Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (Sep 1935 - Aug 1936)

4 %dependent EXHIBITORS FILM BULLETIN ASTOR CASE DYNAMITE Moguls Frightened . . . Hollywood. — Not even the Legion of Decency or the threat of Governmental investigations of monopoly charges disturbed the higher ups in the film industry as much as this Mary Astor case. Everyone agrees that it is loaded with dynamite and the big shoti are holding their breath for fear that it will get out of hand. What they foresee is the swarms of reformists, who always hnd the movie industry a juicy morsel for attack, ready to point to Mary Astor's alleged moral laxity as the type of life led by film stars generally. An outbreak of this sort will destroy the accomplishments of the producers in toning up their production^ since the Legion's drive started two years ago. Strenuous moves are being made by important film moguls to settle the case before it goes further. They will bend every effort to force settlement, because it is believed that introduction of the actress' telltale diary will set off a deluge of criticism against the whole film colony that will cost many millions to overcome. It is one of the unfortunate phases of this industry that one person's indiscretions are multiplied a thousandfold out here and the charges leveled against an entire industry. N.E. EXHIBS HIT PARA. TERMS Urge Cut in Prices . . . Boston. — "You know what! Paramount delivered last year; if you pay MORE or even AS MUCH next year don't blame us!" Thus, the militant Independent Exhibitors of New England, Allied unit, takes a crack at a second of the important major producers in its current August bulletin. Last month, the group's organ blasted Metro's new terms, urging the members to refrain from buying the product unless they were revised downward. "Of course, it's OK for any distributor to pay salaries between 15 and 20 G a year to men whose job is to get exhibitors' names onto outrageous contracts but it's a crime for your organization to give you any information that will show up the other side of what you're buying," the bulletin declares. Point to Kennedy Report . . . "All of which leads up to Paramount's latest demands for 1936-37 product and our desire to call your attention to the 'much discussed $80,000 document of Paramount affairs' published in part in the trade papers. When the Paramount salesman tells you what he wants and how good his product is going to be, let him explain why Paramount paid $80,000 to Joe Kennedy to be told about: (a) "Major failures in recent studio operations are: (1) "Loss on 1935-36 feature pictures; (2) "Lack of progress on the 193 6-3 7 feature pictures program." In conclusion, the bulletin, prepared by Arthur K. Howard, business manager, warns its readers: "You know what Paramount delivered last year; if you pay MORE or even AS MUCH next year don't blame us. We can't stop any exhibitor's throwing his money away if he wants to do it!" CONN. IMPTO ASKS COHN LEAD WAR AGAINST STARS ON RADIO Suggest Direct Protest to Stars . . . Urging Jack Cohn to "accept the mantle of leadership" in the fight against the appearance of film stars on radio broadcasts, J. A. Davis, executive secretary of the Independent M.P.T.O. of Connecticut wrote the Columbia vice-president last week offering the suggestion that exhibitors throughout the country send a flood of protest telegrams direct to the stars at the radio studios on the nights they broadcast. "This personal, collective, widespread and concentrated protest will have a salutary effect far greater than any protests to date by the producers themselves," Davis states in the letter. "This would be the opening gun in the battle to relieve a condition which is actually a serious menace to the theatres of our country." This unit passed a resolution last week commending Mrs. George Temple, mother of Shirley, for her refusal to accept "a very flattering offer" for the young star's appearance on a radio broadcast. N. J. Allied Protest . . . Added to the growing volume of protests against radio competition from exhibitor groups all over the country was the resolution of Allied of New Jersey, who recorded their opposition at a meeting in the Hotel Lincoln, N. Y., Tuesday. Copies of the resolution will be sent to all producers and to the Hays organization. The meeting was presided over by Lee Newbury, president of the group. NEW PHILA. MERGER PLAN Persistence . . . Perhaps, after all, persistence will win and a merger between the two disrupted exhibitor groups in the Phila. territory will be effected. Unless someone else walks out this time, as Lewen Pizor, president of the M.P.T.O. unit, did after a consolidation was supposedly effected last December, there is a reasonable possibility that the I.T.O. and the M.P.T.O. will find themselves "one big happy family" next week. At a meeting of committees from both organizations held last Thursday, a platform for merging was adopted and will be submitted to the memberships of both bodies on Aug. 19th. The planks are these: 1. The new merged organization to be known as the United Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey and Delaware. 2. A Board of Twenty (20) to be selected, ten (10) from each organization, which twenty (20) is to select the President, Chairman of the Board, all officers, and the Secretary, etc. The officers and directors to be named from this group of twenty. 3. No charter member of the merged organization to be subject to expulsion, except for non-payment of dues. 4. A charter member to be one who joins the organization at the time it is formed and pays up his dues before a designated date. 5. That the Committee of Twenty (20) meet August 20th, 1936, alternates to take the place of any absentees.