Variety (Jan 1933)

96 VARIETY PICTURES Tuesday, Januaiy 3, 1933 Steffes Tired of Hooey Meaning Lightman—Calls Indie Meet for Minneapolis^ Jan. 17 Minneapolis, Dec. 31. All Independent exhibitors in the territory, resardlesa of their afEUla- tion or lack ot It, have been invited by W. A. Steffes, Allied States' pres- ident, to attend a mass meeting here Jan. 17 to formulate a c:.mpalern to oppose detrimental legislation In forthcoming state legislatures and to obtain federal regulation of the industry. In a statement issued in connec- tion ■with announcement of the mass meeting, Steffes said he is 'sick and tired of all the hooey being passed out through trade press channels by M. A. Llghtman, MPTOA president'. The 'hooey' to which Steffes has reference is Lightman's declaration that independent exhibitors favor immediate adoption of a uniform contract, re-establishment of arbi- tration, recognition of zoning and protection and a one-year trial for an appeal board. Steffes asserts that he himself is unalterably opposed to the Light- man program and that he believes the vast majority of other Indepen- dent exhibitors feel likewise about the matter. It is charged by Steffes that (Continued on page 100) Season Greetings PUBLIX—DETROIT PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT LOU FORBES AND HIS MUSIC Featuring LEE MASON Michigan FRED EVANS nSHER AINSLEY LAMBERT and DOROTHY HILX) MICHIGAN ARSENE SIEGEL Orgqj^t Fisher' MERLE CLARK Organist Michigan Opened Nov. 25th for One Week's Engagement Now In 5th Week and Booked Here Indefinitely HENRY DUNN FORMERLY ROME and DUNN FISHER Exhibs Wfthont Griefs Dallas, Dec. 81. Texas Theatre Owners' Protec- tive Assn. meets here Jan. 16 for annual pow-wow. Judge Roy L. Walker, vet legrfslator-exhlb of Iiampasas, still heads the group. No dormant errlefs await blast- ing at this parley, and that's sum- pin'. WARNERS LETS 8 HOUSES GO IN INDIANA Chicago, Dec. 31. Warners has disposed of seven of their theatres In this territory and an eighth, the Harvard, was sold a month ago. This Is believed to be Warners' initial step In decentrali- zation. A syndicate composed of Al Sob- ler, Alexander Manta, D. J. Chrissls and Jack Rose Is taking over the Jefferson, Goshen; Orpheum, War- ners, Buckler, Elkhart; Indiana, In- diana Harbor; Capitol and Hoosier, Whiting. All are In Indiana. In Elkhart the landlord released Warners from leases on three houses and made a new deal with the syndicates who buy the physic- cal equipment. In Goshen they bought the building. In Indiana Harbor group will operate for the receivership and buy the Warners' equipment. Whiting Is a straight lease. Booking Pool In addition four partners have taken over the Gaiety at 92nd and Commercial, Chicago. This was not a Warner house. Al Sobler. whose resignation from Warners was ef- fective Jan. 1, will headquarter in Elkhart. ManU will be in Whiting- Indiana Harbor. Chrissls, who owns the Owl, personally will handle the Gaiety. Meanwhile, the fourth part- ner. Jack Rose, also resigning from Warners, will establish a film book^- ing offlce for the seven houses and with the expectation that other In- die exhibs will join. At Warners' Laurence Stien moves up to take over Sobler's job with the latter's withdrawal. Emitire Union Pickets on tmy Disappear Mysteriously'-No Reason As if by magic the Empire pickets have gone oft Broadway and, from the inside reports, may eliminate themselves from picketing of thea- tres in neighborhoods employing No. 306 men. While it is a faot the Empire squawk-marchers have dis- appeared in front of all theatres In the Times Square area, no one can otter an explanation. Harry Sherman, Publlx labor con- tact executive, 1b reported In some quarters as personally responsible for having obtained elimination of picketing at the Paramount, and tlirough that for the Other Broad- way houses as well. Sherman will not admit this nor suggest any rea- RECEIVERS COMPUCATE LOCAL 306 SITUATION i HYNES-HEINTZ CONFUSION Stuart's Asst., Bernie Hynes, Noth' ing to Do With Empire, Bronx Through confusion In the simi- larity of nsmies of Herbert Heintz, former assistant manager at the Empire, Bronx, who was trans- ferred to the RKO 23rd Street, when RKO took over the Empire, it was reported that Bernie Hynes, assist- ant to Herschel Stuart, in RKO's home office, had taken charge of the Empire. Bernie Hynes, personnel director of RKO, hasn't even been in that house which is under Lou Gold' berg's supervision. Sussman, its manager when Sydney Cohen oper ated, is still there. Take at the house Improved cur rently whon RKO managed to get certain new film product for the place. The New York booth operator situation becomes more Involved with sudden appointment by Judge Cotillo of temporary receivers for Local No. 806 on claim by Sam Kaplan that lATSE representatives now in charge of the local were wasting its funds. Appointment came Tuesday (27), with John W. Davis, attorney; Hugh Frayne, New York organizer of the A. F. ot Ia, and P. J. Dunn, attorney, taking over the affairs of the union pend- ing trial of the Kaplan suit to set aside his ouster. This suit is scheduled to come to trial Jan. 16, with Kaplan seeking reinstatement as president on the ground that his removal during trial of an action for an accounting brought by four members of the 306 local was unfair and illegal. This action is also scheduled to come up Jan. 16. During the past week an applica- tion to restrain the I. A. from re- moving the 306 charter, which came up before Justice Hammer, was de- nied on the representation by the lA that the International never bad any Intention of wiping out the local. Prior to the Justice CotlUo re- ceivership appointments the lA was ready to either elect or appoint Its own officers to replace Kaplan and his men. Harry Sherman was re ported the lA choce. Under the Cotillo order the lA Is directed to refrain from conducting an election of officers or from Inter- fering with the receivers In the management of the affairs of the local which have been in the hands of vice-president Holmden of the lA. son for the ohange In the situation on picketiner. One belief, unofficially expressed, Is that the major chains may hav^ prevailed upon Charles L. O'Reilly of the T.O.C.C. to use his lnflu>« ence with the Empire In calling ^ halt to the troublesome picketlngii O'Reilly has long been given thai credit for swinging Independent theatre circuits In New York to Em^ plre, with resultant cross-picketing bringing about pickets for every theatre in New York regardless o( who employing. 306 Continuing This resulted In some bombing* at first, other damage to theatres and a general decline In patronage through public fear of union re;< prisals. Report, never verified, was that circuits paying dues to the T.O.C.Ch threatened to withdraw their eup^ port in view of the. situation that had been brought about by an ap^ parent swing to Empire, designed toi eventually unseat Sam Kaplan In 306 and bring about lower salaries in booths. The 806 union Is continuing to picket Empire-manned bouses, nons of which are In the Times Square zone. It is picketing around 84 houses at present, with cost no^ where what it stands Empire through- latter's paying Its plcketa $1 a day. KINEMATRADE Distributors of Outstanding Foreign Films presents POTEMKIN The Greatest Russian Film Classic—Now in Sound "SOVIETS ON PARADE" A Picture of Mass Enthusiasm 723 Sevwith Avenue Bryant 9-5107 NEW YORK LES ATHENA Thanks to WM. MORRIS AGENCY OF NEW YORK and WM. MORRIS AGENCY OF PARIS RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL "The Miniature Williams and Walker" MANAGEMENT OF A. J. W. BERRY, Sr. Wishing a Bright and Prosperous New Year to all my former associates of Paramount and my friends in the theatrical business ETHEL HELLIWELL BALLET MISTRESS FOR FRANCIS A. MANGAN PRODUCTIONS REX, Theatre Jacques Haik, Paris, France