Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1940)

2 Motion Picture Daily Monday, May 27, 1940 Personal Mention WILLIAM F. RODGERS, MG-M general sales manager ; T. J. Connors, Eastern division manager, and Edwin Aaron, assistant to to Rodgers, returned from Washington over the weekend. • Louis B. Mayer, vice-president in charge of production for M-G-M, left Friday by plane for the Coast, after a few days here. • Robert Schless, Warners' managing director for Europe, will arrive tomorrow on the Washington for home office and Coast conferences. • William A. Scully, Universal vice-president and general sales manager, and F. J. A. McCarthy, Eastern sales manager, return today from New Orleans. W. J. Heineman, Universal Western sales manager, returned over the weekend from Chicago. • Leon Netter and Leonard Goldenson, Paramount home office theatre executives, returned over the weekend from conferences with Comerford Circuit officials in Scranton. • Sol Lesser plans to leave for the Coast on Wednesday. • David O. Selznick has extended his stay here and plans to leave for the Coast by the end of the week. • William Mallard, RKO secretary and general counsel, is recovering at his home from pneumonia. • Samuel Goldwyn, who planned to leave for the Coast over the weekend, will remain here several more days. • Peggy Foldes of the RKO publicity department has been named chairman of the associated members committee of the New York Newspaper Women's Club. • Joseph Conti, chief of the service staff at the Paramount Theatre, was tendered a bachelor dinner by his friends Friday evening at Rosoff's. Will Make Shorts at Bronx Edison Studio The three-story Bronx studio which at one time housed the Edison Stock Co., has been purchased from the family of the late Thomas Edison by the Croyden Operating Co. for the production of theatrical and non-theatrical shorts. Actual shooting will be started shortly, the new owner said. Leon and Mortimer Levy, sons of Jacob Levy, theatre operator, and Milton Sass, his son-in-law, head Croyden. George O'Neil Dies Los Angeles, May 26. — George O'Neil, 42, scenarist, died on Friday of a cerebral hemorrhage. He was working on a screen story for Universal at the time of his death. Club Revue Wednesday The Warner Club will present a musical revue, "Fair and Warmer," at the Biltmore Wednesday evening. Managers' Hearing Set on Prudential New York State Labor Relations board has set tomorrow morning for a hearing on the petition of the M.P. Division of Theatrical Managers, Agents and Treasurers Union for recognition as collective bargaining agency for managers and assistants employed by Prudential and Playhouses Operating Co., Inc. Houses involved, all on Long Island, are : Amityville, Babylon, Bay Shore, Regent, Bellaire, Center Moriches, Greenport, Hicksville, Hollis, Northport, State, Farrell, Granada, Patchogue, Rialto, Casino, Garden, Riverhead, Suffolk, Sag Harbor, Sayville, Smithtown, Glynn's Southampton, Park, Garden, Westhampton and Edwards ; the Playhouse, Mamaroneck ; Playhouse, Rye ; and Strand, White Plains. The petition was filed in May, 1939. 100 Managers Join New Detroit Union Detroit, May 26. — About 100 theatre managers have joined Local 22,312, new union being organized for affiliation with the A.F.L., according to Roy M. Miller, president and business agent. Miller for 13 years was manager of seven United Detroit theatres. Miller said the union aims to obtain better working conditions, and that 300 are prospective members in this territory. He said he had rejected an offer to affiliate with the C.I.O. in a union which would include cashiers and ushers as well as managers. Court Denies Plea For T MAT Receiver Dismissal of the suit of Max G. Felder and Ben Braudie for the appointment of a receiver for the Motion Picture Division of Theatrical Managers, Agents & Treasurers Union, No. 18,032 was ordered Friday by N. Y. Supreme Court Justice Lloyd Church. The court also refused an injunction to the plaintiffs to restrain the union from hearing charges to remove the plaintiffs as union members. Canada Holiday in June Toronto, May 26. — Theatres in Canada will have the benefit of an unexpected holiday in June with the fixing of Thursday, June 13, as the official birthday of King George VI bv order-in-council of the Dominion Government. The actual birthday of the British Monarch is Dec. 14, but it is officially observed in Canada at other times of the year. Flynn in Machine Field Hollywood, May 26. — Errol Flynn, Warner player, and Johnny Meyer, who are business associates, have obtained a franchise for four Western states for the Globe-Mills coin operated projection machines. This is the first deal closed by the Mills Novelty Co. and James Roosevelt's Globe Productions. Wins Warner Contest Philadelphia, May 26. — Elmer Hollander, manager of the Warner Stanton, was the wincr of the seventh annual "Managers' Drive" week, getting a week's vacation in Atlantic City. First Run Films and Vaude as Hotel Lure Theatres in the Eastern resort areas will have plenty of entertainment competition from hotels this summer, it is apparent from early indications. One hotel is inaugurating its season Decoration Day, next Thursday, with its main attraction a show including Joe E. Lewis, Harry Hershfield, Block & Sully, Lee Simms & Ilo May Bailey, Peg Leg Bates and Ross, Lane & Edwards, plus first run motion pictures. In addition there are two orchestras, and as an added lure the hotel is running a special train from New York Wednesday evening with entertainment en route. Cohn Heads Group To Columbia Meet Jack Cohn, Columbia vice-president, and Abe Montague, general sales manager, will head the home office delegation which will attend the first of Columbia's two regional sales meetings at the Blackstone, Chicago, June 4-7. The second meeting will be held in Atlantic City, June 11-14. The home office delegation will include Rube Jackter, Louis Astor, Joseph McConville, Lou Weinberg, Max Weisfeldt, H. C. Kaufman, Maurice Bergman, B. E. Zeeman, Maurice Grad, Al Sherman, S. Raisler, V. Borelli, 1. Sherman, J. Freiberg and W. Brennan. Columbus Exhibitor On Examining Board Columbus, O., May 26. — Because an ordinance regulating operators, recently passed by the City Council, contained a clause giving the operators' union representation on the examining and licensing board, P. J. Wood, secretary of the I.T.O. of Ohio, has been instrumental in having the Council adopt an amendment authorizing appointment of an exhibitor representative to the board. Under the new ordinance, annual fee of operators is advanced from $1 to $25, and apprentices hereafter will be permitted to remain in the booth at all times. Tighten Giveaway Ban Kansas City , May 26. — Police here have tightened their enforcement against giveaways in theatres, and even have asked exhibitors to stop giving away dishes and similar premiums. There seems to be some question as to premiums, since exhibitors were told to stop them and then told they could continue, but the ordinance under which the police are acting is broad enough to cover any gift. 'Ecstasy' Loses Again Supreme Court Justice Valente on Saturday denied the application of Eureka Prods, to compel the State motion picture division to view and issue a license for "Ecstasy," on the plea that the objectionable parts had been deleted. This was the court's third refusal. Republic Office Moves Milwaukee, May 26. — Republic's exchange here will open new offices Tuesday, with open house. Ohio Supreme Court To Decide on Games Troy, O., May 26.— The Ohio Supreme Court has set June 13 as the date for hearing the case of Andrew Attenweiler against Troy Amusement Co., here seeking judgment for $500 damages, refund of $10 admissions paid over a designated period, and the discontinuance of Bank Night at the local Mayflower, on the ground that it violates the Ohio lottery law. Attorneys for the defendants appealed from a decision of the A°3 • late Court, which ruled Bank * as operated here constituted a lottery. A similar suit recently was instituted against same defendants by Michael E. Norris, local attorney. Suits against other theatres in the state are being held in abeyance pending disposition of the Troy case. New Game Is Called Lottery in Nebraska Lincoln, May 26. — "Screeno-Quiz," a theatre giveaway being tried in Omaha, has been ruled by Attorney General Walter Johnson of Nebraska "unquestionably a lottery." Johnson's ruling, citing the Bank Night case of the State against the Fox Beatrice Theatres Corp. several years ago, said it had all the elements — chance, prize, and consideration — yet was more devious and complicated than Bank Night. Omaha theatres have inaugurated a weekly cooperative giveaway of $500 under the name of Prosperity Club. The plan is financed by all houses, downtown and neighborhoods, on the basis of seating capacity. Ontario Town Bans All Chance Games Toronto, May 26. — The lid is to be clamped down on gambling in Cornwall, Ont., June 1, according to police authorities, bringing to an end three years of unrestrained games of chance. An average of five public Bingo games have been held in Cornwall each week, each drawing crowds up to 2,500. Door prizes alone up to $250 in cash have been offered. No games are to be tolerated, even under the sponsorship of charitable, religious, war veteran or labor union bodies. Cornwall has two units of Famous Players Canadian Corp., the Capitol and Palace. MOTION PICTURE DAILY (Registered U. S. Patent Office) Published daily except Saturday, Sunday and holidays by Quigley Publishing Company, Inc., 1270 Sixth Avenue, Rockefeller Center, New York City. Telephone Circle 7-3100. Cable address "Quigpubco, New York." Martin Quigley, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher; Colvin Brown, Vice-President and General Manager; Watterson R. Rothacker, VicePresident; Sam Shain, Editor; Alfred L. Finestone, Managing Editor; James A. Cron, Advertising manager; Chicago Bureau, 624 South Michigan Avenue, C. B. O'Neill, manager; Hollywood Bureau, Postal Union Life Building, Boone Mancall, manager, William R. Weaver, Editor; London Bureau, 4, Golden Square, London Wl, Hope Williams, manager, cable address "Quigpubco, London." All contents copyrighted 1940 by Quigley Publishing Company, Inc. Other Quigley publications: Motion Picture Herald, Better Theatres, International Motion Picture Almanac and Fame. Entered as second class matter, Sept. 23, 1938, at the post office at New York, N. Y, under the act of March 3, 1879. Subscription rates per year $6 in the Americas and $12 foreign. Single copies 10c.