Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1954)

Thursday, February 4, 1954 Motion Picture Daily Drivein Convention {Continued from page 1) 'Scope Sound (Continued from page 1) such a manner that will continue to serve the best interests of the public, the industry and ourselves." He held out hope to the exhibitor whose sole opposition to stereophonic sound is the immediate financial one by saying that 20th-Fox will intercede on any exhibitor's behalf if he finds it difficult to get long-term credit for stereophonic sound equipment. On the drive-in situation, Lichtman said that he has dispatched 20th-Fox representative Alex Harrison to the national drive-in association meeting in Cincinnati, sponsored by Allied, to convey 20th-Fox's policy. Heralds 'Solution' Lichtman, referring to a Tuesday demonstration of the International Projector Corp. system, said that "I am happy to say that a solution to the problem (of stereophonic sound) appears to have arrived faster than expected." The 20th-Fox distribution head did not explain in his statement what the system entails, although other quarters say it employs two speakers in a car. "The system," Lichtman declared, "will enable drive-in operators to provide CinemaScope entertainment on the same level and with the same quality as that currently being offered in regular theatres, with such resounding success. RCA is also working on a similar system and it appears that drive-in operators will soon be provided with the necessary equipment to show CinemaScope pictures. I am sure ■all other sound equipment manufacturers will compete for this market," he said. Denies 'Sound' Compromise Lichtman denied reports that 20thFox had ever promised to supply CinemaScope pictures without stereophonic sound to drive-ins if tests to adapt CinemaScope films for drive-in situations failed. "The policy of 20th' Fox," continued Lichtman, "is to provide CinemaScope pictures with fourtrack, magnetic stereophonic sound only." RCA Signs Blumenfeld SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 3. — Blumenfeld Theatres have signed a contract for complete service and maintenance with the RCA Service Co., A. Blumenfeld, president of the circuit disclosed. Blumenfeld signed for the circuit, and H. M. Madison, West Coast district manager, represented RCA Service Co. Seymour Meyer to Tokyo Seymour Meyer, regional director of the Far and Middle East for Loew's, left here for Tokyo yesterday, where he will demonstrate for Japanese exhibitors the new M-G-M optical-track stereophonic sound system. It will be his first stop on a tour of company offices in the Middle and Far East. by a delegate on the floor as expressing his personal opinion that "he did not believe that the two-speaker arrangement in each car was the answer." Calls Wire 'Too Patsy' Jack Farr, Houston drive-in operator, stated that the telegram the convention sent to Spyros Skouras on Tuesday was "too patsy" and that another should be forwarded in more violent language. "We should make it clear," he said, "that we are not going to tear up our pavements and re-wire our ramps for such an asinine sound system for drive-ins." Approval of the delegates was indicated by applause. Many delegates expressed the opinion that if factual and concrete decisions and answers are not forthcoming at tomorrow's business meeting, the convention will have been a failure. Speakers today included Col. George Mingle, Ohio State Traffic Control Commissioner, and Al Sindlinger, business analyst. Mingle advised delegates to engage local police authorities to conduct an even flow of traffic in and out of drive-ins because of the increased number of cars that are using the main highways. He urged drive-in exhibitors to make use of secondary highways wherever possible. Sindlinger said that since 1948 theatre profits have declined from 13 per cent to V/2 per cent despite increased grosses. He stressed that importance of channeling "communication adver Saturation Bookings For 'Greatest Love' The first regional saturation booking of "The Greatest Love," following its 67-theatre New York opening earlier this year, is scheduled for Texas in February, according to an announcement from Bernard Jacon, I. F. E. Releasing Corp. vice-president in charge of sales. The release will open simultaneously in 45 theatres of the Interstate and Long theatre circuits in the metropolitan Dallas, Houston, Ft. Worth, and San Antonio areas on Sunday, Feb. 14. Conference Planned On Pete Smith Film WASHINGTON, Feb. 3. — Pete Smith and Jacob Mogelever of the U. S. Treasury Department will confer on continuing local level exploitation of Smith's release, "Cash Stashers," during mid-February at Culver City. The Treasury Department has helped promote the film by presenting citations to theatre owners for their work in aiding the sale of Defense Bonds through use of the film. N.Y. Vaudeville Show Show to Aid Children A vaudeville show from the RKO Palace will move to the Taft Theatre, Cincinnati, for a three day engagement starting Feb. 18, in an effort to raise funds to aid children stricken with polio and other diseases. Known as the "Grotto Show," the vaudeville bill is now being booked by Dan Friendly of RKO. tising" intelligently to keep the public more informed as to where and when every picture is showing. Audiences Are Technically Alert Today, Barnett Tells Ohio ITO CINCINNATI, Feb. 3.— Theatre owners should recognize that today's audience is more keenly aware than ever before of the technical quality of projection and sound. This fact, said Herbert Barnett, president of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, makes it advisable for the exhibitor to constantly and carefully examine all the equipment in his theatre and to "welcome those changes which represent real progress and improvement." Sees New Media Important Speaking at the convention of the Theatre Owners of Ohio at the Netherland Plaza Hotel here, Barnett stated that the increased technical awareness of the audience is only one of several factors which have made the industry's business today stronger than it was a year ago. New techniques played their part, he said, but beyond all was the fact that a number of excellent productions scored tremendous successes at the box-office, some produced in a new medium, others not. The most encouraging sign, said Barnett, is that "we have not yet reached the end of ideas." With ideas, with experimentation, he added, should come in time "one system acceptable to all." "A healthy industry," he concluded, "demands that it be so." 'Scope Prints (Continued from page 1) "The Robe" and "How to Marry A Millionaire" will be completed starting the last week in February by the imbibition process. The complete run of "The Robe," he added, will be 535 prints. Another factor aiding the company's print situation, he disclosed, is the addition at the studio of another stripping machine for the magnetic sound tracks. By mid-April, he went on, a stripping machine will be installed at the 20th-Fox subsidiary, De Luxe Laboratories, an installation which will partially end the coast-to-coast shipping of prints for processing. Under the present set-up, it was explained, those prints processed in New York must be shipped back to the Coast for stripping. Drive Chairmen to Meet Local chairmen for the amusement division of the Boy Scout fund drive will meet today in the Astor Hotel here to report progress to the cochairmen of the amusements division, Charles Boasberg, Spyros S. Skouras and Arthur Klein. Next week is Boy Scout Week. Serpe to Rome Ralph Serpe, director of the television and short subjects division of Italian Films Export, will leave here for Rome today with TV producerdistributor Jules Weill to complete shooting plans for Weill's second series of 26 Italian-made television films.