Motion Picture Herald (Sep-Oct 1939)

72 MOTION PICTURE HERALD September 16, 1939 UA Production Called at Peak LEE NEWBURY HEADS NEW JERSEY ALLIED Advisory Board To Head Southern California ITO; Two Groups Set Dates Two exhibitor meetings, one in the east and one on the coast, were concluded this week and two more, one in the south and one in the midwest, were set for the week after next. In the east, Allied of New Jersey concluded a three day convention at Atlantic City electing Lee W. Newbury of Belman, president, to succeed George Gold, Newark, who was elected a director for one year. On the coast, the Independent Theatre Owners of Southern California meeting at Los Angeles abolished the offices of president and directors and created an Advisory Board to govern the policies of the organization. R. H. (Bob) Poole, business manager, was made executive director, while Albert A. Galston, past president ; Jack Berman, R. D. Whitson, Mrs. Jenne Dodge, C. A. Ferry, Al Gore, H. W. Bruen and Mr. Poole comprise the Advisory Board. Two Set Dates The Tri-State Theatre Owners set September 24th and 25th in Memphis and the Independent Theatres Protective Association of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan set September 27th and 28th in Milwaukee as their convention dates. Other officers elected by New Jersey Allied include Maurice J. Miller of Passaic and Ralph Wilkins of Pitman, vice-presidents; Harry H. Lowenstein of Newark, secretary, and David Snaper of New Brunswick, treasurer ; Harry H. Hecht of Passaic, Mrs. Helen B. Hildinger of Trenton, Harry Kridel of Newark, Jacob Unger of Hillside, and Mr. Gold, directors. A product survey among members showed very little change from last year in the film rental charges, except that more percentage deals were being demanded. The membership saw dangers in additional major companies producing trailers. Members contended that this service should be left to trailer companies. A complete report of past officers at the Southern California ITO convention was unanimously approved by the membership, which gave the new board "complete authority to continue the fine progressive policies established by the association during the past year." A statement on the trade practice agreement and local situation concessions, promised by William F. Rodgers, co-chairman of the distributor-exhibitor negotiating committee on the code, was not received because, ITO officials said, Mr. Rodgers lacked time. Tri-State Owners Set Convention The Tri-State Theatre Owners, an affiliate of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, embracing Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee, will hold its convention at the Hotel Gayoso in Memphis, September 24th and 25th, according to R. X. Williams, Jr., president. The Tri-State directors will meet September 24th at the hotel immediately prior to the opening of the regular sessions. A golf tournament will be a feature of the entertainment phase of the convention. M. A. Lightman of Memphis, chairman of the board, is in charge of the program. Wisconsin ITPA To Meet September 27th A variety of problems, including film buying and unhealthy competition from free shows and 16 mm. films, are expected to be discussed at a two day meeting in Milwaukee September 27th and 28h of the Independent Theatres Protective Association of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, Inc. Exhibitors in the area have done little film buying with few contracts for new product reported closed. New officers for the ensuing year will also be named at the convention. Republic Closes Five Product Deals Republic Pictures has closed deals witli tlie Schine circuit and the Publix-Great States circuit, covering 75 theatres in Illinois and Indiana, for 1938-'39 product. The Schine deal covers 122 houses in New York, Ohio, Maryland and Delaware. The deal was closed in Gloversville, N. Y., with James R. Grainger, president, signing for Republic, J. Meyer Schine, Louis Schine, George Lynch and Louis Goldstein acted for the circuit. Republic has set "Man of Conquest" in the Panama territory with bookings at the Tropical in Panama City and the Rex at Colon. A Republic has closed a new season product deal with Warners Pacific Coast theatres. A Republic has closed a contract with the Minnesota Amusement Company, operating 80 theatres in Minnesota, North and South Dakota and Wisconsin. Leroux Acquires Rights Leroux Film and Trading Corporation, New York, has closed a deal for the North and South American distribution rights to "La Route Heroique," which is being produced by the French SIPEC company in Paris. Peerless to Make Series A series of action melodramas, calling for a maximum of eight and a minimum of six pictures, will be produced for the state rights market by Peerless Pictures, Inc., it was announced this week by Sam Efrus. S. J. Francis, who recently acquired the Monogram franchise in Omaha, has moved the exchange to new and larger quarters on Film row. He also operates the American Distributing Corporation, handling films and portable equipment. With the coming half year conceded to be the "most important" in years. United Artists shortly will reach the highest peak of activity in 20 years, Murray Silverstone, chief executive of the company, said over the weekend, in New York. Six of the United Artists' pictures are in front of the camera; five are completed and this week were awaiting release. Four more are in release. Among new productions in work are "Rebecca" at Selznick International; "Send Another Coffin," Walter Wanger, and Samuel Goldwyn's "Raffles." Charles Chaplin has begun rehearsals of his tentatively designated "Production No. 6"; Alexander Korda's "Thief of Bagdad" is nearing completion and Hal Roach is well along with production of "Of Mice and Men." Completed productions include Selznick's "Intermezzo"; Goldwyn's "The Real Glory"; Walter Wanger's "Eternally Yours"; Hal Roach's "The Housekeeper's Daughter," and Korda's "Over the Moon." New season pictures already released are Wanger's "Winter Carnival," Korda's "Four Feathers," Edward Small's "The Man in the Iron Mask" and Goldwyn's "They Shall Have Music." Approves Beacon Lease John C. Knox, federal judge, this week approved a four-year lease on the Beacon theatre. New York, by the Beacon Theatre Corporation for an annual rental of $40,000. The Beacon was formerly operated by the Beacon and Midway Corporation which filed a petition in the United States district court in New York for a reorganization in May, 1936. Under the terms of the lease payment of rental is guaranteed by subsidiaries of RKO, Loew's Inc., and Skouras Theatres Corporation. New Michigan Houses The quarterly report of Allied Theatres of Michigan reveals that seven new houses have been added in Michigan. They are the Rainbow, Detroit; Albion, Albion; "B," Charlotte ; New Century, Coopersville ; Flatroc, Flat Rock; New Garden, Garden City, and the New Milan, Milan. Two theatres in the state are reported closed, the Wolverine and Times Square, both of Detroit; six houses upstate and one in Detroit changed hands in the period. Collins in Legion Post Tom Collins, nephew of the late M. E. Comerford and an official of the Comerford circuit, has been nominated without opposition for post commander of the Koch-Conley American Legion post. The Dearborn theatre in Chicago, operated by Jones, Linick and Schaeffer, is the latest addition to the Allied Theatre group, according to Jack Kirsch, Allied of Illinois president. A Yiddish film, "A Brivele der Mamen," released by Joseph Green's Sphinx Film Company, opened at the Waldorf theatre, New York, Thursday.