Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (Sep 1935 - Aug 1936)

Vol. 2, No. 5 2 9>ideuendent EXHIBITORS FILM BULLETIN August 26, 193 6 THE INDUSTRY'S NEWS 3>Adjtl Che fcdikfriaL UisuvpowL PHILLY'S U.M.P.T.O. STARTED To Protest High Rentals . . . Last week Philadelphia's discordant exhibitors effected a merger of the M.P.T.O. and the I.T.O. and this week they served notice that, at least while the breath of freshness is in the new body, it is going to do some loud and healthy complaining about some of the ills of the industry. For Wednesday, Sept. 2nd, a meeting of the new outfit has been called to protest high and unreasonable film rentals. President Lewen Pizor, who called the confab, told FILM BULLETIN he could not say whether any concrete action would be taken against any particular offending film companies. The meeting will be held in the air-cooled Phila. Savings Fund Bldg., starting at 11 A.M. Officers, Board Elected . . . At last Thursday's meeting of merger committees from both groups the officers and members of the Board of Governors were elected. They are: Pizor, president; Abe Sablosky, first v. p.; Michael Lessy, second v. p.; Ben Amsterdam, treasurer; George P. Aarons, secretary; Ben Fertel, financial secretary. The Board is comprised by Charles Segall, chairman; Ted Schlanger, Morris Wax, Ed Jeffries, Herman Coane, William Hissner, Norman Lewis, Harry Waxman, Harry Fried, Michael Egnal, David Shapiro, Ben Shindler, David Barrist, Leo Posel, David Milgram, Pizor, Sablosky, Fertel, Amsterdam and Lessy. A by-laws committee, consisting of Pizor, Segall, Egnal, Aarons and Jeannette Willensky, will meet soon to lay the rules under which the unit will operate. When asked if the statement attributed to him by a New York trade paper on Tuesday, to the effect that the new Phila. organization would be affiliated with the M.P.T.O. A., was true, Pizor vehemently denied it, saying the reporter misquoted him. WOODHULL, HAMLIN DIE Both Popular Figures . . . The industry last week lost two well-liked men with the passing of Raymond F. ("Pete") Woodhull and Thomas Hamlin. The former, 56 years old, was stricken suddenly last Wednesday morning and died within a few hours, although he had appeared in excellent health the day before. Hamlin died last Thursday after suffering in a hospital for many weeks from a severe stomach ailment. Woodhull first took part in the industry in 1912 when he managed a theatre in Dover, N. J., which he later acquired. He sold this house in 1926 to the Fabian interests. From 1926 to 1929, "Pete," as he was popularly known, served as president of the M.P.T.O. A. To his intimates he confided that he could not tolerate the dictation to which he was subjected in that position by the Hays Organization. In 1928 he became vice-president and sales manager of General Talking Pictures Corp. In 193 5 he started the publication of a trade news weekly, Picture Business, which suspended publication early this year. Recently, his name re-entered the industry picture with the news that he was being sought by the Independent exhibitors' organization in Philadelphia to act as business manager of their group. Burial took place in his home town, Dover, last Saturday. He is survived by his widow and one son. Hamlin . . . Tom Hamlin was publisher of Film Curb, having established that paper 13 years ago. Prior to that he had published Greater Amusements, a regional in the northwest territory. His first connection with show business, however, was on the vaudeville stage. Fifty-nine years old, he is survived by his widow, Stella Baker Hamlin, who had always been actively associated with her late husband in his work. She will continue to publish their paper. INDUS TO ATLANTIC CITY N. J. Allied Confab . . . Independent exhibitors in the East are whitening their shoes and sharpening their pencils for the annual convention of New Jersey's Allied, to be held in Atlantic City on September 9-10-11 in the Traymore Hotel. This affair, in recent years, has developed into the outstanding territorial exhibitor function in this part of the country. Two things are responsible for this. First, the Jersey Allied group is one of the most aggressive independent units in the organization and its yearly conventions are loaded with dynamite and can be counted upon to impart valuable data on industry problems to the attending delegates. Second, Atlantic City in September is one of the ideal vacationing spots. Open Forum . . . This year will be no exception. President Lee W. Newbury promises an open forum for independent exhibitors for discussion of any and all vital issues facing them. "Contract provisions, preferred playing time, increased film rentals, guarantee and percentage arrangements — all will be given their proper consideration," he promises. Another problem aggravating the industry as a whole — double features — will get a thorough going-over, as will the question of increased admission prices. It looks very much like another interest-laden Allied meeting and one worthy of the attendance of every independent exhibitor who likes to keep abreast of the events in the industry from which he derives (or hopes to) his livelihood. Issued weekly at 1323 Vine Street, Philadelphia, Pa. Phone: Rittenhouse 7424. Mo Wax, Publisher and Editor; Roland Barton, George Frees Nonamaker, Associate Editors. New York Office: 1658 Broadway; phone: Circle 7-3094.