Motion Picture News (Apr - Jun 1927)

June to, 193? 2279 Ministers Make Religious Number on Vita THE week of June 10, the occasion of the centennary of Jamestown, New York, when the celebration of the city's birthday will be the s(»le aim of Jamestown, will feature the first nunjber on the \'itaphone for religious purposes — the voices and Restures of two ministers of the First Baptist Church of Jamestown, the Reverend VV. H. Hickman and the Reverend W. J. Ford, representinK the ministry of the community. Vitaphone is producing this number gratis and for the purpose of helping the exposition and show the possibilities of the sound and screen device in spreading religious teachings. The number will not be sold, but will be loaned wherever the demand is great enough and at the discretion of the leaders of this enterprise. It will be shown at the Winter Garden theatre. Missouri Exhibitors Meet U'ehrcnhcr^ Re-Elcctcd l*ri'siile}it M.l\l .(). of Bullion State and Southern Illinois; Mc Cawley Speaks Albany Office of M.P.T.O. of N. Y. Closed Down The headquarters of the Albany Zone of the New York State M. P. T. 0., which have occupied a portion of the third floor in the Mark Strand buildiiif^, are to be pormanently closed at once, by orders of William Dillon, of Ithaca, president of the New York State M. P. T. 0. A letter ordering the closing of the headquarters and the sale of all office furniture was received late last week by Louis Buettner, district zone manager. The comparatively few exhibitors now paying dues into the Albany Zone will be notified to pay their dues hereafter to the Buffalo Zone. According to President Dillon's letter, the closing of the Albany headquarters is necessary on account of lack of finances and one which he regrets. It is claimed that the exhibitors of northern and central New York have shown but little interest in maintaining the headquarters. Sparks Assuming Management of Florida Theatres Management of the Imperial, Republic and Rialto theaters of the Public operations in Jacksonville, Fla., the Palace and Strand at Lakeland, and the Pheil and Rex at St. Petersburg will be assumed by E. J. Spark's Enterprises begining May 29, under the pooling deal which negotiated in New York recently. The Republic will bo closed immediately for renovation, new policy will be instituted at the Imperial, and the Rialto will operate as usual until the Republic is again ready for business. Probability is that the Rialto will then be closed permanently. The Palace and Strand at Lakeland will be operated under general supervision of Mr. Sparks, with B. R. Garner and M. C. Talley in charge. The Cameo will be closed for the summer. "Manpower" Title of New Richard Dix Film ^ "Manpower" has been definitely selected as the title of Richard Dix's next Paramount picture. Fin;U WEIIKENHERG, of St. Louis, Mo., was unanimously re-elected president of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois at the annual convention of the organization held at the Elks' Club, St. Louis, Mo., on Tuesday, May 24. Wehrenberg, who owns and operates the Melba, Cherokee, Michigan and Red Wing theatres in St. Louis, is the first exhibitor to be honored by re-election as president. Heretofore the head officer has held office but one year, and the renaming of Wehrenberg is a tribute to him personally and in recognition of hi.s work the past year. The principal speaker at the convention was State Senator A. L. McCaw'ley of Carthage, Mo., who led the successful fight against Governor Baker's measure, the ten per cent tax on amusements and tobacco sales for public educational institutions. Others who addressed the gathering were Circuit Attorney Howard Sidcner, State Senator Joseph Mogler, and State Representatives John Rees of Weilsville, Mo., and L. C. Hehl. At the convention's afternoon session it was reported that to date the theatres of the territory have reported $4,156.64 in flood relief benefit show receipts. This figure does not include the big St. Louis firstruns such as the Missouri, Loew's State, Ambassador, the Orpheum Circuit House nor the twenty-four theatres operated by the St. Louis Amusement Company. With final reports from all theatres in the territory it is believed the grand total will approximate $15,000. The meeting was adjourned until August 16, when reports will be received by the organization from the Committee on Ways and Means. The question of holding quarterly meetings instead of annual gathering will be considered by the Ways and Means and Executive Committee and some action may be taken at the August 16 meeting. At the banquet held on the Elks' Club Rathskeller at noon covers were laid for 134 persons. The other officers elected })y the organization were: Nice-presidents. I. \V. Rodgers, C.iiro, 111., and Poplar Bluff, Mo.; W. W. Watts, Springfield, 111.; Jon F. Rees. Weilsville. Mo. ; T. E. Yemm, Duquoin, 111., and J. C. Hewitt, Robinson, 111.; secretary, L. C. Helil, St. Louis, Mo. ; treasurer, Oscar I.ehr, St. Louis, and sergeant-at-arms Green M. Luttrell, Jacksonville, 111. Executive Committee: Joseph Mogler, St. Louis; J. C. Hewitt, Robinson, 111.; W. W. Watts, Springfield, 111.; Charles Goldman. St. Louis; Maury Stahl, St. Louis; W. O. Reeves, St. Louis; T. E. Yemm, Duquoin, 111.; L. A. Dernstein, Springffield, 111.; I. W. Rodgers, Cairo, 111., and Poplar Bluff, Mo.; T. M. James, St. Louis, Mo.; Miss Mable R. Miller, Madison, 111., and Mrs. A. Hall, Dupo, 111. The president, treasurer and secretary are also members of the executive committee. The Board of Arbitration to work with representatives of the St. Louis Film Board of Trade in deciding disputes between exhibitors and distributors are Oscar C. I.ehr, W. O. Reeves and Clarence Kaiman. all of St. Louis. The alternates are Wehrenberg and Mogler. The Committee on Ways and Means: I. W. Rodgers, J. C. Hewitt, W. O. Reeves and T. E. Yemm. This committee was empowered to retain a paid organizer to thoroughly organize the territory in Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois. Tlie Resolution Committee: Oscar C. Lehr, Chester Kaiman, St. Louis; Charles Goldman, T. M. James and John F. Rees. Delegates to the National Convcntio«: I. W. Rodgers, A. M. Bcarc, Chester, 111.; Robert C. Cluster, Jolmston City, III.; T. E. Yemm, G. M Luttrell. Oscar C. I.ehr, Fred WehrcnIicrij, L. C. llchl. Joseph .Mogler. Charles (Goldman and J. C. Calvin, W.-ubington, Mo. (^lanadian Music Society Canvassing Theatres The Canadian Performing Rights Society, Limited, Toronto, is canvassing theatres, hotels, dance halls and fall fairs in Canada to take out licenses with the organization to cover copyright on British musical compositions. The cost of licenses to theatres is rated at 15 cents per seat per annum. As a counter move the Musical Amusement Association is reorganizing as the Musical Protective Association with headquarters at Toronto, the new association to be incorporated. N. L. Nathanson, managing director of Famous Players Canadian Corp., and Sir Henry Thornton, president of the Canadian National Railways, are sponsoring the new organization. The original association was formed by Col. J. A. Cooper, president of the Motion Picture Distributors and Exhibitors of Canada; J. C. Brady, president of the Ontario M. P. T. 0.; Jerry Shea of Shea's Hippodrome, and Jack Arthur of the Uptown and Regent Tliontrn;;, Tnrnntn. T. O. Protest Presence of Carnivals at Ottawa A VIGOROUS protest against the presence of carnivals on the civic playirrounds of Ottawa, Ontario, was entered before the Ottwa Board of Control by a deputation representing the Theatre Owners' Branch of the Retail Merchants Association of Ottawa, when a resolution was presented asking for a complete ban against the carnivals or the establishment of a license fee of $200 per day. The exhibitors, who were headed by P. J. Nolan, proprietor of the Rex and Wellington Theatres, told the Board of Control that the carnivals were conducting their activities in the name of charity, but that they were really disguised commercial enterprises, drawing an undesirable element and retaining practically all receipts. They paid no taxes to the city, and yet they provided unfair competition for the local theatres which had hundreds of thousands of dollars invested and paid heavy taxes and municipal fees. The deputation included Mr. Nolan, J. -M. Franklin, manager of B. F. Keith's Theatre; Ray Tubman, manager of the Regent and Imperial Theatres; J. T. Moxley, Francais Theatre; Solomon Coplan, Princess Theatre; .\mbrose Nolan and J. K. Paisley, manager of the Ottawa Fair.