Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1940)

Page 4 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW October 19, 1946 MPTO of N.Y.to Open Branches Plan United Front to Deal with Producers, Gov't, Public Statewide organization of the MPTO of New York State, Inc., has been completed as a result of meetings held in Syracuse and Albany last week. The meetings were presided over by A. C. Hayman of Buffalo, President of the MPTO of America, and by Sidney B. Pfeifer, counsel for the New York State group. Branch offices will be opened at Syracuse and Albany before the first of the year, and committees in charge of the membership are now working at both points. The directorate of the New York State group will include representatives from the Buffalo, Syracuse and Albany districts ; the latter cities will have executive vice-presidents who will be in charge of activities in their respective zones. It is estimated that several hundred independent and affiliated theatres will be included in the organization. Present plans call for the presentation of a united front by the exhibitor group of the motion picture industry to deal collectively with the producers, the government and the public on all matters touching their interests. Miss Marion Gueth, secretary of the organization announced this week that a State convention is planned in June at which a number of the outstanding figures in the producing and distributing end of the business as well as a number of prominent screen and stage stars will be in attendance. NewlWage Hour Rules Seen Aid to Industry Washington — Redefinitions on executive and administrative employes were announced by the Wage-Hour Division over the week-end. An important change that will benefit the industry is a provision which provides that employes performing administrative duties making at least $200 a month are exempt from the over-time provisions. Besides the $200 provision, the "administrative" definition lays down three classes and declares who are exempt. They all must be engaged in non-manual work which requires the exercise of discretion and independent judgment. Currently on a personal appearance tour in the east, Republic's Smiley Burnette, cowboy comedian, enjoys a friendly chat with Herbert J. Yates, Republic's executive head, at the home office in New York. May Sign Decree on Tuesday Complete Agreement Announced; Myers Asks Views of Kuykendall and Brandt on Document as a Whole Signature of the consent decree was again delayed this week, the newest date fixed being Oct. 22, next Tuesday. Federal Tudge Henry W. Goddard was told by Special Assistant AtStephen Doyle GWTW Set for JanuaryRelease Film Will Not Be Cut or Edited; Reduced Price Scale Navy Hosts Press at Floyd Bennett Field The Navy played host to the press this week when a group of amphibian planes took trade and newspaper men to Floyd Bennett Field where MGM'S new subject, "Eyes of the Navy," was given its first official screening. Herb Morgan and Si Seadler of MGM arranged the trip and Commander Rice, assisted by his entire staff, were hosts at the field. torney General J that the parties were close to agree ment on the suit itself but that negotiators were still attempting to reach complete agreement on certain collateral matters. These, it is believed, concern the adjustment of other anti-trust suits now pending and also agreement on the rules of arbitration. Industry lawyers were in conference this week with J. Noble Braden, executive secretary of the American Arbitration Association. Meanwhile, Abram F. Myers, general counsel and board chairman of Allied States Association, called upon exhibitor opponents of the consent decree to state the grounds for their opposition to it, aside from the five-picture block clause. Ed Kuykendall, president of the MPTOA and Harry Brandt, New York exhibitor, were specifically called upon by Myers to state their views. "As president of the MPTOA, how does Mr. Kuykendall stand on the provisions aimed at curbing chain buying power?" asked Myers. "As head of a large buying combine, how does Mr. Brandt stand on the provisions which are aimed at curbing the buying power of the combines ?" Myers went on : "These men should state their position on the clear-cut provision against forcing short subjects and newsreels; the provision for leasing pictures within the exchange district; the provision for making pictures available on some run ; the provision for arbitrating clearance disputes; the remedy for discriminating in favor of circuits and buying combines ; the limitation of the acquisition of theatres and the escape clause. Are they for or against these provisions?" Myers quoted Kuykendall as indicating that he is against all Government interference. "After all the years of utility and frustration, does he think that the relief embodied on the above-mentioned provisions will be forthcoming by voluntary action of the distributors and the circuits?" "Mr. Brandt, at the hearing on the Neely Bill, declared that the worst evil of the business was domination by the affiliated theatres. Does he now object to relief against such domination because buying combines have been put in the same category with the circuits?" Complete Plans Special Films in Red Cross Drive Arrangements have been completed for the special film which the industry is contributing for the American Red Cross membership campaign starting Nov. 11, it was announced this week by Major L. E. Thompson, general chairman of the Red Cross Theatres Committee. All production costs were contributed by Warner Bros. Eastman Kodak donated film for making prints, while a similar donation was also made by the Dupont Film Mfg. Co. H. J. Yates of Consolidated Film Industries volunteered to make the prints at his Fort Lee, N. J., plant. Distribution of the film, which features Deanna Durbin, will be undertaken by the nine distributing companies whose branch managers have been designated as district coordinators for the campaign. Prints of the second film, featuring Priscilla Lane, will be booked and supplied in each instance by the local Red Cross chapter, and not by the district coordinator. General release for "Gone With the Wind" has been set for early January, William F. Rodgers, MGM sales manager, announced this week. "We're not going to cut anything but the price," Rodgers said. "The picture will not be cut or edited, but will be shown in its original form, running 3 hours and 45 minutes, a special price scale of approximately one-half the original road show ad: mission . . . We plan to get behind the general release with advertising and publicity campaigns just as we would any other big picture coming out of road show engagements. It's still brand new to the great mass of audience theatregoers, and it will be exploited and handled accordingly." The new reduced price scale for general release is being determined in discussions now in progress. It is a matter of considerable concern to MGM, Rodgers pointed out, that the scale arrived at be fair to both the public and the exhibitor. The film's extreme length would make it impossible for many exhibitors to operate at a profit at their prevailing price scale. On the other hand, MGM feels that the public should be given a substantial reduction in price. A scale one-half of the road show prices has been proposed as a possible solution. Airlines Theatre Opens Formal opening of the Airlines Theatre, in the Airlines Terminal Building at 42nd St. and Park Ave., was held Friday. The 528-seat house will operate on a continuous one-hour-show policy, presenting newsreels and shorts. DAVID MILLER (The Man on the Cover) Mid-Eastern District manager for Universal. The men in the exchanges under his supervision are staging a drive this week in honor of his twentieth anniversary with the company. He started as a salesman in 1920 and has climbed up through the ranks since then. HOWMEN'S Trade /if^ Review Vol. 33, No. 13 Oct. 19, 1940 Title and Trade Mark Reg. U. S. Pat. Off. Published every Friday by Showmen s Trade Review, Inc., 1501 Broadway, New York City. Telephone BRyant 9-5606. Charles E. "Chick" Lewis, Editor and Publisher; Tom Kennedy, Associate Editor; Robert Wile, Managing Editor; Joseph H. Gallagher, Film Advertising Manager; Harold Rendall, Equipment Advertising Manager; West Coast Office, Guaranty rsidg., 6331 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, Calif., Telephone HOllywood 1390, Ann Lewis, manager; Chicago Representative, Marshall Reinig, 612 North Michigan Ave., Telephone Superior 7646; London Representative, Milton Deane, 185 Fleet St., London E.C. 4; Austalian Representative, Gordon V. Curie, 1 Elliott St., Homebush, Svdney, Australia. Subscription rates per year: $2.00 in the United States and Canada ; Foreign, $5.00. Single copies, ten cents. Subscribers should remit with order. Entered as second class matter February 20, 1940, at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., under the Act of March 3, 1879.. Contents copyrighted 1940 by Showmen's Trade Review, Inc. Printed in U.S.A. Address all Communications to: SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW 1501 Broadway New York City