Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1934)

18 MOTION PICTURE DAILY Friday, June 29, 1934 Clearance Hits Denver, Milwaukee Dual Billing Theatre Men Converge on Campi Office Campi is becoming a veritable camping ground for exhibitors Fridays when appeal cases are heard. Theatre owners throughout the country converge to thresh out complaints and arguments. Within the last few weeks important exhibitors visiting Campi either as spectators or as litigants were : Martin Mullin, Sam Pinanski and H. Le Baron, the latter two receivers for the Mullin & Pinanski circuit in New England ; Charles Waldon of the Tivoli and John A. Cunningham of the State, Miami ; Louis Turnick of the Brooklyn and Walter Pacey of the Pacey's Garden, Baltimore ; M. Lichtman of the Booker T. and Regal, Norfolk, Va., Ben Amsterdam, Stanley, Bridgeton, N. J. ; Lester F. Martin, Nevada, la. ; Aaron Saperstein, Chicago ; Edward T. Bloomberg, Strand, Gloucester, Mass. ; Tom Saxe, of Saxe Amusement Management Co., Inc., Milwaukee ; Frank Durkee and J. Louise Rome, Baltimore ; H. F. Kincey and Robert Wilby, Atlanta ; Herbert Zimmerman, De Luxe, Baltimore ; Joseph Levenson, Brookline, Mass., and Milton Frels, Texas. Attorneys from all parts of the country also have been before the board. Among these are Charles Buckley, representing Fox West Coast in Los Angeles ; Sam Boyd, for Lichtman theatres, Washington ; Fred Kent and Sidney Meyer for Sparks and Wometco circuits, Fla. Script Books Banned By Minnesota Board Minneapolis, June 28. — S. F. Heath, operator of the State at Wells, Minn., has been ordered to discontinue issuance of script books or coupons beginning July 1, following hearing of a complaint before the local grievance board. The complainant was F. E. Rolloff, operator of the Pastime at Mapleton. The board's ruling held that Heath's practice tended to lower admissions and was unfair competition at Mapleton, Easton, Waldorf, Delavan and Minnesota Lake. Capital Cases to Campi Washington, June 28. — Three clearance cases involving Warners were ordered submitted to Campi for decision by the local zoning board today. The first was that of Lloyd J. Wineland, operator of the Fairlawn, Anacostia, D. C, vs. the Avenue Grand. The second was J. H. Hoser, State Theatre, Bethesda, Md., vs. the Avalon, the same town. The third was U. P. Hollingsworth of the Capitol, Capitol Heights, Washington, vs. the Avenue Grand. Dismiss Ad Complaint Albany, June 28. — The grievance board has dismissed a complaint by C. Dayton La Pointe, operator of the Crandell at Chatham, against the Hen-Wil-Hen Corp., operators of the Playhouse, Park and Rialto at Hudson. La Points contended that the Hen-Wil-Hen advertising in Chatham was an unfair trade practice. Milwaukee, June 28. — The proposed clearance schedule for Milwaukee county presented to between 50 and 60 exhibitors and distributors divides the county into nine zones. In all instances, any theatre in the downtown zone charging less than 25-cent matinee and 35-cent evening admission receive pictures in accordance with the subsequent run schedule. First runs charging 55 cents top are given 45 days over subsequent runs charging 35 cents, 52 days over those charging 30 cents; 59 over 25 cents; 73 days, 20 cents; 129 days, 15 cents, and 365 days, 10 cents. The same first run house showing pictures with stage shows is given 35, 45, 52, 66, 122 and 300 days over subsequent run prices as classified above. Any theatre showing duals at 35 cents evenings, will get film on the basis of one-half of the regular evening admission and a subsequent run single feature theatre shall have pictures made available to it in its admission price classification. Playing of duals in subsequent run houses on any day of the week, or the giving of rebates, such as premiums in the form of gifts, classifies such a house as a double feature spot with pictures made available 195 days after the first run to subsequents charging 35 cents ; 202 days to those charging 30 cents ; 209 days for 25-cent admissions : 223 days for 20 cents ; 279 days for 15 cents and 515 days for 10 cents. Any subsequent run with stage acts a part of the performance on any day of the week is classified with those using acts the entire week and its classification is in the next admission bracket below the lowest evening admission charged on any day of the week. Asks K. C. Board to Rule Upon NRA Ads Kansas City, June 28. — The local grievance board has been called upon to decide whether an exhibitor has the right to advertise his operations are "100 per cent NRA" if he has not assented to the code. The complainant is C. B. McAleer, Orpheum, Parsons, Kan., against the Uptown, a Dickinson house. McAleer's complaint is on cut-rate admissions, and the NRA advertising feature is brought in incidentally. The charge is the Dickinson theatre runs double bills at 10 cents two days a week, an alleged contract violation. McAleer charges the Dickinson house advertises it gets the crowds because its price is low and the ads also state it has subscribed to the NRA. "I want to know if they have the right to say that, inasmuch as they haven't signed the code and I have," Mcx\leer requests of the board. Cincy Grand to Close Cincinnati, June 28. — The RKO Grand, vaudefilm, goes dark at the end of this week, with indications of reopening with a similar policy in September. Shuttering of this house leaves the town without vaudeville. The RKO Capitol, straight films, has closed for the summer. Denver, June 28. — Double feature houses are penalized, exchanges are granted the right to sell previous runs to theatres in the same price class, and houses having low matinee or low balcony admission prices after 1 P.M. are given less protection than if their entire house sold at the top main floor price via zoning proposed here. In establishing a basis for protection the board decided that where the matinee and balcony admission price after 1 P.M. was less than 70 per cent of the highest main floor admission price, then the protection for that house would be based on 70 per cent of the lowest main floor admission price. Under this rule three first runs lose in their rating. The Aladdin falls into the 35-cent class, as do the Denham and Paramount. Protests are looked for. The board inserted a rule that "any theatre, regardless of classification, using double features on the same program, will lose one-half of its admission price classification." Many exhibitors charge the board exceeded its authority in penalizing double bills. The clearance schedule was drawn up as the result of numerous protests over the setup that has been used in the past. There has been no set protection, each theatre getting what it could from exchanges. The board recognized the demand of exchanges that they be permitted to sell prior runs in any price classification in any part of the city. The board placed the limit of protection on this class of runs at 14 days. First runs have been enjoying an average protection of 45 days on most films, and more on some. Under the new setup, effective with the 1934-35 films, the protection for a 50-cent (without tax) house will be 49 days over 30-cent houses, the top subsequent price in Denver ; 45-cent houses will have 42 days ; 40-cent houses, 35 days, and 35-cent houses, 28 days. The Denver and Orpheum are the only first run houses retaining the full benefit of their top price, 45 cents, in the protection. Their matinee prices are 35 cents from 1 o'clock to 6 o'clock, and 45 cents, tax added, at night, all over the house. The following protection is granted for Denver: (First figures are days protection and second are admission prices) : 45-cent houses get 42 days protection over 30-cent houses ; 56-25 ; 98-20; 133-15; 175-10. Thirty-fi^ecent houses get 28 days clearance over 30-cent houses; 42-25; 84-20; 119-15, 161-10. The Gothic at Englewood, a Denver surburb, and the Grand at Littleton, Col., 10 miles out, are included in the Denver zoning area. Postpone Oklahoma Cases Oklahoma City, June 28. — Four cases scheduled for the first meeting of the grievance board were postponed by request. Overbuying charges have been filed by A. B. Momand of the Momand Theitres against the R. and R. Theatre Enterprises in Muskogee and the Griffith Amusement Co., Shawnee. Momand is also filing against A. M. Abbott, owner of the Kihekaha of Pawhuska on the "bank night" count. Albany Board Holding Off On Zone Case Albany, June 28.— The clearance and zoning board has reserved decision on the clearance complaint of Frederick W. Mausert, operator of the State, Glens Falls, and the indirect complaint of theatre operators in Hudson Falls, Lake George, Fort Edward, Bolton Landing, Granville, Schuylerville, Warrensburgh, Whitehall, Chestertown and Luzerne, against the Schine Theatrical Co., Inc., of Gloversville, operators of the Empire and Rialto, Glens Falls, and the Paramount, Glens Falls, operated by George E. Brown, for Upper New York Theatres Corp. The indirect complainants were brought into the action as the result of the desire of the board to. zone this territory. N. O. Adopts Final Form of New Zoning New Orleans, June 28. — The final zoning plan for the city has been adopted by the clearance and zoning board. It follows : Zone 1, Saenger, Loew's, Orpheum, St. Charles, Liberty, Tudor; zone 2, Wonderland, Newcomb, Globe; zone 3, Lafayette, Lyceum, Coliseum, Isis; 4, Laurel, Napoleon; 5, Laurel, Garden; 6, Fine Arts; 7, Washington, Garden, Happy Hour; 8, Coliseum, Happy Hour, Isis, Granada; 9, Granada, Lincoln; 10, Tivoli, Lincoln; 11, Poplar, Ashton, Roxy; 12, Poplar, Mecca; 13, Metairie; 14, Gem, Westwego, La., Jefferson, Marrero, La.; IS, Hollywood, Gretna, La., Folly, Algiers, La.; 16, Victory, Harvey, La., Hollywood, Greta. La.; 17, St. Maurice, Fiorito's Dream; 18. New Bijou, Fiorito's Dream; 19, Piety, New Bijou, Avenue; 20, Dreamland, Famous. Avenue; 21, Dreamland, Gaiety, Casino; 22, Capital, Plaza, Casino, Arcade; 23, Arcade, Rivoli, Bell, Imperial; 24, Gentilly, Peacock; 25, Carrollton, Cortez, Escorial; 26, Escorial, Queen; 27, Prytania, National. Cincy and Columbus Zones Up to Campi Cincinnati, June 28. — The local clearance and zoning board has zoned the Greater Cincinnati and Columbus territories, subject to approval of Campi. Remaining territories will be zoned at a meeting to be held soon. bee Minnesota Appeal Minneapolis, June 28. — Appeal is expected to be taken from the first decision of the Minneapolis grievance board which has just stepped hard on merchandise tickets in the vicinity of Wells, Minn. S. F. Heath, Wells exhibitor, has been ordered to stop passing out tickets good at reduced prices. H. J. Rolloff of Mapleton filed the complaint. The order becomes effective July 1. Canton Scale Is Cut Canton, June 28. — First deviation from the 35-cent uniform admission adopted several months ago by Loew's, Warners, Alhambra and the Palace, has been made by the Palace, which has put into effect for the summer a dual first run policy at 25 cents top, plus tajc, 15 cents for balcony and 15 cents tor matinee, plus tax, with children's scale remaining at a dime.