Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

28 M o t i o n Picture N e iv s N o v ember 1 . 19 3 0 Warners Increase Own Production to Achieve Independence in Theatre Field Carry On, Mates Washington — Abraih Myers' vocabulary is running riot again. The president of Allied States Association, whose "pusillanimous" crack at the Columbus convention last year caused a scurrying for dictionaries, now announces that the Michigan exhibitor unit is "ready to furnish to organizations in other territories attractive decalcomania signs for use on boxoffice windows reading: 'An Allied Theatre, Home Owned for Your Protection*." Legislatures of 44 States Meet Early in 1931 The 44 states which will open legislative sessions next year, together with states and territories whose legislatures meet in 1932, are shown in the following summary, together with dates of meetings held in 1930 : Jurisdiction Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts . . Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire.. New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina... North Dakota... Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Porto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina . South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming U. S. Congress. Date of Meeting 1931 an. 7 day 12 Jan. 1 Jan. 11 Mar. 2 Jan. 12 Jan. 12 Jan. 5 Jan. 7 Jan. 7 Jan. 6 Apr. 7 June 24 Ian. 5 Jan. 7 Jan. 8 Jan. 12 Jan. 13 Jan. Jan. 7 Jan. 7 Jan. 7 Jan. 7 Jan. 6 Ian. May Jan. Jan. Feb. Jan. Jan. Jan. 7 Jan. 5 Jan. 6 Jan. 19 Jan. 7 Jan. 13 Jan. 13 Jan. 7 Jan. Jan. Jan. Jan. Jan. Jan. Feb. Jan. Jan. 8 Jan. Jan. Jan. 12 Jan. 6 Feb. 8 Ian. 5 Jan. 12 Jan. 13 Ian. 12 Jan. 7 Jan. 12 Jan. 14 Jan. 14 Jan. 13 Dec. 7 Jan. 13 Afternoon Sunday Show Is Up at Whittier, Cal. Whittier, Cal. — Voters here Tuesday will pass upon the question of legalizing Sunday shows after 12 o'clock. Own and First National Output To Be Boosted to JO to 50 Annually The Warners are discussing plans to make their organization as independent of the rest of the industry as the industry's set-up will allow. Latest in the steps designed to bring this realization closer is a plan, purely formulative now, to step up production from 35 pictures this season to from 40 to 50 for 1931-1932, the increase to apply jointly to both Warners and First National. The inside slant that prompts consideration of the move is this: Certain of the Warner executives feel that the increase can be absorbed easily by their own theatre organization, thereby adding to the company's treasury money which ordinarily would go to outside producers. They also feel that the sales crews of both companies can handle 40 or 50 features as well as 35. Jack Warner is due in New York from the Coast on Sunday to remain here about a month, during which time a definite conclusion will be reached. Opinion in Warner headquarters has not as yet crystallized either for or against the plan, but decision will be determined by the end of November. If the idea is adopted, this means that the Warner circuit will use correspondingly fewer pictures from outside sources during the 1931-1932 season. Warners to Remain on Sunset Blvd.; Won't Move Hollywood — Jack Warner denies emphatically stories that Warner production will be centered in the First National studio at Burbank. He says the Warners will stay as is in the Sunset Boulevard plant. Fifteen scripts are ready for the cameras. Actual work gets under way in a month. Dizzy Sales Heights Sales in the independent market are beginning to hit the high paces set in pre-sound days, according to a sales survey just completed by Bill Raynor of "Big 4," which shows that since the beginning of the new season, grosses have jumped 100%. Raynor continues to build-up exchange representation for "Big 4," having already Bill Raynor Hned-up Buffalo, Detroit, Minneapolis, Salt Lake and Denver. Politeness Pays Chicago — A State-Lake usher kicked a small package while racing up an aisle the other week. Examination showed it contained $360 in bills. It was turned in and when identified by the owner he offered the usher a $2 reward. The boy snapped to attention and saluted. "Our reward," he said, not even glancing at the proffered bills, "is in serving the public." Who was the cluck who said ushers didn't have a sense of humor? Inventor Alleges Infringement in "Realife" Process Los Angeles — Unless an accounting of profits is made to him and to Charles M. Richter, New York financier and associate. Edwin W. Clark, inventor, will bring an injunction suit to prevent M-G-M from showing "Billy the Kid" by the Realife process. Clark charges infringement of his wide screen patents. M-G-M officials admit that Richter wired them concerning alleged patent violations in the Realife process, but denied any infringement. The Realife method was developed in the M-G-M studio laboratories, it is asserted. Clark's method is very similar to M-G-M's. so far as projection is concerned. The inventor also wired the Capitol, New York, to stop showing "Billy the Kid," charging infringement. His process is protected bytwo patents. One dates March 29, 1921, the other Sept. 19, 1922. About a year ago, Clark says, he showed M-G-M his process and received an offer for it, which he refused. Richter is en route to Hollywood to start the proposed suit. Realife Process Fails to Please In Kansas City Kansas City — Realife, new wide screen process being offered by M-G-M, failed to draw the patronage anticipated at the Midland, Loew house here, said to be the third theatre in the country to offer the new process. In view of the advertising and publicity given run of "Billy the Kid," via Realife, considerably better results were expected by the management. The first three days of "Billy the Kid" drew very well, but patronage slumped after Monday. To exceptionally cold weather was attributed part of the drop in business.