Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1934)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Tuesday, May 15, 1934 No Slash in Code Levies Planned Now (Continued from page 1) was proportioned according to theatres assenting. The fact that complaints would follow was not overlooked. It was felt that remedies can only be made as an outgrowth of protests. Where exhibitors find the tax excessive they must file complaints with grievance boards. These boards, in turn, recommend changes, if any, to Campi. From various recommendations by boards and suggestions from exhibitors, Campi members will sit down again in the near future and re-allocate the assessments. Suggestions along these lines are being invited for guidance, but for the present the first half assessment stands. Method of raising the $180,000 production-distribution half of code cost has not yet been worked out. Two Cases Are Heard By Board in Capital Washington, May 14. — Gift nights, passes and premature advertising were up for discussion as unfair trade practices in two cases before the grievance board today. Robert Smeltzer presided, with Sam J. Flax substituting for Sam A. Galanty, who was out of town. A complaint of Max Cluster, operating the Cluster, against Moe Kohn, operator of the Elite, both in Baltimore, on charges of indirect price cutting through passes, was heard. Another Baltimore complaint was that of Louis Tunick, Brooklyn Theatre, against Al Kahn, Pennington Theatre, for the alleged running of gift nights. A decision in the Cluster-Kohn case will be rendered tomorrow. Chicago, May 14.— The showdown on 15-cent admissions and double bills here which had been scheduled for vote today will have to wait several days, the clearance and zoning board having deferred its meeting to Thursday. This is the second postponement of the meeting. Cincinnati, May 14. — The clearance and zoning board here held its first meeting today, with Maurice White of Warners as chairman. The gathering discussed zoning, but no schedule was set up and no vote taken. The next meeting is May 22. Cleveland, May 14. — The grievance and clearance boards took up permanent headquarters in Room 441, Statler Hotel, effective today. Mrs. Georgia Moffett is secretary. Indianapolis, May 14. — The grievance board will hold hearings each Monday afternoon and the clearance and zoning board will convene on Tuesday afternoons. Asked to Resign Willard C. Patterson has been asked to resign from the code labor committee, which also has on it Charles L. O'Reilly and Leslie E. Thompson. Patterson, until recently handled labor for Warners and joined Publix in Detroit. Theatre Acquisition Up to Campi Friday In the first case of its kind to come before the body, Campi will act as jury Friday on the complaint of John T. Rennie against Felstein & Dietrich in the matter of acquisition of the Oxnard, Oxnard, Cal. Rennie claims the defendants signed a lease for the theatre while he was negotiating for the house. He declares such action is contrary to the code. Affidavits by both parties have been submitted. Fox West Coast's appeal from the Los Angeles grievance board which ordered 20 pictures turned over to the Garfield, Alhambra, has been set for the Campi session after May 28, which will probably be June 1. Principals in the case are coming to New York to appear before the board. Cleveland First Run Plaint Up on Friday Cleveland, May 14. — Upon request from Judge K'eough, representing Loew's Ohio Theatres, and Nat Wolf, representing Warner Theatres, the clearance board meeting has postponed to Friday hearing of the case of the Cedar-Lee Theatre Co., against Loew's Ohio Theatres, involving the Stillman, Park and Granada, and against Warners, involving the Lake, Uptown and Variety. The Cedar-Lee Theatre Co., in a petition filed with the clearance board, asks that first run protection at the houses named, be reduced. Claim is made that when the present protection policy was adopted, all first runs played single features and charged admissions in excess of admissions at subsequent run houses. Settlement Talked For Rogowsky Case (Continued from page 1) and was adjourned for further evidence. Other cases on the calendar today are : the Roxy against Walter Reade of the Mayfair on alleged distribution of cut rate courtesy tickets, the Roxy against the Casino for alleged misrepresentation in advertising, and the complaint of the Little Picture House against the Windsor, charging that pictures are advertised as coming to the Windsor while playing the opposition. Russian Arrives to Discuss Film Deals (Continued from page 1) Soviet films in America and obtaining ideas for increasing the popularity of Soviet pictures here. Coincident with his arrival, announcement was made here that Vladimir I. Verlinsky, formerly associated with the import and export departments of the Soviet film trust in Russia, had been made president of Amkino, American representatives of the Soviet film industries. Verlinsky arrived last week. Warners Set Dates For Two Regionals (Continued from page 1) both eastern sessions, which will be attended by home office executives and district and branch managers only. Gradwell Sears, western and southern sales manager, will set dates and meeting places for two additional meetings on his return from Chicago. Recommendation in On Jersey Dispute Having heard the protest of the Washington, Washington, N. J., against Wilmer & Vincent, in Easton, Pa., on alleged unfair clearance, the New Jersey advisory board on clearance and zoning yesterday submitted a recommendation to the main board which meets Thursday. Earle Swigart, branch manager for Paramount ; Ben Appelgate of M-G-M, and Robert Mochrie, Warner branch manager in Philadelphia, appeared before the board and stated they were not interested in the case because the Wilmer & Vincent account pays anywhere from $400 to $800 for a picture while the Washington house pays around $25. Fred V. Green, Jr., appearing for the Washington, asked that the Easton protection be cut, but J. D. Egan, acting for Wilmer & Vincent, stated his theatre is not being served by New Jersey exchanges but by Philadelphia. Al Suchman, head booker and buyer for Consolidated Amusements, asked that the protection by Loew's against the Forum, Fleetwood and Luxor be changed because the Loew house is not in competition with the trio. David Loew and Eugene Picker appeared for Loew's. The Manhattan, Bronx, Westchester and Long Island advisory group meets tomorrow to draft a recommendation to the main board. Joseph Lee of Fox and Harry Hecht were absent from the New Jersey board, while Charles Stern and Jack Steinmain were missing from the Manhattan board. New Haven Grievance Hears First Cases New Haven, May 14. — The local grievance board heard its first complaints today. One was that of the Pequot Theatre against the Dreamland, on a charge that free admittance is given Tuesday evenings to women accompanied by men. Another was that of the Whalley Theatre, also in this city, which charged Paramount with forcing shorts. The Pequot also has on file with the clearance and zoning board a complaint charging the Garden, Lyric and Strand, competing houses, with extending Sunday matinee prices into the evening. Flinn Confers Today With 10 Secretaries Code secretaries from 10 eastern cities meet with Executive Secretary John C. Flinn at Code Authority headquarters today, winding up the third and last session. Because the New York grievance board meets today, Lillian Silver will be absent. Attending will be Benjamin Strosberg, Albany : Olive Bursiel, Boston ; Jane Holloran, Buffalo ; Harry Lander, New Haven ; Emaline Fineberg, Pittsburgh ; Basil Zeigler, Philadelphia ; James B. Fitzgerald, Washington ; Florence Abramson, New York ; Love B. Harrell, Atlanta; Mrs. Georgia Moffett, Cleveland. Casino Switches The Casino yesterday adopted a dual feature and vaudeville program, at the same time droping from a first run to a combination second run program. K.C. Protest On Clearance Change Filed (Continued from page 1) schedule at a general hearing here, or the board may forward them to Campi for a review of the entire matter. The appeal procedure and the time allowed for filing protests will be decided by the clearance and zoning board tomorrow. The tentative ruling is that protestants have 30 days to appeal. The clearance and zoning board tomorrow will hear complaints by H. L. Dunnuck, of the Madrid, Atchison, Kan., and O. F. Sullivan, West Theatre, Wichita, charging distributors allow Fox Midwest prior runs excessive protection, in some instances said to be 180 days, over unaffiliated subsequents. Dunnick withdrew his original complaint with the grievance board charging that Fox Midwest had overbought. He is unable to obtain product, he says, and may file a new complaint on overbuying after the clearance matter has been decided. Independent suburbans at a meeting this afternoon drafted a protest against the new clearance. Mrs. Walton Quits MPTO Memphis, May 14. — Mrs. Alma Walton resigns tomorrow as secretary of the M. P. T. O. of Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee and the Memphis Film Board, having been informed by Campi she cannot hold these posts and remain as secretary of the local code boards. with MARIAN NIXON NEIL HAMILTON Aileen Pringle William Austin Raymond Hatton Bradley Page "Well spiced comedy-drama of a madcap honeymoon, with a hired bride and a millionaire bridegroom the central figures. William Nigh directed this laughter-and-tears story, suggested by Eleanor Gates' 'Search for the Spring.' A tonic for any box-office." 1934 1935