Harrison's Reports (1951)

108 HARRISON’S REPORTS July 7, 1951 MYERS URGES CAUTION ON THEATRE TV INSTALLATIONS Under the heading “Prize Fighting Is a Different Business,” Abram F. Myers, general counsel and chairman of the board of Allied States Association of Motion Picture Exhibitors, had this to say in a membership bulletin dated July 2: “Only a fool would try to stay the hand of progress or to argue against success, but it is sometimes wise to consider the possible ultimate effects of any innovation — even a seemingly successful one — before committing oneself to it. “The standout crowds at the theatres showing the Louis-Savold and Murphy-LaMotta fights seem to have started a stampede towards large-screen television. Times being what they are, that is only natural. But the cost of a television installation is very high, there is a dearth of first-class fighters, the attitude of other sports toward theatre television has not crystallized, the public reaction to having to pay for programs which were promised free remains in doubt, the ultimate effect on regular movie attendance is not known, and, of course, there are still the same old uncertainties as regards systems and channels. “For the time being, let us consider the possible effects of turning the theatres into prize fight arenas from time to time. This is prompted by a sports writer's account of the scene at Keith’s Theatre in Washington during the Murphy-LaMotta fight. According to this writer (Francis Stann of the Evening Star) the theatre was crowded, not with movie-goers, but with prize fight fans. It was a shirt-sleeved crowd; only the ushers wore coats. While the feature picture (Hard, Fast and Beautiful) was running, the mob facetiously applauded the grade B heroics on the screen. When the film ended, the manager appeared on the stage and the crowd, in true Arnica Hall style, hooted. “The manager said 10 minutes remained until fight time and that in order to create the proper atmosphere vendors would sell peanuts, popcorn, soft drinks, candy and ice cream in the aisles. A voice demanded beer. Another voice cried 'We want Jimmy Lake, you ain’t loud enough’ — Lake being the announcer at the local bouts. “Mr. Stann reports that a televised fight watched from a parlor or even a tavern is one thing. A fight in a movie theatre is quite another. The theatre takes on the atmosphere of the arena. The crowd moves in spirit to the actual scene. It cheers and boos. The comments of Bill Corum et al. are drowned in the noise. Once the TV was snapped off and the film was resumed, there was a concerted rush for the exists. “Of course, the scene would have been even more uplifting if color television had been employed so that the audience could have enjoyed the gore coursing down LaMotta’s ugly mug. “One cannot escape wondering what typical moviegoers— say parents, persons of refinement and children— will think of such goings on. Certainly that was not the atmosphere they are accustomed to. Will they be willing to space their movie-going so as to avoid these brawls, or will the theatre lose caste in their estimation? The experience would hardly endear the theatre to them as a place of polite entertainment. “How About an All-Fight Program? “The difficulty in integrating a single fight into a regular movie program is apparent. In no report coming to us has the fight audience shown any interest in the pictures shown before or after the fight. The rush for the exits following the fight leaves the theatre empty and exposes motion pictures to an unwarranted humiliation. “This hints at the advisability of a special show for the fight only — but here again we run into difficulty. While we have a lot of powder puff battlers at the present time, there is no telling when another Jack Dempsey or Joe Louis may appear on the scene. We might fill the theatre for a single feature — the fight— and wham! bang! a knockout in one minute and fifteen seconds of the first round. “We wonder if the audience which has paid a stiff price for the show will file out cheerfully singing, 'We walked right in and turned around and walked right out again ? At the arena they get a few preliminary bouts along with the main event. “Cost permitting, why wouldn’t it be a good idea to have an all -fight program on the nights when a feature bout is to be held? It would avoid mixing prize righting and motion pictures to the degradation of the latter. It would prevent movie fans from straying into the theatre on fight nights in the forlorn hope of enjoying a picture. It would insure to the Arnica Hall boys a run for their money. “Hello Suckers! "This is the salutation that Texas Guinan once had for her customers and we are tempted to revive it in greeting those persons who are induced to invest in home receiving sets by the slogan, 'Buy TV and see the fights free.’ "As above indicated, there are not enough good fighters at the present time to provide more than sporadic attractions. Maybe the theatres can be filled for the next CharlesWalcott cake walk, and if so, it will prove Barnum was right. So if theatres installing TV are to meet the payments on their equipment, they will have to have a lot more exclusive events. “This leads us to wonder if, in addition to prize fights and the World Series, theatre TV will be expanded to take in the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, the Indianapolis ‘500’ and the National Open? “If so, what will be left for the home set owners besides Kukla and Fran and a few sponsored programs of varying degrees of entertainment? “It seems reasonable to suppose that when they find that all the good things they were led to believe came with the set can only be seen at the theatre for a high admission price, they will squawk to the FCC Whether that body in its anxiety to build up telcsion will be deaf to the complaints of mere citizsns and taxpayers — an unorganized and helpless group — remains to be seen. Nevertheless, it is an added element of uncertainty and one that must be taken into account in deciding to take the deep plunge into theatre television. “Other questions above noted relating to cost, system and channels arc being studied by Allied’s Television Committee, of which Trueman T. Rembusch is chairman, and will be made the subject of membership bulletins to be issued from time to time.”