Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1929)

50 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD December 7, 1929 \w THE THEATRE Theatre Brings Screen Back to Deaf by Receivers for Talking Films A PREVIEW of a talking picture at which only deaf persons were admitted was the unique event that took place at the Royal theatre in Kansas City recently. The coming of sound to the motion picture screen had created a problem of what to do for the hard of hearing. At the Royal theatre the solution was installation of acousticon receivers and the management is bringing back the screen to the deaf. E. S. C. Coppock, manager of the Royal, is a graduate electrical engineer who received his higher education at the University of Texas. Coppock has a weakness for experimenting with anything electrical and when he conceived the idea which resulted in manufacture of the acousticon by the Dictograph Products Corporation of Jamaica, L. I., he lost no time in putting his idea to work. That his "brain child" is a success is evidenced by the increasing patronage of deaf people who may be seen almost any day getting their receivers at the box office and going up to the special loge section in the balcony, set aside exclusively for the hard of hearing. How It Works Coppock was discussing his invention with the writer recently in the lobby of the Royal when an elderly woman came to the box office and inquired about the acousticon, which had been given publicity in the newspapers following the special preview. Coppock got the receiver for her and then motioned for her to follow him upstairs to the loge section. The woman was pitifully deaf. She took her seat and watched Coppock connect the receiver to the volume control on the back of the seat ahead. He then gave her the receiver and indicated that she should place it to her ear. On the screen Jack Oakie and Helen Kane were doing the "Prep Step" in "Sweetie," but the deaf patron saw only the dancing, and the expression on her face showed that the sound was not coming to her. Coppock, then, moved the small lever on the volume control; the woman began to smile, then her head began to bob back and forth in time with the music while her feet tapped the tempo. She looked at us and nodded her head. She was hearing her first talking picture. Section in Loge Equipped Later, back in the manager's office, Coppock explained the operation of the acousticon. It is not worked along the lines of a similar device marketed by Western Electric, he explained. The Western Electric instrument for the deaf brings the sound to the patrons from the booth, he said, whereas his device brings the sound from the screen. A section of eight seats in the loges have been equipped with volume controls. On the front wall of the balcony rail are four micro phones and a battery box. These microphones amplify the sound from the screen and carry it to the volume control, to which is connected the receiver which is placed to the deaf patron's ear. Persons who cannot carry on a conversation because of their inability to hear have reported to Coppock that they have enjoyed the shows, according to signed statements. Patrons Leave Deposit Coppock says the cost of installation of eight acousticon sets in a theatre is $500. There is no maintenance cost, except the replacement of four dry batteries every six months, amounting to $2. A card to be signed by the individual using the receiver at the Royal carries this statement : "The undersigned acknowledges the receipt of an acousticon receiver from the Royal theatre for the purpose of hearing one complete performance, at no additional charge over the current price of admission to the theatre. The receiver is available to the undersigned for a period not to exceed three hours. A deposit of $5 is left with the Royal theatre as surety against misuse of the receiver, which deposit will be returned immediately on the return of the receiver in good condition to the Royal theatre box office. Acousticon chairs are located in the south loge. Reservations by telephone for acousticon receivers will be accepted." BRINGING BACK THE SCREEN TO THE* DEAF. Only the deaf were admitted at the novel preview arranged by E. S. C. Coppock, manager of the Royal theatre in Kansas City, Mo., who had installed eight acousticon receivers for the use of the hard of hearing, in enjoying talking pictures. Left: The section of eight seats in the loges equipped with volume controls. Center: Four microphones and a battery box on the front wall of the balcony rail. Right: The receiver in action.