The Film Daily (1929)

DAILV Thursday, July 18, 1929 JERSEYSHOWMEN TACKLING SOUND RENTAL PROBLEM (Continued from Page 1) tomorrow night. Abram F. Myers, president of Allied States Ass'n, of which the New Jersey unit is a member, will be a principal speaker at the convention. Film rentals, disc charges and the "compounded protection" given Stanley-Fabian are forcing independents out in New Jersey, declares Joseph M. S«ider, veteran president of the exhibitor unit. The protection issue is more serious in the state than in any other zone, he says. The ranks of the organization have been greatly depleted, he says, despite which a record turnout at the convention is anticipated. Advance indications point to attendance of many exhibitors, who ' heretofore have not been present at annual meetings as well as the regular convention turnout. No arrangements have been made for social affairs, the intention being business sessions only. Colorado Exhibitor Unit to Hold Sound Exposition Denver— The M.P.T.O. of Colorado meets at the Cosmopolitan Hotel July 23-25 in annual convention which this year will take the form of a sound equipment exposition. According to Harry E. Huffman, president of the association, manufacturers have been invited and time will be allotted each to exhibit his wares. Silents Win Out in Several Tests of Draw (Continued from Page 1) feature drew 7,000 to the box office. One eastern Missouri exhibitor who formerly always made money with silent pictures put in sound equipment and immediately was force to use red ink in his ledger. He then decided to try a silent picture again and is said to have taken in $50 more than with any other sound picture he has shown. In St. Louis it is reported Fred Wehrenberg's Cinderella on Cherokee street will return to a silent basis, while the O'Fallon, a North St. Louis house equipped for sound also plans to use silent subjects once more. O'Connell to Head Chain Toledo — Jack C^Connell has resigned as manager of the Vita-Temple to become general manager of a theater chain. He will assume his new duties in September upon his return from a four weeks' trip to Europe. He sails Aug. 4. Jim Manton, former assistant manager at the VitaTemple, succeeds O'Connell. Plan Coast Chain? W est Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Los Angeles — Sandow & Posner, Indianapolis exhibitors, have acquired the Pico here, as nucleus of a proposed Coast chain. Equity Averse to Asking Help from Allied Crafts (Continued from Page 1) would involve," states an editorial in the current issue of "Equity." William Green, president of the American Federation of Labor; Joseph N. Weber, president of the American Federation of Musicians, and William Canavan, president, of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes and M. P. Machine Operators, "have offered and stand ready to do all that can be done," the editorial states pointing out this is "something that Equity will never forget and will always appreciate." But the terrific loss in employment and salaries which would follow upon a request for help from the unions affiliated with Equity has caused Equity to refrain, so far, from any such request. And so the decision is squarely in the hands of the actors and actresses of the association, East and West. In New York the situation seems to be well in hand, under the control of the executive secretary. One production, the only one attempted under non-Equity conditions, has been broken up, and more than one thousand members have refused to accept producers' forms of contracts— and all this without a single suspension. "The principal fighting, then, seems destined to take place in Hollywood. And from that front, where Equity's president is in charge, comes word of mounting enthusiasm, of a series of ever growing general meetings, of offers of services and money, all tending to indicate that the morale of Equity members is high and growing higher. "That there will be defections is, unfortunately, inevitable. In every such struggle there are always men and women who are swayed by self interest, by fear and by even less admirable motives to desert their fellows in the heat of battle. "The producers, of course, will offer every inducement to such as might seem likely to be in this category. It is to their interest to encourage as many members, and especially as prominent members as possible, to repudiate their Association and its policies. They may seek to have organized another such body of honest but mistaken idealists, conscientious objectors, timid, self seeking and slavish actors and actresses as was the Actors' Fidelity League in 1919. "If they can do this, then surely Equity will lose this fight and labor and public sympathy and everything to which Equity could turn would count for nothing. "It is not the Equity officers, nor the council, nor the committees of members, who will resist these offers, it will be the members of the association, stars, featured players, screen credit people and bit and atmosphere players. "These offers will be hard to refuse, to be sure, for they will be made with lavish generosity and a fine disregard for ultimate values. It may be difficult to say no, and no, and no again, but Equity members said those words in 1919, and again in 1924 and if they say them in 1929 the question of who will win in Hollywood will be answered in one word: 'Equity.' " Equity Has Ten Year Pact With Stage Producers West Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Actors' Equity Ass'n in 1924 signed a ten year agreement with certain stage producers, agreeing not to go out on a sympathy strike with any other theater craft, but the agreement does not affect non-members of the Theater Managers' Protective Ass'n, Equity officials state. Beery Reiterates Opposition West Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Noah Beery has reiterated his opposition to the Equity shop in pictures. 21 OF PATHE TALKERS TO BE MADE IN SILENT FORM (Continued from Page 1) "Rich People;" "The Big Shot," a special by Ben Hecht and Charles McArthur; "War and Women," a special with cast headed by William Boyd, Ann Harding and Robert Armstrong; "Parachute" and "The Racketeer" featuring Robert Armstrong and Carol Lombard; "Oh, Yeah," featuring Robert Armstrong and James Gleason; "The Sophomore," "Play Boy" and "Hot and Bothered," featured Eddie Quillan; "Sailors' Holiday," featuring Alan Hale; "Red Hot Rhythm," a story of Tin Pan Alley; "The Grand Parade," a minstrel love story and "A Woman Afraid." Sound Films Aid Gross of St. Louis Opera St. Louis — Management of the Municipal Opera Ass'n, which is giving a 12 weeks' season of light operas and musical comedies in the Municipal theater in Forest Park, has attributed a 100 per cent increase in the number of its 25 and 50 cent customers this season to the influence of sound pictures. DISTRIBUTORS READY WITH SOUND PROPOSAL (Continued from Page 1) and E. C. Grainger, representing James R. Grainger, Fox; met yesterday as the sales managers' subcommittee. Following the sessions, R. F. Woodhull, M.P.T.O.A. president, was told the plan would be ready for submission Tuesday, following which exhibitor members of the committee were notified of the ^proposed meeting. On the exhibitor committee are: M. A. Lightman, head of the Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi unit; R. R. Biechele, head of the Kansas and western Missouri unit; Charles Picquet, North Carolina president; D. A. Harris, Pittsburgh, Frank Walker, Comerford circuit. Weshner General Manager of Stanley-Fabian Chain (Continued from Page 1) New Jersey houses are under his jurisdiction. He became affiliated with the company in March of last year as director of publicity for the Stanley at Jersey City. Three months later he was placed in charge of the circuit's advertising department. He is 34 years old. PARAMOUMT-SAENGER DEAL NEAR; 2 AT OMAHA BOUGHT (Continued from Page 1) that disagreement on terms had led to dropping of negotiations, and that the deal was off. Publix has held a minority interest in Saenger and is 50-50 partner in Publix-Saenger. There are more than 100 houses in the Saenger Theaters chain, which extends throughout Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Florida, Arkansas and Alabama. PublixSaenger has about 30 theaters in North Carolina, a 50 per cent interest in Consolidated Theaters, operating about 15 Florida houses, a 50 per cent interest in the Wilby-Kincey-LucasBaum & Publix-Saenger chain in Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina, and a 50 per cent interest in Dent Theaters, operating about 63 Texas and New Mexico houses. The Saenger holdings also extend into Central America, Cuba, Panama, Jamaica and other West Indian islands. Saengers to Build Colon, Panama, $200,000 House Natchez, Miss. — William Steitenrcth will supervise construction of the $200,000 theater to be built by the Saenger circuit at Colon, Panama. The architect has been connected with the circuit several years. Dime-in-SIot Talker Device Is Invented Acraphone, slot-machine device for projection of talkers in daylight in an enclosed box-like apparatus, has been invented by Robert C. Balgau. A dime is inserted in the machine and five minutes of talking pictures are projected. The device is designed for homes and public places, the coin dispensed with and replaced by a switch, for home use. The inventor says he hopes to manufacture the machines on a large scale. 100 F. P. Canadian Houses to Be Wired During Year Montreal — By the end of the year, about 100 of the 155 theaters of the Famous Players Canadian Corp. chain will be wired for sound pictures, it is stated. About 40 now are wired. The company expects to net $5 a share on the common for the year ended Aug. 25, 1928. Since March voting control of Famous Players has been in the hands of three trustees following deposit of 165,375 shares of the common stock with a local trust company. This arrangement is for a term of ten years. Bonded indebtedness of the company consists of $5,000,000 six per cent mortgage bonds and $3,000,000 6y2 per cent debentures. There is no preferred stock outstanding.