The Film Daily (1941)

Monday, August 11, 1941 Myers Suggests Industry Committee {Continued from Page 1) policies and activities affecting everyone in the motion picture business were adopted and put into effect by one branch without consultation with other branches, or by a select group without consultation with the organized groups in the exhibition branch." Continuing, Myers said: "This method may have seemed expedient or politic from the standpoint of those formulating the policies or directing the activities, but it was not calculated to inspire confidence, insure co-operation, or achieve success. "All branches of the industry have their organizations through which they function. Maybe they are not all-inclusive, but they are representative and are the only points of contact available. "There is urgent need for frequent and friendly contact between such organizations or groups in the several branches to the end that policies and activities affecting all may, so far as legal and practicable, be shaped and adopted in such form as will work a minimum of hardship and command a maximum of support. Problems of 1941-1942 "As stated in an earlier bulletin, it is unlikely that the suit against the non-consenting distributors can be settled by entry of a final decree before June 1, 1942. The final decree contemplated by Sec. XII (e) of the consent decree is one entered on mandate after an appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States. For such a decree to be entered in the time specified would break all records for speed in litigation. "Therefore, in all probability, the provisions for tradeshowing and selling in blocks-of-five will be suspended and ... of no binding force and effect upon any consenting defendant' after June 1, 1942. "What form of selling will the consenting distributors adopt in lieu of the consent decree method, which will no longer be binding ? "Will the mistakes of 1940 be repeated and a selling method be devised without consultation with the organized exhibitors? "The exhibitors will be vitally affected and their views and wishes should be considered. "Also, the industry will be confronted with additional proposals for taxation, for co-operation in the defense effort, possibly for regulation. "Must the several branches and organizations go it alone, or will they function through hand-picked groups, without the advise, co-operation or participation of all substantial, representative organizations ? "Unless liaison is improved, the industry will face — and invite — disaster. Standing National Committee "Why would it not be a good idea for the representative organizations "T00TSIE ROLLS" EVIDENCE Pete Wood's Latest Bulletin Urges "Tootsie Roll" Used In Arbitration Hearing Be Smithsonian Exhibit Pete Wood, secretary of the ITO of Ohio, whose bulletins are famous for their sense and nonsense, has issued another that may or may not find its way to the Movie Hall of Fame. Whether you are interested in Tootsie Rolls, arbitration or the consent decree, Pete's latest contribution should get your mind off the heat wave or the alleged lull in business. Here it is: "In Cincinnati on Monday and Tuesday of this week, the undersigned sat through two arbitration cases relating to clearance and, though many exhibits were offered in evidence by the litigants, the most important one was a 'TOOTSIE ROLL.' "Theater owners, attorneys, film salesmen, branch managers and district managers representing the five consenting film distributing companies traveled from afar to listen to the evidence but, when it was all summed up, TOOTSIE ROLLS' emerged as the main issue. "This industry has suffered many evils which brought about conditions that made it necessary for both distributors and exhibitors to shorten their Winter vacations in Florida from four months to three but, after listening to the testimony in the two cases, I feel that a deluge of 'TOOTSIE ROLL' give-aways to children will not only bring the industry to the brink of ruin, but still further shorten these Florida vacations. "In the future, many, many arbitration cases will be heard in various sections of the country but never, in the opinion of the undersigned, will such a unique exhibit as a 'TOOTSIE ROLL' be offered in evidence. Therefore, in order to perpetuate its memory, it is urged that this 'TOTSIE ROLL' be properly embalmed and preserved in the Smithsonian Institute at Washington as a symbol of the evils resorted to by those who would tear down a magnificent industry. "Notwithstanding that during the two days' session the thermometer at all times registered in the nineties, and the many arguments entered into by the attorneys, both arbitrators remained calm ad exceedingly patient at all times and their interest in the cases was manifested by the many questions they propounded." THE WEEK IN REVIEW Another Pix Probe Under Way (Continued from Page 1) ers, still hopeful early in the week, that William F. Rodgers would accept presidency of the company, later bowed to Rodgers' declination. Nicholas M. Schenck, Loew prexy, issued a statement at mid-week that M-G-M would not abrogate its contract, which has some years still to run, with Rodgers. ... It was rumored that N. L. Nathanson, former FPC prexy, would become associated with UA in an exec. post. Report specified that he would participate in financing the UA producers. Matter was still in rumor stage at the end of the week. * * * THIS AND THAT: Ascap music will be back on the NBC stations within a week, it was forecast as Ascap board okayed the NBC negotiations. If agreement is reached, CBS is next expected to negotiate with Ascap. . . . Allied's proposed co-operative advertising campaign received the support of UA's Monroe Greenthal who stated that exhibs., under such a plan, should guarantee not to cut their regular house budgets. . . . Charles E. McCarthy, adpub, chieftain of 20th Century-Fox, and Maurice Bergman, ad manager, tendered their resignations. . . . N. W. Allied decided to fight major dis tribs.' attack on the constitutionality of Minnesota's anti-block-of-five pix law. . . . Film execs, saw slight possibility of shortage of pictures. . . . M-G-M decided to shift its tradeshows, for its second block-of-five, to projection rooms. Allied's Abram F. Myers found reviews of pix at tradeshows, distributed to its members, better than synopses. . . . Senator Tom Connally on floor of the Senate lauded the industry for making such motion pictures as "Boys' Town" and "Blossoms in the Dust". . . . Biographical films will set a new high mark in 1941-42, Warners leading the parade with 14. . . . Twelve Saxe houses passed to Fox-Wisconsin. . . . F & M poll shows that St. Louis fans prefer duals. . . . OPM's deputy production director, William 0. Batt, urged power be granted to President Roosevelt to establish daylight saving time, nationally or regionally. Julian Brylawski, MPTOA v.-p., saw in the proposal a threat to the box-office. . . . David Rose, on the eve of departing for London, forecast an easing of British quota requirements. . . . Exhibs. are watching the gas rationing plan of 15 gallon per week for pleasure cars with much concern, foreseeing an adverse effect on theater attendance. in the several branches to form a joint committee, consisting of the duly appointed representatives of each, to meet from time to time to discuss matters of mutual interest and problems affecting all? "Each organization or group, in order to participate, would have to be national, or at least interstate, in scope. Each would appoint its own representatives, for it has been demonstrated that the best results are not obtained when some outside agency undertakes to say who shall represent a particular organization. "Such a committee would be as representative as any that could be formed. It could pave the way to a better understanding and more harmonious action. It could save the industry many costly blunders." Let's Talk it Over Nothing can be accomplished merely by putting forward such an idea in a bulletin. The plan must be discussed openly by all whose participation is necessary to carry it into operation. The time and place to do this is Allied's all industry, down to business convention which will be held in Philadelphia on Sept. 16-18. 170 Expected for Bernhard Luncheon (Continued from Page 1) Radio City Music Hall and exhibitor co-chairman of the New Yorfy^'y committee, will be the host. SS Purpose of the function is to outline the plans for the USO Theater Week which starts Labor Day. Those who are expected to attend the luncheon are: Barney Balaban, Adolph Zukor, Albert Warner, George Schaefer, Jack Cohn, Herbert Yates, Gradwell L. Sears, Neil Agnew, Abe Montague, Ned Depinet, W. F. Rodgers, Carl Leserman, A. W. Smith, Jr., W. A. Scully, Herman Wobber, J. R. Grainger, Spyros Skouras, George Skouras, Leonard H. Goldenson, J. R. Vogel, C. C. Moskowitz, Leonard Schlesinger, Edward Aarons, Sam Morris. M. F. Gowthorpe, Arthur W. Kelly, E. H. Alperson, S. H. Fabian, Harry Brandt, L. E. Thompson, Sam Dembow, Jr., Leon Netter, Charles Koerner, Ed L. Kuykendall, Max A. Cohen, Walter Vincent, Edmund Grainger, Harry Katz, J. Myer Schine, Jules Brulatour, William German, Herman Robbins, George Dembow, Leo Abrams, Joseph H. Spray, Edward Oakley. Mort Blumenstock, Harry Goldberg, Ben Kalmenson, Roy Haines, Ed Schnitzer, Sam Lefkowitz, Bob Wolfe, Harry Gold, Arthur Israel, Clayton Bond, Harold Rodner, Alan Friedman, Wm. White, Don Jacocks, Sam Rinzler, Louis Frisch, Leo Brecher, Fred J. Schwartz, Sam Goodman, Abel Green, Martin Quigley, Maurice D. Kann, J. W. Aliccate, Don Mersereau, Colvin Brown, John C. Flinn, Terry Ramsaye, Chester Bahn, Mike Vogel, "Chick" Lewis, Pete Harrison, Jay Emanuel, Mo Wax, Sam Shain, Lionel Toll, Gil Fraunhar, Jack Harrison, James P. Cunningham, Elias E. Sugarman, John H. Harris, Arthur Greenblatt, S. E. Samuelson, S. S. Krellberg, Arthur L. Mayer, Gus A. Eyssel, Robert Weitman, Herman Landwehr, Irving Lesser, Harry Arthur, Jack Partington, B. S. Moss, Charles B. Moss, Zeb Epstein, John C. Wright, Sam Rosen, Billy Brandt, Louis Brandt, Bernard Brandt, John Powers, Norman Aaronwald. J. J. Thompson, Julius Joelson, Irving Remner, Harry Harris, Ed Vallet, Harry K. Hecht, Maurice J. Miller, Sam Straussberg, Jack Hattem, Frank Moscato, Irving Pinsker, Joe Lee, Harry Randall, Milton Kusell, Clarence Eiseman, Arthur Silverstone, Nat Cohn, Irving Wormser, Harry Thomas, Morris Epstein, Phil Hodes, Harry Loewenstein, Irving Dolinger, Al Rosen, Ray Connors, M. Kavanaugh, Lee Cameron, Jack Simon, Norman Elson, Weber Schoening, A. G. Rudd, Morris Lane, Israel Zatkin, Charles H. Moses, Lee W. Newbury, Irwin Wheeler, J. M. Seider, Arthur M. Rapf, M. Ruden, Walter Reade, Leo Justin, Leon Rosenblatt, I. Welt, Edward Rugoff, Herman Becker, ojhn Benas, C. E. Smith, David Snaper, David Levy, Harry Buxbaum, Ben Abner, Ralph Pilo, Jack Bowen, Sam Tulpan, Nat Saland, Jack Goetz, and Stewart Martin.