International projectionist (Jan-Dec 1947)

initial difficulties of field operation. Sept. 1928: Fox Movietone City was dedicated. (This is the present Twentieth Century-Fox Studios at Beverly Hills, Calif.) ' Oct. 6, 1928: The Fox Movietone News release was increased from one to two issues per week. Dec. 1928: "In Old Arizona," the first out-of-door recorded feature picture, was shown at the Criterion Theatre in Los Angeles. Quoting Franklin: "This film was photographed and recorded outdors against a sweeping background of natural beauty, and in it sound recording achieved its highest artistic success up to that time. Filmed and recorded right in the vast open spaces, the scenes and human voice and all the accompanying sounds were reproduced with a clearness and naturalness that attracted wide attention. The Movietone process caught and reproduced with fidelity not only the voices of the actors, but actually the natural ■ sounds of the outdoors; the whispering of the wind, the song of the birds. The picture was thus notable in combining the perfected technique of the silent film with the faithful recording of music, dialogue and sound." Subsequent Fox pictures that were well received and helped to advance the art of sound recording included the all-talking pictures "Through Different Eyes" and "Hearts in Dixie." Dec. 3, 1928: Fox Movietone News release was increased to three issues per week. Movietone Technique Improved During the year 1928, appreciable general progress was made in perfecting Movietone technique; one point of note was the perfecting of the Aeo lights by Case, increasing their useful life and uniformity. Sponable organized a research department to which was assigned the problem of improving sound recording apparatus, particularly with a view to reducing its weight and improving its portability and ease of operation — as well as the over-all problem of improving recording and reproducing equipment and techniques. Fifty-six field units were scheduled for assignment all over the world; three special Aviation Units were activated; to meet the need for such an increase in personnel, Bragg was sent to interview recent graduates at various technical institutions. Well over 100 engineers were now engaged in the sound recording field. Feb. 28, 1929: Fox acquired control of Loew's and MGM. Mar. 1929: Fox announced that all silent product would be discontinued and only Movietone pictures would be made. July 15, 1929: The Fox Movietone News release schedule was increased to four issues per week. July 18, 1929: William Fox was injured in an automobile accident; this may have seriously affected the following up of his involved negotiations. July 1929: British Movietone News, the first foreign sound newsreel producing company, was started. Aug. 1929: A merger of Fox Film, Fox Theatres, and Loew's was planned. Sept. 20, 1929: Fox negotiated a deal acquiring Fox-Case stock from Case and exchanging Fox Theatre stock to be redeemed September 1, 1930. Fox then formed the Fox-Hearst Corporation, Hearst acquiring about 24 per cent of original Fox-Case stock with option to buy about 25 per cent more. Fox made a separate agreement with Case to have the latter run his laboratory until July 23, 1930. Sept. 1929: Fox and Hearst united their sound newsreels and agreed that each would release two per week. Sept. 17, 1929: An all-Grandeur show opened at the Gaiety Theatre with Grandeur News and "Fox Movietone Follies." Sept. 28, 1929: Hearst Metrotone News released its first issue. Nov. 2, 1929: The Embassy Theatre was opened with the first all-sound news program and called "The Newsreel Theatre." 1930: The crash of 1929 found the Fox structure in such a condition of over-expansion that it became necessary for Fox to sell out. Controlling interests in Fox Film and Fox Theatres were acquired by a group headed by Harley Clarke, who became president of the Fox companies. Sound-on-film by this time was well established as a commercial success and was displacing sound-on-disk as a release medium. The Western Electric lightvalve method of sound-on-film recording was commercially perfected. As Fox Film was a licensee of ERPI, and as such paid the regular royalty rates, it decided to give up its own method of Aeo light recording and use in entirety the. Western Electric system. [To be Continued] /. A. Elections LOCAL 591, HAGERSTOWN, MD. Elmer McCormick, pres.; Alvin Line baugh, vlce-pres.; Irvin Linebaugh, bus agent; George A. Wagner, sec. ; Wm. Robt Troup, treas.; Elmer McCormick, Ray Tro vinger, del. I. A. Convention; Harry F Feigley, Jr., sgt.-at-arms. /! ^nittnupU ut AJto&nced CjixuMeesUna J 40 to 75 amperes FOREST -tube RECTIFIERS MODEL 7S-V-6 . . . The result of highly technical knowledge gained from building rectifiers for radar and other intrinsic scientific devices — achieving a new high for rectification efficiency at the lowest possible cost of power. Designed for all theatres using Suprex or Simplified High Intensity Projection. Built-in remote control relays with provisions for operating spotlights. Full 3-phase rectification. No moving parts. Power with flexibility — constant end uniformly smooth current — no flicker. Quiet and ease of operation. Sturdily constructed all steel case. Insist on the Bast — Forest Products: 75-V-6 Rectifiers, Super MCS, LD 60 and LD-30 Bulb Type Rectifiers, Rectifying Tubes and Sound Screens. HllloVl. Mfg. (;0rp.? BO ParK PI., Newark, N.J. SEE PAGE 27 FOR FOREST ELECTRIC PROJECTION LAMP INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST November 1947 31