Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Mar 1954)

Terr^ Ramid^e • • HOT STATIC IN COLOR TV THERE'S fur and feathers in the air over "compatible" color television. It is fun to have glimpses of it in the paid public utterances, and to observe some of it from other points of vantage. It is the big technological whodunit of the period. There are fighting words in it. And how we all like a "clem," especially in such a big arena. To the corners: Friday, December 18 — Full page advertisements in New York's big papers proclaimed in studhorse headline: "RCA Wins Fight for Compatible Color Television; FCC Decision Benefits Public and Television Industry — RCA-NBC Pioneer a New Era in Television. . . ." RCA's advertising, of course. Wednesday, December 23 — Full page advertisement, signed by Philco Corporation of Philadelphia, proclaimed in belligerent type: "Facts the American People Should Know About Color Television" and discussion of its standards as approved by the FCC. "They are not the work of any one company." And thence on to a quote from the FCC, "a tribute to the skill and ingenuity of the electronics industry." There are some interesting details, of varying degrees of significance. It was clear enough the Radio Corporation of America was taking over with an advertising bow the credit for compatible color television. There was a casual phrase: "RCA has furnished competing manufacturers with circuit diagrams and technical information which enable them to manufacture color receivers and tri-color tubes. . . ." That's for the anti-trust sensitivity. There is further a probable notion that the farther and faster the color development comes the better for RCA and its marketing in its position of aggressive dominance. The initial break of proclamation was inevitably in the nature of a flourish of personal triumph for David Sarnoff, indefatigable for years in his persistent and lavish support of the RCA research and policies. For several years the pressures and suggestions of that program have been manifest to interior observers at every convention, or event which RCA could reach directly or indirectly. Many a speaker was planted, many others were briefed. The RCA splash page was decorated with a modestly sized picture of Mr. Sarnoff, top left. Uniquely, and curiously, for the first time in official copy, and on this august occasion he was named and signed just David Sarnoff, with no inclusion of that Brigadier General title, with which he has seemed so pleased. This contributed to the dignity of the document: The Philco advertisement recorded: "Here are the names of some of the organizations whose combined knowledge and strength are responsible for the system that won final F.C.C. approval." The listing, running to some forty-odd names, alphabetically from Admiral to Zenith, named such as Dupont, Dumont, Eastman Kodak, General Electric, General Analine, Technicolor and Westinghouse. In that listing Ph ilco came in thirtieth position and RCA thirty-third. Phil co was emphatic that the standards now approved were those recommended by the National Television Systems Committee in July. "You will understand that much work still remains to be done, and color receivers will not be available in quantity for a long time. In the face of the popular figures of a fourteen-inch "picture size" Philco says: "At present the industry has developed only small screen color tubes with approximately I M/2-inch viewing screens, giving only 89 square inches of picture. . . . Contrast this with today's 2 I -inch black and white set with an approximate 250 square inch picture. . . ." There are said to be about 85 competing set makers and 70 tube makers in operation today. From RCA's figures one gathers that the corporation spent fifty million dollars delivering television, and now on top that twenty-five millions more in pursuit of color. No doubt they intend to get it back. STILL WORKING — Amid the racing developments of the day and sitting at the center of the maelstrom of change, we can easily forget what a backlog treasure of entertainment reposes in films still in inventory. In mid-August "Lives of a Bengal Lancer" — and a very good picture, too — played the Odeon in Cardiff, Wales. It was promoted with a street parade and with local acclaim and all the success of a new production. Way back yonder in the "program" days before radio, fan press, television and such, we rated pictures first run, regardless of age, until they had played the town. Fox to . f it! Theatres an CinemaScope Mobilization of division and branch managers, salesmen, field exploitation representatives and home office executives in a program designed to aid exhibitors in the proper presentation of CinemaScope pictures has been announced by 20th Century-Fox. Executives and representatives of the company will make periodic theatre visits to see CinemaScope shows, and confer with managers on ways and means of maintaining at highest quality level performances of films lensed in the new medium. Information regarding latest scientific developments regarding CinemaScope, screens, stereophonic sound, and suggestions for better programming will be discussed at these meetings. Among the technical subjects to be stressed will be proper illimination of the theatre auditoriums in connection with the vaster screen and greater amount of light being reflected via CinemaScope; proper presentation of CinemaScope to new audiences via the company’s progress reports and special introductory messages ; also the maintenance of natural sound levels to present four-track magnetic stereophonic sound at its best, the company said. Maryland Lifts Ban on "The Captain's Paradise" United Artists’ “The Captain’s Paradise” has been licensed by the Maryland State Board of Censors, which on November 23 had refused the approval seal. The board based its reversal on Baltimore City Court Judge Herman M. Moser’s ruling on the board’s ban of “The Moon is Blue.” The Judge said the censors were “arbitrary and capricious.” The censors said continuance of the ban on the first named picture would probably find the case in court. "Captain" Gets Seal HOLLYWOOD: A Production Code seal has been issued to “The Captain’s Paradise,” London Films’ production, distributed in the U. S. by United Artists, following revisions in the film suggested bv the Production Code Administration. Monogram International Also Changes Name Effective January 2, Monogram International Corporation was to begin functioning under its new name of Allied Artists International Corporation, Norton V. Ritchey, president of the Allied Artists foreign subsidiary, announced. “It is appropriate,” Mr. Ritchey said, “that this change be made at the start of a New Year — a time of fresh endeavors and new beginnings ; a time also when Allied Artists is forging ahead as never before, filming in all media with streets on bigger properties, bigger stars and bigger box office.” 22 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JANUARY 2, 1954