Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (Sep 1935 - Aug 1936)

%deaeMdetit EXHIBITOR FILM BULLETIN VOL. 2 No. 45 WEDNESDAY. JULY 8, 1936 PRICE 10 CENTS WE WANT ACTION AGAINST RADIO COMPETITION! Several weeks ago. Jack Cohn, vice-president of Columbia, remarked in an interview that film's stars, whose popularity has been established by the movie industry, are increasing the competitive problems of theatres by appearing on radio programs. He suggested that the producers should curb this practice by inserting a clause in new contracts with players forbidding their participation in competitive forms of entertainment. Since Mr. Cohn voiced his opinion nothing has been done, openly at least, by the Hays organization to effectuate his plan. Radio, in itself, is one of the strongest competitors of the motion picture industry. Generally speaking, the same class of people who frequent movie theatres listen to broadcasts. Unestimated millions remain at home on nights when their favorite radio performers are on and it is no more than logical to count a fair percentage of these people as prospective theatre patrons. The extent of the effect a prominent film star's presence on a broadcast program can have on theatre attendance was forcefully impressed upon this writer one night last week. Upon entering a large apartment house, occupied principally by middle class people, at a ripe theatre hour, the sound of a familiar voice issuing from radios in almost every apartment struck us as we entered on the first floor. On the upper floor, where our friend's apartment was located, we alighted from the elevator to hear radios pouring out that same voice. Everyone, it seemed, was tuned in on that one program. The friend, too, was listening in. It was Clark Gable, a ham vaudeville actor before filmdom raised him to the level oi an international romantic idol, reading lines from one of his earlier films, "Men In White," and thereby keeping thousands of likely movie fans at home with the radio. We would like to see Jack Cohn force the issue with the other producers on this problem. There is a need for leadership in combatting this competition. Furthermore, the threat of television hovers over the film industry another sword of Damocles boding ill for the security of producers and exhibitors alike. Film-made stars may soon be appearing on television screens in millions of homes throughout the nation. NOW is the time to halt this practice. The producers owe it to their customers, the exibitors, to stop it. Unless they do, and without delay, it will fall upon the independent theatre owners to devise some means of retaliating — and not with any more resolutions1. MO WAX. AUGUST IS "SUPPORT THE INDEPENDENTS MONTH' BOOK AS MANY INDEPENDENT PICTURES AS POSSIBLE TO ENCOURAGE THE PRODUCTION OF MORE GOOD FILMS.