Motion Picture News (Jul - Sep 1930)

30 Motion Picture News September 27, 1930 Jurors' Stories Used in Move to Save Pantages San Francisco — State Attorney General Webb at Sacramento has under consideration affidavits filed in a new move to save Alexander Pantages from prison. One has a -.worn statement that a juror in the Pantages case expressed himself at least three week before the trial as being determined end that (.reck where he belongs." Two women jurors charge that a juror threatened to tell a Los Angeles minister how they voted and acted unless they joined in a verdict of guilty, and a third alleges she was led to believe that a verdict of guilty, •'with leniency," would give the court the right to extend clemency, otherwise she would have voted for acquittal. As a matter of fact, it is claimed, the law takes no lizance of the recommendation and the sentence passed was mandatory. Pantages received the maximum of one to 50 years in prison for an alleged criminal attack on a 17-year-old girl. The same evidence was presented the Los Angeles district attorney, it is claimed, but nothing was done in the matter. 18 Foreign Versions of Warner Talkies in 1930-31 Hollywood — Six German versions, six French and six in Spanish are planned for 1930-21 talkers by First National-Warners. Each edition will have a separate cast and <H rector than those used on the original English version. The three foreign versions of Warners "Those Who Dance" are nearing completion, while a Spanish version of First National's "Bad Man" has already been finished. New First Run House Opened at Indianapolis Indianapolis — The new Terminal, formerly the Isis here, located on North Illinois St. opposite the Traction Terminal station, ha opened as a de luxe house showing first run pictures. The house has been entirely reniiHlded and redecorated. Merchant Uses Free Films As Come-on At Tampa Tampa — Free shows are being given by a service station near Roble's I 'ark, with silent pictures shown. The feature is run in two nightly instalments, supplemented by ubjei i Back in Durkee Houses Baltimore — Warner pictures have been 1 for the Durkee chain in Baltimore, having been out of those houses for ll a year. Some time ago Warners had a deal on to take over these houses. Booked in 62 Towns < has hooked the Bob Steele and I ease western n leased by Tiffany in 62 towns of the circuit. There are six pic i | Columbia Joins Hays Climaxing its rapid rise from the ranks of state right organizations to a national distributor, Columbia Pictures has become a member of the Hays organization. Joe Brandt will represent ihe company on the Hays directorate. Columbia's move in joining the Hays association leaves Tiffany the only distributor maintaining a national exchange system which is not included in the Hays membership. Both Columbia and Tiffany have co-operated with the Hays organization in the past. Jce Brandt Exhibitors and Stagehands Mitt In Milwaukee Milwaukee — Stagehands and exhibitors here have come to an agreement after a strike scare which threatened a break between the union and George Fischer, operator of the National and Milwaukee here. The union demanded that additional stagehands be employed at these theatres "regardless of whether there is any work for them." Refusal of the owners to meet the stagehands' demands led the operators in the two theatres to threaten to go on a sympathy strike. Under the new agreement, the five deluxe houses in the city are obliged to put in a stagehand, while the Zenith, Milwaukee, National, Avalon, Venetian, and Egyptian must hire a stagehand four hours per week at $1.25 per hour. It was further agreed that the smaller houses are not obliged to hire a stagehand. Robberies in Indiana Andersonville, Ind. — At the point of a gun, a bandit took $200 from the cashier of the Puhlix State and escaped with two companions. Indianapolis — Two gunmen held up A. W. Hedding, manager of the Ohio theatre and forced him to open the safe, which they looted of the night's receipts. Hedding was alone in the theatre. Princeton, Ind. — The Princeton was robbed of $219, but $461 was overlooked. The thief remained in the building after the last show. Wash. House Robbed Vancouver, Wash. — Knocking ofiF the combination knob and then filling the hole with nitroglycerine, yeggs blew open the -ate at the Fox Castle theatre. An inner strong box containing $1,200 defied the robbers' efforts, however, and they got less than $100, according to E. E. Marsh, manager. "Big House" Ban Will Mean Loss Of $1,500,000 Columbus — Action of the Ohio censor board in banning "The Big House" and "all other racketeering and gangster films," as being "harmful to the boys and girls of Ohio," will result in a loss to exhibitors of $1,500,000, P. J. Wood, business manager of the state exhibitor unit, estimates. The new order was issued after many weeks of consideration during which the administration has been accused of using the power of the censor board for political reasons. It has been claimed that the administration banned "The Big House" and with it all other prison pictures, fearing its exhibition would reawaken adverse public sentiment which prevailed at the time of the Columbus Penitentiary fire in which several hundred convicts lost their lives. John J. Harwood, president of the Cleveland Motion Picture Exhibitors' Association, condemns the action of the censor board as "a very high-handed piece of business, entirely uncalled for. There's no moral reason for barring the picture, as far as I can see, and that's the only thing the board of censorship is supposed to base decisions on," said Harwood. He further stated that, in his opinion, the board "is usurping a great deal of authority." Representatives of the local women's clubs are also opposed to the banning of "The Big House," which, according to Mrs. F. J. Yeager, president of the Cleveland Cinema Club, is listed on the club bulletin as an "excellent picture for adults." Miss Annett Smith, chairman of the department of education of the Federated Women's Clubs, resents the action of the censor board, saying, "I don't like to think that there are people in Columbus who can keep me from seeing a moving picture so highly recommended." Loew's Stillman, which was scheduled to play "The Big House" as soon as it passed the censor board, has been displaving a sign reading: "Coming— THE BIG HOUSEWHEN, AS AND IF RELEASED BY THE OHIO BOARD OF CENSORS." .99 Hays "Sitting On Plan to Cut Express Charges Distribution interests affiliated with the M.P.T.D.A. are understood to be all het up over alleged laxity of Hays officials in handling a plan which might mean reduced express tariff's on film shipments for theatres and exchanges. The plan, submitted at least six weeks ago, is said to be gathering dust in the desk of a Hays lieutenant, and this because of the belief that express companies will refuse it consideration on the grounds that other large industries will immediately charge discrimination and jump on the latter for their share of a cut.