The Exhibitor (1955)

NT-2 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR Solons Explore Ohio Censor Problem Columbus, 0. — Judiciary subcom¬ mittee of the Ohio House of Representa¬ tives has been exploring' the problem of whether it is possible to write a censor¬ ship law that will meet constitutional tests. Chairman E. G. James, Republican, Caldwell, said it was not the pi’ovince of the subcommittee to declare whether such a law should be recommended but only to find out whether there is a firm legal base for a new law. John C. Harlor, Columbus attoimey representing the Motion Picture Associa¬ tion, said the U, S. Supreme Court has not declared film censorship unconstitu¬ tional because the court “always decides cases on the narrowest issue possible. The court selects a very patently unconstiutional part of the statute, namely the criteria under which censors were obliged to act.” Dean Frank Strong, Ohio State Uni¬ versity College of Law, told the subcom¬ mittee that there is “enough honest difference of opinion” about the con¬ stitutionality of censorship to permit passage of a new Ohio censor law” but that “no one can guarantee the constitu¬ tionality of any censor statute.” Robert Wile, secretary. Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, said the pro¬ posed censorship law limited to patrons under 21 cannot be enforced. He said, “How can you bar a 20-year-old Marine or an 18-year-old married couple?” Wile said he would support Thomas Osboime, assistant prosecutor of Cuyahoga county, in enforcement of police laws against objectionable films. Osborne spoke earlier to the full committee in favor of censor¬ ship. Wile refuted statements that films show explicit methods of committing crime. He exhibited a current magazine article titled “Six Ways to Steal a Car.” Wile said he would favor making it a penal offense to show films which demon¬ strate how to use narcotics. He said Communist propaganda can’t be banned by law and said the only film shown in Ohio with such propaganda was “Salt of the Earth.” Wile some months ago warned Ohio exhibitors about the nature of the film. Wile, a member of the Bexley Pai’ent-Teacher Association, said he was not contacted about whether he was in favor of the association’s support of the Committee for Decent Films in Ohio and questioned whether many I’TA members were advised of the action. In refuting statements by Rep. James Kilbane, Cleveland, that many Ohio thea¬ tres were showing “lewd” films. Wile said that 99 percent of Ohio theatres show none but code-approved films. The Ohio Civil Liberties Union has been active in attack on proposed censor¬ ship. Speakers before the subcommittee included Warren Hill, law professor, Ohio State University; Morton Icove, Cleve¬ land attorney, chairman of the union’s censorship committee; and Rev. Jesse Cavileer, pastor of the First Unitarian Society, Cleveland. Oscar Steiner, chair¬ man, sent a letter to the subcommittee protesting censorship. Icove said he would like to have an immediate ruling from Attorney General William O’Neill on constitutionality of proposed laws. He said legislators who have sworn to uphold the constitution would violate their oaths if they ap¬ proved censorship laws which they believe to be unconstitutional. He said obscene films could be quickly controlled by strict enforcement of present penal laws and by greater penalties. “Limited pre-control” of films is as “necessary now as it was in the past,” said Dr. Clyde Hissong, former Ohio chief film censor. He attacked “strike-itrich” producers and distributors who have attempted to cash in on lack of effective state censorship. station wagon, a gift of the Standard Club. Cooperative Theatre twin heads, Irving and Adolph Goldberg, headed the presentation. It took six New York Central cars to bring 300 people along with Flora Ward Hinline to the Music Hall for one of the largest single groups to see “Cinerama Holiday.” . . . Cinerama’s district man¬ ager, Frank Upton, is off to St. Louis again to iron out the managing director problem thei-e. Indianapolis Chief Barker Bob Conn, Vari^ity Club, was the caller for a square dance at the club. . . . Gustav G. Schmidt, 90, re¬ tired exhibitor, died at his home. He had operated several theatres here. . . . Dudley M. Williston, 64, died at his home. He was widely known in the industry. Benjamin Seigel, special representa¬ tive, Selznick Releasing Organization, visited Realart. . . . Dan E. Goldman, midwest repx-esentative, Makelim Pic¬ tures, was on the Row, calling on local subscribers to the Makelim plan, and visited the Realai't office, local Makelim distributor. . . . Ten of the drive-ins in the immediate theatre circuit are now in operation for the coming season. All have been recently re-equipped. . . . Moe Esserman was a Film Row visitor and a caller on local exchanges. . . . P. K. Wessel, head. States Film Service, Inc., has arranged to share offices with Earl Penrod at 443 North Illinois Street, former Screen Classics location. Kirk Dougla.s, star, U-I’s “Man Without A Star,” recently visited Detroit, where he is seen with, left to right, P. F'. Rosian, U-I district manager; Joe Rosen, Detroit branch manager; and Ed Stuokey, Butterfield Theat res executive. Marc Wolf, general manager, Y and W, was one of the speakers at a meet¬ ing of the Temple Sisterhood at the Hebrew Congregation. Wolf, former in¬ ternational chief barker, is planning to attend the Variety Club convention in I\Iay in Los Angeles. . . . Hax’vey Cox has clo.sed the Palace, Fort Wayne, Ind., because of the shortage of proc^'t. . . . . . . W. T. Sledge has taken over the Marion from Ray Coleman. . . . The I'alace, Evansville, Ind., was sold to Harry Coleman by Roy Stiller. It has been i-enamed as the Royal. Piffsburgh Riverside Drive-In, Wheeling, W. Va., which was headed for an early opening, was forced to postpone due to the flood. . . . Sol Goldberg, 63, former well known theatre owner, Elkin, W. Va., and father of Marshall Goldberg, All-American at University of Pittsburgh, committed suicide by shooting himself. . . . Park, Munhall, Pa., operated by the former Columbia manager George Tice, will close at the duration of the lease. It is understood that this theatre will join the long list of theatres being converted to storerooms in this area. Paul Silverman is back with the Dinty Moore booking agency. He is the younger son of Dave Silverman and a senior at the University of Pittsburgh. Dave’s older boy is now with the armed forces in Europe. . . . Frank A. Orban, Jr., Somerset County district attorney seek¬ ing reelection, is preparing to install a wide-sci’een and anamorphic lenses at the Strand, Cairnbrook, Pa. Variety Tent One will have a delegation of 50 at the coast convention, May-4-7. The tent honored seven judges of the Pennsylvania Superior Court with an informal dinner. With the opening of the baseball season, a memorial plaque honoring the late Rosey Rowswell was dedicated at Forbes Field. . . . State, Barnesville, Pa., reopened after being closed for several months, with all new equipment. . . . Opera House, Buckhannon. Pa., held by Smallrige and Colerider on lease, has closed. Meanwhile, their Kanawha will continue in operation. . . . The Cameraphone, operated by the Warner circuit and Morris Finkel, has been acquired by the Mervis Brothers. An extensive modernization program is being planned with a large screen and anamorphic lenses being installed. George Zeppos, Rex, Wheeling, W. Va., has recuperated from his recent illness and is now on the road to recovery. . . . The cadets from Linsly Military Institute paraded and performed in conjunction with the opening of the “Long Gray Line” at the Capitol, Wheeling. Drive-ins opened included Ohio DriveIn, Follansbee; Riverside, Rayland, O.; Starlight, Wexford, Pa.; and Kane, Kane, Pa. . . . MGM will bring' a “Glass Slipper” float to town to help exploit the new Leslie Caron show, coming to downtuwn Penn. A Cinderella will be chosen in the local campaign. On May 16, the Stanley will carry the Mai'ciano-Cockell heavyweight champion¬ ship fight via theatre TV. . . . Jack Judd, Columbia manager, reports that they will April 13, 1955