Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1934)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Friday, February 16, 193 Code Boards Confined to Total of 62 (Continued from page 1) Theatre owners in southern Jersey being served trom Philadelphia exchanges will file complaints with the board there, inhibitors of northern i\ew Jersey will funnel objections to the .New iork grievance board. No personnel of any boards will be made known today, if Division Administrator Sol A. Rosenblatt approves some of the approximate 2uU recommendations of impartial members by tomorrow, the hrst group ot clearance and zoning and grievance boards will be released then for publication Monday. More than half of the 62 boards have been tentatively approved by the committee on selections and will be submitted to the authority today for official sanction. J. Robert Rubin will be chairman of the session which will be held at the authority headquarters in the RKO building. In addition to approval of boards' selection, on the tapis today are recommendations of the vaudeville committee for changes in the code, finances, a report by Executive Secre tary John C. Flinn, free radio shows situation, complaints which need immediate attention and the ruling of the NRA legal department on the 10 per cent cancellation clause, which Rosenblatt declared retroactive to Dec. 7, when the code became effec tive. K.C. Gathers Evidence for Code Boards Rosenblatt Asks End Of May fair Tickets (Continued from page 1) cently brought the matter to the attention of the division administrator. Rosenblatt's answer to Cullman follows : "This is to acknowledge receipt of and thank you for your lettr of Feb. 7 enclosing a sample of the courtesy tickets which are being distributed by the Mayfair Theatre. I am immediately calling this matter to the attention of the Mayfair Theatre and asking their discontinuance of this practice and their compliance with the motnon picture industry code." Vaude Men Form Ass'n Unit stage producers and vadueville producers have formed the Vaudeville Producers' Ass'n., which will act for individual members on proposed changes in the code. Suggestions made by this organization are expected to be taken up by Code Authority at its meeting today at its headquarters in the RKO Building. (Continued from page 1) lowering of announced admission prices through grocery lotteries throwaway tickets, coupons and simi lar devices. Neighborhood exhibitors who are up against this competition say they are keeping a record of prac tices that are obvious code infractions and will present them to constituted code bodies for action. The practices complained of were intended to be dealt with in rules of fair competition which the suburban recently decided to formulate, after two or three previous resolves which resulted in failure. Jay Means, presi dent of the Independent Theatre Owners, has just about given up hope that the neighborhoods can get to gether on a definite plan, and it is highly probable that voluntary efforts will be abandoned as useless in favo of action by the local grievance board The contemplated rules of fair com petition also were to include cut prices double bills and giveaways, in an at tempt to stabilize admissions. General restriction of these practices to not more than two days a week was, in addition, to serve as a concession to Toew's, of whom the suburbans are demanding a boost in admission prices at the first run Midland. Carl Laemmle Goes Back to the Coast Carl Laemmle left for the coast yesterday following three weeks of conferences here on new season pro duction plans and participation in sales meetings. He was accompanied by Max Friedland, general European manager; Mrs. Friedland, Joe Weil and Jack Ross. A decision on Universale plans for producing in France will be made following the group's arrival in Hollywood. It was said that in the event the 15 pictures scheduled to go into production in Hollywood with in the next few weeks are not adapted to release abroad, 12 continental productions may be made in Paris. Carl Laemmle, Jr., will remain in New York for several additional days in order to view current Broadway offerings. May Discuss Scale Today Division Administrator Sol A. Rosenblatt is expected to confer with representatives of the I. A. T. S. E. and Harry Brandt, president of the I. T. O. A., on setting up a basic wage scale for independent booths. Assents Now Total 7,477 Thirty-one unqualified assents reached the Code Authority yesterday bringing the former total of 7446 to 7,477. Ulrich Joins Authority Charles Ulrich, veteran newspaper and publicity man, has joined the Code Authority in charge of reception. Ulrich was a correspondent for newspapers and traveled with President Theodore Roosevelt and at one time was associated with Pathe, PDC and Paramount. During his 10 years with Paramount he has turned out about 1,500 press sheets and is said to be the father of the modern press book. Seek Code Board Jobs Des Moines, Feb. 15.— Leone Matthews and Grace Gannon are active candidates for posts as secretaries of the zoning and clearance and grievance boards. Agents to Discuss Code's Provisions (Continued from page 1) man, Edward Schoeng, i Edward Keller, Herman Bernie, Maurice Rose, Max Hart, Louis Shurr, Jack tfertel, Tom Rockwell, Matt Kelly, and three others to be appointed. The association, which claims a membership of 400, represents legitimate, vaudeville and picture artists. Hayward, Lyons and Grossman represent actors and actresses in Hollywood in addition to the legitimate field. Admits U. S. Taught British Producers Admitting that English producers have taken a few lessons from American film makers, Gerald Campbell, British Consul General, yesterday told Ampa members domestic producers have taught his countrymen how to make pictures. "If American producers hadn't shown British film men how to make pictures, England would not know how," he stated. He also said he was glad to see the response given English product here and added the ideas of American publicity men have been advantageous to companies abroad. He also waxed humorous when he said: "All films depend on the fact that God made woman and man differently, and how they enjoy the difference 1" Arthur Lyons, president of the National Ass'n. of Theatrical Artists Representatives, declared that the code is one of the finest instruments written and will eliminate a lot of lying and stealing of artists by agents. Other guests included Reginald P. Baker of Associated Pictures of London, Consuelo Flowerton, actress ; Rex Weber, singer. Court Orders Digest Of Quittner Record An opinion requiring that the record in the Edward Quittner monopoly suit against major companies be digested preparatory to carrying the case to the U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals was handed down yesterday by Federal Judge Francis G. Caffey. The opinion will permit counsel to consolidate the 7,000 page record to 300 or 400 pages. Judge Caffey also ruled that Quittner may make application to appeal his case as a pauper in either the District Court or the Circuit Court of Appeals. If the application is granted he may go to the higher court without having the record printed. Theatres Tel] Union No Pact Can Be Signec (Continued from page 1) for discharge if they chose not to joi the union. Major L. E. Thompson, of RK<: presided at the meeting, which wa attended by Charles Moskowits Loew's; Charles L. O'Reilly, T. C C. C; Harry Brandt, I. T. O. A. Jack Bannon, Paramount ; Georg Skouras, Harry Buckley, Unite Artists, Sam Rinzler, Randforce Cir cuit, and others. The meeting took the position tha theatres here are doing all that is re quired of them in living up to cod provisions and, in some instances, an paying 40 to 50 per cent more thai the minimum wages provided in th< code, and employing additional helj to care for shorter hours required b; the code. Following the meeting, Levey declared that he disagreed with the theatre operators' interpretation of th( National Recovery Act and that h< was of the opinion that it permi opening of negotiations for new wag contracts regardless of code proy sions. "The Recovery Act stipulates tha employers must deal with the chosen! representatives of their employes,"! Levey said. "It is not for die em-, ployers to say who that representative! is to be." Levey declared that he would take! the matter to the National Labor Board at Washington in an effort to obtain verification of his opinions. He reported that he was received cordially at the meeting and stated that the likelihood of a strike was "remote." Unions Attempt to Line Up Re-Winders (Continued from page 1) throughout the country is reported under way. New York is believed to be the center of the organizing activities, with the labor representatives convinced that an organization in exj istence here would give them an advantage in later organizing locals in j other cities. The organizers contend that the re I winder is as important in his sphere as the projectionist is in his and! should be paid on the same basis. Theatre labor organizations queried on the report yesterday disclaimed any knowledge of the organizing activities among re-winders. Golden Sees Duals' Return in Chicago Reinstatement of double features in Chicago within the next few weeks is seen by Edward Golden, general sales manager for Monogram. Golden has been leading the fight of independent distributors against the alleged practice of major companies who are said to be rubber stamping contracts so that no two features are shown on the same bill. Warners Buy Entire Program from Radio Warners have bought the entire 1934-35 list of Radio, including features, shorts and the Pathe reel, according to Jules Levy, general sales manager. The deal was signed several days ago, but was withheld for the sales meeting at the Park Central. Levy handled the deal for Radio and Joseph Bernhard and Clayton Bond acted for Warners.