Motion Picture News (Jan - Mar 1928)

February 5 5, 1928 627 6 Indictments Aj^ainst Movie Case Defendants IN the six indictments returned by the grand jury against John (I. Callan, Charles F. Mules and Walter Stierhoff in the Sunday movie test case which will soon come up before the Baltimore court, 21 counts are included. Callan, president of the Liberty Defense League, is accused in three; Mules, vicepresident of the League, is accused in two; and Stierhoff, projection machine operator, is accused in one. Paul Boyd Mules, attorney for the defendants, filed a demurrer to one of the indictments against Callan in the Criminal Court last Wednesday in which it was claimed that the first count of the indictment and the second count of the indictment are not sufficient in law. This related to the wording reading that Callan violated the law by keeping open on Sunday a certain opera house, and that it was not applicable to a picture house in view of the legality of strictly controlling criminal statutes. Mr. Mules argued that a motion picture parlor is not an opera house within the meaning of the statute. The demurrer was overruled. Exhibitor Co-Operation Under Way in N. Y. Aaron Sapiro Holds Enthusiastic Meeting With pendent Owners on Buying Plan Vonceil Viking Given Big Reception at "U" City Vonceil Viking, the girl rider who left New York City, October 13, to traverse the continent on horseback exploiting Universal westerns starring Ted Wells, arrived in Los Angeles last Friday, February 10, after having completed her record trip inside of 120 days, just as she said she would. The following day she received what is said to be the greatest ovation ever extended anyone at IJniversal City when she was met by Carl Laemmle and the entire personnel of the Universal studio. Miss Viking encountered all sorts of obstacles during her journey over 16 states ; she had several accidents and at times was seriously ill. She has been signed to a Universal contract to be the female lead in the Wells westerns. She will rest for several weeks, however, before beginning her picture career. Jnde HE Motion Picture Exhibitors Association, Inc., now in the final stages of organization by Aaron Sapiro, will be ready to start functioning in earnest within the next ten days, according to inloriiiation at hand. Sapiro organized the group with the idea of bringing together a iiiininium of $2,500,000 of buying power imiong independent circuits in New York. Instead of that he assembled an exhibitor co-operative movement with $4,000,000 buying power a year. A number of independent companies have already signed contracts to enter into the cooperative association and others arc said to be ready to affix their signatures. Sapiro has not yet signed any contracts but is expected to place his name shortly to an agreement to head the new Motion Picture Exhibitors Association, Inc., of New York. This is the result of a meeting held at the Plaza last Saturday, at which time Siparo addressed the members of the new organization and those who expressed a desire to become members but have not yet done so. At this meeting Saturday there were present the organizing committee of 11 representing as many affiliated theatre circuits which control 150 of the Greater New York movie houses. In addition there were present representatives of almost every independent theatre circuit in the state. Sapiro explained his conception of the benefits that would result to the independent chains from a properly functioning exhibitor organization. The meeting was a most enthusiastic one and the plans as outlined by Sapiro were unanimously approved by those in attendance. Keynote speeches were also made by Lloyd's "Speedy" Reaches Titling Stage After establishing wliat is believed to be a new record for production, Harold Lloyd has placed the celluloid strip of his latest Paramount production, "Speedy," into the hands of his cutters and editors. To fulfill his promise that he would have the production ready by Easter, the comedian put in an unprecedented stretch of work, both day and night being occupied in applying the finishing touches to the new comedy. In all, Lloyd has put in seven months of hard work in his latest work. G. Harry Suchman, Leo I'roljcr, Hill I'.raridt and J. Arthur Hirsch, each going at length into a different phase of the plan. While Sapiro first insisted that there must be assembled in the organization buying power to the amount of $2,500,000 annually, there was enfiugh enthusiasm over the project at the Saturday meeting to assure well over that figure, and it is said that contracts will be signed shortlv that will bring the total well over $4,000,000. The matter of the actual signing of the contracts is under way this week. Herbert R. Ebenstein, long identified with theatre insurance in Greater New York, is now revealed as the sponsor of the new organization. He conceived the idea and approached a number of leading exhibitors regarding it. He then enlisted the interest of Sapiro, who plunged into the matter of organization most enthusiastically. Ebenstein then devoted his time between the exhibitor organization committee and Sapiro. The plan has been progressing at a rapid pace for the last few weeks and promises some more decisive action in the immediate future. H. Earle, Jr., Stanley Stockholder, Dead George H. Earle, Jr., nationally known financier and lawyer, one of the largest stockholders in the Stanley Company of America and a member of the board of directors, died at 8 o'clock on Sunday morning,^ Februai'y 19th, after an illness of several months. He was 71 years old. Nev^^ Zealand Bill Aims to Establish Quota A BILL has been introduced in the New Zealand Parliament for regulating the renting and exhibiting of cinematograph films, fixing a quota of British and foreign films, and imposing a tax on rental charges, according to a report from Consul General W. L. Lowrie, Wellington, to the Department of Commerce, Washington, D. C. Under this bill film renters are to be licensed from January 1, 1929. In 1929 renters must acquire at least lYi per cent of New Zealand and British films and this quota will be increased annually until 1936. Beginning Jannary 1, 1929, exhibitors are to show at least five per cent of New Zealand and British films and this quota will be increased annually until 1937. Provision is made for a tax on gross rental receipts of five per cent in the case of New Zealand films, TYz per cent for British films, and 12'/2 per cent for foreign films. It is not expected that this will pass at the present session of Parliament but will be actively pushed at the session next year. First National Sales Meets Will Prepare for Drive Sales meetings at all 39 exchanges of First National have been called for Saturday, Feb. 25th, by Ned E. Depinet, the company's general sales manager. At these meetings plans will be formulated for the successful carrying out of the First National annual clean-up drive. This is a twomonths' campaign to close all unsold spots on past and current releases. The drive will come to a close on April 20th and a list of suitable prizes for the ^vanning branch managers and salesmen is now being worked out. Branch quotas are being worked out and will be in the hands of the branch managers in advance of the sales meetings. Universal's Philbin-Kerry Special Set for March "Love Me and the World Is Mine," the special production made by E. A. Dupont for Universal with Mary Philbin and Norman Kerry in the leads, is to be released on March 4. The picture is an adaptation from an original story by Rudolph Hans Barsch. Supporting roles are contributed by Betty Compson, H. B. Walthall, George Siegmann and others. Bebe Daniels Recovering From Injuries Bebe Daniels is recovering from the effects of her recent accident and is now reported as being safely on the road to good health. For the past few days she has been confined to the Hollywood hospital suffering from injuries while filming her new pictui-e.