We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.
Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.
BOSTON THEATERS 569
utors through reports from their exchange managers would know just when the largest number of prints would be needed at each exchange. By releasing their pictures on a different date in each of the large cities they would find it possible to vary the periods of peak load in the different cities. They then could ship prints from cities in which the demand for prints was low to those in which the demand was high.
The large theater chains, as such, doubtless would be opposed to this plan, which would limit their protection. However, inasmuch as most of these chains were controlled by large producer-distributors, it was believed by certain exhibitors that the plan would benefit such producer-distributor-exhibitor combinations. In the opinion of these exhibitors, such combinations which had been formed primarily to obtain assured outlets for pictures would gain more under the plan as distributors than they would lose as exhibitors.
To managers of subsequent-run theaters this plan of automatic protection would be of considerable assistance, because it would enable them to ascertain exactly when pictures would be available to them. They could plan their programs in advance with definite assurance that prints would be available on the dates set. They also would be assured that the pictures would reach them within a reasonable time after the pictures had been shown in first-run theaters in their zones, instead of being delayed indefinitely by previous-run theaters as in the past.
The originator of this plan, in commenting upon it, stated that he was more interested in the adoption of uniform periods of protection in Boston than in the exact periods adopted. He believed that the protection granted to first-run theaters could be increased or decreased by several days without affecting the operation of the plan.
This plan was submitted to the managers of the Boston exchanges and to many Boston exhibitors. Most of the exchange managers were of the opinion that a plan of this sort would be of great assistance to them in speeding up the showing of their pictures and in smoothing out their flow of income. They did not believe, however, that it was practicable to standardize the granting of protection. Protection was one of the conditions of the contract considered by distributors and exhibitors in their bargaining for product and price. The exchange managers believed that the