Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (Sep 1934 - Aug 1935)

2 INDEPENDENT EXHIBITORS FILM BULLETIN DOUBLE FEATURE DECISION EXPECTED BY MONDAY: JUDGE WELSH RETURNS JAN. 17 INDEPENDENT EXHIBITORS FILM BULLETIN Vol. I No. 19 Jan. 15, 1935 Issued weekly by Film Bulletin Company, at 1313 Vine Street, Phila., Pa. Mo Wax, editor and publisher. Telephone: Rittenhouse 4816. Address all communications to Editor, Film Bulletin ADVERTISING RATES Write or call us for our Advertising Rates. In New York City call Mo Wax, Circle 7-3094. CLASSIFIED RATE Ten cents per word. Minimum $1.00. Send check or money order with copy. MPTO LEADERS INSIST PRODUCER HOUSES DE INCLUDED; MERGER OFF IEPA Demands Strict Independence And Negotiations Appear Definitely Dropped To all appearances the last vestiges of possibility that the Independent Exhibitors' Protective Association might merge with the MPTO have been removed by the belated discovery that the MPTO leaders will not, under any circumstances, permit the producer-owned theatres to be excluded from any combination group. At the MPTO's election meeting on December 28th, a special committee had been appointed to seek a merger with the IEPA. A group of leaders of the latter organization met informally with the MPTO committee and heard repeated again the insistence that affiliated theatres be included in the combined body. The IEPA men, of course, restated the principle of their organization which prohibits the inclusion of such theatres and they advised the others to inform their membership that under no conditions can that principle be abrogated. With termination of that meeting it appears that all efforts to merge the two bodies have been discontinued definitely. To the discerning observer, it has been obvious from the beginning, several months ago, of the negotiations between the two groups that the MPTO leaders would not consider a merger without the producer-controlled theatres. After all, the MPTO of Eastern Pennsylvania is an affiliate of the MPTOA, which has been proved to be a producer-dominated body. With merger talk out of the way, the IEPA is now looking for the real independents in the other group to come in with them. Many prominent exhibitors in the MPTO have expressed their complete accord with the IEPA's principles and have declared that they are remaining with the MPTO only because they feel confident that the two bodies will merge shortly. Since the definite stand by the affiliate group's leaders on the admission of the producers' theatres eliminates any chance of a combination being effected, the sincere independents are expected to join the independent organization. The eagerly-awaited ruling by Federal Judge George A. Welsh in the Harry Perelman double feature case is anticipated within the next week. The jurist is expected to return this Thursday from Bermuda, where he has been vacationing since shortly after the conclusion of the trial. During the course of the hearing, Judge Welsh stated that he would take the transcripts of the evidence and the attorneys' briefs with him on his trip. He indicated that his decision would be ready upon his return. It appears probable that the ruling will be announced between January 17th, the day he arrives, and the 21st, when he begins to sit in Criminal Court. Much speculation is rife as to the effect of the local conspiracy case on the Federal Grand Jury inquiry, terminated in St. Louis last week with the indictment of three major producers, their theatre affiliates and the individual heads of the firms. It is believed in some quarters that the revelations in the Perelman hearing, concerning the alleged conspiracy of the major producers to outlaw the double feature practice, materially strengthened the hand of the Federal prosecutors in the St. Louis proceedings. Several witnesses in the local case declared that they had found it impossible to obtain first-run films in opposition to the Warner circuit, the charge similarly made by Allen L. Snyder, the St. Louis independent and central figure in prosecution of the Federal inquiry. L. Howell Davis Named Pa. Censor Board Head Governor Earle yesterday announced the appointment of I. Howell Davis as chairman of the Pennsylvania State Board of Censors. Mr. Howell, attorney and business executive, will replace Sam Schwartz, who has been the popular occupant of the post during Pinchot's tenure as Governor. The new appointee is considered a liberal and competent executive. He has recently been associated with Strawbridge & Clothier, and previously was with Victor Talking Machine Co. With surprising promptness, a few exhibitors have already returned their marked ballots on the vitally important issue of Sunday movies in Pennsylvania. These ballots appeared in last week's issue of FILM BULLETIN and are being sent to Pennsylvania theatremen again this week. The early voting reflects a quite equal divisions of preferences. As a matter of fact, there is a difference of only one vote between those desiring Sunday shows and those opposing them, with the odd ballot favoring the removal of the Sunday Blue Laws. The great portion of ballots are expected to pour into the FILM BULLETIN office this week. It has proven rather startling to learn how many Sees St. Louis Suit As Move to Oust Will Hays N. Y. Herald-Tribune Ignores Actual Facts and Charges Democratic Plot to Replace MPPDA Head Apparently ignoring the grave import to the independent theatre owners of the country of the Government's St. Louis film suit, the Republican press throughout the nation pretends to see the action as a preliminary move to remove Will Hays from his position as head of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America. The "plot," according to the New York HeraldTribune, is to replace Hays with a good Democratic party man. In this connection are named James Farley, the Postmaster General and Democratic National Chairman ; Herbert Bayard Swope, Frank Walker, and even Edward Flynn, Bronx Democratic leader. It is contended that President Roosevelt's decision to proceed with the prosecution of the film producers was prompted by his realization of the industry's vast facility for influencing public opinion, and his knowledge that the producers have been friendly to previous Republican adminstrations. The insinuation is that the entire inquiry is a political "grab" by the Democrats to place one of their own men in a dominant spot at the head of the film industry. To the harried independent exhibitors of the country, who consider the St. Louis case the most vital action yet brought to liberate them from the despotic control of the eight Major Producers, this angle is laughable and ridiculous. The independents believe they have enough justifiable grievances to have every major producer convicted for monopolistic conspiracy, and they do not give a moment's thought to the suggestion that the Federal Government would dare play politics with their oppression. The general belief is that the present administration could easily enough have Mr. Hays supplanted if they so particularly desired to have him out. It would not be necessary to rip wide open the vulnerable film industry to get rid of one man. exhibitors are undecided on the wisdom of having a seven-day movie week. One well-known independent came into the office and asked our opinion. "It may increase my total intake," he said, "but I wonder whether it will be enough to make it worth my while working another day each week." We have been asked several times if we are on one side or the other and our reply has been that FILM BULLETIN is interested only in obtaining the definite opinions of the independent exhibitors and passing the result of the vote on to the State Legislature, where the issue seems destined to be decided this year. Earliest Votes on Sunday Movies Question Indicates Fairly Equal Division of Opinions