Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (Sep 1934 - Aug 1935)

INDEPENDENT EXHIBITORS -FILM BULLETIN INDEPENDENT EXHIBITORS FILM BULLETIN Vol. I No. 21 Jan. 29, 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. EDITORIAL (Continued from Page One) previous ten years. Those men who nave had the courage to drag the major film companies into the glare of legal and public opinion, by instituting legal actions against them, have earned the respect of the industry, and they certainly deserve the thanks of the exhibitors. But, the Philadelphia and St. Louis proceedings merely scratch the surface. This is no time to stand idly and hopefully on the sidelines. This is a crucial period in the business life of every independent theatre owner. Band yourselves together in a body, free from the influence of the producers and their henchmen. Carry the fight to them! With the strength of your combined efforts, you can't be licked. Fight to regain lost ground! Earle Reported Doing Heavy Business With Lower Prices The reduction in admission prices which became effective two weeks ago at Warners' Earle Theatre is reported to have resulted in more than a 25 per cent increase in attendance. The central city vaudeville house dropped from 65 cents top evening price to 40 cents. Until the terrific snow storm broke last Tuesday evening, the theatre had standees every matinee and evening from the opening day at the reduced scale of prices. Friday, when the new show opened, the house was filled to capacity before the first performance was over and standing room was being sold at 4 o'clock. Name attractions for the stage have been discontinued by William Haines, who is managing the house and booking the shows. Haines is building a kind of tab show each week, keeping within the limits of what is probably a greatly Roxy-Mastbaum Prices To Be Cut; Rothafel Tells Film Bulletin Rumors Theatre Will Close Soon Are Untrue Reduced Admissions Co Into Effect Thursday; Weshner Says Theatre Will "Definitely Remain Open" NEW TOP PRICE 65 CENTS In an exclusive statement to FILM BULLETIN, S. L. ("Roxy") Rothafel vehemently denied current rumors that the Roxy-Mastbaum Theatre will close down at the termination of the eight weeks period from the date of the house's opening. It was also learned, from another source, that the 4500-seat house will announce a lower admission scale starting Thursday. "Several things have worked against us here," said the famous maestro. "The admission scale has been a bit too high and people today haven't the money to pay it. The location of the house is somewhat of a disadvantage, but this can be overcome by good shows and a lower price. And, lastly," continued Rothafel, "the unfortunate selection of several pictures hindered us." Roxy scotched the stories that he would return to the Center Theatre in Radio City and that "The Great Waltz" and "Midsummer Night's Dream," the gigantic stage spectacles would be brought into the Roxy-Mastbaum. "They would have to rebuild the entire stage of the theatre to accommodate either of those two shows," he declared. The new admission prices will be as follows: Until 1 o'clock, 40 cents throughout the house; from 1 to 6 P. M., Balcony, 40 cents, Orchestra, 55 cents. After 6 P. M., Balcony, 55 cents, Orchestra, 65 cents. Since the new show this week opens on Thursday, that is the day the new scale becomes effective. Next week's show will open on Friday, and thereafter that will be the opening day for new shows. The stage headliner next week will be Jack Benny, the house's first excursion into the "name" attraction field. Inasmuch as the 5S-cent balcony price in the evenings gives the Roxy-Mastbaum a lower rate than the Fox, it is anticipated that the latter house will promptly drop its scale, at least low enough to meet the Twentieth Street competition, if not lower, in order to compete with the Earle, which is now getting a top of 40 cents for a vaudeville and picture show. David "Skip" Weshner, manager of all Warner first-run houses, confirmed Rothafel's statement that the Mastbaum would not shut down soon. "The theatre will definitely remain open," said Weshner. reduced budget. The Earle is getting fifth choice of the circuit's pictures, taking whatever is rejected by the Boyd, Stanley, Roxy-Mastbaum and Stanton. The screen feature this week is "I've been Around," a Universal picture with Chester Morris and Rochelle Hudson. Local Independents Decide To Refuse Support for Pa. Sunday Movies Legislation Attitude Prevails that Public Should Decide Issue Without Interference By Industry The vital issue of Sunday movies in Pennsylvania came in for considerable discussion at an enthusiastic meeting of the Independent Exhibitors' Protective Association last Tuesday and resulted in a unanimous vote to deny support to any legislation which seeks to open the movie houses of the state on the Sabbath. Every angle of the problem was probed thoroughly by the large gathering and the prevailing opinion was that it is a matter which can best be decided by the general public. The majority of those present appeared to be opposed to open Sundays for economic, moral and tactical reasons. After the subject had been given a thorough going-over, Benjamin M. Golder, president of the body and a former member of the United States Congress, expressed his views on the subject. He pointed out the moral justification for opposing the opening of the theatres on the Sabbath and stressed the necessity for having the industry solicit closer cooperation from church groups. Testimony was offered by William Butler, owner of the Clearfield Theatre, Philadelphia, to show that open Sundays had not benefitted a group of theatres in Baltimore. Butler stated that while these theatres showed an increase in weekly grosses during the first two months following the Sabbath openings, a steady decline set in thereafter, and, at present, the houses are grossing no more in seven days than they did in six days previously. Small theatre owners, who are active in the actual operation of their theatres every day, expressed themselves as reluctant to relinquish their one day of rest. They pointed out that the large circuits favor Sunday movies because central city theatres will receive the greatest volume of business on that day and it is not a question of personal labor by the executives of chain theatres. David Milgram and Martin Hirsh sought to have the meeting avoid any definite stand on the issue and simply to abide by the public's decision. When it was pointed out that the general impression among people outside the industry is that the exhibitors are most instrumental in forcing a Sunday movie bill through the Legislature, both men withdrew their objections and the motion was carried unanimously.