Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1934)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY i 8 Civic Groups Deny M. P. Council Aid (Continued from page 1) Houston, head of the council's "bureau of public enlightenment," according to the current issue of Motion Picture Herald. The council's executive head is Rev. William H. Short. Invitations to the gathering were sent out over the name of Mrs. Grace Coolidge and the session was held in the American Museum of Natural History. The publicity release issued following the meeting read : "A statement of national policies in motion pictures agreed upon by representatives of 35 national organizations was made public yesterday (Oct. 3) by the Motion Picture Research Council of 366 Madison Ave., New York, simultaneously with the mailing of them to the presidents of the associated organizations." The release also quoted Dr. Ben D. Wood of Columbia, who presided, as saying the 35 organizations in all probability would adopt the council's "new" program. Against Block Booking The council's "new" program includes a demand for Federal legislation to stop block and blind booking and appointment of a Federal administrator to supervise production. All of the 22 organizations reached denied they had been committed to the council's program. Most of them were emphatic in saying they disapproved the publicity release. One called it "dangerous" to participate in a conference with the council, and several questioned the propriety of the statement. Only three expressed a sympathetic interest in the council's work. They were: Dr. Samuel McC. Cavert, general secretary of the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America; J. W. Crabtree, secretary, National Education Ass'n, and Mrs. B. F. Langworthy, president, National Congress of Parents and Teachers. Objectors Are Listed Those who objected to the statement were: Morse A. Cartwright, director, American Ass'n for Adult Education ; F. Trubee Davison, president, American Museum of Natural History; Bernard S. Deutsch, president, American Jewish Congress ; Rowland Sheldon, executive secretary, Big Brother and Sister Federation, Inc.; Joseph H. McCoy, general secretary, Big Brother Movement; Ethel Morrey, executive director, The Big Sisters (Protestant) ; James E. West, chief scout, Boy Scouts of America; Anna Rice general secretary, National Board of the Y. W. C. A.; Mrs. Phillip A. Brennan, president, International Federation of Catholic Alumnae ; George J. Zebrung, director, National Council, Y. M. C. A.; Mrs. Mary G. Schonberg, executive secretary," National Council of Jewish Women; Lena Madesin Phillips, president. National Council of Women; Emily R. Kneubuhl, executive secretary, National Federation of Business & Professional Women's Clubs ; Mrs. DeF. Van Slyeck, executive director, Junior Leagues of America ; Charles L. Chute, executive director, National Probation Ass'n; Mrs. Grace Morrison Poole, president, General Federation of Women's Clubs; Weld Arnold, executive director, Institute of Geographical Exploration, Harvard University ; Dr. Louise C. Ball, president, International Den tal Health Foundation for Children; Lee F. Hammer, director, Russell Sage Foundation; Miss Orie Latham Hatcher, president, Southern Woman's Educational Alliance. The organizations not reached for comment were: American Ass'n of University Women, American Legion, B'nai Brith, Catholic Boys Brigade of the U. S.; Catholic Daughters of .America, Child Welfare League of America, Federal M. P. Council, Girl Scouts, International Ass'n of Lions Clubs, Maryland Civic League for Motion Pictures, Massachusetts Civic League, National Council of Teachers of English, National Women's Trade Union League of America, Women's League of the United Synagogues. Dr. Short has sent a letter of explanation to the organizations represented at the conference in which he says he "hopes they have not been annoyed" by the news stories. A paragraph of his letter reads : "The news story sent out by our committee on information quoted Dr. Wood as saying that 'this action was not binding on the organizations represented at the conference.' To our regret, the story as rewritten by several papers omitted this vital statement." The opening paragraph of the M. P. Council statement as sent to newspapers, the Herald points out, read : "A statement of national policies in motion pictures agreed upon by the representatives of 35 national organizations." Woman Speaker Demands National Film Boycott Boston, Oct. 17. — A national boycott of pictures by women's organizations to secure cleaner films, strict government control of the industry and socialization of all children's recreation was advocated at a conference held here by the National Congress of Parent-Teacher Ass'ns, the Twentieth Century Club and the Massachusetts Civic League. Mrs. Robbins Gilman of Minneapolis was the chief advocate of the boycott. During the addresses there was a sharp exchange of ideas between Mrs. Gilman and Dr. Helen D. McGillicuddy, chairman of the Catholic Order of Foresters for Massachusetts. Dr. McGillicuddy expressed the belief that the film industry is not wholly to blame because it is merely trying to provide the kind of entertainment which people demand and which boxoffice figures show as profitable. Mrs. Gilman, at some length, tried to refute the assertion. Adolph P. J. Bendslev, an exhibitor from Wellesley, Mass., gave the climax to the meeting when he asserted that the claim that block booking had been eliminated "is a lot of applesauce." He said : "I made a special trip to the office of Will Hays in New York to try to get a selective contract with a certain producer giving me the right to pick the pictures I wanted to show in my theatre. All I got was a lot of applesauce and a runaround. "I still have to accept block booking and pay for a lot of pictures I decline to show in my theatre." Mrs. Gilman charged Hays with bad faith, declaring that he had promised, last summer, to clean up the industry but had failed to do so. Other speakers included Mrs. Frederick P. Bagley, Mrs. Martha S. Mason and Mrs. John W. Myers. At the conclusion of the session the delegates agreed to present the salient facts of the meeting to their respective organizations for action. Atlantic City, Oct. 17. — The church is not asking for censorship by forces outside the industry, said the Rev. Frank H. Huffman, chairman of the committee on Christian education of the New Jersey Presbyterian Synod, at the 112th annual meeting of the synod here yesterday. "What we demand," he said, "is that the producers do their own censoring and live up to their production and advertising codes," adding that "we are not the enemies but the friends of good pictures." Savannah, Oct. 17. — Some action toward joining the clean film drive is expected at the annual convention of the United Lutheran Church in America opening here tomorrow. The committee of morals and social welfare included this in its list of subjects scheduled for discussion. Open Louisville House Louisville, Oct. 17. — Royal E. Christiansen, new operator of The National, will have a formal opening Saturday. There will be a three-unit show composed of a first run picture, vaudeville, and a stage presentation with orchestration. Will J. Harris, who for 11 years directed and produced extravaganzas for B. & K. in Chicago, has been engaged as producer. Hit Paper's Film Shots St. Louis, Oct. 17.— The M. P. T. O. of St. Louis, Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois, meeting at the Fox projection room here, voiced a protest against the "Hollywood Unvarnished" series running in the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, which will be asked to discontinue carrying the pictures. The objection is that the scenes are hurting theatre patronage. Ritchey Imports Film Norton V. Ritchey. director of Ritchey International Corp., foreign distributors for Monogram, has closed a deal for American distribution of a French picture. It is "The Battle," made by Leon Garganoff of Lionafilm, Paris. Ritchey is handling the picture personally in New York and is closing state rights deals elsewhere. Thursday, October 18, I9:< BIP-Gaumont Deal Dead, Says Myers (Continued from page 1) the financial figure behind the discus sions, when interviewed here yester day. "It's foolish to deny that the sub ject was discussed," Myers said. "Al the men involved know each othe very well and it may have been m more than a topic of conversation among them, but as for a deal — if on was ever begun, it's finished now." Questioned about his own part ii the discussions, Myers replied tha he was "greatly interested in pictures and particularly the two big Britisl companies" and refused to amplify thi statement. Myers described his visit here as "purely a holiday." He arrived on th( Aquitania, accompanying his friend C. B. Cochran, London producer, associated with Harold B. Franklin anc Arch Selwyn He will return to London on the same ship, sailing Friday night. First Visit in 22 Years He was proud of having established a new ship's record coming over by winning the daily mileage pool six consecutive times. "Cochran's girls," he said, "helped relieve me of my winnings." This is Myers' first visit to New York in 22 years. He was impressed by changes in the city, he said, but mostly by the service he obtained at a well known men's tailor shop where he was measured for a suit yesterday which will be delivered today "as good as I might have obtained anywhere in London." London, Oct. 17. — Speculating on the consequences of any merger between Gaumont British and B.I. P.. The Cinematograph Times, organ of the Cinematograph Exhibitors' Ass'n, foresees the formation of additional large circuits. Declares that publication editorially : "For the independents it is suggested that any closer unification of the exhibition groups would result in even greater difficulties in securing product in many areas. If, however, independents were further exploited as the result of closer unity amongst renters, we imagine that quick moves would take place either for disposal to the big group — if they wanted more cinemas — or for the creation of one or two more large circuits." Lesser, Cline Back Soon Hollywood, Oct. 17. — According to a cable received at Principal's Hollywood office, Sol Lesser and Director Eddie Cline will leave Europe aboard the Rex Oct. 31. In the meantime, production on "The Cowboy Millionaire," which is being filmed in London, will be completed. Radio Plans 6 Musicals Radio will make six musicals this season as part of the 50 features announced. The first, already completed, is "The Gay Divorcee." Others slated are : "Ho for Shanghai," "Adios Argentina," "Roberta," "Radio City Revels" and another untitled one with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Marcus Here Next Week Lee Marcus, short subject production head for Radio, is expected in New York next week for conferences with home office executives. Product Contracts Await Kent Return (Continued from paac 1) held up until S. R. Kent arrives Monday from a vacation in the south. A difference of opinion has arisen between RKO and Skouras on the uptown theatre situation and attempts by heads of the two circuits to iron out the points in question have been left to Kent to decide. It is understood Skouras will not give up Fox product in the uptown situation until RKO agrees to pool the 81st St. with the Skouras Riverside on a day-and-date booking arrangement. As far as all other interests are concerned, the deal is set. Wide Range Hits 1,000 Western Electric Wide Range installations have passed the 1,000 mark, reports C. W. Bunn, general sales manager of Erpi, with the equipping of the Atlas, Seattle.