Variety (Aug 1932)

Tuwdmjt August .2, 1932 PICTailES VASIETT (500 Dark Tl^ ^ Patron Loss on Each House Dark houses constitute the bis- ■ pest sinsle loss la inoney and na-. ,|lonal attendance for the picture ' i)uslnes3. Offlclals estimate that X>>600 theatres are now closed. ' On the attendance angle exhibi- tor leaders calculate that when a ° )iouse closes the industry loses 80% ■ of those who composed the regular . patrons at that boxofflce and that .^0% is the most which the survlv- /|n£r competition inherits as an aver- aee. , ' Exhibitor heads dispute the big 'losses V claimed by distributors - through darkened theatres.: They eay tiiat If the competing theatre is • etlU closed when new film contracts . are written, the dlstrib makes.up for ;a'good part of his loss by forcing . the operating exhib to assume a portion of the film voided by the 'closing. With detail figures finally at hand the Industry, and especially the ma- jors, are concentrating on reducing ' the number- of closed theatres. • There are fewer-theatres open now than at any time since the business reached Its majority.... Three House Groups The closed houses are divided Into three groups. The largest class takes in theatres averaging .700 . seats and paying an average weekly film rental of $200. There are 4,300 .theatres In this group. In the second sectltin are gathered 2,000 theatres -^ith an average of . 200 seats and an ; approximate ■weekly film rental of $40 each. Many of. these sites, It Is pointed out, are the kind which normally operate only on part time, or three- day-a-week, basis. The third class ' consists of houses of 1,000 seats aiid over, figured around 1,200 capacity as an average. These houses pay an average rental of $350 a week for a film program, and the estimate Is that 200 theatres of this size are dark. Compiling the rental money nor- mally paid out by these theatres, based on these figures, it shows that thes<e 6,500 dark houses are costing film distribution $1,300,000 for every ' :week they are dark. Vacant Chiifrs It analyz^ed from the standpoint bt attendance thd unfilled seats in these dark houses teaches almost unbelievable proportions. The num- Iber of voided chairs reaches a total . of 3,090,000, but that is held up as . ' only a small part so far as the at- ' tendance Is concerned. Film statlsti- :. Clans calculate the Industry's normal audience as filling' each chair once a day tpr at least five .days of every week. This multiplication applied to the chairs accounted for shows a drop of 20,000,000 payees weekly at pictures in the U. S. Even with the flow of 20% to other houses, which picture authorl- . ties hold is generous,, there still re- \ mains a flat 15,000,000 people who have hot been buying at other box- Offices. 1 . . McVick Resumes Aog. 17^ /Rain'at U. Jl Sept 5 Chicago, Aug.: 1. McVIckers will be the. first: of the elosed Balaban and Katz theatres to reopen. House comes out of the camphor Aug. 17 with Maurice Chevalier's 'Love Me Tonight' (Par) : Bill Hollander and Charley Kurtzmah will handle the icam- palgn. ■ ■ Meanwhile, the United Artists will stay shuttered until Liabor Day when *Raln' (UA), arrives. B & K is opening .McVIckers to outlet a group of Paramount pic- tures now ready. The Paradise, deluxeii- 6n the west side,, will not resume before Z/abor Day. About six lesser neighborhoods of the B&K chain are dark^ Warners Bah Giyeaways As Biz Tearer-Downers Warners have banned all give- aways In< WB theatres. Orders to this effect were issued last week. Those free contests involving giv- ing away of various articles to in- duce better i>UBiness have been found wanting. In Instances Inves- tigated, the giveaway schemes have been found to hurt rather than help buslne?s, especially oB the foUow- upsi,. - The Warner action is iii line, with present agitation among the larger chains relative to banning of such contests all over the circuits. Most- ly the pressure comes by way of distribs yrYio see protection angles endangered through such contests. SALESMEN nND THEY STARTED TOO EARLY Banning of Complete 1^ ho'ease in Sniall Towns; Exhlis Order 2 Pictures for Protection Col I ''I nil ^s^Honse Mgr. Beaten Up in Office SEATTLE UNION STAND MAY CAUSE RKO JAM WBV 'Mind Reader* Warners has purchased 'Mind Headeri' a new play by Vivian Cos- by. Authoress also penned 'Trick for Trick,' another dramatic piece. Sale was concluded last week by a^ake Wllk, WB's New Tork .sce- nario head, within 36 hours after receiving word from the coast to buy. ONE TBANS-LirX CLOSES One of the Trans-Lux houses on iBtroadway closed Sunday night (81). This was the house that In- stalled features two weeks ago, with annouhcement. at that time it was an experiment. . Other half of the twin Broadway Trans-Luxor continues with news- reel arid shorts.^ The half, closed down is fbr the balance of the isutrimer. Tishman-Goldberg East Los Angeles, Aug. 1. Following the rUn of their 'Har- lem Is Heaven' film at the Lincoln theatte, here, Irving Tishman and jack Goldberg are on their way back to New .York. Stopping ait San Antonio, New Ojr- learis and Atlanta on thia way. IjOB Angeles, Aug. 1. Seattle musicians''union has re- fused closing notice on Orpheum theatre there, claiming they have a straight contract and must play through under the straight picture policy. It is expected this wilt bring serious trouble as the clrbuit will refuse their demands. Piir FoDowing Up Its Program Reactioo IStiint following the fan Interview stunt with Irene Thirer, N. Y. 'News' film critic, Publlx has arranged to ob- tain the reaction of buyers of sev- eral large department stores on Paramount, pictures, comment on public tastes, etc. Lined up by Jack Hess, whose idea It is, the company has corralled eight buyers of as many, department store organizations over the coun- try.- A few week-i ago Par got Miss Thirer to stand In front of the Cri- terion, New York, and ask passers- by what they 'thought of the Par : I'tures soon to be released, billing on the theatre w:aU announcing the product. Par got permission of the •News' for the stunt, having picked that paper since it pioneered the 'Inquiring Reporter* thing around New York. There was no particular tie-up, 'News' approving the plan for the publicity Involved for Itself and Its femme critic. 'Shanghai' Redubbed OK For French Approval Paris, Aug. 1. Home office orders from Para- mount to flx the French officers' sequences in 'Shanghai Express,' have been very cleverly executed. Film, current at the Paramount, Paris, Is generally satisfactory to the French. Dubbing, done in JoInvlUe by Jacob Karol, Is excellent, but Is the first Instance here of that done on a specially made negative,, different from the original, so as to permit screening, not the actor who talks, but the one he addresses. In this respect; It is entirely different from tlie Metro , foreign language lip movement retake but Just as effi- cient. Joe Seldelmah arrived on open- ing day arid was able to form his own opinion. Welch Reviving 'Mickey* Hollywood, Aug. 1. Robert Welch has bought the dia- .log rights to 'Miclcey' from Hamp- ton Del Ruth, He will release through Monogram. Welch expects to go Into produc- tion as soon as he clears a lien Con- solidated Laboratories holds on the old Sennett negative made 11 years ago with Mabel Norman. Prior to that 'Mickey' was made by Mutual,. Some sales managers are sorry they, sent...thelr men: to the field iso soon. The salesmen are making th^ir trips trying to write business, but flhding; that the majority of ac- counts can't yet make up their minds on how or what to biiy this season. It.: means the salesmen wilt have to niake additional trips virtually covering their entire territory. Met- ro is the only company holding back Its men. Some belief exists that next year's selling will get back to September as it was a few. years ago. The salesmen under the present order of things, go out in early summer to take contracts on pictures that will not start to break iintU around Aug. 16 or later. Last year they went out as early as April and ran up big expenste accounts by having to re- visit their people several times be- fore getting to first base. Many a salesman also burnt out his case In going back to exhlbs for new contracts after his home office had refused to accept the first and' sometimes the second. WB Buys Radio Fdms Warners has closed a deal for Radio pictures over the WB circuit for 1932-'33. It's naltional ln scope and for all houses where product is available. Warner theatres has also put through the annual technical deal calling for all WB-FIrst National product. Being a columnist and managing a picture house doesn't mix well In the opinion of Albert L. Greene who handles both, Jobs for the Tuxedo, Brighton Beach. Late Sunday night (31), while counting up the house, Greene was cornered in 'his office and unmcsrcIfuUy beaten by two men Iwho Igrtored the money present. • Greene recovered In Coney Island Hospital several hours later. Difficulty, according to Greene, comes, from a column he has been writing for his house program. Last weiak he gagged about suckers who play slot machines arid. w:hat little chance they had of winning. At about 11 Sunday night, Greene stated, two': men walked into his office and confronted; hlmi with, •We'll tcdch you how to keep yout nose clean,' and then jproceeded to mop him up. Eihib Boys SoDiul But Can't Use It As W E. Steps In A. W. GIbbs, owner of the Glbbs theatre, ToungsvUle, Pa., finds him- self the owner of Western Electric equipment which be can keep but not use, Gibbs took advantage of a recent sheriff's sale and got the equip- ment, part of the Strand, Green- ville, property, at an auction during an Involuntary bankruptcy pro- ceeding. Under the Ia,w8 of Pennsylvania, as explained by W. E., a landlord hfus the right to sell all propertr to satisfy the terms of his lease. That does not mean, however, that be can take an equipment which is not sold outright and use it with- out getting a license from thei com- pany holding titular rights. W'est- ern is taking this stand In an ac- tion which it .has brought against Glbbs. SKOUBAS-MABISOH AUa. 80 Madison, Aug. 1. Spyros Skouras takes over the local Madison houses from RKO Aug. 20, Instead of Auir. 6. Date's been pushed hack.' H. J. Fitzgerald, operating Fox Midwesco for Skouras, will handle under general supervision of Eddie Alperson. No Twinning Also a Problem in Germany Berlin, Aug. 1. Meeting of Bertin exhibitors rec- ommended to producers arid distrib- utors to avoid continued production of pictures of certain subjects sis well as of series production. It was further agreed . that only one feature film was allowed to.be played in one program. A new censor meriace which takoC the exhibitor unawares and tho» renders him helpless, and subject to loss of license, is threatenins lesser cities and towns of the ooiin* try. Already 50 such spots, takins in 76 exhibitors, are said to be bat« tling /a movement for which women's clubs seem to be supplying the impetus. Shears are not touphed in. tlM latest method. If any portion of a picture Is. deemed distasteful tht entire feature is barred from th* town where the ruling is made. As a result the exhibitors cominf under this hamirier are orderini double programs for each booking so as to . have a-substitute film dm hand and not be forced to go dark. Since this is working a hardship on the distributor , as well, because the distrib cannot collect on a film re-. Jected by authorities, the Hayis or^ ganlzation is trying to co-operat« with national exhibitor groups in aa attempt to stem this drastic con-, sorialtide. . ' Exhlbs' Fault Too Film investigators are going lnt« some of thie'towns affected to inak« a special study of the ectssorlesa formula. At the outset, however* producer overseers feel that th« fault in many coses lies with th* arrogant exhibitor who refuses t* arbitrate with his community. Insidious part of this tonnulai Haysltes declaire, is that it slaps the theatre before the exhibitor has • chance to know -what Is golngr on. Checking the spread of this type of censorship last week caused' .th« alarm to be sounded when It waia revealed that within less than thrie*. months tbe new censor buer iiaa bitten a half hundred towns arid la threatening as mariy mpre. Women's clubs, sonie of which have been considered ' friendir toward the Industry, are reported to have backed, arid be backing, tbia home-rule method of cehisorshlp. A ^ visit to the mayor is found usually to be the first step in inaugurating the first complete picture elinoina- tlon process the industry has known. Invariably this is foUo^wed by the mayor issiiing Iristructions to tha local chief of ^police to revoke tbo exhibitor's license li: the theatra continues to show .films considered distasteful to the women's' repror. sentatlves. , In most of the towns, it is tilsa declared, exhibitors must glve'pre- showlngs to the vigilantes' Commit- tee. This involves an a<idlti6nal cost which the exhlb must pay out of his own pocket. Would Use UpAYerageFibninSWks. Declaring that conditions have definitely demonstrated free cir- culation as the basis for prosperity, indie exhibitor leaders are charg- ing, distributors with hoarding playdates. The producer, as the indies woiild have falm described, should. be nothing more than a - holesale retailer entitled to a dis- count, br.t nothlnig more. Offensive along indie' battle front, already armlbticed Iri spots throughout the country through compromises and courv ruling.s, though afCectinc only those Isolated territories, is aimed at circuit con- trol of first run product Leaders of independents, apparently seeing in the Horwitz-Hays settlement a slgnifinace not apparent to all, now openly declare themselves as against circuit dictation as reflected in im- mense buying power as well as af- filiation with the producer. Aim At Protection Behind the: movement Is the ad- mitted purpose of breaklrier down the established barriers of booking protection. . Feeling that the time is now ripe, either through an agreement within the industry or a court battle, the indie chiefs specify that protection ties up a picture for months during which,not only the Indie exhlbs are deprived of a chance to realize a return, but, that this Is hazardous to: the Investment of the producer also. Short profit and short exten- sion of credit; or a quick cash turnover for the entire industry, will do more to establish business than anything else, they believe. If proponents of the indies had. their own way features would be released and disposed of much the same as newsreels. Instead of tak- ing about 14 months to coriiplete Its domestic run a feature, like a news- reel, would then riiake Its entrance and exit within, a period of eight weeltis. The indies are careful, to classify the type of picture to ex- haust its American run iri about two months. They concede that certain features on every lineup merit longer playing tiriie. POISONED WKILI5 LOU JACOBSON OF RKO San Francisco, Aug. 1. What is believed to have been a tragic accident took the lives of Louis Jacobson, district real estate manager for RKO and In charge of the Golden Gate theatre building; and two local policemen who took a drink of what they thought waa gin in Jaeobson office Tuesday >(2Q). The officers were Richard' Smith and Joe Lojrenz; both popular around their Sixth and Market traffic posts in frorit of the Qolde» Gate. The bottle from Which the trie drank contained cyanide. Jacobson arid Lorenz dle^ within a few mo- ments. Smith lirigered on for uvw- eral hours. Par's Quota Quartet Berlin, Aug. 1. Gus Schaefer, Paranioiirit's Ger- man chief, has so far ordered four pictures to be made by the German- American prodjicer, Felix Pfitziier. These are specially intended for release wlthlri Germany arid the German speaking countries. 1, Aug. t. A [Im opera-: fl ish In sai- ^ 10% COLUMBUS CUT Berlin, All stagehands and fllr tors here take a. 10% slash aries next month. Contracts with the Neth chain of Ipcal houses were signed last week. RKO and Loew contracts are to be signed thia week. Marks a continuation of the local trend of doing away with anything resemlfoing a union scale, musicians having 'fallen in line long- ajgo^