The Film Daily (1943)

w DAILY Fridav, December 3, 194i St. Louis Exhibs. Ask WLB Aid in IA Dispute St. Louis — The War Labor Board will be asked by exhibitors here to take a hand in the contioversy between IATSE Local 6, stagehands, and film houses in the city and St. Louis County. The theater men are acting on the contention that, with the manpower situation being what it is, the stagehands should not be permitted to continue their practice of working only while picture shows are in progress. The argument of the exhibitors is that the theaters can get along with fewer stagehands than the union now demands and that if these men came to work at periods of the day when the theaters are not giving shows much needed work could be performed, thus releasing other men for essential work in the nation's war industries. St. Louis alone is short some 20,000 workers, it is pointed out. At a recent conference with a conciliator of the Department of Labor, representatives of the union declined to discuss the question of any rearrangement of the working schedules of the members of the union employed by the affected theaters, it is undei stood. Jimmy Arthur of Fanchon & Marco is chairman of the theater owners' committee that has been conducting the negotiations with the union. He indicated that the theater men will press for a complete study of the situation by the War Labor Board. "The stage hand situation is bad enough in time of peace, he said. "It should not be tolerated by a nation at war, when manpower is so vital to the outcome of the present struggle for survival. We are willing to pay a reasonable wage for work actually done. Certainly $75 a week is a reasonable wage, even for stage hands." Ohio ITO Files Tax Proposals Senate Com. Gets Five Recommendations Protesting against the proposed increase in admission taxes, the ITO of Ohio, through its secretary, Pete J. Wood, has advised Sen. Robert A. Taft, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, that in reality the increase amounts to as much as 31 per cent at theaters with a low admission price. "While the overall picture will show that there has been a substantial box-office increase," Wood wrote, 'a recent survey by Audience Research, Inc., shows conclusively that most of the increase can be traced co the shift from the lower-priced cheaters to the higher-scaled houses. Former lower income groups — today's new rich class — have deserted che lower priced neighborhood theaters and are patronizing the higher priced 'first-run' houses. "Further evidence of the latter fact is that of the 16,000 motion picture theaters in the United States, approximately 2,000 are contributing 70 per cent of the total box-office." In another letter to Sen. Walter George, chairman of the committee, Wood made the following recommendations: "1 — Many, many hundreds of theaters now charge children 13 cents plus 2 cents federal tax — total 15 cents. As modified by the House, a 13 cent established admission calls for a 4 cent tax, a total of 17 cents. As custom requires that there be some sub stantial differential between the adult rate and the children's rate, the lower priced theaters wou.d, under this set-up, drop their children's price to 10 cents with a 2 cent tax. These low priced houses now having a 13 cent plus 2 cent tax children's price will be hard hit by this reduction of 3 cents pel admission in the net rate. "To overcome this we recommend the following: 'Children's admissions of from 10 cents to 13 cents be taxed 2 cents per admission.' "2 — Under the increase approved by the House, the very popular 25 cent gross admission is absolutely eliminated. Under the tax as now in effect, this is made up oi 22 cents established price plus 3 cents Fed_ eral tax. In the bill you now have undei consideration, a 20 cent established admission carries a 4 cent tax and a 22 ceni established admission a 6 cent tax. In oui opinion, theaters presently charging 22 cents plus 3 cents tax, total 25 cents, would, under the provision approved by the House, all drop back to 20 cents plus 4 cents tax, as they would gain nothing by remaining at 22 cents except to charge their patrons an increased Federal tax. And this can hardly be characterized as a gain. "In our opinion the Treasury will get more money from this bracket of admissions if the law is amended as follows: 'Ail adult admissions of 11 cents to 21 cents shall be taxed 4 cents per admission.' "3 — Admissions ranging from 22 cents to 30 cents be taxed 6 cents per admission. "4 — We submit the same facts regarding established admissions of 41 and 42 cents as set forth in No. 2 above, and recommend: All admissions of from 31 cents to 42 cents be taxed 8 cents per admission.' This will not only obtain more money for the Treasury but will permit the industry to retain the very popular gross admission rate of 5U cents. "5 — Beginning with 43 cents, 2 cents for each 10 cents to apply." 'Goebbels" Opens Dec. 22. Local 77 1, Film Editors, In Owatonna, Minn. £lects Roizman President Tod Out of Hospital Chicago — Ted Tod, Warner publicity director is back after two weeks at the Billings hospital for a checkup. He will go South for a few weeks vacation. Chi. Photo Identifies Detroit's Bandits Detroit — A group of three bandits who evidently worked the circuit at United Detroit first-run houses was identified this week through a photo taken at a Chicago night club. Two men and a woman were involved, and two of them were arrested at Chicago in the attempt to hold up another theater there. Through the photo, they were identified by local theater attaches as the bandits who held up the Madison, July 31; Michigan, Sept. 29; and Broadway-Capitol, Oct. 18. West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — First public showing of "The Private Life of Dr. Paul Joseph Goebbels," W. R. Frank production, will take place at the State Theater, Owatonna, Minn., Dec. 22. Frank has decided to test his pic1 ture at this house, one of 17 he operated in Minnesota, in order to get a cross-section of typical American audience reaction. Frank, Alfred Zeisler, who directed, and Herbert O. Phillips, who wrote the original story and screenplay in collaboration with Zeisler, leave Hollywood Dec. 13 for Minneapolis, where the Frank Circuit headquarters is located, and later go to Owatonna to attend the showing. Frank, Zeisler and Phillips will go to New York after the preview to line up talent for Frank's next production, ''Springtime in Vienna" which Zeisler will direct and write in collaboration with Phillips. Returning to Hollywood early in January, Frank will begin negotiations in connection with a releasing deal. The State Theater seats 1,000 and is located about 100 miles from Minneapolis. Fifty per cent of "Goebbels" preview proceeds will be given to a local war charities fund. There will be two performances at $1.10 per ticket. Morris Roizman of March of Time was elevated from treasurer to president of the Motion Picture Film Editors, Local 771, IATSE, at the annual election of the union in the Fraternal Clubhouse Wednesday night. He succeeds John E. Michon. Jack Bush of March of Time replaced Harry Forster as vice-president, while David Kummins of the Signal Corps Photographic Centei in Astoria was elected secretary to succeed Joseph J. H. Vadala. Oscai Canstein of the Office of Stiategic Service was named Roizman's successor as treasurer. Edward N. Wyant, Jr., of Movietone News and Kenneth Cofod of March of Time were chosen sergeant-at-arms to succeed Michael Prusch and Dave Cooper. Installation exercises will be held Jan. 5. Single Exhib. Unit 'Inevitable'-Rodgers (Continued from Page 1) could solve many problems and brii about a better understanding amoi theater owners. If such an orgai zation could be created, he said, c vorcement might or might not necessary, but the point was the s: uation might be straightened amoi the exhibitors, themselves. Proper Leadership Essential Proper leadership, Rodgers in<j cated, was of supreme importan> declaring that "it was silly that € nibitors don't have leadership" tlb . could bring about unity among the; selves. Insofar as the revival UMPI was concerned, Rodgers ssj ' they'd have to get another boy" crusade, pointing out that he woi not again take the i-eins for such enterprise. That the exhibitors can get gether in a crisis was demonstral by their united efforts in combatti che currently proposed admission 1 increase, Rodgers said. The ti must come, he added, when one ganization that can be represen , tive of all exhibitors will be creat Need Unanimity on Tax Actioi The Metro vice-president, co menting further upon the tax siti tion, observed that it was desira that there be unity of exhibitor tion in respect to passing along a admissions tax increases to thea patrons. Absorption of such creases by the operator had nothi to recommend it, Rodgers observ and certainly was not contempla by the Government. Rodgers pointed out it was g erally accepted that the Treasi in asking for a higher rate was r dvated by two reasons, one, the quirements of the nation's war ch< the other, the desire to stymie flation by lapping up some of country's war-time excess spend: power. The Treasury's latter object would be defeated in the event z higher tax was absorbed, Rodg stressed. Reel Fellows Elect Dec. 12 Chicago — Annual election of officers for the Reel Fellows c will be held at the Blackstone Ho Dec. 12. Chi. Better Films Group To Select "10 Best" Pix Chicago — The next meeting of the Better Films Council of Chicago will be held on Dec. 17 at the Republic building. At that meeting, it is planned to complete the Council's list of "Ten Best" films for this year. Dr. Mary Leigh Palmer will be the meeting's guest speaker. TO THE COLORS * PROMOTED * KENNETH ROSS, USMC, son of Charles Ross, operator of the Campau, Hamtrar Mich., to lieutenant. * ARMY * FRANK THOMAS, salesman, Paramount, Ka City, Mo. *~NAVY * FRED ROSS, son of Charles C. Ross, oper of the Campau, Hamtramck, Mich. RAY STUCKI, operator, Rupert Theater, Det • MARINES • SHERMAN ). LAMBLY, JR., operator, Ferni Ferndale, Mich. A^^tt