Variety (Sep 1928)

Wednesday, September 26, 1928 P I C T U R E S VARIETY 23 MORE LABOR JAMS IRONED OUT San Francisco, Sept. 25. After more than a month of ne- gotiations, union m'ujicians and the local theatre manaBcr.s. afTiliated with Allied Amusement Enter- prises have reached an amicable agreement covering a new two year pe^riod. Musicians (local No. 6) won their blgr point of a six day week for suburban and neighbor- hood houses, the new arrangement applying on all jobs of $50.00 per week or over. Managers voted salary increases of approximately 75 per cent, of the 16 2-3 increases originally asked, with another increase to be- come operative during the second year of the agreement. The sixrday week for musicians will not apply to featured leaders In certain designated houses, either downtown or neighborhood, the union exec's, agreeing to allow this type of stage leader to work without the' compulsory one day oflf in seven (or ono week in seven weeks) providing the arrangement is mutually satisfactory to loader and management. Chicago, Sfpt. 25. Walkout of colored mu.sicians in four Class A picture houses con- trolled by James Costen, starting Labor Day with the walkout of. white musicians in Class C houses, ended Tuesday ■ after a tompoi-ary settlement had, been made by Earl Biggs, pre.'^ident of the colored Fed- ei'atioh of Musicians, Local 208, ■ Musicians walked out of the Metropolitan, Vcndomc, Pickford and Owrwhen their contracts ex- pired. Under the ■ temporary settl6- ment the Metropolitan i.s u.sing 14 men, with the other three employ- ihg organists only; Biggs is still attempting to get orchestras into the other houses, The Broad Street at Newark, N. J., which Morris Schles.singer threatened to close because of a dis- agreement with the stage hands, is operating as usual with an eight- man crew minimum back stage. The manager sought a reduction to five men. NEW HOTEL ANNAPOLIS Woshlnsrton, D. O. SInRic, SI7..'S0 Double. 9i3.0O 11-12 and H Sts. in ' the Heart ot Theatre District HERNIE KING Musical Master of Ceremonies Direction Fanchpn and Marco Fifth Ave. Theatre, Seattle 0 A R r E N A DIAMOND (DANCmO HARPIST .SUPREME) Featured with Faiinlion and Marco's "RIVER" Idea Now Iioew'8 Stat«, Xoe AiiRcIeH Direction: tValter Meyera, of Wm. Morris Aeeacy Minneapolis, Sept. 25. A temporary compi-omise has been reached here between the theatre owners and Minneapolis Operators' union in the dispute over wages and working conditions. It provides for a pay boost of slightly less than seven per cent and one additional operator in the booth in houses equipp-jd for sound. In their contract presented to the theatre ownerss, the operators de- manded a 15 per cent wage in.ci'Qase and the doubling of, crews in the booths of the sound equipped houses. The. scale for sound equipped houses is $62.50 against the old one of $58.50. Burlington, la.. Sept, 25'. Differences between the' Rialto and union i-elative to wire installa- tion and operation yere ironed out amicably at a conference here. It is understood the theatre will employ three operators for the booth and there will be an increase In the scale for two years. Reduc- tion In the scale to be paid the or- ganist, but likewise In the hours such organist will be on duty. Syracuse, Sept. 25. Amicable settlement of the wage contract differences between Keith's and the picture operators union served to wholly clear the sky of labor troubles. Contract covers a three-year pe- riod, unless the theater should be wired in the meaiitlme. In that event, Keith's agrees to accept the conditions in effect at the time in other wired houses here. As In the case of the stage hands union, which also signed a three year con- tract, agreement calls for annual increases for the men In the pro- jection booth. , The new scale Is $60-$50. Next year a $2.60 advance, is provided for, and a $3.50 Increase is specified for the third year. Union agree to a booth force of three men. Keith's, In the past, had two oper- ators and two apprentices. Lincoln, Neb,, Sept. 2B. Following the brisk warfare here, conducted mainly by newspaper ad- vertisements, between the operators' union and the Hlalto, that theatre, closed for four weeks, reopens this Thursday, Settlement includes three-year agreement with $62.60 first year on a. sliding scale and four operators in booth, with one stage hand. Local brpheum, same management, in agreement. Rialto, wired, reopens with "Street Angel." Gerringer's Odd Record . Bill Gerringer has the oddest rec- ord perhaps ever created by any one in the picture business. It is of having been longer on a con- secutive stay in New York than any other out of town chain executive. Gerringer is with the Saenger Circuit of the south. With Mrs. Gerringer he came to New York In June for his usual short visit. The Gerrlngers have been continuously here since. They expect to be able to leave by Oct. 1. Bill has been held in New York through film buylngr ih the dubious time of silent stuff, and also to pro- mote wiring for the Saenger houses. Minn. Arbitration Regular Miniio;ipoli.>^, Sept. S'). Members of the Northwest The- atre Owners^ Association rosununl their participation witli distributor.s in arbitration horo Friday, when th(> Board of Arbitration hold its tirst hearings since the exhibitors and distributors patched up theilr diffor- onccs. . An. . "outlaw'.' board,' comprising non-mombers of. the association, along with the distributors, func- tioned while the w;.ir was on. Cases heard by this board and involving association mi^mbers will bo re- tried at the request of the parties involved. The breach, npw healed, resulted from the association's refusal to take any part in the arbitration of cases Involving . United Artists, which. It was alleged,—had been selling its product to non-exhibi- tors. Fox Starts in. Newark Fox's latest threatened invasion into Stanley strongholds materiall- ized this week when demolition of six-story buildings on the new Fox site In Newark, N. J., was started. A 5,000-seat house set at a cost of $7,000,000 will get under way as soon as this work is complete. The contract has been awarded. Pit Orchestra for Shorts Chicago, Sept. 23. A loi'al innovation in presentation of .'sight and sound film was tried successfully at the Marbro theatre by. Benny Moroff, band leader m. c. jNI'M-off moved his band to the pit for accoinpanlinent to a MartinelU singing slun-t siibjoot on Vitaphone. The regular ■ Vitaphone acoompani- meht ._was drowned out by the pit' musicians, and no discord resulted. ilorbfC . win repeat the idea on other singing subjects; "HELL'S ANGELS" DlAlOa Lios Angeles, Sept. 25. Howard Hughes, h.ead of Caddo Productions, has had "Hell's An- gels," his air war picture, In pro- duction so long that its filming has run into the new era of talking pic- tures. « As a result, Hughes has again changed some of his plans on the picture and how expects to Intro- duce some dialog sequences into the film. "Dynamite" for Do Mille L.03 Angfcles, Sept. 25. "Dynamite" will bo the title of Cecil B. .be Mine's first production for M-G-M. Jerome Quits Shore House J. Parker Jerome has resigned as manager of the Mayfair, Asbury Park, and supervisor of the other Reade houses at that resort. WELLS-EAEGO FILM Ivos Angeles, Sept. 25. Ken Maynard's next for First Na- tional will- be "Wells-Fargo: Ex- press," a tale of the Civil War and the work of the express company to keep gold flowing to Uncle Sam in the east. Marlon' Jackson is the writer of the story .and continuity. Harry J. Brown Will direct Maynard has returned from hla vlisit east. BROOKS TRIO SINGING BANJOISTS ;. Now with FANCHON and MARCO'S "UP IN THE AIR" IDEA VINCE SILK 3d VEAR WITH WKST COAST . . Openlnir the New Golden Gate Theatre Thnnkfi to Fanchon and Marc<H Harry: SuKermsn and Iiynn Toot iSENSATIONAL DANCERS Four Covans Featured with ' FANCnON and MARCO'S "HI-YALLER IDEA" AGAIN PROVES EXCEPTIONAL AHRACTION OPENED HIS SEASON AT Marks Bros. Granada, CHICAGO TO A S. R. O. SENSATION 7 ^^^^^^^ Then a Few Open Dates Before Production JACK WALL, HARRY WEBER OFFICE, PALACE THEATRE BLD., NEW YORK AGENTS