Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1947)

B&K to Build Theatre of Tomorrow' In Toledo at Cost of Two Million From Mideast Edition TOLEDO — A downtown theatre costing more than $2,000,000 will be built for Balaban & Katz of Chicago, whose lease on the 3,600-seat Paramount here will expire in June 1948. The new house, to seat 2,500, will be built at Jackson and Superior streets, and will be ready for occupancy by that time, said John Balaban, secretary-treasurer of the circuit, who recently concluded negotiations for purchase of the property. B&K also operate the Princess, downtown holdover house. Terming the new house the Theatre of Tomorrow, Balaban said it would be “the most modern in the world,” devoted exclusively to motion pictures and television. The property has a frontage of 200 feet on Superior street and 128 feet on Jackson street. Marvin Harris, manager of the Paramount, said the new site was selected because of the proximity of parking space and public transportation. BUILDING COSTS $1,500,000 The theatre will consist of main floor, balcony and loges and the building alone will cost more than $1,500,000. Provision will be made for two stores on the ground floor on Superior street, but that will be the only commercial development outside of the theatre itself. Equipment and appointments of the new house will include all of the advances and developments made by the B&K planning board during the war years when theatre building was impossible, Balaban said. Among developments to be utilized are those of the firm’s Chicago television station, WBKB. Balaban said large screen television for theatres soon will become practical and the new Toledo house will be so equipped that important news and sports events can be telecast. The new house will be of modern, functional design and glass plastics, and “dramatic” lighting will be utilized extensively. The conventional marquee will be replaced by "Playing the market or reading the Selling Seats section in BOXOFFICE?" a news sign which spells out running messages on the current picture and its stars. The entrance design calls for an all-glass front and Tuflex glass doors opening the lobby to the sight of those passing. Concealed lighting effects developed in the General Electric Co.’s Nela Park laboratories in Cleveland will highlight the appointments. Wartime electronic discoveries, Balaban said, have resulted in new sound projection devices and acoustical treatment, which will be used for the first time when they are incorporated in the Toledo house. The seats will have 36 inches from the back of one seat to the seat behind it, and pushback chairs, upholstered in air-foam rubber with plastic coverings, will be installed. AIR TO BE STERILIZED All air entering the theatre will be sterilized by germicidal lamps and cleansed by air conditioning methods controlling temperature and humidity. Germicidal lamps also will be installed in the restrooms. Among unusual service facilities planned is a playroom for youngsters, equipped with slides, toys and games and attended by a qualified nurse. Exhibit halls are under consideration where amateur photographers and painters can show their work. Balaban said that this is the first opportunity the company has had to execute the new ideas of its planning board. “We have been in Toledo for 20 years and Toledo has been good to us,” he said. He announced that the Princess Theatre will be practically rebuilt. Several months ago Carl Schwyn Associates, Bowling Green, Ohio, which operates several theatres in northwestern Ohio, including the 1,900-seat State, de luxe neighborhood house in Toledo, took a long lease on the present Paramount Bldg. W/A/A//PE G ■pile Oscar-winning “The Best Years of Our Lives” opened at the Garrick April 19. The picture is being shown on a continuous run policy. Prices were hiked considerably over the customary scale . . . The Winnipeg Ballet club has won international fame through two invitations which recently have been extended to the organization. It has been requested to visit Copenhagen to dance in an international dance festival which UNESCO is sponsoring, and has also been invited to dance in London. The Winnipeg Film club, organized last fall for showing of 16mm films to membership only, has completed a successful year. More than 450 attended the club’s Sunday showings which are held in the auditorium once every three weeks. Picked as the best foreign film of 1946, “Open City” will play Mesho Triller’s Dominion for one week commencing April 22. The picture is being presented here by Leo Clavir’s Artkino Pictures on a reserved-seat basis with one matinee and one evening performance daily. Price range will be 40 and 60 cents for matinees, and 50, 60 and 90 cents in the evening. Inaugurating in great style Famous Players’ new twin rurr policy, “The Jolson Story” has been doing outstanding business at both the Met and Uptown, where it is playing simultaneously. The picture went into a second big week at both houses. JOHN BALABAN CALGARY J^oadways dry here quickly with the advent of warm winds, and film salesmen, tied up by snow and floods for months, have now deserted Filmrow. The improved condition of highways also is bringing relief to the small town exhibitor, many of whom depend on the surrounding farming community. Return to normal business for the theatres has started and hopes are high that good times will continue well into summertime. Few visitors were noticed along Filmrow last week. Mr. Huchack, owner of the Roxy in Rocky Mountain House, was busy booking. He said snowbound roads were just clearing and that during the past month business was very poor . . . A. J. Purlot, former owner of the Valley in Peace River, also was booking. He was doing the chore for the new owners, W. Todor and A. Polukoshko. John Booth, who handles Astral Films, reports considerable local interest in “Exercise Muskox,” the National Film board picture on Canada’s northland expedition. Many of the crew members are residents of Alberta or well known here. Reports come from Edmonton that “Gallant Bess” and “Blue Skies” topped business done by those pictures in Calgary. These two hit a stormy, cold week when they played here a month ago. Theatre business has greatly recovered in the capital city in the last few weeks. Business in Eight Lines Slumped in February From Central Edition ST. LOUIS — Business in eight types of retail establishments here showed declines during February, ranging from 2 to 24 per cent below February 1946. The local office of the U.S. Department of Commerce reported there was an over-all increase of 10 per cent in dollar sales during the month, the increases being in sales of automobiles, building materials, food and in department stores. Heavy declines were recorded in sales by shoe stores, auto accessories, tire and battery dealers, jewelry stores, clothing stores, taverns and liquor stores. In the state, liquor stores reported a decline of 22 per cent. Motion picture theatres in the state reported declines of from 12 to 21 per cent in their gross business. Only a few exceptional pictures have been able to beat the business for the comparative period in January, February and March last year, a survey of the industry indicates. Order Parking Facilities For Any Future Projects From Mideast Edition TOLEDO — The city plan commission has ordered an amendment to the Toledo zoning code, to require future building projects, including theatres, to provide adequate offstreet facilities for parking of automobiles. The amendment would force owners of all structures erected within the city to incorporate parking facilities in their building or lot-layout plans. Robert Konwin, assistant city law director, told the planning commissioners he believes the courts would uphold the proposed legislation if its terms were reasonable, although no Ohio city has yet adopted such reforms. Parking requirements in the measure would be geared to the nature of the commercial undertaking, it was explained. 114 BOXOFFICE :: April 19, 1947