International projectionist (Jan-Dec 1939)

fOKTIONfSl With Which is Combined PROJECTION ENGINEERING Edited by James J. Finn Volume 14 JANUARY 1939 Number 1 Index and Monthly Chat .... 5 Receiver Sale Premature — Zenith Prexy 16 Matching Various Units of E. F. McDonald, Jr. Theatre Public Address Systems 7 Academy Report on Television Progress 17 Aaron Nadell Compensation Laws Sizzle Craft 10 Television and the Future of the Motion Picture Theatre .... 18 Merle Chamberlin James J. Finn Letters to the Editor 11 Technical Data on New RCA 20 Fourth Subscription Contest Diagram; Few Winners on a New RCA Units Graphically Shown . 21 Simple Circuit 12 News Notes The Road Ahead for Television 13 Technical Hints I. J. Kaar Miscellaneous Items Published Monthly by JAMES J. FINN PUBLISHING CORPORATION 580 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK, N. Y. Circulation Manager, Ruth Entracht Subscription Representatives Australia: McGills, 183 Elizabeth St., Melbourne New Zealand: Te Aro Book Depot, Ltd., 64 Courtenay Place Wellington England and Dominions : Wm. Dawson & Sons, Ltd., Pilgrim St., London, E. C. 4. Yearly Subscription: United States and possessions, $2 (two years, $3) ; Canada and foreign countries, $2.50. Single copies, 25 cents. Changes of address should be submitted two weeks in advance of publication date to insure receipt of current issue. Entered as second-class matter February 8, 1932, at the Post Office at New York, N. Y. under the act of March 3, 1879. Contents copyrighted 1939 by James J. Finn Publishing Corp. International Projectionist is not responsible for personal opinions appearing in signed articles in its columns. Monthly Chat ROAMING through the far reaches of upper N. Y. State, Canada and the Middle West during the past month we visited with and addressed 16 I. A. Local Unions. The chief topic? Television, of course. Too much about the technical aspects of this art neither we nor our hosts knew or know, but we were surprised at the pessimism evidenced anent the effect of television upon the future of the motion picture theatre. Nobody with whom we spoke doubted that theatres would be slaughtered by the advent of television; the question unvaryingly posed was "How soon?" Fortunately or otherwise, depending upon one's viewpoint, we had prepared a little talk on this very topic; and strangely enough, after we had given this speil the boys felt a little better. This parcel of gab, together with other assorted data anent television, is published elsewhere herein. See how you feel after digesting it — not forgetting, of course, that the opinions of I. P.'s editor are those of one who is also trying to find his way out of the darkness into the light. We have always held that 99% of I. P. readers cared little about studio projection procedure. Publication of Merle Chamberlin's article last month gave us a severe shock and forced us to admit we were wrong — to just about the extent of the aforementioned percentage. This being so, we have planned another little foray into the studios, the results of which will be available shortly. Don't run, Merle. INCIDENTALLY, the craft is running a fever induced by that decision of the Oklahoma State Supreme Court (I. P. last month) upsetting a compensation award to a projectionist badly burned in a theatre fire and classifying projection work as a "nonhazardous" occupation. Mr. Chamberlin suggests that I. P. "take up the cudgels" in behalf of the craft in this situation. Our opinion that this is properly a job for the state or district legislative bodies doesn't mean that we shan't see what can be done about this. Where, oh where are those projectionist technical organizations (A.P.S. and P.A.C.) now? • • • On a recent Sunday night within a four-hour period there were only 24 ranking Hollywood film players on the three major radio networks. Without picture contracts these "players" (and are some of them terrible ! ) couldn't even get into a broadcasting studio. Not forgetting the studio audiences at these gay little parties — while theatre cashier's hands are freezing through inactivity. JANUARY 19 39