The Film Daily (1941)

Tuesday, August 5, 1941 Brandt Says Arb'n Needs Overhauling The entire arbitration set-up needs an overhauling so that all of the trade practices of the industry may come under an arbitration board's rulings, in the opinion of Harry Brandt, ITOA president, who commented on the first six months of the system's operation. All exhibitors should be allowed to arbitrate. Said Brandt: "The paucity of arbitration cases under the consent decree to date attests to the ineffectiveness of the system as set up by the Government. Exhibitors, because of the many restrictions imposed as to what may be arbitrated, have therefore determined to try to work out their salvation as best they can. Then, too, only certain exhibitors may arbitrate, which discriminates against many other theater owners who have legitimate claims to present to an arbitration board." Davidson With Quarterly Michael Davidson, who formerly wrote and produce the Ripley "Believe It Or Not Show" and more recently handled special radio broadcasts and national and local publicity for Walt Disney, is now handling promotion for "The Country Book," a new national quarterly. Havana Firm Folds Havana — After several months of operation here, the Compania Nacional de Peliculas S. A., distributing company, has closed and sold its stocks to Diamond Films S. A. TO THE COLORS! Burton, O. — Irving Field, for two years manager of the Colonial Theater, Burton, has been called for service, and is succeeded by Patricia Ochs, of Cleveland. Clyde, O. — Paul Cleveland, manager of the Clyde Theater, has been accepted for training as a Flying Cadet. Cleveland — Vernon Hobbs, of National Theater Supply Co., until called into the U. S. service, has arrived in the Philippine Islands. Rochester — Nathaniel G. Parks, formerly with Eastman Kodak, is now attached to the 209th Coast Artillery (AA) at Camp Stewart, Ga. Rochester — William C. Schipper and Nelson Furner, both formerly with Eastman Kodak Company, are now serving in the army. Schipper is at Camp Davis, while Furner is at Camp Blanding, Fla. Furner was recently injured on the firing range at the camp. • • • TAKE your choice — you can file this one under evo'.ution or devolution depending on your viewpoint: We have on our desk-top a dispatch from San Francisco which reveals that cold chills and hot coffee plus doughnuts constitutes the new Friday night policy at the Grand Frisco nabe First program presented "Frankenstein" and "Dracula" and a free meal to boot all for the sum of two bits One exhib. in an opposition stand tosses disgustedly his arms heavenward and sez: "What the hell! When I went into this game it was the motion picture business Then I found myself selling dishes Now, I suppose I'll have to start filling the dishes" Phil M. avers that if you can get 'em to come in at midnight with a bonus of a coup'.e of sinkers and a mug of Java it's better'n leavin' customers out in the cold and giving the b.o. the chills T T T • • • BY the same token we're stringin' along with a certain Chicago theater manager who upon discovering that the City Clerk Ludwig D. Schreiber had sold 50,000 dog license tags so far this year {breaking all Chi. records) is toying with the idea of installing a "yelping room" in his theater so the young army of juvenile patrons can park their pooches while they themselves attend the matinees If there were fewer suggestions and more of 'em actually tried "takes" would probably be a lot better It's a funny thing how most of us are tempted to put up a scrap resisting new and novel ideas T T T • • • TO switch for a jiffy from bringin' folks into movie stands we have another Frisco dispatch with the opposite twist — bringing movies to incarcerated audiences lust this past week 75 men saw their first talkie the auditorium being San Quentin Prison's mess hall The 75 were lifers who started their stretches before sound pix bowed According to Warden Clinton Duffy some of the boys broke down and cried during the program which included "Broadway Melody of 1940" a Mickey Mouse and a news reel supplied by Ellis Levy of San Francisco's Telenews Theater Warden Duffy said that "lobby comment" — or what amounts to that under the circumstances — was generally typified by the ejaculation of a lifer, Arthur Tate: "Gee, the world sure has changed since I was outside!" The men bought the projection machine out of their own welfare fund George Bowles, manager of the Golden Gate Theater, donated an old screen plus other pieces of necessary equipment which he dug up around his theater ▼ T T • • • IT pays to do a job well Witness the case of Gene Curtis former publicity chief for the Schine circuit up Gloversville way and more recently mgr. of the chain's Paramount in Syracuse He was assigned to Sally Rand (hey, hey!) as publicity representative when she recently toured that circuit Gene grabbed so much 'tention and so many agate lines on the Rand behalf that she wanted him to continue on with her to the West Coast So Gene dropped-in t'other day a tthe Schine h.o. to say g'bye with a lush contract in his jeans Sally must be the envy of every entertainer 'cause she's one who'll always have her fans Myers Says Reviews Better Than Synopses (Continued from Page 1) commenting on the offer of Grad Sears, Warners' general sales manager, to show pictures at a tf ■ that will be convenient to exK$>tors and to arrange private screenings. Myers said it was gratifying "to learn that one film executive realizes the hardships incident to attendance at the one-a-day screenings which have been held thus far." He added that he hoped others would follow Sears' lead in improving conditions. Myers declared that "much money could have been saved as well as the unfavorable publicity that resulted from criticism" if the distributors had consulted with organized exhibitors before scheduling the first tradeshowings. Continuing, Myers said: "It is a pity that in all the criticism of exhibitors, resulting in publicity which will do the industry no good, there has been no recognition of the fact that whether the exhibitors attend the screenings or not, blind buying has been outlawed for the time being. "It seems unlikely that a final decree similar to the consent decree can be imposed on Columbia, United Artists and Universal before June 1, 1942. If not, the provisions relating to tradeshowings and blocksof-five will be suspended. During this experimental period of one year all should join in making the new system operate with a minimum of hardships. Grad Sears has shown the way and it is safe to say that others will follow." Pack "York" Tradeshow Buffalo — Overflow crowd of 45 exhibs. from Syracuse, Rochester, Skaneateles, Niagara Falls and first and subsequent-runs, jammed Fox screening room Monday for "Sergeant York" tradeshow, Warners first here under the consent decree. Consensus of exhibs. reported to be that "York" belongs in roadshow classification. JVetc Tax Bill Would Hit Pix Corporations Washington Bur., THE FILM DAILY Washington — New tax bill, adopted yesterday by the House by a vote of 369 to 40 and which now goes to the Senate, would hit motion picture corporations through both, normal income tax and excess profits tax. The two levies on corporations are expected to raise $1,322,900,000 of the $3,206,200,000 total fixed by the bill. Deletion of the mandatory joint return of husband and wife reduces the total of the tax bill by an estimated $323,000,000.