Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1962)

Restrooms Are Kept Immaculate The spacious ladies' restroom in the Cooper Cinerama Theatre, Denver, Colo. sions stand labor costs, without hurting per capita sales. On street level exterior walls, Wometco uses liquid tile paint, which sets so hard that it can be scrubbed down to remove markings or defacing; in areas adjacent to the entrance, tile is used. Above arm level two coats of a top quality exterior paint help reduce maintenance. Maintenance is again the I'eason that the headi'est area on all seats is plastic covered, so they can be washed down to remove stains. Costs in building were also cut when the usher’s room was placed at the entrance of the booth; one men’s room serves both. Because relatively few women are employed, no ladies’ room was built for the female employes. The cashier and candy stand attendants use the regular ladies’ room. PROTECTION FOR CEILING As another labor-saving device, Wometco drops the Anemostats in the auditorium 18 inches below the ceiling, so that dust will not stain the ceiling. In the lobby where they cannot be dropped, a small, circular, clear plastic disk with a flange is placed between the ceiling and the Anemostat, so the plastic can be washed and the ceiling is protected. Seating is comfortable, with sufficient leg room for six-footers. The auditorium has one side railed off, with its own entrance, as a smoking loge. The screen is huge, 60x30 feet. Constructive thinking went also into the outside signs. At the 163rd Street Shopping Center the theatre is at the rear of the parking area, quite a distance removed from the highway. This is why a tremendous, two-sided attraction board, with a directional arrow, made of plastic and anodized aluminum was erected at the center entrance, and why the front of the theatre is dominated by a tremendous word “Theatre” rather than “163rd Street Theatre.” Wometco figured the roadside sign should say what is playing and point to the theatre; the theatre front should identify the theatre building rather than the theatre name. MAY ERECT ROAD SIGN At the Palm Springs, the theatre is close to the road; there, virtually the entire front of the theatre will be a combination theatre identification and attraction sign. But Wometco still reserved in its lease the right to erect a roadside attraction and directional sign, if later felt necessary. The shopping center theatres are principally the work of Herbert Mathes, AIA architect, and Harvey Fleischman, Wometco vice-president. Both developed the planning for President Mitchell Wolf son’s approval, and lived with the project during the construction. Wometco’s executives feel there would be little variance in duplicating its theatre in other parts of the country. Miami labor costs are comparable to the rest of the country. Whatever savings might accrue by building in the south are probably offset by the costs of bringing in equipment from northern manufacturers. Fm’ther, Wometco believes adding heating equipment would not materially increase costs in the north, because existing ductwork could be utilized. With several inspections daily the attractive restrooms of the Cooper, Denver, Colo., the first circular theatre in the world built exclusively for Cinerama, are kept spic and span for the patrons. The inspections are made every day, after matinees when there are any, and prior to all shows, as well as before and after intermissions. The inspections are made by the house manager and by the doorman. These inspections account for the lack of a maintenance schedule to be checked off by the maintenance people, of which there are two. Going into the restrooms one is impressed by the roominess and by the quiet decor, which is further enhanced by the floor, wall and ceiling materials. The floors are ceramic tile, the walls are Formica three Continued on following page Frequent daily inspections keep both rooms clean and bright. Above is the men's room. BOXOFTICE ;; December 3, 1962 7