Variety (Jul 1930)

28 VARIETY P I € T II R E S Wednesday', July 9, 1930 Question of Arbitration and Zoning Problem May Slow Up Ratification of 5-5-5 Contract If zoning argument can be clear- ed, there Is the eventuality that the film Industry may be working under a new form contract within the next tortnlght. The 5-5-5 confab after a three-day session in Atlantic City had smoothed everything but that point. It was left open for future discussion. While figuratively zoning is just an argument taken on the true and literal, there's an aroma of plenty politics. The big whiff coming from the way of the Allied States (indie), but with an edge on the distrlbs and the Hays outfit, too. Sizes up like a question of home rule. Back of the entire matter is spiked two setups, one of which would spot the zoning stuff under supervision, in theory if not in fact, of the Hays organization through the film boards of trade. The other, as handed out by Allied, would mean a central zoning, committee .with 1C OSTU ME a FRODOCTIONS BXPLOITATIONS PRESENTATIONS -"coaxuAAca — more or less permanent powers and jobs. Jobs mean salaries. That's, something to consider for bctl» the exhlb and the distrib be- fuvt any uniform contract can be ratfT.ed. Confab agreed for a 120- day maximum protection berth on picture availability. Meaning of course, 90 and 30. If the home rule zoning arguments stand, the pro- tection is set up to run a maxi- mum of about 175 days or six months. On the surface and taking this latter item sepa,rately looks not so tough. But on the In from an exhlb outlook that 120. days clause means protection as well as availability it means argument. Technically the 120 days ■♦leans the area of time in which a first run may avail himself to set a pic- ture playdate. He can do this up the 120th day. Under 'the Hays zoning plan the distribution of pic- tures running to 175 days will really make the availability so far as the small-time exhlb goes to 295 days maximum. He must add the days allowed in the zoning plan for dis- tribution as well as the 120 days of grace still open under the contract. Taking it down the line the com- have not a strong representation (Continued on page 56) Making Bigger and Better Laughs HEADING McDermott's Publix Unit "SPORTLAND" PARAMOUNT NEW YORK NOW Booked by NAT KALCHEIM Win. Morris Agency And How! Public campaign against daylight saving has started. First exploitation is a 24-sheet appealing to Coast vanity. Sign reads: "In advocating daylight sav- ing, California tells the world that she has not enough of that glorious sunshine which she is continually advertising." Milwaukee, July 8. The zoning committee called by C. Pettijohn to work out some protecting , scheme . for Milwaukee and vicinity, has been - I}plding meeting after meeting, but they are as ifar from a solution as ever. $15,000 STAGE SHOW WHEN IN OPPOSITION Cut scale' talk having spread, cir-^ cults are having trouble spot- 1 n g ambitious managers feel- ing the downward trek in prices. Fox recently had to alter a cut or- dered by an executive in Washing- ton. Latest orders from Publlx say that David. Chatkln must b.e con- sulted before a cut Is made. In two or three spots, Loew's Is advertising big on lowered rates already. Only advertising on ,the kid angle In a big way so, far Is from Publix. It's In Chicago where B. & K; has thrown out a big ad calling specially on school kids. An idea of how much Paramount is spending in Brooklyn where Fox, Loew's and..R-K-0 offer competi- tion, is given the current week Buddy Rogers Is making a personal appearance at $6,500 per; Rudy Val lee and his band, on contract, calls for $4,300 per; the stage show runs to $3,500; which gl\es a stage,show overhead alone of ^bout $15,000 or maybe more. ONING OF mWAUKEE CANT GET STAkTED 21 Minn. Indie Houses Going Open Shop This Wk.-^Lockiiig Out Unions Minneapolis, July 8. The battle is on between local independent theatre owners ..and. union operators. The 21 largest indie houses here are scheduled to go open shop this week when non- union operators will be placed In the booths. Flat refusal on the union's part to withdraw one of the two oper- ators required in the booths under a contract signed last September has precipitated the clash. Vain conferences were held between the opposlcv forces in an effort to reach a compromise last week. Operators were willing to accept a 15% reduction in wages providing two men would be kept in the booths. The theatre owners came back with a proposal to retain the two men if the unions would accept a 50% slash in stipends. "We'd be willing to pay the union scale and keep the two men, but business' conditions are such that we can't afford to do this," said Henry P. Greene of the theatre owners. "We can get along nicely with one man in the booth." • Union scale is $45 for four hours' work seven nights a week and a Sunday matinee. Overtime is double. One man can do the work easily, according to the theatre" owners. Contract Expires Sept. 1 ' It is Mr. Bergiund's further con- Milwaukee Police Want To Catch Bomb-Throwers tentlon that the co^itract between the theatres and operators does not expire untU ,S«pjt.. J,. 1930. This agreement relative to the two op«r. atofs .was ' silent'.and", was forced upon the theatres, ; according to Greene. With business declining through, out the territory, indepehdent the- atres outside of Minneapolis also are finding their financial burdens too heavy, according to officials of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners* of the Northwest. Owners of these houses in Minnesota and North and South Dakota are preparing to fol-' low the lead of the local owners and dispense with the services of one of their two booth operators, It was announced. National union officials were here' to try to avoid what one side called, a. lockout and the other a strike. A. total, o^ 46 operators are affected.. Publix aiid R-K-O. houses are not taking any part in the fight and will continue to operate .as in the past, ... STAGE SHOWS FOR 2 WKS. AT WB'S HOUSES Hollywood, July 8. Around $55,000 will be spent by Warners remodeling the stage of their downtown theatre. House will play new stage unit every two weeks. Units may go to other coast houses after local showing but. If so will be shaved from' pretentious scale for Hollywood and Downtown. Previous report of going to Fres- no and Santa Barbara incorrect. First stage unit costing around $8,000^ jumped the Hollywood to ar'ound $17,000. Milwaukee, July 8. That the local police are deter- mined to put an end to the bombing of theatres is evidenced by the fact that Chief Laubenhelmer has or- dered all off days cancelled for the detective bureau until the guilty ones are brought to headquarters. The activity on the part of the police resulted from a conference between G. C. Kalkhoff, business manager of the Motion Picture Ope- rators Union and the police. The union is appropriating a sum of money for an investigation of Its own. The Studio, neighborhood house, was the third theatre bombed in a month. District Attorney Bowman will ask for the maximum sentence for the bomb throwers when appre- hended. Stole to Pay BiUs San Francisco, July 8. Surrendering here, Manny Castle, accused of stealing $1,144 from the National Theatre, picture house, in Marysville, was lodged in jail in that town last week. Castle still had $700 in his pos- session. He explained that the balance was used to pay overdue bills. 2 New Hoases on Top of Latest Census for Hanunond Hammond, Ind., July 8. When the census figures came out last month, sh.^wing the surprising growth of the burg, R. Levine and L. C. Hess Immediately drew plans for the erection of two theatres on the main stem, at Calumet and Carroll avenues. With the new Paramount, they will give this 75,000-population town 10 houses. GEORGE And Hl8 Famous TONCH ud JObT' Featured In F. A M. 'Gyp, Oyp. Oypsy' Idea HIRSCH—ARNOLD DANCERS Featured in F. & M. "Brunette" Idea School Address, 545 Sutter St., San Francisco FANCHON & MARCO PRESENT JONES and HIM "TWO NUTS" In "BOX O' CANDY" IDEA BERNARDO DE PACE A Riot with "TOP O* THE WORLD" Unit Now at Tivoli Theatre, CUcago, ffi. Direction WM. MORRIS OFFICE SIS and BUDDY ROBERTS in ''ON WITH THE DANCE" with LOUIS McDERMOTT'S "SPORTLAND" Unit Now at PARAMOUNT, New York Direction JERRY CARGILL