Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1954)

Stereosound Vs. Mixer The value of stereophonic sound for CinemaScope showings will be tested, finally, in the four quarters of the U. S. The issue was forced to a head by Walter Rcade's exhibition of "The Robe" in Community Theatre in Morristown, X. T., using a mixer to funnel the four tracks into a single horn, resulting in an injunction threat by 20th CenturyFox. An llth-hour conference between Reade, who is also president of TOA, and Spyros P. Skouras in the latter's office the night before the scheduled Trenton State Superior Court hearing on the injunction warded off legal action, however. Comparative tests, to be held in the ne.xt 30 days, were agreed upon in the East, Midwest, South and Far West, with mi.xer vs. stereosound in competitive theatres in each area. In a formal statement following the meeting with Skouras, Reade "regretted his showing of "The Robe" in Mooristown without approval of 20th-Fox. "My intent was to have a test to determine whether CinemaScope productions could be shown satisfactorily and with full impact upon the public without the use of full stereophonic sound installations," he said. Decision will be made by a committee of representatives of equipment manufacturers. Fox, other companies producing C'Scope films, and exhibitors from TOA. Reade promised not to play any P'ox CinemaScope films in those of his theatres not equipped with stereosound. He noted, however, that Skouras had consented to the previously booked and advertised showings in Perth Amboy and Kingston. In a press conference, prior to Rcade's meeting with Skouras, Fox distribution head Al Lichtman had claimed that the Morristown showing, which had advertised stereophonic sound, was "misleading the public", tended to deteriorate the effect of C'Scope, and was a breach of contract by Reade. Questioned whether use of stereophonic sound was in the contract, v. p. Charles Einfeld interjected that even if not. Fox's widely heralded policy that stereosound was part and parcel of CinemaScope was common knowledge in the trade. Lichtman stated his intention of redrafting contracts to include the stereosound requirement. The question of contractually mandatory stereosound now, is academic, pending the result of the mixer tests in comparison with full stereosound. Initial official break in the CinemaScope hassle over stereosound requirements by CS distributors came the week before with Warners' Ben Kalmenson announcement that "The Command" will be available in single track sound, as well as the four tracks. The Warner policy was hailed by Wilbur Snapfr, president of Allied, who urged exhibitors to install screen and lens because "all theatres will eventually have it." The WB approach, he said, while it "doesn't go all the way in providing regular prints for the theatres without a special lens and screen, it does much in a positive direction that will aid exhibition." All-Exhibitor Arbitration Arbitration among all exhibitors, surprisingly enough, was suggested by Si Fabian, head of Stanley Warner Theatres, at a Variety Club meeting in Philadelphia. He called establishment of an arbitration system "indispensable," urged "a single organization, run on a policy accomodating itself to the needs of exhibitors, which arbitrates disputes at low cost and by-passes expensive law suits. "This," he declared, "could be a great step forward and does not depend upon producer or distributor, but upon us." The circuit head, however, stressed that he was "asking for unity (among exhibitors), not uniformity. This is a competitive business. It will be healthy and sound as long as reasonable competition exists. But competition in which exhibitors cut each other's throats, competition in which exhibitors destroy each other, in the long run, doesn't benefit distribution either." Fabian also took the producer-distributors to task for "sapping the strength of theatres instead of supporting the efTorts of theatres to survive." Development of the movie industry was made possible by the size of theatre audiences, not film percentages, he said. Tax Campaign COMPO Bulls-Eye The COMPO .governing committee, its sights set exclusively on the campaign to rid the industry of the Federal admissions tax, decided to spend its funds "only on projects that are likely to further the tax campaign." the committee declared. In the renewed effort, the organization's press relations set-up will be expanded considerably. COMPO will engage Washington and New York contact men to further press relations. They also plan an ad campaign in Editor & Publisher .Action by Congress on tax repeal isn't expected until late February or early March, and possibly later, according to a joint statement by Tax Repeal Committee co-chairmen H. A. Cole and Pat McGee. Prospect of early action by Congress, they said, was clouded by expectations of a "highly controversial" session. "Don't lose heart" McGee cautioned if no action is taken. COMPO is "watching the situation closely. ' Film Shortage Again Complaints of a print shortage once again reared its head in a bulletin from National Allied president Wilbur Snaper. "In spite of thousands of theatre closings," says Snaper, "prints become less accessible than ever." He blames part of the situation on fewer prints and "a shortage of product through equipment." "If prior runs have CinemaScope and 3D equipment," he claims, ' subsequent runs may find themselves without pictures for weeks on end." Reissues, he says, "can do nothing but harm as a diet." 3D to 2D Exhibitor uprisings against "3D only" pictures had their effect on showings of "Miss Sadie Thompson," causing Columbia to release the Rita Hayworth starrer in standard form as well. Two factors influenced the decision, Columbia sales chief A. Montague declared: (1) the large number of theatremen who are not equipped for 3D but want to book the film, and (2) the "surprising results" in the Richmond, Va., controlled day-and-date runs in both 2D and 3D. Montague said, "Those theatres playing it in 2D registered remarkably close to those high grosses." The nearly equal strength in 2D showings, he said, was an "important factor" in making the film available in either medium. In Philadelphia, "Sadie" dropped the third dimension after one day at the Goldman Theatre. Owner William Goldman monitored the film in 3D, had every member of the theatre's personnel who came in contact with the ticket-buyers question the patrons. Overwhelming reaction, he said, was in favor of standard presentation. Reverberations also echoed to Paramount, with the announcement by distribution head Al Schwalberg that the Martin-Lewis starrer, "Money from Home", originally scheduled for 3D only in keys, will also be available in standard form. People Columbia added two new vice-presidents at its recent board meeting in which all officers were re-elected. Elevated to veeps were Paul N. Lazarus, Jr., ad-publicity head, and Leo Jaffa, also a v. p. of Columbia International . . . .Another important addition to Columbia's executive statT was the appointment of Larry Grabum to West Coast assistant to Lazarus . . . Maurice Bergman, U-I public relations chief, adds to his duties that of home office studio representative to search out talent and literary properties . . . Max E. Youngstein takes over chairmanship of the ad-publicity committee in the industry's 1954 Brotherhood Week campaign . . . Spyros S. Skouras, executive v.p. of Skouras Theatres Corp. will chairman the national exhibitors committee for the drive . . . Barney Balaban will head Xew York State activities in Crusade for F"reedom campaign, aimed at bolstering Radio Free Europe broadcasts to the Kremlin-dominated millions . . . William J. McShea succeeds the late Aage Schubart as manager of RKO branch operations . . . President Si Fabian, executive v.p. Samuel Rosen and all other officers of Stanley-W arner Corp. were reelected at SW's board meeting last week . . . Ben Kalmenson named two new Warner branch managers: William Twig moves from Boston to Pittsburgh and Minneapolis salesman Herbert T. Blass heads the Des Moines office . . . Morris Krim, father of UA president Arthur B. Krim, succumbed to a heart attack Jan. 13. He was 83. FILM BULLETIN January 25, 1954 Page 19