The film daily year book of motion pictures (1926)

approved by the Industrial Board for the use intended. 6. No permit will be issued (or any auditorium where the machine operator has not first applied for and received the permit required by the In dustrial Board Rulings. 7. To obtain a permit for any auditorium, floor plans or sketches, in duplicate, showing aisles, seating arrangements, and all exit facilities, with all dimensions plainly marked and drawn to scale, must be submitted to the office of the Chief Inspector, Department of Labor and Industry. Providence, R. I. Lieut. George W. Cowan, Amusement Inspector of the Providence Police Department, under the direction of the Board of Police Commissioners, requires the approval of all pictures by the National Board of Review before license is t'.'.illted lor public exhibition in Providence. Memphis, Tenn. Mrs. S. J. Ellis, 976 Oakview Ave. ; John M. Dean, Central Bank Bldg. ; Percy Scholars, c/o Bowers Stores, Inc. Suggestive scenes and subtitles are carefully cut Especially strict with regard to anything tending to show the details of crime, the means of suicide, or any scenes where the stamp of approval is placed upon moral lapses. Chairman Dean says : "The Memphis Board of Censorship has no clearly defined standards of censorship. Each picture, play or act is judged on its own merits. Generally speaking, however, the Board endeavors to judge pictures on the following basis : "We insist that films which handle sex problems must do so from the standpoint of moral betterment. That is, such a vital and delicate matter should not be treated so as to condone wrong, making a jest of it or in a manner which might encourage or excuse wrong doing. We particularly insist that infidelity to the marriage relation should not be handled in a humorous way. We also discourage scenes depicting at great length the alleged humorous actions of a drunken man, and it should go without saying that we will not permit exhibitions which tend to encourage violations of the Eighteenth Amendment. The Board will not allow the exhibition of a prize fight picture which has been brought into the state in violation of Federal laws — this on the ground that we cannot be made parties to such a violation even though the local Federal Court may have imposed some form of penalty for the act. We also forbid the exploitation of films which tend to heroize ex-bandits. Thus we have refused to permit the Al Jennings and similar pictures to be shown. We allow considerable latitude in the matter of costumes and situations so long as there is a legitimate purpose for the things shown and no tendency to encourage the lowering of moral standards. However, as stated at the outset, each picture is judged on its own merits, and it is therefore impossible to define rigid standards." Texas Censor Boards Abilene The Abilene Censor BoaTd, of which Mrs. Fred Cockrell is chairman, is inactive at present. Dallas Members of the Board : Mrs. Ethel l'..,ycr, censor; John De Grazier, chairman; assi-ta: .s : George Butcher, N. Nigro, Mrs. F. jlxdth, M = George Meyer, Mrs. Albert Munster, Airs M R Romine, Mrs. Charles Sorg, Jr., W. E. Hill and Mrs. Albert Walker. The Dallas Board has no set standards, because, as the Secretary says, "Set standards do not prove as practical in censorship as the method of treating each and every questionable film with individual consideration." Fort Worth Fort Worth has a Board of Censors, which is not active at present. Gainesville The local Board of Censors is inactive. Houston The Board of Censors of Houston operates under a permit system. Mrs. Thomas H. Eggert is secretary. Headquarters in the City Hall. An ordinance passed Dacember. 1918, outlines standards under which the Board operates. In part, the ordinance reads. "The Secretary shall ascertain if any entertainment, show, or motion picture is being exhibited which has been condemned by the BoaTd of Censors as being obscene, indecent, or immoral, or as calculated to promote or encourage racial or sectional prejudice, indecency or immorality, or for which a permit has not been issued, and in case the Secretary shall find any such picture being shown, or entertainment given, the manager or other person in charge shall be notified to stop the exhibition of such picture or the giving of said entertainment. The Secretary shall report all violations of this article to the Board of Censors. * * *" Other members of the Board include: Jesse E. Mosely, Mrs. A. C. Fulton, Mrs. W. B. Stelle, Abe Wagner, Arthur Wahrman, Robert Brilling, C. G. Pillot and J. S. Bonner. Marshall Members of the Board: I. A. Morgan, Mrs. J. C. Monigold, Mrs. J. G. Lloyd, and Mrs. Van Wert. The Board is at present inactive. Paris Members: James R. Gill and Henry Breneman, a city alderman. San Antonio Members: Mrs. H. B. Rice, chief; Mrs. J. K. Beretta, Mrs. E. W. McCamish, Mrs. W. Pettus and Mrs. George Peyton. The Board endorses good pictures, rather than censoring. Waco The Waco Board of Censors is at present inactive. The members are: Mrs. J. H. Hutcherson, secretary; Dr. J. C. Watson, W. H. McCollough, F. A. Winchell, Tom Bush, H. L. Davis, Mrs. J. W. Downs, Mrs. J. C. Lattimore, Mrs. Guy. Harrison, Mrs. James Smith and Mrs. A. L. Skinner. Wichita Falls The local Board is inactive. Mrs. C. R. Hartsook is chairman. Works under a permit system and has a Board of Appeals, which consists of the entire City Council. Milwaukee, Wis. The Motion Picture Commission, consisting of nine members appointed by the Mayor of the city acts as the Local Censor Board. The address of such board is City Hall, and in addition to the nine members, the board has 16 aides and these aides are increased in accordance with the number of theaters. Aides are appointed by the President of the Commission. This Commission is not regulated by any ordinances. The Commission is guided mostly by the standards and judgment of the National Board of Review, exception in such cases where the Commission feels that special action is necessary and also in such cases where the matter is left by the National Board to the Local Board for their consideration. The Commission does not make public any of the reviews, but reports to the Common Council the cut-outs, without naming the producer or picthe reviews. All pictures are reviewed immediately upon the first showing and it is the duty of the members and aids to visit certain theaters each week. The expenses of this Commission are borne by the city, as provided for by budget. The only paid member of the Board is the executive secretary and a stenographer. The following is a list of the members and aids of the Local Motion Picture Commission of the city of Milwaukee : Members: F. B. Metcalfe, Pres.; Adolph Mahler, Vice-Pres. ; Mrs. E. J. Kluckow, Treas. ; George Hampel, Ex. Secy.; Mrs. J. C. Buckland, Edward Budin, Clarence Heidiu, Paul Langheinrich ; Henry Staab. 438