Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1961)

BETWEEN THE LINES = By AL STEEN Telemeter L.A. Tests 'Strictly Technical' NEW YORK — Although Telemeter has been given a green light for a six-month test of over-the-air pay television in the Los Angeles area, the company has no intentions of switching from cable TV to the other system, Louis Novins, president of International Telemeter, said here last week. Telemeter will concentrate on the wire system for the time being, he said. Novins, however, told Boxoffice that ultimately the over-the-air method would be an important factor in Telemeter operations. He said the Los Angeles test would be strictly in the realm of technical experimentation as a part of the company’s overall development program and he predicted that the tests would be “rugged.” They will start the first or second week of January. The tests will be conducted in varying types of terrain, Novins said, such as canyons and valleys where reception now is difficult to obtain, as well as in normal areas where television now is received. Basically, he said, the tests wlil be an engineering operation and not one for the telecasting of entertainment programming. Meanwhile, Telemeter’s Canadian operation will start a new phase shortly, Novins said. Programming will be revamped so that subscribers will receive filmed and live shows that never have been offered on free TV. Details will be announced shortly. Elmer Pierson of Vendo Co. Gives $250,000 Gift to KCU KANSAS CITY— A $250,000 gift to the University of Kansas City for the construction of an auditorium was made on Christmas Day by Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Pierson. Pierson, who is chairman of the board of the Vendo Co., is an alumnus of the law school of the university and the new building will be dedicated to the founders of the law school. The multiple -use structure will be named Pierson Hall. A 1,200-seat auditorium, which may be converted into a dining room for 800 or a ballroom for 900 couples, will be the principal facility in the Hall. Portable seating and a soundproof moveable divider will also allow the main room to be divided into two areas. Pierson has been a member of the board of the university since 1955. He began his career with a wholesale grocery company in 1914, established his own realty company in the early 1920s and in the 1930s was one of the founders of the Vendo Co., now the country’s largest manufacturer of vending equipment. Since 1951 he has been chairman of the board of the company. Burtus Bishop Sr. WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.— Burtus Bishop sr„ 81, father of Burtus Bishop jr., MGM’s assistant general sales manager, died here Christmas Day. 65 Years of Newsreels *J*HE newsreel is rounding out its 65th year of existence and, although only three now are operating, their importance reaches beyond the augmentation of theatre programming; they are vital in the dissemination of information about the United States to foreign countries. In fact, it is certain that if there were no privately owned newsreels, the government would be obliged to produce one of its own. To say that newsreels, per se, are 65 years old might be erroneous. But experimentations in the gathering of news on film began about 1895 in France by the Pathe brothers and a few years later some news events were filmed in this country, such as the funeral procession of President William McKinley. Early in the century, Pathe inaugurated a weekly service and by 1910 had moved its service across the Atlantic to the United States from France. Looking ahead, the three newsreel companies— News of the Day, Universal News and Fox Movietone — are planning no radical changes in their formats, if any. They are aware of the competition of television insofar as spot news is concerned and, therefore, their prime concern is to provide filmed news events with the property of longevity; that is, the presentation of the news event, itself, and the aftermath. Or, as Max Klein, editor of News of the Day, describes it: depth reporting. The newsreel, according to Klein, is in the same category with such magazines as Time, Life, Look, Newsweek, etc., which provide news coverage of an event that may be a week or more old, but, at the same time, give it a fresh approach. On the other hand, the newsreels are equipped to service every part of the world with scenes of important events with almost unbelievable speed. Klein said that when the United Airlines jet and the TWA Constellation collided over New York on the morning of Friday, December 16, footage of the disaster was air-shipped to all parts of the world that night and was on the screens on Monday in Europe, Latin America and Australia. In some countries, the showing of a newsreel is mandatory on every program. West Germany, especially, is newsreelconscious and its producers are sticklers for quality. Their reels run 12 to 15 minutes. Red China, too, provides long newsreels, principally propaganda and effective for their purpose. While American newsreels sidestep propaganda and supply straight news, their effectiveness in “selling America” is strongly in evidence. Their importance in the export market is immeasurable. Despite TV news competition, there will always be a place for the theatrical newsreel, according to the best authorities. * Re Twin Bills In a recent issue of Boxoffice, in this column, we 'reported on a discussion between a coi,iple of industryites as to the origin of thr‘‘ double feature programs. One chap claimed they developed as a competitive medium, while the other contended that twin bills resulted from exhibitors over-buying under the blockbooking system. Commenting on the article, Arthur Mayer, industry veteran and an industry historian, informed us that while blockbooking may have accentuated the practice, the idea stemmed entirely from a competitive motive. Mayer said that in the early 1920s he was with the Balaban & Katz circuit which played the highest quality pictures which were not obtainable by the smaller competitive theatres. He noted that those theatres, in order to meet the competition, offered two features instead of one. The policy spread and became an accepted practice. Chester Mayhew of Buffalo writes: “I read with interest your comments regarding the birth of the double feature. I feel I am right when I say that the twin bill originated in Boston about 1924. A heavy snowstorm had closed our neighborhood theatre for one night and the manager had two programs on hand because he couldn’t ship out his prior program. In order to lure people out of their homes and through high snowdrifts, he offered two pictures, one he had already shown and one that somehow made it to the theatre. I believe the Boston Globe or one of the papers commented on it and the tradepapers printed a story about it. I was an usher in the theatre. Maybe that started the idea because soon afterwards theatres all over New England started to show double features.” C. G. Gottschalk of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has this to say, in part: “I operated the Goring Theatre on the south side of Chicago. It’s now a garage. I guess I was a pushover for salesmen and I had contracted for more pictures than I could play. It was a case of pay or play and I played by doubling up. Believe it or not, but I can still remember that first twin bill. It was ‘Queen of Diamonds’ and ‘Ranson’s Folly.’ Don’t remember the distributor. From then on I played two features on a program about twice a month. I do not say I originated double features but I was among the first, I am sure.” (Mr. Gottschalk did not name the year about which he was writing, but both pictures were released in 1926, the former by FBO and the latter by First National.) Nathan Schultz, Cleveland AA President, Dies at 55 CLEVELAND — Funeral services were held December 23 for Nathan Schultz, 55, president of Allied Artists Film Distributing of Cleveland, who died Thursday. Schultz is survived by his wife, Fay; a son, Jay; a daughter, Arlyn, and a brother, Samuel, manager of the Cleveland Allied branch. BOXOFFICE :: January 2, 1961 9