Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1925)

2538 Motion Picture News January First National Month for Showing of Product in Special Campaigns SAMUEL SPRING, secretary-treasurer of First National Pictures and Chairman of the Sales Cabinet, announces that January will be known as First National Month during which all branches will conduct special campaigns for the showing of First National's product. There will be large awards in cash prizes to branch managers, salesmen, bookers, cashiers and all other employees connected with the exchanges. It is also announced that cash awards will be made in the three branches securing the best results in billing during the eleven weeks period starting November 15th and ending January 30th. The entire personnel of all other branches reaching or exceeding the quota for this eleven weeks period will receive a bonus. The full details of the First National Month campaign will be presented to branch managers and their staffs by the members of the Sales Cabinet on their trip to exchanges, starting Sunday, November 22d. On this whirlwind tour, Mr. Spring will be accompanied by Ned Marin, Sales Manager of the Western territory, A. W. Smith, Jr., Sales Manager of the Eastern territory and Ned Depinet, Sales Manager of the Southern territory. The trip will keep the sales executives jumping from city to city for the next three weeks, during which it is the plan of the sales cabinet to confer with all of the important exhibitors in the localities visited, in addition to holding meetings at the exchanges. Following is the itinerary for the trip: Albany, Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Louisville, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City, Omaha, Des Moines, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, Toronto and then back to New York. Connecticut Appeal Dropped Supreme Court Suit to Test Tax Law Dismissed; Exchanges in Operation THE appeal of the American Feature Film Company of Boston and New Haven to test the constitutionality of the Connecticut law imposing a tax on motion picture films was dismissed by the Supreme Court at Washington on motion of both parties on Tuesday of this week. This was in line with the action promised at the time an agreement was reached between the film interests and the Connecticut officials, and was not unexpected. On July 10 the Special Federal court in New Haven heard the case and ruled that the Connecticut law was constitutional. Previous to that date, Federal Court judges sitting in New Haven denied a reargument. Steps toward an appeal to the U. S. Supreme Court were then taken by former Attorney General Wickersham, of Cadwallader. Wickersham & Taft, attorney for the American Feature Film company. The appeal was expected to be based on the fact that the tax law interfered with inter-state commerce. Shortly after the hurried passage of the law by the Connecticut legislature, all film exchanges wer° removed from Xew Haven and selling was stopped. Prints were shipped from Xew York and from Boston. A rotating fund was established into which Connecticut exhibitors paid pro rata assessments to meet the payment of the tax. This tax will continue in effect until January, 1927, at which time the Connecticut legislature convenes, and amendment or modification of the law is confidently expected at that time, to remove the hardship which it has admittedly worked upon ex'.ibitors in that state. Commencing last Thursday, film salesmen are a^ain makin? their accustomed rounds in the state and exchanges are again in full operation. Prints and accessories have been shipped back to the Xew Haven exchanges, which were not dismantled otherwise, and conditions are now practically back to normal. With but one or two exceptions, where men were transferred to other territories, the exchange personnel in Xew Haven is practically as it was before the exodus from the state. New Companies Incorporated in New York Xewly incorporated motion picture companies chartered by the secretary of state during the past week, and entering the business in Xew York state, included the following: Entertainment Pictures Corporation, capitalization not specified, with Jacques Kopistein, Michael Moran, Xew York City: Joe Rock, Hollvwood, Calif.; F. A. Russo, Inc., $10,000, F. A. Russo, Robert C. Zink, William R. Zink, Brooklyn. W. & H. Amusement Corporation, $25,000, Abraham Weinstoek, Morris Harris, Hugo Pollock, Xew York City; Emblem Film Exchange, capitalization not specified. Harry Lewis, Grant Hoerner, Henry Herzbrun, Xew York City, Joel Coward, Inc.. capitalization not specified, Joel Coward. J. C. Wilson, Xew York City; Lester Donahue, Gloucester, Mass. Golson Theatrical Realty Corporation, $35,000, Samuel Goldstein, Louis Sonnenberg, Cecilia Baar, Xew York City; Forbell Film Exchange, Inc., $10,000, Samrel Seplowin, Gussie and Frances Farbstein, Brooklyn. Pathe Names New Manager of Denver Branch S. R. Rahn, formerly special feature representative for Pathe, has been appointed branch manager of the company's Denver branch to succeed C. M. Van Horn, who resigned to accept a sales position in the San Francisco branch. Rahn started in the film business seven years ago. In June he ioined Pathe as special feature representative. Seattle Mayor Vetoes New Picture Ordinance Declaring that W. T. Campbell, a member of the Seattle City Council, had deceived and betrayed fellow members of the Council for his own personal and financial gain, Mayor Edwin J. Brown of that city last week sent to the Council his veto of an ordinance which would remove the existing rule that prohibits the erection of theatres within 500 feet of a public school building in Seattle. The ordinance had been introduced and recommended by a committee of which Mr. Campbell was chairman. Mr. Campbell, the Mayor declared, had violated a Council ruling by voting for legislation in which he had a "financial and personal interest." Questioned regarding the matter, Mr. Campbell declared that he had planned to construct a motion picture theatre near the West Seattle Junction, less than 500 feet from a grammar school. However, he declared, other motion exhibitors in outlying districts had protested against the "archaic law," and consequently all the members of the committee had agreed that there was no good reason for the existence of the ban. M-G-M Makes Changes In Exchange Executives Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer announces three changes in the executive administration of its exchanges. Samuel Eekman, Jr., has taken over the supervision of the Boston and Xew Haven offices in conjunction with his present supervision of the Xew York, Albany and Buffalo offices. George A. Hickey has been placed in charge of the Philadelphia, Washington, Pittsburgh and Charlotte offices, and Felix Mendelssohn is in charge of special work for the home office sales department. George A. Balsdon to Join Vital Exchanges David R. Hoehreich, president of Vital Exchanges, Inc., has signed George A. Balsdon, formerly assistant general manager for Vitagraph, for ten years, as home office representative. Balsdon will immediately start on a tour of all Vital Exchanges beginning with Canada. Independents Set Second Annual Meeting THE executive committee of the Independent Motion Picture Association of America, of which W. E. Shallenberger is chairman, has decided to hold the second annual meeting of the association at the headquarters in New York on Friday, December 11th. The committee met during the week with the following in attendance: President. I. E. Chadwick, Chadwick Pictures Corporation; Nathan Hirst, Aywon Film Corporation; William Steiner, William Steiner Productions; W. Ray Johnston, Rayart Pictures Corporation; M. H. Hoffman, Tiffany Productions: and Jack Cohn, representing Joe Brandt, Columbia Pictures Corporation. Aside from the executive committee those present were: Abe Carlos, Carlos Productions; Sam Sax, Lumas Film Corporation, and Frederick H. Elliott, general manaper.