Variety (June 1924)

W«dn«id«y, Jun* ^^» *^ PICTURES «» VARIETY 21 OPERATION OF 50 (£NT TAX REPEAL AND CREDIT FOR BILL'S PASSAGE Commissioner Advises Will H. Hays of Interpreta- tion of Amusement Clause-^-Congressman Men- tions Successful Efforts of Jack Connolly, Also for Seat Tax Removal Variaty-Ctippar BuraaH, Evana BIdg, Waahington, June 10. A Btatement from the Commls- iloner., ^ Internal Revenue ad- dressed to Will H. Haya clarines the Bituatlon as to when the exhibitors are to have advantagre of the re- peal of the 10 per cent tax on ad- missions up to and iacludins the SOicent Bate- Several orcanlzationd of exhibitors have planned to re- move the tax on various dates, some prior to July 3. If such action is. taken, thpy will be liable for the payment of the usual 10 per cent. The following statement from the Commissioner concisely sets forth tiie situation: "Secticii 500 of the Revenue Act of 1924, v.-hlch supersedes section 800 of the Revenue Act of 1921, and under which admissions of 50 cents or less are not taxable, is effective on and after July 3, 1924. There- fore, admissions, where the price of admission is 50 cents or less are not taxable after that date. Section 800 of the prior act remains in full force and effect to and including July 2. "Return of the tax on admissions under the old act for the first two days ot July may be made on the June form, but the tax for June and July should be Indicated sep- arately, and the return should be filed l>efore July SI. In other words, the fact that tax for July 1 and 2 la included in the return for June does not operate to grant an ex- tension of time In respect to filing return covering the June tax. "The repeal of the tax upon the business of operating theatres Im- posed under the Revenue Act of 1*21 Is effective June 30. 1924. Therefore no special tax sUmps are required of proprietors of thea- tre* for the period beginning July 1, 1924." With the adjonrmnent of Con- fcress the various atatements com- ing from many organlratlona aa to their part In securing the repeal of the admission tax have^een read With m^ch interest by both Sena- tors and Congressmen here In Washington. Congressman Credits Connolly One of the members of the lower Branch of Congress, who has fol- lowed this repeal through from the beginning, stated to Variety's rep- tesentaUve that he had read with touch Interest 'the claims set forth oy the various factions for the vic- tory in the removal of the tax on admissions up to and Including liclteU costing 60 cents." This Congressman pointed out that the *^ocratic members of the Ways ana Means Committee were be- «eged by their colleagues to fore- Btau any repeal of any portion of "•.***• This Congressman sUted wat he gave this Information to JacK Connolly of the Will Hays or- ganization, who made personal ap- r^ »f° ®**^** member of the Ways ">a Means Committee, as well as mcticaliy every opposing Demo- wauc Congressman and had the wpeal proviso put back In the meas- *■ for the seat tax, this same I:;°"f''f»«nan stated that he had ^i the recent statement in Va- ««iil **'® *"«<=* that Mr. Con- nolly was Instrumental in having Hollywood Home Raided Los Angeles, June 10. The police raided the Holly- wood home of Dorothy Wal- lace, screen actress, which had been rented to Charles Qordoii of San Francisco. They arrested six crap game players and confiscated vari- ous gambling outfits Sunday morning. PRODUCERS FIGURING TO REVISE SKILLED SCALE Want to Rearrange Wage and Work of Carpenters and Electricians on Sets Lcs Angeles, June 10. Several of the film studios have been conferring rrgarding the revi- sion of the matter of scale-paid carpenters and electricians now em- ployed on sets by them. In the past the carpenters and electricians have been paid by the hour for working time, with the re- sult that in many instances the sal- ary and overtime have been very heavy. The plan discussed is to offer car- penters a flat {45 a week for an eight-hour day. which would about cut in half the present wage, as the men get 87^ cents an hour for the first eight and )1.3S an hour for overtime. This help is non-union in all studios. With respect to the handling of the electricians it Is the plan of the studios to have them get their set- up ready for the actual work of the picture. When this is accomplished and the director begins work the men are to be sent back to the shop, with no provisions made for over- time, as Is the case at present, as the men stay on the sets.until the director finishes his work. The studio heads who have fig- ured the new plan calculate the savings In this respect would be very big, as a great portion of the electricians after making the "set- up" are In the way, while the pic- tura Is being Uken. They claim that only a small number are re- quired for the actual production work. If thU plan la carried through following one set-up the men In- stead of being kept on the particu- lar stage where It is made will be used for other set-ups which can not be done at present, as they are kept on the one stage until the shooting Is completed for the day. 50-YEAR-OLD WffE DITORaNG 23-YEAR-OLD Georglana Gardner • Smith in Reno Getting Rid of Allen Bruce Los Angeles, June 10. Arthur W. Smith, known as Allen Bruce On the screen and also as the "$100-a-day fiance" because bis wife, prior to (heir marriage, gave him that amount, has been sued for divorce by Oeorglana Oardner- Smlth in Reno. Mrs. Gardner came here 12 years ago as the widow of Al Miller, St. Louts railroad man, and mar<-lied Dr. Gardner, whom she divorced after seven years. She later. figured in several escapades and was sued for 110,000 In an alienation oif affecfiohs suit. Two years ago l>he iiiet Smith and after their Joint arrest for par- ticipating in wild parties, the coiiple married. Mrs. Smith Is 60 years old and her huslmnd 23. .The complaint In the divorce action charges non- support. Smith is now in a sanitarium suf- fering from shattered health. NEW N. W. HOUSE E. A. Schiller Will Survey Territory For Matro-Ooldwyn E. A. Schiller, the theatre expert in the Metro-Goldwyn Corp. of- fices, leaves New Tork this week to make a survey ot the northwest field and report back on the ad- visability of building theatre In Se- attle, Portland and Spokane for the Metro-Goldwyn product. This territory Is pretty well covered by the many houses con- trolled by Jensen & Von Herberg. Jen^n & Von Herberg have bad their own way in picking pictures from all the programs up to now. The Metro-Goldwyn people ex- pect William R. Hearst to retain his theatra owning association with them. Hearst U 60-60 with Ooldwyn In the Blus Mousa houses in those cities. They are too small for the higb-prlced pictures. J. O. Von Berber* Is the First National Cranchisa holder for that section of the country. FOX LEASES CENTRAL Also Wsnts Second B'way Houi Has Five Big Pieturas this repealed and stated such was Sr. "u*" ^* named several exhlbl ■t.!., .u '*'** »***«"* on the witness V«a they did not object to the seat «.« and would not complain If that vfn"!"'?'- tax were left in the new e^ . has now become a law. jZ ,' '"*»'^«t«ng Statement in»L •"*«''*'t'hg Btatement was Hm.L^'' Chairman Groon of the on nf ^^^^ *"•* >*eane Committee n tne closing day of the session. «e pointed out that the new tax date u u ''**'"'^ taxation from the thttJlinT^ effective through 1»2S "' y*"""" ending June 30, redi.o. ^^ P**" <^ent retroactive menu '" '^^S income tax pay- 000 «;Vr.K """'" '^'•^bqut »2;J2.000.,- ,...„- , WOUIDFT PAY OVEE SCADS Fort Edward, N. T., June 10. Lew Fischer booked "The Hunch- back" at the Brailey Opera House for two days last week as an experi- ment to see If local theatre patrons would pay more than the regu^r admission price fol- a big feature. Judged by the attendance, they won't. Fisher announced that he had lost money on the venture. The nearest place In which "The Hunchback" had previously shown was Glens Falls, N. T. Stromberg Signs Harvey Qates Harry Gates, continuity writer, has been signed by Hunt Stromberg as scenario editor for his Harry Carey and Priscilla Dean produc- tions. the reduction being taken care of in the repeal of several of the ex- cise 'taxes. With the present ever mountinR collections under the admission tax. Congressmen here believe that this repeal up to the fifiy-cent gate will deprive the government ot a ;arpe ppit,iv),n,pf t^iCi VSWW"'»'8 i\^x; ,. .•/;• -' 1- Willlam Fox la raported to hare leased the Central theatra from the Shuherts for six months, Iteginnlng Sept. 1, with an option after that based on the volume of business, or plans then maturfiMr, according to reports In Times aquara. While no rental price was men- tioned. It Is thought the regular sea- son price will ba about >4.00« per week. It la understood Fox Is also seek- ing another Broadway house. He has five feature photoplays that he considers "^Ig" in. every sense. In- cluding "Dante's Inferno.- and some of these pictures will be glvfn ex- tended runs. XNOUOH AinisEMEirr Baltimore, June 10. The proximity of several schools was given here this week aa the cause for a series ot objections filed with the city against the proposed erection of a picture theatre, bowl- ing alleys and several stores In the 2400 block of St Paul street In the protests it Is said that the section has all the amusement needed. Dire Reports from Coast Directors and players returning from I,o8 Angeles are all com- plaining of the lack of activity on the west coast Some who faava been on the coast for yetu-s are now In the east for good, liavlnc disposed of their homes In lios Angeles and vicinity and determined to settle In the neighborhood of New York because of the fact they maintained that New York Is again to be the principal producing center of the Industry and that while the coast will remain in the limelight of the pictures It is there that the occasional productions will t>a done. Francis J. Qrandon who returned to New York late last week Is one of those who believes that the coast Is through. Marshall Neilan who arrived also late in ^ha week Is another who has voiced him- self as to the coaat, and the actors and actresses that are coming east are casting about for homes in this part of the country. Already there Is a little summer colony forming In the vicinity of Harmon-On-Tba-Hudaon and aeveral homes have either been leased or bought there. Gloria S^anson has taken a place near there. Those returning state that despite the fact that there are reports coming from the coast there Is a lot ot i>roduction goin^r on. these reports do not seem to contain the truth, that there ara thousands In Hollywood and Los Angeles clamoring for work and moat willing to take anything that otfara. Coast Slump of Proportions This Is practically tho first time that d alump ot these proportions has occurred In west coast producing at this time of the year. Heretofore the slumps have occurred either late In the tall cr about mld-wlnte . The approiich of summer has usnally tonnd the studios grinding out at full blast. There is considerable production activity In the aast at this time and with the FIrat National having taken a lease on the William Fox studio for at least one production, followed by the statement from one of the executives Of the company that they were goittg to do the greater part ot their producing in tha aast, together with the tact that the Famous Players ara unusually active at their Long island studios, leads to the general opinion that production activity Is again centering about New Tork. '' Hays' Idea It Is possible that tha Will H. Hays Mea that it ^ould be better to bring the producing activity east ao that the playera could be scattered la u large city and not evolve their own little communttiea and cliques for Wild partying may have had its effect Hollywood and Los Angelea printed In the newspapera ot tha country im- mediately meant the motion picture industry eren though any erlme that might have been committed was work ot a tMinker or a coal- heaver. In New York with the couple of thousand picture players scattered among the 7,000,000 New Yorkers they would ba but a drop In the bucket and they would not be ao readily alngled out "SetmS" MAY KEEP B'WAY HOKSES OPEN Big Pictures Waiting for Legit Theatres—10 Films Slated on List The long list of "big" pictures awaiting premieres in New York may help to solve the serious situ-, ation among the legitimate houses in the fall if the Equity strike situ- ation shows no change by that time. A majority of the big producers have two or more pictures that seem at the moment to be big enough to hold a theatre open for a protracted run. There are 10 recognized films awaiting houses, and as many more will l>e whipped Into shape in a very short time If conditions do not change. Paramount, First National, Fox. Hodklnson. United ArtlsU, F.O.B., Cosmopolitan, Metro-Goldwyn and at least ona Independent (Chad- wlck) ara planning special show- ings la legitimate theatres. lEW CODY'S ITALIAIT TBI? Los Angeles. Juns 10. Lew Cody Is starting east to go to Europe. He Is to appear abroad In a picture to be directed by Mar- shall Neilan; Neilan. it la under- stood. Is to take over the direction ot -Ben Hur" in lUly In eonjunc- Uon with Fred NIblo, replacing Charles Brabln. FRESSWOBK TO FRODVCIHO Los Angeles, June 10. Arthur McLennon has relin- quished the publicity reins at the Thomas H. Ince Studios to embark In the picture field as an Indepen- dent producer. His successor. It Is understood, win be brought from New Tork by Ince. PERSONAL APPEARANCE Sir ACTORS BANffiD Paramount So Declares—Not Altogether Restricted, However ... ■/'^ Tha Paramount office has dS" Glared there will be no "personal appearances'* tor any ot Its stars' under production contrast Wbera any man or woman of screen re- nown working for tha Famous Players-LcMky eompaalea ia not under contract or on a picture "personal appearances" or stags debuts are parmlsslble. Proof that this condition ia to ba followed came to light this week when Bebe Daniels waa approached regarding a apeeial stage project Miss Daniels, now on the Coast, replied that she was under contract until 1926 to Paramount for pic- ture work and that while thus tied up could not make any "personal appearances." .. 1,., KUBT FLAT OS PAT The Goldwyn Cosmopolitan Dis- tributing Corp. has taken Judgment for 1237.60 by default against John M. Moran, Cansackla, N. Y., ex- hibitor, operating the Dolan O. K. In that city. The suit Is based on a film book- ing blanket contract ot Nov. 2t, li21, with Goldwyn, for tO films for a gross rental of $687.60. Sixteen ot the picturea were played and (331 paid. Tha balance was not utilised, which resulted in the suit. Rental Prices Too High, Detroit Manager Refuses U. A. Pictures Detroit, June 10. The United Artists Is suing tha New Regent, .Gqand Rapids, to foT(o liie theatre to play and pay M'ary Pickford in "Roelta" at 33,500 and "A W|Om«n of Paris" at |3,0OO. Botli, wpre contracted for wheiji Sid Lawrence was manager. Tom Baland, the present mana^eij, refuses to play the pirctures, alleging the rentals out pC reason. We has offered a compromise which Ignited Artifts has refused. .,,411 ,( 1 . J 1 !.• . .11. .!.> !.■< I. j - 'i I '.. ' I > I ■ r I . / , / ) I r M- XASOK'S MOTEEB ASSIVES Los Angeles, June 10. Mrs. L. M. Hennock. mother o( Lew Mason, who committed sui- cide, arrived here from Paris, and final burial was held in tha Forest Lawn Cemetery. Mrs. Hennook will consult with attomeya to learn If the note which her eon left, that gives a $76,00* inherftance to MarceUa Daly, picture actreas, ia to be construsd as a wlB. I < -J' H. J. £XHIBS MEETDra JUHZ 24 ~ At a meeting yesterday ot tha — M. P. T. O. of New Jersey, held In the offices ot Joe Bolder, a resolution \/as passed by tho organisation giv- ing the credit tor the removal of the admission tax to tlia Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America. The organisation la to hold its annual convention at the Monterey •lUti'i,'Xsfetlr!^ Park: Jlirte t*-H." • ■ I 1J > I -I lit