Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1940)

22 MOTION PICTURE HERALD April 6 , 1940 THREE EXHIBITOR UNITS SET CONVENTION DATES National Allied Meets June 19th in Chicago; Pacific Groups to Gather May 8th Problems and practices of the day this week prompted three state exhibitor organizations to called their members to convention for open discussion and committee action, in California, Virginia and Arkansas. Allied States Association of Exhibitors, national, will meet in Chicago's Morrison hotel in annual convention June 19th to 21st, and not this month, as previously reported. Jack Kirsch, president of Allied of Illinois, already has started arrangements. Frank Hornig has been reelected president of the MPTO of Maryland. Pacific Groups Meet May 8th The first annual Pacific Coast Conference of Independent Theatre Owners will open on May 8th, and close on the 10th. " The convention will be held at the Ambassador theatre in Los Angeles. The sessions will end each day at 5 :30 P. M. Meeting rooms will be arranged for small groups, to discuss special problems. Convention date and preliminary plans were approved at a meeting at the Ambassador Hotel, attended by Robert H. Poole, executive secretary of the Conference; Mrs. Jenne Dodge, Ventura ; Hugh Bruen, Whittier ; Jack Y. Berman, Los Angeles and Nat Tanchuck, editor of the Conference's publication, Ind-Ex. Virginia MPTO A Sets June 24th William F. Crockett, president of the MPTO of Virginia, has announced that the mid-summer convention of the organization will be held at the Chamberlin Hotel, at Old Point Comfort on Monday, June 24th. Entertainment will be arranged for the members who arrive the day before the convention opens. Business meetings will be held Monday morning, and the meeting will close with a banquet and dance Monday night. Sydney Gates is chairman of arrangements. Other members include Graham Barbee, Leo Greenwood and Leonard Gordon. April Meeting for Arkansas ITO O. G. Wren, Little Rock, Ark., president of the Independent Theatre Owners of Arkansas, has announced that the board of directors have set April 28th-29th for the annual convention, at which officers will be elected for the new season. The meeting will be held in Little Rock at the Hotel Marion. Other officers of the organization are W. A. Malin, Augusta, vice-president, and K. K. King, Searcy, secretary. Denver Business in Summer With over 360 attending the Founders Day banquet of the Rocky Mountain Screen Club, in the Shirley hotel, Denver, last weekend, the Theatre Owners and Managers of the Rocky Mountain Region decided to drop discussion of business until the regular annual convention this summer. Robert J. O'Donnell of the Interstate circuit, and chief barker of the Dallas Variety Club, was chief speaker. He outlined Variety club work in many cities. Two short subjects depicted the Variety club's charitable work. Frank H. Ricketson, Jr., president of the Rocky Mountain Screen Club, was toastmaster. The club is considering joining the Variety Clubs. Among the guests was Harry Sherman, producer of the "Hopalong Cassidy" series. The Paramount local exchange staff was host at a luncheon for theatre and exchange men. There was a midnight premiere of "Abe Lincoln in Illinois," at the Broadway theatre. Proceeds went to the Screen Club's charity fund. New York Allied Convention The Government's New York anti-trust prosecution, scheduled to start on May 1st, may force the postponement of a scheduled statewide meeting of the New York Allied, and a testimonial dinner to Max Cohen, its president, in Syracuse, on May 22nd, officers of the unit said in New York on Tuesday. The decision will be made soon. National Film Carriers Will Convene May 12 The seventh annual convention of National Film Carriers, Inc., will be held at the Park Central hotel, New York, May 12-14. Members from all key cities will attend. There will be an executive committee meeting May 12th and the regular convention business meetings May 13-14. The usual annual luncheon for the branch supervisors of the exchanges will be held on closing day. A matter for discussion will be the Interstate Commerce Commission's new safetv regulations. Officers will be elected at the meeting. James P. Clark of Philadelphia is the retiring president. Studio Fires in France and Italy The Pathe motion picture studios at Joinville-le-Pont, outside of Paris, have been destroyed by fire, according to information reaching this country in La Cinematographic Francaise, French trade publication. The fire began in stage C and spread rapidly through adjoining stages. In a short time the studio was in ruins. Two stages at the Cinecitta studio in Italy burned last month, it was reported. Leaving Columbia Harriet Parsons, producing "Screen Snapshots" for Columbia, will leave the studio after completing the current short subject series and will be succeeded by Ralph Staub, who originated the idea years ago. Miss Parsons is the daughter of Louella Parsons, Hearst columnist. INCORPORATIONS N. Y. Companies Incorporate Three motion picture companies have been granted incorporation papers in New York State, according to Michael F. Walsh, secretary of state. The concerns are : Mozart theatre, Inc., Brooklyn. $10,000 capital stock and formed by Edward F. Brady, Gertrude Richter and John G. Drotos. Papers were filed by Alfons Richter, attorney. The Bessall Theatre Corporation was formed by Jacob B. Biernman, Brooklyn; Irving Goldman and Lawrence E. Hoffman, New York. Papers of the company which issued 200 shares of no par value were filed by B. Robbins. Cadlow, Inc., Manhattan, formed by Alfred Rice, Sidney Goldstein and Mitchel Klausner to "furnish amusement to the public, either indoors or outside," also issued 200 shares of no par value. Newport Company Formed The Newport theatre company has filed papers of incorporation with the Secretary of State of Rhode Island to engage in "general business," and issue 100 shares of common stock at no par value. The company was incorporated by Arthur J. Levy, Edgewood, R. I. ; Charles C. Remington, Providence, and Ruth M. Hill, East Providence. The three are members of the same law firm. Mr. Levy declined to say who his clients are or to outline the projected business of the new company. The Colonial theatre in Newport, now leased by E. M. Loew, may be taken over by the new firm. It was reported that if the E. M. Loew company vacates the Colonial it would lease the Shay's Paramount which has been dark for many months. W. E. Mick Forms Company William E. Mick has formed Special Film Attractions in Kansas City, to distribute special product, including "The Little Flower of Jesus," which opened at the Fox Apollo there last Saturday. N. Y. U. Films Degree? New York University may install a course in motion pictures, leading toward a bachelor of arts degree, Dean Charles Maxwell McGann announced this week. Conferences between faculty members and executives of the motion picture industry were held recently in New York. Flint Adopts Duals Theatres in Flint, Mich., have abandoned the single bill policy in favor of duals. Competitive conditions are said to be responsible for the change in policy. McClure Promoted Warner Brothers has promoted A. G. McClure to the managing directorship of its New Zealand territory, succeeding George Dillon, who came to New York for medical treatment. Resume Vaudeville The St. Louis theatre, in that city, begins a stage-show policy on April 12th, after many years of showing only films. Fanchon and Marco operate the house.