Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (Sep 1934 - Aug 1935)

INDEPENDENT EXHIBITORS :F I L M BULLETIN INDEPENDENT EXHIBITORS FILM BULLETIN Vol. I No. 23 Feb. 12, 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) government are battling block booking and blind selling, basic evils. The courts are lending a sympathetic ear to the grievances of the little theatre owner. Harmony, to the independent exhibitors, must mean cooperation among themselves. The producers, their affiliated theatres, and the exhibitor pretenders who do their bidding are on the other side of the fence. The two factions in the industry are clearly defined and there can be no harmony between them while the major producers pursue their vicious, monopolistic practices. Let the phoney Harmony Boys know that you are wise to them. Let them know it by organizing yourselves as a purely INDEPENDENT group of independent exhibitors, entirely free of their influence and control. Warners Reported Extending Vaudeville In Neighborhoods A well-grounded report has it that Warners are planning small unit vaudeville shows to play in about a dozen neighborhood spots. The units, consisting of seven or eight people, would play a city circuit, one night each week in each of the ten or twelve theatres included in the plan. Warners intend, according to the rumor, to extend the circuit eventually to play every house that can possibly put on a small flesh show, even if they have to be put on the floors. Theatres in districts where independent competition is keen against the circuit arc the first to be included in the setup. The question of vaudeville licenses, costing $500. is bound to come up and it is not known if the chain has made arrangements to secure such permits, or if they will be able to "get away with it." APPEAL FROM DUAL BILL DECISION MAY BE FILED IN WEEK Golder's Return Awaited; Decree Not Yet Presented The status of Judge Welsh's ruling on the double feature clause in major film contracts remains unchanged, except for some unimportant developments. Apparently, the filing of the winning side's decree is awaiting the return of Ben Golder, who is vacationing in Florida. Mr. Golder's office expects him back before the end of this week. There is a possibility that Otto Krause, Jr., Golder's aide, will present the decree to Judge Welsh by Wednesday or Thursday of this week, even if Golder has not yet returned. The defense counsel are merely awaiting the filing of the plaintiff's decree, whereupon they will ask for, and probably obtain, a supersedeas. This will stay execution of the decision until the appeal has been heard by the Circuit Court of Appeals. Considerable confusion has resulted among exhibitors because they were not aware of the legal procedure following the rendering of a decision. Before the verdict has any effect whatsoever, a decree must be prepared by the victor in conformity with the findings and conclusions of the court. When this is filed, the defeated counsel present their appeal. Since the decree has not been handed in as yet by Golder's office, the status quo prior to the decision remains in effect. WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22nd All public schools in Philadelphia will be closed in celebration of George Washington's birthday next Friday. Find out if the schools in your town will be closed too. Special matinees are in order. SHORT By BREVITY Joe Price celebrated his twentieth wedding anniversary on Sunday, February 10th. Joe calls the Missus "the greatest little girl in the world." We hope to be around to congratulate the Prices on their Golden Anniversary. * * * Lew Blaustein, our stricken NSS man, is reported as doing "very well" at the Jefferson Hospital. * * * Saturday, February 16th, will signalize another birthday for Harry LaVine. The youthful-looking Gold Medal chief timidly admits to 24 years, but this colly m's secret service department has dug up records to prove that he has 39 years to his credit. * * * Oscar Neufeld, the irrepressible IEPA Business Manager, announces the addition of three new theatre members last week. That organization shows steady growth from the day of its birth. * * * As this collym was arriving from New York Friday midnight, Murray Beier was just on his way to the big city. Murray said he Prefers (bad joke!) to travel while the world sleeps. * * * Ben Golder is expected back this week from Palm Beach. A couple hundred people are waiting to ask him a couple thousand questions about that double feature decision. * * * Prexy Harry Thomas, of First Division, was seen in the environs last week in the company of Sam Rosen, the local exchange boss. * * * We understand that the local MPTO delegation going to the MPTOA convention in New Orleans, consists of Lew Pizor, Jay Emanuel and George Kline. * * * Sid Bloomfield is the handsome and capable chap who is preparing some of the attractive layouts at National-Penn Printing. * * * In Noo Yawk we hoid what is supposed to be the inside story of Emanuel Cohen's exit from Paramount. The ex-production chief is said to have approached the company's receivers in an effort to have himself promoted to top spot with the organization. Adolph Zukor got wind of the approach and didn't like the idea of being supplanted by the man he "made." The result: Cohen is out; Zukor is stronger than ever. That's how we got it from someone who should know. * * * Johnny Thornton is doing a good job of covering Harrisburg, etc., for one of Vine Street's other Johnnies — Golder, of Hollywood. * * * Dave Milgram skipped off to the South last Friday. An exhibitor taking a vacation — that IS news ! (Continued on Page Four) SHOULD CODE ASSESSMENTS DE PAID? February 15th is the last day on which assessments may be paid to the Motion Picture Code Authority. Independent exhibitors are faced with the problem of paying money to support a code which has been unfair to them from its inception. FILM BULLETIN will not assume the responsibility of advising individual exhibitors not to pay their assessments, but we would be happy to see a combined holdout by all the independent theatre owners in this territory. Get together and REFUSE to support the Code of "Fair" Competition for the Motion Picture Industry. The independent exhibitors want a code — but a FAIR one! Let's have a court test of the Motion Picture Code. i