Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1931)

M ay 2 3, 1 9 3 1 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 33 inois Owners Ready to Fight Operators' Bill Illinois exhibitor leaders are marshaling opposition throughout the state to the McCluggage bill, which seeks to require an operator for every projection machine. It is frankly admitted that the bill, which will be put to a vote in the house within the next week or tw^o, cannot be defeated without the united opposition of state exhibitors. The bill was recently reported out of the house judiciarv committee favorably by a V vote of 18 to 16. The McCluggage bill is proposed as an amendment to existing fire prevention statj utes and has the backing of Illinois locals ' of the M. P. Projectionists' Union, and affiliated labor organizations. It provides that: "Each machine used for the projection of motion pictures in any theatre or building where motion pictures are displayed to the public, at all times during the operation of the projecting machine shall be under the immediate supervision and physical control of a competent operator." jack Miller, head of the Exhibitors' As-sociation, Chicago, states that inasmuch as even the smallest theatres in the state are now equipped with a minimum of two projection machines, the bill would require all Illinois exhibitors to employ a minimum of two operators. The present agreement between the exhibitors in Chicago and the projectionists' Chicago local for the employment of two men in the sound booth terminates next January first. €N WABASH AVENUE Opp( >osition to Illinois Censor Bill Expected to Defeat !t Industry leaders in Chicago assert that the Ryan state censorship bill will be re])orted out of committee favorably within the next ten days, but are of the opinion that opposition to its passage is sufficient to defeat the bill when it is put to a vote in the house. Significant support was lost for the bill during the week when Mrs. A. O. Brooks, chairman of the Joint Committee on Motion Pictures of the Illinois Cook County Federation of Women's Clubs, announced that the committee would not send representatives to Springfield in support of the t)ill. Independent May Take 2 Fox Houses on Cooperative Plan According to widely circulated Chicago reports. Fox will turn over the Sheridan and Terminal theatres to Courshon & Solomon on a cooperative operating policy in the near future. Both operators deny the report. CHICAGO A FTER being elevated from assignments in smaller theatres to the post of master of ceremonies at the Oriental-, Al Evans, bandmaster, made the mistake of taking his new position in life too seriously. It was reflected in his demeanor on stage and in his treatment of his musicians and other associates. It brought about an investigation of his professional conduct by the Chicago Musicians' Union, on the completion of which his suspension for three weeks was ordered. During the suspension period, Balaban & Katz decided Evans' temperament was not compatible with the organization's stage requirements. Evans was not reassigned. "An object lesson for swelled heads," is the official, comment of union officials. AAA The Chicago Fox office announces the appointment of Jack Darrock, formerly zvith Pathe News, as the neiv district manager of Movietone and Metrotone News. Associated zvith Darrock on his district sound and camera staff are, Charles Geis, Irving Koremnan, Ed Morrison, Phil Gleason. and Emil Montemiro. AAA Douglas Leishman, supervisor of Universal exchanges, was taken seriously ill while attending the company's second sales meeting at the Stevens Hotel here. His condition was reported improved early in the week at the Michael Reese Hospital where he is recuperating. AAA Harry Riidda, former manager of the Lane Court theatre, has been appointed manager of the Maryland by B. & K. AAA Dave Bader made a radio debut on WCFL last week. His topic was his experiences with John Drinkwater during the preparation of material for Carl Laemmle's biography. AAA Carl Laemmle zvas obliged to forego his customary trip to the Kentucky Derby in favor of home office business last weekend. His original plans were to make the Kentucky classic and return to Chicago to meet Carl Jr. Junior Laemmle arrived the first of the week and proceeded on to Nezv York after a brief visit here. AAA The Joint Committee on Motion Pictures of the Cook County Federation of Women's Clubs has withdrawn its support of the state censorship bill which goes to the house for a vote within the next week or two, exercising a woman's privilege — to change her mind ! AAA Good exploitation material for "City Lights" has been originated by Irving Mack, zvho is supplying trailers announcing the stunt. The idea embraces the staging of Chaplin imitation contests on the theatre stage each night of the picture's run, contest zvinners to be chosen from Carl Laemmle among the nightly winners on the final night of the rim, with the audiences acting as judge^. Theatre passes are to be offered as prises. AAA Tom Reidy's IVindsor Park zras sold' to Gallos Bros. AAA Joe Montana is back in town after an extended vacation. AAA Steve Bauer, veteran Milzvaukee e.vhibitor, seen hand-shaking on Film Rozv during the zveek. AAA Dan Fortunato (Lorraine theatre) will take over the late Joe Paley's Empire, about June 15th, according to reports. KANE Fete Week Hurts Chicago crosses Theatre business in Chicago gained little from Jubilee Week, even houses in the Loop, where activities and demonstrations centered, falling ol¥. Neighborhoods suffered severely at the box office. On "State Street Night," with an estimated 1,000,000 people in the Loop, houses had no use for people in the Loop, houses failed to reach capacity. Free admission attractions in the Loop are held responsible for the poor showing. Neighborhood house operators, as a result of entertainment centering in the Loop, generally reported business at its lowest point of the vear. Maberry Has 2 Of Proposed Chain Cecil E. Maberry, former general sales manager for Columbia, is making rapid progress with his new circuit of Missouri theatres, the latest of which, the "Lou-Mo" has been opened in Louisiana, Mo. This, with his Strand, in Vandalia, Mo., forms the nucleus of a proposed string to cover the entire Northeastern part of the state. The "Lou-Mo" is a two-story structure with stores. It is equipped with RCA Photophone and has a capacitj of 750 seats. Louisiana has been without a theatre for the past year, residents being forced to drive to neighboring towns for pictures. The publicity and exploitation campaign for the opening was handled by Dan Roche, of Chicago.