD, Nov. 28.— Intelligent cooperation, not legislation and censorship, is the road to further elevation of the motion picture, because the public wants idealism and needs genius, and both of these are beyond and above command by law. This is the conviction of Mrs. Thomas G. Winter, as N. Y. Police Chief Makes Pictorial Plea for Relief (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Nov. 28.— Grower Whalen, former police commissioner and chairman of the Citizen's committee of the Salvation Army relief fund for the unemployed, has recorded a speech at the Warner Brothers Brooklyn studios urging motion picture audiences to attend the Army-Navy football game on December 13. Warner Brothers will give the speech immediate distribution. sociate director of public' 'relations for the M P P D A. as expressed jn.her; report to the , White House conference on child health and parental education. ,People who seek finer, and* happier life for' our country want .something that is; more mjrjcatje and deeper, ,tfaajn>caii. he ordered, by law or force, ; and legislation: and censorship; cani touch only businessi andi i specific details and formsviMflS. Winter, , said. ,;•;, ., •■■ ■ .,.; Idealism Beyond' Command !" What ' people Want' is' 'idealism, ; They need geniik And these afe'i:beyor|d and above c6hirriand^: To . qre4te/ari,;|t\idi^nce that asks' for beauty and cleanliness $rid?,pTiginality and that' ineffable burn'oV that can1 "readily lighten dull and monotonous^ days, th;iV would be to give the moving prcture'a draught of life. So public relations loom1 big if the little drama of the world is to become an art and if it is to be permanent and serve the millions where other arts have limited audiences." It has been proved through the public relations program of the M P P D A, Mrs. Winter asserted, that it is not impossible to talk with motion picture people as with human beings who are not so ' much unlike the rest of us that we have no common point of meeting. Cites Correlation wi^K Public "This mode of ' 'attproajai, !s Mth'e coming and dominant one :' of 'the w<?ri'd . these days when even those ancient differences that are built up through the ages of racial' and national har; treds seem solvable^1 when riie'ri get around thgf table, look into eacbl'c. tier's, eyei and find the' common basis on whieh^ they1 cjah decrease and solve their difference's',"; sh'$. said, . Mrs. Winter described therri6ti6ri picture as a new thing in the borderland between business and art, reaching millions and requiring special consideration of social Values. Its public is extraordinarily sensitive to it and it is sensitive to its public, she pointed out. So their correlation becomes important.1 "To .strengthen the attitude 'of: mind," she said, "to convince the producers, most of' whom would like to give us cleaner and lovelier pictures, to convince them 'that they have support for such pictures for a clean minded public, is one of the jobs in which I am glad to have a small share." '■'■ ■'•'■'' Clara Bow's Secretary Indicted on 37 Counts, All for Grand Larceny (Special to the HeraldWorld) HOLLYWOOD, Nov. 28.— The grand jury has voted 37 counts of grand theft against Daisy Devoe in an indictment returned here. Miss Devoe is the former secretary of Clara Bow. The latter accused her of having written unauthorized checks for $16,000. Dolores Del Rio Reported Seriously III in Hospital (Special to the Herald-World) HOLLYWOOD, Nov. 28.— Dolores Del Rio has entered the Good Samaritan hospital. She is said to be seriously ill.