Motion Picture Daily (July–Sept 1938)

Alert. Intelligent Indjs^ensal to theNWotion Picture Industry MOTION PICTURE DAILY First In Film and vc 44. NO. 1 NEW YORK, FRIDAY, JULY 1, 1938 TENoENTS OperatorsWho Locked Booths Win Jobs Back Back Pay, Raises, Local 306 Pact Included Six operators who went on a sitdown strike in five theatres of the United Long Island Theatres Corp. and barricaded themselves in the booths will be reinstated and the circuit will sign an agreement with Local 306, under an agreement reached yesterday. The agreement brings to a close a tight which started with the sit-down last August and dragged through various stages in the State Labor Relations Board. A stipulation of settlement has been filed and the circuit's appeal in the Appellate Division will be dismissed. The six operators are to return to their old jobs on Sunday and will receive an increase of 50 per cent over their wages at the time they left the circuit's employ. The agreement, (Continued on page 3) CBS 6-Month Total Put at $15,500,000 Preliminary estimates for January through June, 1938, show the CBS cumulative business total for the period to be well over $15,500,000, about five per cent better than the first six months of last year, and further ahead of any other half-year in the company's history. New business, over and above renewal and resumption contracts, totals nearly $2,500,000 on CBS books now. According to CBS. the network within the past three weeks has signed contracts for future business representing a 175 per cent gain over the same period a year ago. All the Fighting on Fight Pictures Isn H on Screen Back not so long ago the stuff right off the boat or right out of the bathtub crossed state lines and found its way into the hands of retail dealers and the stomachs of the ultimate consumers. It was illegal, but it happened. In those days— and in these, too — fight films cross state borders and find their way into exchanges and into theatres. This also is illegal, but it happens. The ultimate consumers see them and enjoy them, but the men who get them into theatres and get them out have their troubles. It seems there's such a thing as "bicycling" ; it also seems that making duplicate prints in laboratories here and there can be done, and is. It may be only a coincidence, but black eyes develop while fight films are still popular. Occasionally bandages appear. Quite frequently a husky fellow delivers the film to a theatre and stays there with it and collects in advance. Just as frequently exhibitors discover they are showing the wrong print and somebody lets them know with some thing less than Chesterfieldian gentility that they had better get rid of it, or else. Circuits are not bothered. They get their prints and play them and return them to exchanges, but the subsequent runs who try to cut the clearance encounter odd difficulties. In Xew York the copyright is good. Showing the films is legal in this state. It's also legal to export them to Canada and other countries, but crossing state lines is something else. There's no court protection. At Denver the other day four film men were hailed into court and released in $500 bond for a hearing July 8 on charges of assault and battery. It is understood the film was hijacked and a dunlicate made. Louis and Schmeling settled their little argument in two minutes, four seconds. Before the gross is tallied on the film record of their encounter the Marquis of Queensbury rules will have been discarded for catch-ascatch-can style in many widely scattered places. Kraft Renews Crosby Program for 1 Year Kraft-Phenix Cheese Co., sponsors of the Kraft "Music Hall" with Bing Crosby and Bob Burns, has renewed the program for one year, starting July 28. The program is broadcast over an extensive NBC-Red network. J. Walter Thompson is the agency. A renewal of the Bob Howard "Gliding Swing" program over WEAF has been placed with NBC (Continued on page 9) More Radio — P. 9 Burkhardt Feted by Providence Friends Providence, June 30. — Associates and friends of Howard C. Burkhardt, retiring manager of Loew's State, who leaves this week for Washington to assume direction of the Capitol Theatre there, gathered this noon in the Biltmore Hotel at a testimonial luncheon in honor of the departing executive. Mr. Burkhardt was presented a traveling bag. Among those present were Mayor James E. Dunne, former Mayor Joseph E. Gaynor, Judge James E. Dooley, H. M. Addison, Edward M. (Continued on page 3) Portland Theatres Told to Stop B. N. Portland, June 30. — District Attorney James R. Bain today notified 20 Portland suburban theatres that they must cease violating the state's lottery statute by holding Bank Night. Adding coals to the fire, the Hamrick-Evergreen circuit last night inaugurated Bank Night at its large east side suburban Oriental Theatre and planned another tonight at its leading suburban, the Hollywood. Since 1933 Portland houses have had a gentleman's agreement that they would not use Bank Night or any (Continued on page 3) The Holdover Record The folloii'ing tabulation indicates the leading pictures currently playing in the first run houses of the 23 key cities reporting to Motion Picture Daily on bor-office results. Recorded are the number of those cities in which each listed film has played, the total gross for its shoivings therein to date, and the total number of za'ceks of holdover in those situations each has had. The films are listed alphabetically. Picture No. of Cities Gross Holdovers Adventures of Marco Polo 22 $670,150 24 Crime School 16 275,680 7 Cocoanut Grove 21 230,750 6 Dr. Rhythm 23 357,950 13 Holiday 20 366\550 14 Kentucky Moonshine 22 302,796 15 Vivacious Lady 23 473,550 14 Yellow Jack 19 223,600 6 Conciliators May Disregard Legal Opinion Importance Overshadows Trust Law Fear The usually conservative attitude toward conciliation and related industry matters displayed by the legal representatives of the major film companies is expected to be encountered in the development of new plans for industry cooperation, but the attitude is expected to receive scant attention. It is felt in many quarters that whereas the attorneys generally have taken the stand that such plans as are expected to be given consideration may subject the companies to charges of violating the Federal antitrust regulations, in this instance, with the exhibition interests of the country cooperating in the movement, there would be little danger of such construction put on the action by major distributors. It is believed that (Continued on page 3) 'Goodbye9 Ends Week With $33,500 Gross "Always Goodbye" grossed $33,500 at the Roxy in the week ended last night. "Under Western Stars," first Roy Rogers western, garnered $7,200 at the Criterion. A similar take was netted by "Gun Law" and the LouisSchmeling fight films at the Rialto. "Rose of the Rio Grande" will start at the Criterion July 8, following the current attraction, "A Farewell to Arms," Paramount reissue. Ampa Awards Lunch To Be Held July 14 Results in Ampa's annual advertising awards will be announced at a luncheon which has been set for July 14 in the Sert Room of the WaldorfAstoria. The committee has made plans for the affair upon the completion of the balloting by the exhibitor judges. The companies who will receive the trophies will not be made known until the luncheon. No Paper Monday Motion Picture Daily will not be published Monday, Independence Day.