Motion Picture News (Sep-Oct 1923)

1174 Motion Picture News LaborTroublesThreaten New England Operators Throughout Territory Demand Wage Increases from Exhibitors LABOR trouble for exhibitors in New England seems to be rather general throughout the territory, with the exception of Boston, which is now about the only center where theatre owners have not been confronted with demands on the part of operators and others for wage increases. From inquiries made recently it also appears that Boston will not long remain immune, and on or about Labor Day something is expected to break there in labor circles, though just what classes of labor will participate is not known, nor the percentage of increase that will be asked for. In Providence the theatre owners have already settled with the musicians affiliated with the Musicians' Protective Association, and have granted them a raise of $6. two-thirds of what they asked. The exhibitors in that city have also had demands for raises from both the stage hands and the operators, and although theatre managers will not confirm the report, it is understood that the unions are asking about a $10 increase. A settlement with these unions is also expected any day now. The musicians committee was headed by John T. Greene, president of the local, with William Gamble and Albert Ferri. The theatre owners' committee was composed of Harry W. Crull, Edward M. Fay and Alton C. Emery. In other places, however, things have not gone as peaceably as in the Rhode Island capital. From Lewiston, Maine, comes the news that two of the William P. Gray houses there have gotten into trouble. They are the Strand and Empire. Three men of the theatre workers union there were discharged from the houses when a new wage scale was presented, calling for a considerable increase. The houses are being picketed, and union officials at the headquarters say they have made arrangements with New York booking offices whereby all motion pictures and vaudeville acts will be prevented from entering the circuit of Gray's company, the Maine and " Puritan Passions " Given Premiere Showing ff-pjURITAN PASSIONS," the Film \r Guild's screen version of Percy ■*■ MacKaye's play, "The Scarecrow," for Hodkinson, was given its premiere showing, Wednesday night, August 29, at Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass., under the auspices of a group of society folk in and around Boston. The premiere, a benefit performance for charity, attracted a large number of people and was one of the social events of the summer among the shore colony. The list of patronesses was headed by Mrs. George H. Lyman, of Beverley, and included other well-known names. The W. W. Hodkinson Corporation arranged the showing at their request. Manchester was particularly appropriate as a place for the premiere, since it is in the heart of the old witchcraft country, the locale of the MacKaye play. Representatives of the trade papers from New York, as well as the Boston dramatic and photoplay critics were present. "Puritan Passions" will be reviewed in our columns next week. New Hampshire Corporation, after September 1, unless, in the meantime, the owners accept their terms, which include reinstatement of the men discharged and the adoption of the new wage scale. Just how they are going to carry out this threat they do not explain. In Springfield, Mass., the operators have submitted their new wage t.emands to go into effect when the present contract expire^ September 1. Neither their business agent, John F. Gatelee, nor representatives of the theatre owners would make any definite statement as to the amount of increase demanded. Theatre men said that it was " several dollars," and " quite reasonable." The wages to operators in that city are now averaging about $41 a week. It was also learned that the musicians, stage hands and bill posters are about to ask for increases of from 15 to 25 per cent, with the latter class demanding the biggest raise. The managers in that city, however, are not looking for trouble, and, although at this time they have not had a conference, they believe that an agreement will be reached amicably when they get together with the unions. Catholic Picture Actors' Guild Names Ticket In appreciation of the efforts made by the executive committee of the Catholic Motion Picture Actors' Guild of America to actively establish this organization in Hollywood, Father M. J. Mullins, sponsor for the Guild, tendered a dinner to the executive committee on August 16 in a private room at Brandstatter's Montmartre. Practically the entire executive membership was in attendance, and the meeting was in charge of Tommy Gray, chairman, and Father Mullins. Following the dinner, the committee went into executive session for the purpose of placing in the field a ticket for the various offices, and the following names were offered as candidates : For president, Thomas Meighan ; vice president, Jack Coogan, Sr., Thomas Gray, May McAvoy, Ben Turpin; secretaries, Wm. Low, Edward Boland; treasurer, Mary O'Connor; advisory board, Thos. G. Patton of the Wm. H. Hays office, Emmett Flynn. Jos. Henaberry, Hugh Dierker, Edna Murphy; executive committee, Mrs. Emmet Corrigan, Colleen Moore, Geo. Siegman, Frank Keenan, J. J. Franz, John Considine; publicity committee, Bert Ennis, chairman; membership committee, Jack Ford, John Reddy, Fritzi Brunette. Chas. McHugh, Ida O'Brien, Ray Doyle. These and other names to be placed in the field will be balloted upon at a monster mass meeting of the Guild to be held probably in the Hollywood American Legion Stadium on Wednesday, September 5. Constance Wilson Weds Naval Officer Constance Wilson, sister of Lois Wilson, featured player in Paramount pictures, has renounced a screen career for matrimony. She was married last Saturday afternoon to Ensign C. C. Lewis, Jr., of the U. S. S. Arizona of the Pacific fleet, at the Mission Inn, Riverside, Cal. Only the immediate relatives of both families attended the ceremony. B. J. Durning, Director, Passes Away BERNARD J. DURNING, husband of Shirley Mason, and well known as a director of Fox specials, passed away at St. Vincent's Hospital, New York City, Wednesday afternoon, a victim of typhoid fever, from which malady he had been suffering for the past four weeks. Deceased was thirty years old. He has been a director with Fox for the past three years. Mr. Durning came to New York last June to direct Gallagher and Shean in "Around the Town With Gallagher and Shean." He was taken ill shortly after his arrival. He was married to Shirley Mason six years ago. Deceased will be buried in Calvary Cemetery Saturday morning, from St. Francis de Sales Church at Belle Harbor, Long Island. Services will be held at 10 A. M. Strike Threatened by Musicians' Union Members of the Musical Mutual Protective Union in New York City, said to number 3,500, have voted to go on strike September 3 unless an agreement is reached with the theatre managers and claim that all the large Broadway playhouses, vaudeville houses, including the Keith and Loew chains, and the large picture theatres, including the Capitol, Rial to, Rivoli and Strand will be affected. The union wants the same wage scale which now obtains in Chicago and other cities, said to range from $90 to $119 per week, with extra pay for overtime. The Mutual Protective organization is at odds with the American Federation of Musicians, which declared that they are not interested in the strike. The Theatre Managers' Association asserts that it has already conceded a twenty-five per cent, wage increase to the Associated Musicians of Greater New York, the contract being approved by the American Federation. The managers add that they don't know what the strike is " all about." New York Operators Given Increased Wage Scale The threatened strike of motion picture machine operators, which was to have gone into effect on September 1st in about one thousand theatres in New York City, Brooklyn and Long Island, was averted this week when a compromise settlement was reached between the operators' union and the T. 0. C. C. by which a raise of 7% to 15 per cent, was granted. Operators in houses seating more than 1,500 accepted a 15 per cent, increase against their demand of 25 per cent., and operators in houses seating between 1,000 and 1,500 accepted an increase of 12% per cent, against a 25 per cent, demand. In houses between 600 and 1,000, the operators will receive 10 per cent., having first demanded 50 per cent., which was later reduced to 22% per cent. In houses under 600, the increase will be 7% per cent, against a 17% per cent, demand. Earlier in the week the Vaudeville Managers' Protective Association agreed to an increase of 221/2 per cent.