Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (Sep 1935 - Aug 1936)

6 INDEPENDENT EXHIBITORS FILM BULLETIN PIZOR ROUNDS UP MPTO MEETING; HE IS ELECTED PRES. OFFICERS EASY . . . After several weeks of strenuous campaigning to stir up sufficient interest in a meeting of the old Philadelphia MPTO body, Lewen Pizor, president of the group, succeeded in corralling some twenty-five exhibitors for the election meeting held last Friday at his office in the Philadelphia Savings Fund Society Building. The election of officers was a cut and dried affair, the names appearing on a printed ballot handed to each man present. Mr. Pizor's name was the only one under the title "President". He was re-elected unanimously— by acclamation — no nayes being heard. The three vice-presidents whose names were printed on the ballot and who were elected are: Michael Egnal, Al R. Boyd (Mr. Boyd was absent, vacationing in the south), and George T. Gravenstine. Al Fischer and George P. Aarons were the only nominees for the offices of Treasurer and Secretary respectively. BOARD . . . On the Board of Managers the following names were listed: Norman Lewis, Abe Rovner, Lewis Felt, Ted Schlanger (Warner Bros.), Abe Sablosky, Nate Sablosky, Ed Jefferies, Jos. Schwartz, John Monroe, Jake Fox, Ben Amsterdam, J. F. Corbett, Oscar Stiefel, William Hissner, Herman Coane, Max Korr, E. M. Connolly, Luke Farrell, Luke Gring, Ben Bache and Sam Kantor. Reports from the meeting indicated that the group was barely able to eke out enough names to complete the Board. Chaplin Film at Erlanger "Modern Times," the new Charlie Chaplin film will open Tuesday, February 11th, at the Erlanger Theatre for an unlimited engagement, during which it will be shown in continuous performance. According to Sam Nirdlinger, "Modern Times" will not be shown at any other Philadelphia theatre this season. Nirdlinger made deal direct with author-director-actor Chaplin and is understood to be paying a very high percentage for the run. "Land of Promise," the film made in Palestine will have a tenday run. Edgar Woolf has been appointed as the new manager of the theatre, with Tommy LaBrum remaining as assistant and publicist. Conspicuously missing from the list of nominees printed on the ballot were the names of many former board members who had gone over to the newly organized IMPTO, which was intended to be a merger of the IEPA and the MPTO. A number of these men attended the MPTO meeting, but they were ignored in the nominations because they had incurred the ill will of the dictatorial Mr. Pizor. MERGER TABOO . . . Any possible dispute about the sidetracking of the merger was avoided by Pizor and the meeting was rushed through to a hasty conclusion. The one attempt, by Abe Sablosky, to revive talk of consolidating with the IEPA was quickly overruled and the committee which had negot ated the merger was ordered discharged. feature programs. The vote in the six houses has apparently surprised exchangemen and exhibitors, including the Cohens themselves. DETROIT PATRONS VOTING FOR DUALS 6 HOUSES . . . Detroit. — In an effort to learn the actual preferences of their patrons for double or single features, Ben and Lew Cohen, operators of a circuit of six theatres located in various sections of the city, are conducting a vote on the issue in all their houses. The balloting so far shows a heavy advantage in favor of duals, the bargain fans out-voting those for single feature bills over three to one. Balloting was started on January 18th and continues until the 31st. Small cards, containing spaces for "yes" or "no", the name and address of voter, are handed to all patrons. The houses are of varying sizes and cater to all classes of audiences. SQUELCH OPPOSITION . . . With the vote to date indicating that the final count will show a convincing advantage to pro-dual fans, producer and exhibitor opposition to double featuring will find it difficult to sponsor any further moves to abolish or restrict the policy. The double feature question has been disturbing this territory recently and some exhibitors have expressed themselves as apposed to dualling and urged a return to one Brisson Out of Par. Hollyu'OOcl. — Carl Brisson, musical star, and Paramount have come to a parting of the ways. Contract of the player has been settled and he winds up at the studio next month. He failed to click from the start, but justly claimed poor vehicles. IMPTO May Meet Next Week; Segall Promises Strong Organization The first general meeting of the newly organized Independent Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Eastern Pennsylvania will probably be held the latter part of next week, it was learned today (Wednesday). A meeting was scheduled two weeks ago, but was postponed when Charley Segall, president of the group, was stricken with pneumonia. Segall is recuperating and will leave on Sunday for a month's stay in Florida. At an informal conference with other officials of the IMPTO, he suggested that a meeting be held prior to his return and the date was set tentatively for next Thursday. In a statement to FILM BULLETIN, Segall said that "the IMPTO will be a strong, aggressive organization of exhibitors with the fixed purpose of benefitting not any individual or any special group, but all theatre owners." He expressed regret that his sudden illness had delayed the start of the group's activities and urged the members to be patient and do all in their power to cooperate with the leaders. "We hope to help all exhibitors, and ask every man to do his share in making the IMPTO the power it may well become in this industry. Only by a real, sincere belief in our purposes and principles on the part of us all can we succeed," said the president.