The Film Daily (1939)

16 L E S TER THli p SON Ml3 P •* ■ 13 2fJ W 44TH ST N Y C DAILY Friday, April 21, 1939 : U. S. Tele industry Bows In Under RCA-NBC Auspices $175-$200 for Attachments, $300-$600 for Sets May be Range (Continued from Page 1) and other invited guests, in a phrase awesome in its simplicity, — "The Birth of a New Industry, April 20, 1939." Seated in 15 sections, each of which was provided with a receiver Model TRK-12 reproducing an image 7% by 9% inches, the audience saw and heard the ceremonies attending dedication of the RCA exhibit building at the New York World's Fair which were televised in the local area via NBC's mobile television camera units. Images Well Defined Following introductory remarks by Graham McNamee, who functioned as emcee for the television program while seated before the cameras in NBC's studio, exterior scenes of the Fair locale were shown. Although the early afternoon sky was overcast, the images came over with a clarity which evoked comment from the audience which recognized that the images compared very favorably with a televised film, "Television," which RKO had produced in collaboration with NBC and which was then shown on the program. Back again at the World's Fair, the cameras picked up the speeches of Lenox R. Lohr, NBC president, who introduced David Sarnoff, RCA president, who declared: "It is with a feeling of humbleness that I come to this moment of announcing the birth in this country of a new art so important in its implications that it is bound to affect all society. It is an art which shines like a torch of hope in a troubled world. It is a creative force which we must learn to utilize for the benefit of all mankind. "This miracle of engineering skill also brings a new American industry to serve man's material welfare. In less than two decades," he added, "sound broadcasting provided work for hundreds of thousands of men and women, and aided the country and its citizens economically by causing the flow of millions of dollars annually. Television again bids fair to follow in its youthful parent's footsteps, and to inherit its Just As Well David Sarnoff had only jusf declared in his speech, dedicating yesterday the RCA exhibit building at the New York World's Fair: "I am sorry Mr. Whalen is unavoidably prevented from being with us today," when tele announcer Cecrge Hicks brought Cen. James G. Harbord to the outdoor microphone. Latter nonchalantly said: "I'd like to see this Fair in a more finished state," and added that there is quite a Fair out in Frisco. Quick-witted Hicks made an amusing episode out of what might have been a faux pas by smilingly remarking to Harbord: "Spoken like a true New Yorker!" NBC to Televise Back M of T Reels Coincident with yesterday's RCA-NBC television debut, — although April 30 is set as date for inauguration of regular telecasts to the public. — it was announced that the March of Time will be a feature this Summer on NBC's visual programs. Back re'eases of the reel will be used. Several such releases have been used heretofore on NBC experimental telecasts. Sarnoff Asks Reasonable Pix-Radio Co-op in Development of Television DAVID SARNOFF By RALPH WILK West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood— David Sarnoff, RCA prexy, made an urgent plea for radio-pix co-operation in television's d e velopment "as far as may be pract i c a 1 and r e a sonable" in a radiog r a m to E. A. Williford, SMPE prexy, read at the Society's convention banquet at the Roosevelt here last night. "I feel very earnestly that the industry of radio and television and the industry of motion pictures and theaters can be helpful to each other and thereby to the public both industries seek to serve," declared Sarnoff. Pointing out that recent developments have focused attention on tele generally, Sarnoff said: "The future will probably see the present entertainment offered by motion picture theaters augmented by special television services that will bring current events to the theater screens. "In due time, the foremost progressive theater operators will wish to step forward with installations of projection apparatus, as soon as services become available which may be expected to enhance the value of the entertainment which the motion picture industrv will continue to provide." Pledging RCA's continuance as a tele pioneer, Sarnoff stated that "The RCA Mfg. Co. has further completed developments of certain special apparatus that may be useful in the study of the technique necessary to the production of films for television use." The significance of this suggestion that the film industry consider the production of films specifically for television was not lost to the pix tops present at the banquet as the Society's guests, and the effect may be far-reaching, it was indicated. It was pointed out that RCA's Photophone division recently announced it was granting rights to its licensees covering the production of motion picture sound records for use for television purposes. Tonight's final session of the convention will be devoted wholly to television, with Dr. A. N. Goldsmith slated to make a report for the SMPE television committee. Papers will be presented by Allen B. DuMont of the Paramount-allied DuMont Laboratories, and engineers of CBS, NBC, RCA Mfg. Co. and the Don Lee net. Ostrer Sees U. S. Menace to Brit. Tele Leadership London (By Cable) — Unless the Government, through the Postmaster General, sanctions independent tele transmission, the U. S. soon will pass Great Britain in the television race, Isidore Ostrer, GB chairman, warned yesterday. Meanwhile, BBC has disclosed that it is on the verge of undertaking tele on a nation-wide scale; at present, there is London diffusion only. If BBC goes through with the" expansion program, Ostrer says GB will install Baird equipment in all theaters in every district served by a BBC transmitter. vigor and initiative. When it does, it will become an important factor in American economic life." Sarnoff also asserted that "millions of receiving sets" will follow those which RCA has already manufactured. List prices of tele sets have not yet been determined by RCA, but will be announced by April 30, when receivers go on sale. The RCA Victor Television Attachment will probably retail, it is declared, from $175 to J200, while the complete receivers will probably retail for from $300 to $600, depending on the size of the Kinescope used. There will be an installation charge of $50, covering survey of reception conditions,, specially designed antennae and four service calls. Notables Before Cameras Before the mobile units' cameras at the Fair were introduced a number of prominent guests at the dedication of the RCA building there. These included Gen. James G. Harbord, RCA's board chairman; E. J. Nally, company's first president; Dr. V. K. Zworykin, television en BBC TELE HEAD SAYS HOME TELE A SUCCESS Home television is definitely a sue cess in England, Gerald Cock, diiec tor of television of the Britisl Broadcasting Corp., stated yestfP in an exclusive interview with jff^R* Daily. Cock declared that approxi mately 12,000 sets are in use toda? and that manufacturers are still be hind in filling orders. He statec that theater television is still, however, in the experimental stage. Important events, such as major priz< fights, have attracted large crowds but the difficulty of showing a 405 line picture on a screen on whicl 800-line pictures are ordinaril; shown, as well as lighting problem are still confronting the industry. Manufacturers as well as the Brit ish government are co-operating witij the television experimenters but cof operation from the film industry ha not been, it was stated, very enthu siastic as theater men see televisioi as a potential rival. The recent statement of America manufacturer Commander E. P! MacDonald, Jr., president of Zenit Radio Corp., that television was no ready for the market was decried b British manufacturers, Cock d€ clared. British firms are said to b convinced that home television i satisfactory and that the demand increasing. Chas. Giegerich to Handle "Devil Feasts," 13 Short Charles J. Giegerich has take over exploitation and sales of "Me maroh" (Devil Feasts) a four-ret featurette filmed in the Island q Celebes, in the Netherlands East Ii dies by Dr. and Mrs. J. H. Bekkt of Batavia, Java. Giegerich has also closed a coi tract for the exploitation and sale of a series of 13 two-reel historic? subjects dealing with early Ame ican events and personalities. Bot will be handled from Giegerich's o fice in the Powers building. gineer and inventor of many of tr science's important instrumental ties; and Frederic Ullman, Jr., vici president of Pathe News and Patl Film Corp. Among others at the dedicatic were Cornelius N. Bliss, Edwa> Lasker, M. H. Aylesworth, Thorn? H. Beck, Dr. Walter Damrosch, D Witt Millhauser, Robert Lehma Herbert Bayard Swope, Henry J Luce, Major Albert Warner, D James R. Angell, and Charles T Taussig. In order to demonstrate to tL press representatives the possibi!| ties of televising sport events, three-round bout was staged in tl 118-pound class between Jack Per bridge, Golden Gloves champ, ai Pat Dunne, Police Athletic Leagi star, with Max Baer, former heav weight title holder as referee.