Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1934)

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MOTION PICTURE DAILY Thursday, March 8, 1 93-4 Board Choices Stir Memphis Commentators {Continued from page 1) the policies of the grievance board, but will be like the small boy at the baseball park knothole where the clearance and zoning board is concerned. Lightman isn't complaining. He says the boards have been very fairly set up. Nor are his opponents crowing. They can't figure it out. The grievance board is composed of Lightman; William Ruffin, of Covington, Tenn., Tri-State M. P. T. O. leader and close friend of Lightman ; James Rogers, of Columbia, whose first run outlet here is Lightman's Strand and who sells largely to the Lightman subsequent runs and his houses in the territory, and Tom Young, of Fox, whose pictures automatically play Loew houses first run, but must be sold to Lightman if they are to play his subsequents and territory theatres. The other board, on the other hand, has Frank Willingham, M-G-M exchange head, whose produce plays Loew houses first run and has a more or less indifferent attitude towards the Lightman dates ; Howard Waugh, zone manager of the Warner circuit ; T. W. Sharp, of Little Rock, head of the new Independent Theatre Owners of Arkansas ; A. J. Suzore, of Memphis, neighborhood showman, never particularly close to Lightman ; W. E. Sipe, Universal, whose pictures go to Lightman first run and otherwise ; and Sidnev Nutt, of Hot Springs, M. P. T. O. leader. Lightman Status Unique Lightman's position is unique in that he is both a circuit and an independent, affiliated and unaffiliated, first run and subsequent, metropolitan and small town showman, all in one. His first run Strand plays opposition to Warners and Loew and the indie Orpheum. His local neighborhoods compete with the other suburban houses and get choice bookings because of the Lightman buying power. And his nearly 30 theatres in the Arkansas and Tennessee territory are opposition to many terrritory exhibitors and in many instances have protection over them. This makes Lightman opposition to practically everybody in the business hereabouts, including the labor unions, since he has been running the Strand and Princess non-union for nearly a year. Hence, the Lightman power or lack of power on code matters is an all-important factor. Neighborhood showmen are delighted with the boards, even though not understanding how Lightman got so strong on one and so weak on the other, because their grievances are the same as Lightman's as a rule, except for clearance, and that's the only place he has no whip hand. Attitude of the circuits here seems to be "Wottahell ! If we don't like what the code boards do, we'll take it to the home office and let Code Authority fight it out!" Exhibitors in the territory are pretty much in the same boat as the local neighborhoods. They like to work with Lightman on things which are to mutual advantage, but thev are leery of him on clearance and zoning. Hence, the satisfaction with the setup, even if misunderstood. Another thing nobody can understand is why neither of the local Loew executives, Colonel Cecil E. Vogel, city manager, or Bernard Thomas, of the State, landed on the boards. Colonel Vogel is particularly well regarded both among rival exhibitors and on Film Row, and it was considered a foregone conclusion that he would figure prominently on the boards just as he always has in all film problems here. Still another question mark is occasioned by the position of the local Orpheum, probably the largest and finest theatre in the section. Independently operated by Chicago interests, the Orpheum is completely without representation on the boards. Thirty-Hour Week Order Now Impends (Continued from page 1) order have been decided upon, the authorities were told, because it would be impossible to take up individual industry problems one by one. Industries contending they cannot afford the cuts will be given hearings, General Johnson said. The administrator indicated during the afternoon hearings that he wanted industries to designate men to be left behind following the conclusion of the conferences to take up with him a program for further re-employment. Review Board Named To Aid Small Units (.Continued from page 1) er any of them are "designed to promote monopolies or oppress small enterprises." Where these tendencies are found it will be the duty of the board to make recommendations to the President for changes. Other members of the board are : W. W. Neal, Fred P. Mann, Sr., John F. Sinclair, Samuel C. Henry and W. O. Thompson. It was made known at the White House that the President will ask Congress to extend the licensing provisions of the recovery act for another year, although these have not been used as yet. A third development was the announcement that the NRA and the Treasury Department are studying the possibility of extending three-year loans up to $12,500 to small business men. Wilson Quits NRA Washington, March 7. — Frank R. Wilson, publicity representative of the NRA, in charge of the film campaign last year, has resigned to return to the picture business in New York. Briggs on Coast Hollywood, March 7. — O. H. Briggs of Du Pont Pathe is here from New York for a two months' stay. Spanish Version for U. S. Warners plans to release a Spanish version of Victor Herbert's "The Fortune Teller" in this country. Levy Succeeds Price Pittsburgh, March 7. — Edward Levy succeeds Harry Price on the local Radio sales force. Board Delays Stir Criticism in K.C. (Continued from page 1) the price war is being prolonged by delay in local code administration. Board members say that because of matters that demand immediate attention, they are anxious to begin functioning and are eagerly awaiting appointment of the impartial member and receipt of instructions on procedure. Apart from this, exhibitor members are irked that Code Authority did not see fit to inform them of their appointment. They had been awaiting notification, until informed by Motion Picture Daily that Code Authority used the trade press to make such official notification. At this, Jay Means, president of the I. T. O., one of the chief critics, expressed amazement, declaring it was "unbelievable." The trade is speculating as to selection of the impartial member of the Kansas City boards. Several names have been submitted. Means has recommended E. H. Wilkie, president of the Wilkie Furniture Co. Others being considered are Dr. Paul Lux, physician ; Tom Finnigan, Democratic ward committeeman and local circulation manager for Collier's; Ray Wilson, manager, civic department, Kansas City Chamber of Commerce; Roy Roberts, managing editor, Kansas City Star, and Judge Merrill E. Otis of the Federal district court. Dubinsky Stand to Test St. Louis Board Kansas City, March 7. — St. Louis Regional Labor Board faces a test over Ed Dubinsky's determination to challenge its order to reinstate I. A. T. S. E. operators at his three St. Joseph houses. Today the board wired Dubinsky to comply by March 10. It also ruled that he use two men in a booth pending arbitration of his manpower dispute. Dubinsky holds Division Administrator Sol A. Rosenblatt cleared him of any violation and the board cannot enforce its ruling because he did not agree to arbitration. Federal Judge Otis has under advisement his application for an injunction to restrain the I. A. T. S. E. from interfering with operation of his theatres. Extras Ask Changes Hollywood. March 7. — Extras' code committee at a meeting last night asked that Division Administrator Sol A. Rosenblatt include in the code a provision that studios pay supers for transportation and time spent traveling to location where the distance exceeds six miles and that no studio employe be allowed to appear before the camera. The latter recommendation was prompted by the alleged practice of studios using employes to fill in as extras. Film on Dillinger Hollywood, March 7. — Paramount is rushing into production a yarn by Bartlett Cormack based on John Dillinger, desperado who escaped from an Indiana jail last week. Wurtzel Plans 30 Hollywood, March 7. — Sol Wurtzel will contribute 30 features, 10 of them Spanish versions, to Fox's new season's program. RKO's Leases In Radio City Are Approved (Continued from page 1) maximum. After that, rent paymeir of $50,000 per month, or $600,000 an nually, will be paid to Rockefelle: Center. If there is a monthly balance remain ing after these items have been takei care of, 50 per cent of the balance wil be paid monthly to Rockefeller Cente as additional rent, but such payment; together with the rent, are not to ex ceed the $953,972 annual maximun The remaining 50 per cent of such balance is to be divided equally i payments to the RKO Radio City op erating companies and a special re serve fund account. In the event of | deficiency which would result ? Rockefeller Center receiving less tha $50,000 per month in rent, the land lord may make up the deficiency b j withdrawing from a security depos of approximately $300,000 establishe for this purpose by RCA. This de posit was originally $1,000,000, bi Rockefeller Center has withdrawn at] proximately $700,000 of it for renta l due up to the time of the RKO equity receivership, in Jan., 1933. The RKO receivership voided tlj original Rockefeller Center lease. Tlj new lease was objected to by varioi creditors of RKO and approval of in its first form was withheld tj Judge Bondy early in January of th , year on the ground that it specific no maximum amount which might li paid out of balances as additional ren Rockefeller Center's agreement to fi: ing the $953,000 maximum resulted approval of the lease by the court. Court Orders Sale For Omaha Orpheun Omaha, March 7. — The long-e: pected auction of the Orpheum h; been ordered by Federal Judge Jairn Donohue to satisfy claims of fir mortgage bond holders for $1,070,0( and interest at 6 per cent since De 1, 1926. The action resulted from the ceivership a year ago which followi" a default on bonds of the Omaha O pheum Co., a subsidiary of the o Keith -AlbeeOrpheum Corp. Tr house is at present operated by A. I Blank's Tri-State Theatres Co. on . one-year lease which was granted I the receiver last June. The court's order requires payme of the first mortgage bondhol claims within 20 davs to avoid auctic To Remake 'Three Week Hollywood, March 7. — Irving Th? berg is planning to use Wallace Beer Clark Gable, Gloria Swanson ai other names in a remake of Elin Glynn's "Three Weeks." Capital Now Majestic Herman Gluckman has changed t name of his New York exchange frc Capital to Majestic Pictures Coi Amity Opens in 'Frisco San Francisco, March 7. — Ami has opened an exchange here with Lubfin in charge.