International projectionist (Jan 1963-June 1965)

Harry Rubin The film industry calls him a "perfectionist." and Harrj Rubin richlv deserves that title as a projectionist and as a man. This correspondent i we're old friendsi just reeentlv had a talk with llarrv in his office at the New York Paramount Theatre, where he has spent II years with the Paramount theatre chain as a supervisor of projection and sound. Now he supervises projection for the \B-Paramount Theatres. Han\ Rubin pioneered man) ol the industry's most helpful projection devices, because ol hi> creative talent. B\ hi showmanship as a projectionist, Rubin surrounded the ACOUSTIC COMPENSATOR— The Century theatre acoustic compensator is said to be an entirely new and unique device to provide the motion picture theatre with a fast and accurate means of adjusting the frequency characteristics of multiple channel the atre sound systems for the best possible sound reproduction for any and all films. The compensator is engineered and designed as a fully contained, compact unit which has no insertion loss nor does it require changes in system gain or amplification. It was discussed in a news story in the November issue of IP. It can be added to practically any multi-channel sound system. The photo shows the Century acoustic compensator installed in the Junction Box of a Century 6/4/1 channel sound svstem Film Industry Calls Harry Rubin A "Perfectionist" — Both as A Projectionist and As A Man screen with rich effects and novelties. He did this with special pattern slides and floodlights. Harry's flare for showmanship induced him to blow-up portions of the film, when there was a spectacular sequence. His timing had to be right on the button and the screen masking too. to fill the proscenium area. Manufacturers of new projection devices would turn to Harry to test their equipment. \nd when il was passed b\ Rubin the) knew that their new equipment was okay. In I'M 7. Rubin was supers isor of projection at the Rialto and Rivoli theatres, when the late R<>\\ was managing director, lie began dev isIng effects and no\elties. and his outstanding contributions to the projection of pictures attracted the attention of Sidnev Kent, then the high executive of Paramount Pictures. In that same year, Paramount was buying theatres and building new theatres to expand their theatre chain. And Paramount signed Harrv as the supervisor of projection. Rubins first assignment was to supervise projection of the two-a-day engagement of "The Covered Wagon." Paramount sent Harry to St. Augustine, r la., to handle the technical details of a special showing of "The Covered Wagon" for President Warren G. Harding. Rubin went on the road to plan projection rooms for new theatres and inspect the older theatres' projection booths. With the formation in 1925 of Paramount-Publix. Rubin was appointed director of projection and toured the country. ParamountPublix eventually had upward of 2.000 theatres, so Rubin was busy keeping an eye on the equipment and the personnel. When the New York Paramount Theatre was built. Harry planned the projection room. And when it opened, Harry had three projectors, instead of two: one floodlight: one lantern slide and one effects machine and two spotlights. When in 1927. the Paramount Theatre was installed with a sound system, the cautious Rubin insisted on an emergency amplification system with a switch for turning to the other svstem if regular system breaks down. And that was the birth of an emergency amplification system. Harry reasoned that if a single system goes amiss, he'd better have an emergency system for safety. Rut Rubin is not so cautious to try am thing new. His habit was to test anything new at all hours of the night. The equipment manufacturers appreciated Harry's testing to get the bugs out of their new equipment. \nil the new development, whatever it was, llarrv wouldn't show the movie patrons unless it was smooth and an advance in projection and sound. i Concluded in the !\ exl Issue ) Probably the largest installation of carbon arc lighting equipment in any theatre is that of the 5,000-seat Crown Theatre in Chicago's huge exposition building, McCormick Place. It includes three Trouper follow spotlights (one illustrated), eight powerful Super Trouper follow spotlights, 3 of the worlds' largest slide projectors to provide 50,000 X on the theatre's 40' x 80' screen, and two carbon arc motion picture projection lamps. Literature on this type of equipment will be sent to any reader addressing the Strong Electric Corp. 31 City Park Ave., Toledo 1, Ohio. 1 International Projectionist January, 1964 11