Variety (Jul 1938)

WednfsJay, July 13» 191^8 PicTumss VAHIETY 11 Dual Bill Headache Starts in Mpk FoUa ars Minneapolis, July 12. . Minneapolis independent ex-, hi itois are having more headaches as a result of the Princess tlieatre, 1 ooo'-seat indie nabe house, upset- tin" llie applecart by going double teatuies—the . first uptown theatre here to kick over the^ traces since Twill City indies, members of Northwest Allied States, agreed two years ago to refrain from the policy despite the fact that tlw Paramount circuit inaugurated it at two of the chain's loop houses. The twin bill development comes tlie heels of Paramount's slash in price from 55c to 40c after 5. p.m. at its' ace downtown house as well as selling, cut-rate tickets in soipe of its other situations. Fear is gen- eral that the double featuring and adniiisioii price slashing. will spread. ' Pictures on the Princess, theatre's first dual bill are 'Rebecca of Sunny- brook Farm* and 'Hurricaiie,' wi th 20c the admission price, W.^ L, Hamilton, the owner, is a meniber of Northwest Allied.- Said to have been approached by President W. A. StclTcs, of that organizalioi), he is reported to have, declared his In- tentibii to continue' the double featuring 'for 60, days.'- He claini.s his 'peculiar sitiiation' has forced him to the policy-because his house is located in fairly close pvoxiniity to the.Ga;teway dime grind spots, which twin bill, and because he has to follow a number of other, the- atres ill his own section on plJiy- datss. , ■IPararnount circuit recently dis- continued double- featuring at one of its two downtown houses, but still retains the policy at two St. Paul loop theatres. At the Aster here .it .couples only pictures of 'B' or lower classification. However, 'there was considerable independent perturba- tion last week, wheri it ofTered a Jane Withers picture, .'liascals.' along with the Laurel-Hardy 'Swiss Miss,' both first rUns, and the sec- ond-run Louis-Schmeling fight lilm. Twiii City indies also have been rumbling because some of their number the past week have seen ■ fit to give away dishes and utilize Screenq with such a picture as 'In Old Chicago.' Most, of the houses are'iising Bank Nights, free dishes and. other gift stunts, as well as providing patrons free parking fa- cilities. Independents are seeking to have Paramount confine its. St. Paul double featuring to one house, the same as in Minneapolis, and have threatened general admission price cuts if the chain continues to sell cut-rate tickets. Equine Bows Stagehand, the tlioroughbred . who endeared himself to Cpaslr ite? last winter,' performed like a high school horse at Empire track, N. Y., Saturday (9), when he equalled the record in winning a stake contest. As he was led down the track to h's stall after the race,' fans ap- plauded and Stagehand look buws all along the line. . He was bowing at the barrier first and was almost left at the post. Unioii Tiff Over Candy Sellers Just as Detrimental as Give- aways in lowering. The<- atre Stahdards-r-Bankers' Influence Noted in the Spotting of Free FoMafe in Circuit Houses ST. LOUIS EXAMPLE Pathe Launching For Processing Hollywood, July 12. Pathe Film Corp. is entering the Hollywood: field with a ■ plant equipped to handle the processing .of both 'natural color and black and while films ih 35mm. and ISmm. widths. Plans for the structure have, already been approved by O. Henry Briggs. Pathe prexy. and corislruction ill .get under, way late in August. . Deal was set before the departure of Briggs from Hollywood two weeks ago. where he spent a fortnight con- ferring with H. T. James, general manager of International Cinema Corp., and veteran Coast lab oper- ator, who recently formed Color Films, Inc. .Latter corporation's pat- ented cameras and lab equipment will.be used by ^iathe in the 'undcr- taUing. with James moving over to (he new plant to handle tbe color end. St. Louts ExhibiU Warned St. Louis, July 12. Unle.<!s members of the Motion Pic ture Theatre Owners of eastern Mis., souri and southern Illinois cease tlici pra.;tine of slashing admish price'*; during the summer season they will' soon find themselves in the plight of Kansas City cxhibs, who are operat- in.? under a 25c top for flrst-rtiiiners and I5c top. double' and triple fea- tures and giveaways in the ji.ibes. according to Fred Wehrenberg. pres- ident o( the organization and owner era siring of nabcs here^ Im. an appeal headed 'Keep Adini.';- .sion Prices Up.' Wchrenberg last :j«'e.;U sent personal letters tni several hundred miembers. In part, the letter reads: 'Quite a number of thsatres in .St. Louis are cutting ■ admi.ssipn prices, to try to overcome the slunvp • 111 business. Experience has taushi lis that we go through this summer sUimp each year, and the cutting of ftlmission prices will avail us noth- ing. One .exhibitor cuts^, his com- petitor follows suit, and the nionien- laiy advantage that the first theatre h;i.l vani.shcd. for the reason that he '"V'Mll.y had no advantage over hi.-; J-'oiiipeliioi;. and the first tiling . know all theati-es in the city will be Inviii? ISc and 10c adult'admi.ssiun Priuos. _ 'We must realise that our bu.-iine.-i,-; ;s in JilVerent from any other. Yur •ii-fLincc. the milliners, the dry ciDOj.-i iiioii. olc. have their season.s. When !>uiu-.i!ei'-ct)inc3-Talong^-we-si««^it>rTanv<- U, Par Newsreds Cop A. G. Headiiners' Awards Atlantic City, July 12. Newsreel pictures by Universal and Paramount A^'on awards in the annual selections by the National Headiiners Club, -which wilt make formal presentation at the club's an- nual dinner here Saturday night (16) at the Amba.ssadpr hotel. Norman .Mley's motion pictures of the bomb- ing and sinking of the U. S. guiiboat ■Panay' for Universal copped the foreign newsreel prize, while those by Albert Mingalone, of Paramount, won the domestic, award for his pic- lures made while carried aloft by a cluster of balloons at Old Orchard, Maine. H. S: 'Wong, new.sreel photogra- pher-for 'News of the Da.v.' was rec- ognized for his shot of a Chinese baby crying in a shell-torn Shang- hai railroad' station. He- was given the still photograph award, hisnews- rccl clip being di.utributed exten- sively a.s a still and reproduced in niany newspapers. 'William Sliirer and Edward, R. Morrow won a prize for the be.st radio reporting for their work in recounting Hitler's entry iiito .Austria over CBS. Best series of cartoons prize went lo C. b. Eslchelor of the N". '. New.?, for hi-; campaign for .safe drivin.g. Oilier award.\ were for ouL-tandinj j')ui'ii)ili.-iin and Dcw..i fealiii e achicve- nieiit.-;. Noininaliont were made last iiiuiilh. Top film showmen aver that there is as much harm io the theatre busi- ness in screening commercials as there hais been in applying giye- awa'y.s. bahko, screerio; and bingo stimulation to the b. p. ' The commercials are spreading; Notably the extension of.cominercial screen occurs in theatres controlled or under, the ihfluerice of bankers behind some of the major companies. Such bankers have been known . fo use their influence to obtain screen- ings, of commercials in which they ; are interested in certain circuit the-, aires around the country. All of. which, tends to lower the standard of showmanship and enter- tainment, generally, In the opinion Of trade executives. According to one theatre official it's better to build up to a standard than to lead down to a. price. He claims that commercials, like give- aways, are just another form of price cutting, and that once the standard of a theatre declines it's hardly ever rai.sed. In the old days showmen had ihejr country-store gags. But this, gen- erally, came only one night a week or every two .weeks, and articles of food were given away to winning customers. However, with it there went some kind of a live show. It wa.?' like an amateur highl. . jjut the free films and commercials j and the bingo-bank-screeno stuft ' often, is used several nights weekly nowadays; To showmen one of the shining ex- amples of what giveaway stuff >ias doiie to theatre busine.ss i.s the St. Louis situation, where Fanchon & Marco dominate. In St. Louis they are still using giveaways and two- for-one stuff, and can't get rid of them. Hollywood Milk Maii San Antonio, July 12. Metzgers Dairies now ' spoh-. soring a thrice weekly film per-, sonalities' program over KTSA.' Show, titled 'Hollywood Milk Man,' has some new twists in >presenting the patter. Spieler . ■ supposed, to tell what he'sees'and 'hears' when delivering milk In the early a.m. to the star's' horhes in Hol- lywood and Bevhills. 'Blockade Out In Omaha Due To KC s Protest New Commercial High Detroit, July 12. .'With, its three studios in full op- eration, production of 'Wilding, com- mercial pics,and slide films reached a-new all-tinrie high during first half of 1938. company records show^ Pre- vious sales high was set in first six months of 19;)7. Most active was Wilding's Culver City, Gal., studio, on the Selznick International lot. CHARGES SCREENO LIFT, SUES EXHIBS FOR 500 I ■- ■ I Los Angeles'. July 12. ; Charging conspiracy. 'William I West. Screcnp license holder in this : ( district, filed a'$50,000 suit here last ' Thiii'.sday (7) against Morris Barsky, j Harry Popkin, Kelly Sieligman aiid j Max Shapiro, theatre operators. | • V/e.U alleges the defendants in-, duccd one of his employes, Joe Ed- ' • in^lon. to steal 100.000 Screcno cards which they bought for 40c. per l.OOO and used ill their theatres for a game imitating Screeno. . Their action, he declared, cost him business airiouiit- . ing lo $50,000; Omaha,, July 12.' Omaha Theatre hctre called off 'Blockade' after the local Knights of Columbus had asked the: theatre to label picture as 'Leftist pirbpaganda' if it was shown as scheduled. 'Blockade' was due to start Thurs- day 17),' but theatre held over pre- vious week's bill and debated- fate of 'Blockade.' Tri-States Theatres is unwilling to say picture won't be shown in one of its local houses, but it is not booked. . K. of C. explained that it wa.'s fol- low-ing lead of its Supreme Council. Picture .Was screened for trade only hero and most objectors bave hot seen it. Catholic. weekly, 'True Voice.! attacked film and .some priests read the K. of C resolution in pulpits Sunday (10). 'Blockade' In Roehesicr Rochester. July. 12. Film 'Blockade,' which Rochester Knighls of Columbus attempted to have barred from a showitig here,, is booked into Loew's July 15. Their action stirred a storm; of protest in which newspapers and individuals held their attempt at censorship was unwarranted. Ofllcers of the Knights have' in- dicated they would take no further action, other than within their coun- cil. Appeal 'Wreekage' Ban Albany,. .July 12. inema Service Corp.. with offices in New '\'ork, has appealed to the Board of Regents from a decision by Irwin. Kismond. director of the.mo-' tlon picture division of the. State Education Dcporlmenl, denying a license for the exhibition of "Human Wrcrl<afie.' a film on the theme of .•iocial di.seases. Esmond rejected the picture last April. Kreut'/.er. Hau.scr fc, Selman are attorneys for the petitioni'r. A show cause writ, sjgned b.v .Suprenie Court Ju.stice Gifbert V. Schenek. in the appeal frc»n> a dc- cisiiin of a Board of RegcnLs refusing to liccn.se a '.second rev i.sed'version' of 'Itemous,' French-made sex pic- ture, -wa.s served on the Education Department Salurday Licenses havis been issued for onf tevi.-ipd vei.sion of 'Komous' and for Whirlpool,' siimc picture with F.ng-' lish ti1l?.<. F.smond. however, nixed a permit for a second version of 'Re- inoiis.' which he claimed conlained much of the m.Ttcrial ordered climi- n.-ilcd on the lii.sl submission. American Federation of -Labor and Cil.O., unions threaten to come into ' confiicl and the Loeiy circuit.in the metropolitan New York, area is in serious danger of being affected, foU liDwing a nipve for organization in all theatres of the candy counter workers and attendant!!; In the move toward organizing this branch;' the A.F L. union covering 'candy sellers and the like has started picketinS theatres which do not employ .union help for this work. Largest^ house to sufl'cr picketing during the past week was the Paramount on Broad- way,, The situation which' develops with respect to the Loew chain dif- fers in that the sale of candy in their theatres is under concession with a company which has already signed with the C.l.O. ^ Other theatres, including those 6t the RICO chain, the Fox arid the Strand in Brooklyn, as well as others,: are handled- by another con- cessionaire,: while certain other fhe- iatres, .such as the N. Y. Par, do not relit out this concession. The A.F.L. union which is setting out to organize the theatres selling candy, gum. etc.. is known as the Amusement Cjcrks and .Cpnce.sSion- aires'Ehiployees Union. Local 1115C. Union is usiiig girl pickets.. Pendiiig any action with respect to the Loew houses, question ' is .whether the A.F.L. \mions already in those houses. Including, the oper- ators, stagehands and musicians, will, in iany way support an A.F.L. prgari- izational move where CIO'is already indirectly concerned GAHI'S AFRICAN SHORK TO GET WB RELEASE 'Warner Bros, has clo.sed a deal with Commander Attilio Gatti." ex- plorer and atithor ot 'Great Mother Fbiest,' for the relea.se of a series of shoi'Ls to be made by the com- mander in. the Bclgion Congo. Com- muiidcr Galli sailed Wed|ie.>)duy ((i). for Europe, from where he will pro- ceed to Africa. Norman Moray, heading .short.1 sales for WB, acted for that com-' pany in the deal, :while Jacques Koerpel, former Paramount execu- tive, acted for the commander, Lat- ter will spend a year in Africa mak- ing the sliorLs. New Talent Getting Auditions Via Shorts ■Kendor Productions is making a series of two-reelers 10 be marketed as 'New Talent'of the Screens.' All are being shot at the Film Art stu- dio.'? in the Bronx, N. Y., W. Hay Cozine directing. Shorts are in the nature of a first introduction of .screen aspirant.<i to Ihe picture studio talent department heud.s as well as to the film pub- lic. Among tho.se signed for appear- ances : are Dorothy,' JelTcrs, Jean Southern. Lee Crane Orchestra, Bcriiice Bebr.s, Liicile Lawrence and team of Manoi' and Mi?nOn. ■lie poor -pirliire.': now being daliv- ?i'ed by the producers, nuld.ior ;iiiiiisPiiionl.<:. etc.. are all CDnti ibutin-i ;'ac(or'.<. What the exhibitor must do is:ti) '»ll up. hi.'! theatie instead of Viiiiiir/ his admission prices, and use jvory means to try to keep his head ;ibove water during this off sea.-ioii j>. i i ';" ' l' ■ Heavy Oriental Play Hollywood. July 12. I Heaviest Oriental invasion iii 2rtih-^ Fox hisloi'y is incurred by the lllni- ing of 'By the Dawn's Eiirly flight,' More than 300 Chinese are used a.< cxii'a.v and supp(ji lin? pla.vcis. Local Ru.isian colony iilso con- lril)ijles lo C-ast. Picture deals wilh a Chinese revolt ncai" the Ru.i.iiaii l)ordcr., Korda't New P. A. Moi l is Hclpern, personal represcn- lalive fur Alexander 'orda. may re- main in London for anolher fort? night before returning to the: Stales, korda h'ls uppcd John . Myers, his London puljlicily man, to produce his irailer.--, Myers also will continue on exploita'ion. Sii';coeding to' Myer.-"' publicit-.v cliyii'.is John Ware Wr;ll. Fleet StnQ'.er.. v.'ho will .soon ahnounci hi!-; sliiir. Two Start at 20th Hollywood, July 12. . Two 20th-Fox- pictures, 'By the Dawn's Early' Light,' an Edward ^Kaufman production, and. 'While i New York Sleeiw." .second of Sol M. I Wurt-/.cl's Roving Reporter .series, went before the cameras Thursday (7 1. Cre'^ory Ratoff is directing-'Dawn* and Bruce Huinbcrstone pilots the sleeper. 1ST PHILLY CLOSING ■ Phitid :l|)hra. July 12. Fir.-;t closini; of llie .■.rason Ibjk ; place hei''.' ,Sal'ii-<liiy (<)) with .shut- : teriiig of 111.!- I,-)c;u.il. West Philly. DarUeniii,' not •illi ibiil^d to .siimmcr lull; liijwovi.'i'. but io house's g;!ncral ComjJ;^ltlf^•..' :^l1lla^J')M. ;. Ki.-d I.:vi!)')ld leased Ihe thcatrs.for ' the p i:<l flv.> yoar.i. •