The Moving picture world (April 1921)

April 2, 1921 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 467 New York Censorship Situation Better; Clayton Bill Hearing Set for March 30 THE censorship situation appears to be somewhat better in New York state, from the viewpoint of the producer and exhibitor, a movement being on foot to bring about a modification of the present Clayton censorship bill, which was introduced two weeks ago and which still remains in the committee to which it was assigned. An effort is being made to bring the two factions together, the industry on the one side and those who are working for censorship on the other. There now seems to be a likelihood that this can be accomplished through the introduction of certain amendments to the Clayton bill. It would not be strange if the bill, as it now stands, was allowed to drift along into rules committee. Legislators in both houses are carefully sounding out the sentiment in the districts from which they come. If these amendments are offered, their nature will not be definitely known for a few days yet, or until such time as the two forces may be able to come to some understanding as to just what each will stand for. There will be a public hearing on the bill on Tuesday, April 5, at 2 p. m. before a joint committee of the Assembly ways and means and the Senate judiciary committees. Exhibitors Confer On March 23 a dozen or more exhibitors, members of the executive committee of the New York State Motion Picture Exhibitors' League, arrived in Albany for a length conference. Sydney S. Cohen, president of the national association, presided. Among those present were C. A. O'Reilly, S. I. Berman and C. A. McMann, of New York; Frank Koch, Irving Salyerds and Jack Farren, of Rochester ; Ira Mosser and Roscoe Mitchell, of Buffalo; C. A. McCarthy, of Hoosick Falls; William A. Dillon, of Ithaca ; C. A. Hayman, of Niagara Falls ; N. Dipson, of Batavia; W. H. Linton, of Utica; George Roberts, William Bernstein and Fred Elliott, of Albany. The entire delegation appeared at the State Capitol in the afternoon and conferred with Senator James Walker and other legislative leaders on the bill. William A. Brady also arrived in Albany at noon. Mr. Brady had a long talk with Senator Walker, but refused to divulge its nature. May Have Referendum The House in the Nebraska Legislature has passed a state censorship bill, voting down the plan to submit it to a vote of the people. It now remains for the Senate to pass the bill, and for the Governor to sign it. The Senate will pass the bill, even the exhibitors concede. It is not so certain, however, that Governor S. R. McKelvie, an admitted friend of the motion picture enterprise and also a friend of the square deal, will sign the bill and make it a law. Even if the Governor signs the bill and it becomes a law, the motion picture men still have recourse to the referendum. By getting a certain number of signatures to a petition, a matter which would be easily done, the exhibitors could bring the Legislature's action before the people of the state for verification. Every newspaper of consequence in the state is against the censorship plan, and their support could be expected if the fight is made by way of the referendum. Buffalo Fight Over The censorship fight in Buffalo, N. Y., is ended. The citizens' committee has accepted two ordinances proposed by the exhibitors. These, however, will not be pushed for enactment unless the state censorship law fails to pass. At a joint meeting of the local censorship advocates and a committee representing the Buffalo Theatrical Managers' Association, held in the office of Roscoe R. Mitchell, attorney for the exhibitors, both sides got together, thrashed the whole matter out and the meeting closed with the exhibitors claiming a decided victory. N. A. M. P. I. Indorsed Resolutions condemning salacious or immoral moving pictures were adopted unanimously by the Executive Committee of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Kentucky at a meeting held in the Rialto Theatre Building. The resolution took the form of an indorsement of the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry in its ban on pictures of this sort. The committee also went on record as demanding imperatively that every picture shown in the state first be passed and endorsed by the National Board of Re Iowa Bill Killed Taxation of theatre admissions at the rate of 1 cent for every 50 cents or fraction thereof charged the patron went down to defeat before the Iowa Senate by a vote of 26 to 22. The bill would have levied a tax on all amusement admissions and would have worked great inconvenience and loss of business for the picture theatres. It is now thought entirely unlikely that the companion bill still before the House will meet a favorable reception if it ever emerges from the committee. Famous Players Earnings for 1920 Show Increase Famous Players-Lasky Corporation's consolidated statement (which includes the earnings of subsidiary companies owned 90 per cent, or more) reports for the year ended December 25, 1920, net operating profits of $5,337,129.79, after deducting all charges, reserves and federal income and excess profit taxes. This compares with $3,132,985.22 earned in 1919. After allowing for payment of dividends on the preferred stock, the above earnings are at the annual rate of $21.77 on the 208,403 shares of common stock outstanding in the hands of the public, compared with $15.35 a share earned in 1919 on 199,675 shares outstanding at that time. Back Again Tommy Thompson, several years ago manager of the Columbia Theatre, Pittsburgh, is again back in town. This time he is at the head of the Minerva Theatre. Two Big Deals Completed in Kenosha TWO big deals have been consummated in the theatrical world of Kenosha, Wis. Fitzpatrick & McElroy have closed negotiations for a ninety-nine-year lease of the Rhode Opera House and the ground in the rear, together with the property at 162 Main street, with the announcement that plans for the expenditure of $450,000 for the improvement of the property have been commenced. The new theatre will seat 2,500. The three theatres, formerly owned by the late Charles Pacini, for whose murder Frank Lang is serving a twenty-year term in the state prison, were sold by the administrator of the estate to the Saxe-Dayton Company, of Milwaukee and Kenosha, for approximately $100,000. The new owners include John E. and Thomas E. Saxe, of Milwaukee, and Edward and Fred L. Dayton, of Kenosha. A lot at the corner of Main and South streets has been bought for a picture house by the Saxe-Dayton Company. The theatre will seat 1,500.