Harrison's Reports (1954)

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HARRISON, Editor Established July 1, 1919 Circle 7-4622 A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING Vol. XXXVI SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1954 No. 7 MORE ON THE STEREOPHONIC SOUND BATTLE The stereophonic sound controversy continues to dominate the industry news and the latest developments indicate that the situation is getting worse instead of better, with 20th Century-Fox still the chief target of exhibitor blasts because of its insistence that theatres be equipped for stereophonic sound as a condition to licensing its CinemaScope productions. One of the important developments of the past week was the cancellation of the tests agreed upon between Spyros Skouras, president of 20th Century-Fox, and Walter Reade, Jr., president of the Theatre Owners of America, whereby a Fox CinemaScope production was to be shown in competitive theatres, one equipped with full stereophonic sound and the other equipped with a "mixing” device that channels the four-track magnetic sound through a single horn. The announcement of the cancellation of the tests was made by Reade and by A1 Lichtman, 20th-Fox’s director of distribution, in separate statements that appeared to be in conflict with each other. In his statement, Lichtman had this to say: “The decision by Mr. Walter Reade, Jr. and Mr. Myron Blank to abandon a group of stereophonic sound tests compared with a 'mixing' device, must come as a forerunner for greater cooperation between exhibition and distribution in regard to the further establishment of the success of CinemaScope. “Both Messrs. Reade and Blank who met with me, are in agreement that there is no question of the superiority of stereophonic sound to ordinary single-track sound. “In regard to the tests, it was never the intention of the demonstrations to determine whether 20th Century-Fox would abandon its stated policy of not permitting showings of CinemaScope pictures without full stereophonic sound. Rather, they were scheduled to demonstrate the superiority of the complete stereophonic installation over ordinary or 'mixed' sound. We are at all times willing to hold theatre sound tests in order to prove this superiority. "Mr. Reade and Mr. Blank have sought to focus attention on the situation of the small or neighborhood theatre operator, who is not in the financial position to make a ready cash investment for sound equipment. “We feel that we can assist these exhibitors in gaining long-term credit from suppliers, and we are ready to intercede for those theatre owners who wish to avail themselves of this aid. “From the discussion with Mr. Reade and Mr. Blank, it is obvious that both our aims are identical. They are, to assist the exhibitor to take advantage of CinemaScope. “With this aim, we can all go forward together 1” Reade, obviously angered by the stand taken by 20th Century-Fox in regard to the tests, issued this bristling statement: “In a meeting held at the office of A1 Lichtman, vice-president in charge of 20th Century-Fox, Mr. Myron Blank and I were informed by Mr. Lichtman that, regardless of the results of the proposed stereophonic system versus the mixer system tests, 20th Century-Fox’s stated position was that they would not, under any circumstances, serve any theatres not equipped with the full stereophonic sound equipment, and that even though exhibitors might sit at the tests, their judgment on the requirement of stereophonic sound would not be respected or considered in Fox’s decision. “In view of Mr. Lichtman’s statement, 20th Century-Fox and Mr. Spyros Skouras, have obviously abandoned the agreements which I made with Mr. Skouras on January 20, 1954, at which time we stated, 'Both 20th Century -Fox and I hope that these tests will serve a useful purpose, as both of us are embarking upon this experiment with the best inter-, est of the film industry at heart.’ “Inasmuch as the results of the tests will be disregarded, and inasmuch as Mr. Skouras has already prejudged these results and pre-determined what his company’s position will be, and inasmuch as I have already appointed committees representing exhibition for these tests, on whom I do not wish to impose for an utterly futile cause, and inasmuch as no useful purpose could be served by pursuing the matter further, we have both determined to abandon the whole idea of tests and consider our agreement as having no force or effect.’’ While 20th-Fox was having its troubles with Reade, it continued to take a verbal beating at the National Drive-In Theatres Convention in Cincinnati, where the delegates turned thumbs down on the two-channel stereophonic sound system endorsed by the company for drive-in theatres. Roundly denouncing the company’s stand, one delegate after another took the floor to voice his protests in no uncertain terms, with a number of them not hesitating to blast Spyros Skouras for denying them the right to play CinemaScope pictures without the two-channel system, which was termed by them as “asinine” and as “an insult to the intelligence” of the drive-in operators. Quickly coming to the defense of Mr. Skouras, A1 Lichtman issued a statement in which he had this to say, in part, about the actions of the delegates: “I think that their attitude, hooting at Mr. Skouras, is reprehensible. Here is a man jeopardizing his health and his hfe working as he has been eighteen and twenty hours a day for the betterment of the theatres of the country. . . .” After pointing out that 20th-Fox, under Mr. Skouras, has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to combat the box-office decline, citing its financing of the exhibitor showmanship meeting in Chicago in 1950, the development of Eidophor and now CinemaScope, Lichtman declared that, “instead of applauding Mr. Skouras, the Drive-In Convention vilified him and threatened legal action. ... I am confident, on the basis of past experience, that all those men who vilified Mr. Skouras will eventually applaud him. Then, as in the past, they will feel very sheepish for acting as they did instead of mature businessmen that they are expected to be. I, for one, feel they owe Mr. Skouras an apoolgy.” Mr. Lichtman also rebuked the delegates for treating “very shabbily” and “very roughly” Alex Harrison, the company’s representative, who was sent to the convention to explain the approved two-channel sound system. “This certainly is not the American way,” declared Lichtman. Meanwhile the convention, which was held under the auspices of National Allied, adopted the following resolution: “WHEREAS, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation has linked together certain devices involved in large screen (Continued on bac\ page)