Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Mar 1954)

Ampex Offers 3-Channel San ml l nit The Ampex Corporation of Redwood, Calif., has developed a new three-channel stereophonic sound system, for theatres up to 1,500 seats, to sell complete for $3,995, with installation costs the only additional charges to be met by exhibitors. This was announced in New York Monday by Spyros Skouras, Jr., sales manager of the Circuit Construction Corporation, which will distribute the system. At a press conference, Mr. Skouras said the system was “unique” in its safety factors. It is so arranged that should there be a failure in any one or two of the three stage speakers or three power amplifiers during a performance, the channels will be mixed into the remaining speaker or speakers. Thus, he said, there is no reason for the performance to be interrupted during the course of the showing. Besides the Master Series, which Ampex calls its new system, the company also puts out two higher priced sound systems, the Deluxe Series and Super Series. Mr. Skouras said first deliveries on current orders on the Master Series will be made January 15, while full deliveries are promised on or after February 1. He also said that approximately 40 theatres of the Skouras circuit will be equipped with the Ampex system by January 15 and that approximately 100 other theatres around the country have ordered the Ampex systems. Ross Snyder, Ampex engineer, who sat in on the press conference with Mr. Skouras, said that the design of the Master Series had been engineered with the purpose of simplifying as many complicated electronic parts as possible and to derive greater efficiency from the component parts of the system. Zukor Inducts 42 Into Paramount 25-Year Club Forty-two employees of the Paramount home office newsreel, laboratories and field staffs who this year completed 25 years with the company, last week were inducted in New York into the firm’s 25-Year Club by board chairman and company founder Adolph Zukor, who has spent 50 years in the industry. The new members received citations and gold watches and heard a speech by president of the company Barney Balaban. "Rob Roy" to Open Feb. 4 Walt Disney’s all-live action motion picture, “Rob Roy, The Highland Rogue,” will have its premiere at the Criterion theatre, New York, February 4, it was announced by Charles Boasberg, general sales manager of RKO Radio Pictures. FOR HIGHER GROSSES . . . POLAROID’S-PERFECTED 3-D Experience proves PATRONS WANT 3-D when they are assured COMFORTABLE [ VIEWING. ® Patrons find 3-D a highly satisfying experience when they are furnished with top-quality viewers. Comfortable Polaroid optical-quality viewers both standard and clip-on type (for patrons who wear corrective glasses) are your answer to patron acceptance of 3-D motion pictures. • GENUINE OPTICAL-QUALITY POLAROID VIEWERS • POLAROID “SYNC” KIT FOR PERFECT SHOWINGS (AT NO EXTRA COST) At Your RCA THEATRE SUPPLY DEALER'S THEATRE EQUIPMENT RADIO CORPORATION of AMERICA ENGINEERING PRODUCTS DEPARTMENT. CAMDEN. N.J. In Canada: RCA VICTOR Company Limited, Montreal Communion Breakfast •Manna rtf 31 Plans for the motion picture industry’s Fourth Annual Communion Breakfast were launched this week at a meeting of the committee of sponsors held in the Paramount board room Tuesday afternoon. The Breakfast, to be held January 31 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel following Mass and Communion at 9 A. M. at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, is for Catholic members of the industry and their families. Starting four years ago in New York, the movement for annual Communion Breakfasts for Catholics in the industry has spread to other cities. Last year similar affairs were held in Los Angeles and New Orleans, as well as in several Canadian cities. Tickets for the affair will be distributed starting next week in all the home offices by the various members of the sponsoring committee. List Committee Members Members of the committee are : Frank J. Alford, MPEA; John W. Alicoate, “Film Daily” ; William E. Barry, Shea Enterprises ; Marguerite Bourdette, Paramount ; Frank Bryan, Skouras Theatres; Frank E. Cahill, Jr., Warner; Francis X. Carroll, 20th Century-Fox ; Patrick Casey, Casey Enterprises; John Confort, Jr., Confort and Company; Robert W. Coyne, COMPO; Thomas Crehan, RKO Theatres ; William Cronin, Comerford Theatres ; John Dervin, Allied Artists ; Edward C. Dowden, Loew’s ; Albert A. Duryea, Pathe Laboratories; Joseph Eagan, Fabian Theatres. James M. Franey, United World Films; Joseph M. Geoghan, Century Theatres ; Edmund C. Grainger, RKO Theatres; James R. Grainger, RKO Radio Pictures ; Agnes Mengel Grew, Paramount Pictures; William J. Heineman. United Artists ; Walter F. J. Higgins, Associated Prudential Theatres; John Hughes, United Artists; James David Ivers, Quigley Publishing Company; James J. Jordan, Universal Pictures; John Kane, Columbia Pictures; Frank J. Kiernan, Stanley Warner; Austin C. Keough, Paramount. Fred Leo, American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres; Mrs. James Looram, International Federation Catholic Alumnae ; Fred J. Lynch, Radio City Music Hall ; Thomas J. Martin, Warner; Joseph A. McConville, Columbia Pictures; International; Joseph McMahon, Republic ; William J. McShea, RKO Radio Pictures ; William Moclair, Roxy Theatre ; Paul C. Mooney, Sr., National Screen Service ; Peter J. Mooney, Audio Productions ; James A. Mulvey, Samuel Goldwyn Productions; John F. Murphy, Loew’s; Thomas Murtha, IATSE, Local No. 4. L. Douglas Netter, Jr., Altec Service; Paul D. O’Brien, O’Brien, Driscoll & Raftery ; Robert H. O’Brien, American BroadcastingParamount Theatres; John J. O’Connor, Universal Pictures ; Thomas F. O’Connor, RKO Theatres; Edward K. O’Shea, Paramount; Martin Quigley, Quigley Publishing Company ; Edward C. Raftery, O’Brien, Driscoll & Raftery ; Charles M. Reagan, MGM ; C. J. Scollard, National Screen Service ; Edwin J. Smith, Jr., RKO Radio Pictures; Nick Tronolone, 1775 Broadway; Frank C. Walker, Comerford Theatres ; Eugene Walsh, Universal Pictures; Richard F. Walsh, IATSE; William A. White, Skouras Theatres. 28 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JANUARY 2, 1954