Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1939)

May 13, 1939 S H O W M I". N ' S T R A I ) R IC V I E W Page 5 It was Fair (World's) ami not so hot on Broadway this week — and with the fihii palaces pulling some Sunday punches too.^ For instance Universal's swell "East Side of Heaven" at the Music Hall; one of the best Crosby's ever and a grand piece of screen entertainment. But crowds, swayed by the lirst flush of real interest in the Fair, just didn't come downtown to see the pictures. Down in Louisville last Saturday 20th-Fox set a precedent with ballyhoo on the grand scale for "Rose of Washington Square" with a sponsoring of the Derby broadcast. Out in California lUiited Artists were announcing pictures and electing Harry _L. Gold and L. Jack Schlaifer vice presidents; down in Atlantic City Columbia was rallying around a big new program of shows for next season; and in New York tlie MGM adv. dept. was going to town with a fresh, amusing and punchy newspaper campaign for "Mr. Chips". Sam Goldwyn, who makes good pictures better by not hesitating to make re-takes, seems to have imbued his legal staff with the same idea — that suit is back again with its second re-takes included. Showmen would do well to note that the word "television" has some magic for attracting the public — here comes that Fair again! Crowds there mass about shows that have the television flavor. STR told you in a review last week about a single-reeler called "Television" — a short with perhaps a long reach for bringing in patrons. It's worth looking into — the short, we mean — as well as any idea or stunt that ties up with the pictures by wireless. OPEN NEW OFFICES 'Movie Cash' Headquarters Are Established J. R. McPherson, former midwest division manager of National Screen Service, has been assigned to handle the Pacific Coast on the game, "Movie Cash", it was announced this week by M. Van Praag, head of the Nationwide Coupon Dist. Corp. Together with Richard E. Beck, he will have headquarters in Eos Angeles, with offices to be opened in San Francisco, Seattle and Denver. A Washington, D. C, office has been established by Harry Brown and Sidney Goldberg. A New Haven office in charge of Budd Getschal was also announced. N. Y. Unit Seeks New Allied Negotiators Appointment of a new Allied negotiating committee to resume trade practice conferences with the distributors will be advocated by Allied of New York. This issue will be one of the important topics at the New York unit's convention and exposition. N. Y. ALLIED PLANSFORUM Unit Opposed to Code Policy, Report An open forum on the trade practice proposals at which Allied of New York is expected to voice disapproval over the national organization's stand is scheduled to be held in New York on May 25. A movement is to be launched at the same time to bring United Artists into the trade practice participation, since the opinion is that all majors must cooperate in order to achieve the desired results. The open forum is to be held on the last day of the New York Allied convention and Motion Picture Exposition which opens at the Hotel Astor on May 23. Frank Lydon, Eastern regional vicepresident, has called a conference of Allied's Eastern units for the opening day. New York Allied unit, it is reported, feels that while the proposed code is not entirely satisfactory, it is a move in the right direction, provided a fair system of arbitration can be worked out. All exhibitors, regardless of affiliations, will be invited to express their views at the open forum. SHOWMEN VISIT RKO FAIR SUITE Exhibs From Nine States Make Registrations Exhibitors and their wives and friends from nine states have thus far visited RKO Radio Pictures' reception suite of rooms for World's Fair visitors. The suite embraces four rooms where showmen from out of town may rest and get information about the Fair and the metropolitan district. Film trade papers are on file. According to H. M. Richey, RKO's director of exhibitor relations, the following guests have registered: Mr. and Mrs. Leon Rich and family, Prytania Theatre, New Orleans, La.; Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Gordon, Rialto and Rio Theatres, Boise, Idaho; Mr. and Mrs. B. P. McCormick, Colorado and New Mexico Theatres. Canon City, Colo. ; James H. Eshelman, Huron Theatre. Huron, S. D. ; Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell Lewis and friends, Park, Passtime and Lyons Theatres, Houston, Tex.; Mr. and Mrs. F. L. Clarke, Cozy Theatre, Hazen. Ark.; Max Fogel, Webster Theatre, Rochester, N. Y.; William Tishkof?, Murray Theatre, Rochester, N. Y.; Robert O'Donnell, Interstate Circuit, Dallas, Texas ; Herman Blum, Little Theatre, Baltimore, Md.; Charles Perry, Detroit, Mich.; Hon. and Mrs. John Ketcham and family, Hastings, Mich. MULL STATE TAXjN N. Y. Cities Too May Levy On Admissions A tax on admissions as low as 15 cents has been proposed in the New York State legislature and chances of its passing are good. This tax would be in addition to a 2 or 3 per cent sales tax which the Legislature is considering. In addition to this measure another contemplated slap at theatres is a proposed bill to permit cities to raise funds for housing improvements by taxing admissions. All manner of nuisance taxes must be levied to pay city bonds for housing purposes as real estate taxes cannot be used. Ninth Momand Hearing Oklahoma Citj^ — A hearing on motion of the defendants to dismiss was held here Friday in Federal District Court in connection with the A. B. Momand suits. The hearing, the ninth so far, will probably be the last. Important Dates May 14-16: ('oliiinl)ia regional meeliiiK, Chicago. May 16: "Get Together of Good Guys" golf tournament and dinner, Conneaut Hotel, Conneaut l.ake I'ark, Pa. May 18: lulwin liergman outing aiui dinner, Mahoning Country Club, G'irard, Ohio. May 20-22 : Columbia regional meeting, Los Angeles. May 21-27: Silver Jubilee of Morris Joseph, Universal branch manager at New Haven, Conn. May 23-24: Kansas-Missouri Theatre Ass'n convention, Kansas City. May 23-25: N. Y. Allied "World's Fair convention," Hotel Astor. June 4-6: Theatre Owners of North and South Carolina convention, Ocean Park Hotel, Myrtle Beach, S. C. June 8-10: Paramount convention. Hotel Ambassador, Los Angeles. June 12: MPTO of Va. midsummer convention, Roanoke Hotel, Roanoke. June 13-15: Allied National convention, Nicollet Hotel, Minneapolis. June 19-22: RKO Convention, Westchester Country Club, Rye, N. Y. June 19-22: National Conference on Visual Education, Francis W. Parker School, Chicago. Circuit Control Bill Springfield, 111. — One of three new measures afTecting motion pictures introduced in the Senate is a bill designed to set up a close supervision of circuit-owned theatres. Regulation of juvenile attendance in theatres and the creation of a censorship are called for in the others.