Boxoffice-December.25.1948

Labor Delegates Ask
Repeal of Tax Law
HARRISBURG— Six hundred delegates to
the Penhsylvania Federation of Labor conference
voted almost unanimously for repeal
of the 1947 local "tax anything" law. The
much abused law permits municipalities and
school boards to tax anything not taxed by
the state of Pennsylvania.
A state tax on fuel oil and natural gas was
proposed by the United Mine Workers as a
substitute for the "tax anything" law.
Opponents of daylight saving time in
Pennsylvania will fight a determined battle
in the 1949 general assembly to wipe out fast
time.
New Castle, Pa., has joined 78 towns levying
a wage tax. To offset the proposed tax of 1
per cent on income at Altoona, Pa., Logan
township, Martinsburg. Bellwood, Antis
township and other political subdivisions near
Altoona, will enact their own wage tax. Export,
Pa., on January 10 will determine
whether a wage and salary tax will be enacted.
Butler, Pa., operating with a special
license tax, now is faced with a business
privilege tax.
More than 100 political subdivisions have
enacted local admission taxes.
Governor Duff is opposed to a state sales
tax. He has proposed another 2 cents a gallon
tax on gasoline which would bring the
state tax on it to 6 cents a gallon.
The general assembly convenes here within
two weeks, and from all indications the 1949
session will be one of the most bitter and
hard-fought in the history of the commonwealth.
Mark Goldman Appointed
As Monogram Salesman
CLEVELAND—Nate Schultz, Monogram
franchise owner for northern Ohio, has
named Mark Goldman as salesman to handle
circuits. Prior to joining Monogram, Goldman
was local Eagle Lion manager.
Appointment of Goldman to the newly
created post is another milestone in Schultz's
expansion program. Starting out about 25
years ago as a shipper for Harry Lande's independent
exchange, he advanced to where
he finally operated his own exchange. He
gradually absorbed practically all of the
other small independent exchanges here and
wound up as owner of the Monogram franchise.
In addition to his exchange operations,
Schultz is head of a circuit of seven theatres
in Cleveland, Lorain, Lima and Marion. Goldman
will relieve him of much of the sales
burden which, until now, he has carried with
the help of only one salesman.
Exhibitors Hold Keys in New EL Drive
EL PRESENTS KEY—.Maurice White of the White-Libson circuit in Cincinnati,
fourth from left, is shown above receiving a key from Manager Harris Dudelson of
EL to open the container holding the number wliich will entitle some exhibitor to
a two-week trip to the west coast, all expenses paid, as part of the current Jack
Schlaifer testimonial drive. Others pictured, left to right: Jack Desmond, office manager;
Ralph Morley, salesman; Marty Warshauer, salesman; Maurice White; Dave
Litto, salesman; Sterling Wilson, salesman; Dick Breslin, booker, and Harris Dudelson.
Eagle Lion film exchanges in Cleveland
and Cincinnati recently opened the Jack
Schlaifer Sales drive in their respective territories
by urging exhibitors to participate
in the drive, purported to be the first such
occasion in which the exhibitor is invited to
share the prizes.
In both cities the EL exchanges formally
presented keys to exhibitor representatives for
Cc(i«af'3»l« Waaaaer
Jack Essick of Essick & Reif circuit is
shown here receiving the key to the
Jack Schlaifer film case from Robert
Richardson, Cleveland EL manager.
a large, locked film case in which numbered
coupons are placed. Cleveland Manager Robert
Richardson, on presenting the key to the
case in that exchange to Jack Essick of the
Essick & Reif circuit, explained that in each
film case sent out of an EL exchange a
numbered coupon would be placed.
Stubs with corresponding numbers go into
the film cases in the exchanges. Then on
June 3, in the presence of three exhibitors
and the usual company officials, the winning
numbers of each of the 31 EL exchanges will
be tossed into a hopper in the home office
from which the grand prize will be drawn.
Richardson urged exhibitors to keep the
coupons from the film cases sent to them
and, in a letter to exhibitors in his territory,
explained that every exhibitor had an
equal opportunity to win the grand prize,
a two-week all expenses paid vacation trip
for two to either New York or Hollywood as
guests of Eagle Lion.
In the letter Richardson pointed out that
inasmuch as a numbered coupon was sent out
with each shipment, it was obvious that the
exhibitor with the most numbers had the
best chance of winning the grand prize.
Mrs. Mary Laskey Buried;
Wife of Pa. Exhibitor
CLARKSBURG, W. VA.—Mis. Mary Kaites
Laskey, 28. wife of George Laskey, Uniontown,
Pa., exhibitor, died recently following
a short illness. She was a sister-in-law of
Ted and John Laskey, indoor and outdoor
theatre owners of the Uniontown-BrownsvDle
area. Surviving in addition to her husband
George, as her parents, brothers Jolm and
Peter and sister Jean of Clarksburg. Mrs.
Laskey was a member of the Greek Orthodox
church where services were held Sunday (19).
To Design New Playhouse
PITTSBURGH—Jo Mielziner, theatre designer,
has been contracted to contribute
plans for the new million dollar theatre
which the Playhouse will build in the Oakland
district. Chairman of the architect's
committee of the American National Theatre
& Academy. Mielziner will collaborate with
Charles N. and Edward Stotz, architect and
engineer. He will assist in the design of interior
plans, decorations, color schemes, etc.
Marty Shearn New Pilot
Of Warner Fairmount
FAIRMONT, W. VA.—Marty Shearn has
replaced Arthur Pearce as manager of Warner's
Fairmont. Pearce is taking a leave of
absence because of ill health and probably
will be with the New York circuit office on
his return. Shearn has been with the circuit
for 19 years, the last ten at Tarenton, Pa.
Formerly he managed one of the Warner
houses in East Liberty.
BOXOFFICE December 25, 1946 ME 67