The Exhibitor (1959)

UNSOLICITED • The letters from readers which appear on this page are not solicited. MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR does not suggest questions to readers in order to provide a flow of letters. From MILWAUKEE, WISC. Thank you for your very kind and im¬ mediate delivery of the supply of "SERVICE MANUALS . I am today sending them out with copy of my Bulletin and undoubtedly you will be hearing from some of my exhibi¬ tor members. If you have any of your other Theatre Operating Forms and Systems that you would like distributed to exhibitors, please send me 250 copies and I will enclose them at a later date. HAROLD PEARSON, Executive Secretary Allied Theatre Owners of Wisconsin EDITOR S NOTE: Sample sheets of all other forms have been sent to Mr. Pearson. We will be happy to supply any that he feels would be serviceable. And, if any other theatre owner organization would like to similarly service its members, let us hear from you. From CHICACO, ILL As a combination editor-business manager, I m always cheered to read another man’s book when he talks about pressures from the non-editorial field. For that reason — among others — I enjoyed reading your July 8 editor¬ ial, "THE 'KILLER’ GASSES AND DRIVEIN HEATERS’. But to get to the pressure point of your piece, I had to read some bad news. Frankly, I don t agree that the Pennsylvania and Georgia accidents — regrettable as they are — are guides for outdoor theatre heating policy. To me, the pertinent element of both of these events is that in neither case was the gas under the carefully controlled conditions which surround its use in your readers’ driveins. Both were transportation accidents arising so far as we know — from the mechanical mis-adventures that can happen to your own automobile or your commuter train. Actually, our industry has about 24,000 rail¬ way tank cars on the go constantly. Addition¬ ally, there are a good 25,000 tank trucks on the highways. They deliver most of the seven billion gallons of gas our 11 million users buy each year, and the very fact that the Pennsyl¬ vania and Georgia accidents attracted such wide attention testifies to their rarity. After all, why write headlines about pocket-picking in the New York subways? Coming to your point of in-car heaters, I suppose you know that at least one type (its distributor doesn t know I’m writing you ) has Underwriters Laboratories’ approval. I’m sure you agree that UL approval is not easily ob¬ tained, nor without passage of appropriate tests. In this one instance, I have personal knowledge that UL made a most careful check of all aspects of probable hazard before issu¬ ing the okay. Furthermore, the way your readers use LPGas ( not actually first cousins, as you mention, but the identical commodity) no flame is present inside the automobile. Heat is gener¬ ated on a catalytic basis. There is no burning in the ordinary sense. Neither is there any transfer of gas in the theatre area; bottle filling is done in a separate location and, of course, not during show time. Perhaps I can make an analogy. Not too long ago (a generation, perhaps) the indoor movie business • experienced numerous fires originating in the film itself. For this reason, I understand, many safety rules were written and theatre specifications designed. These and film developments themselves eliminated the accidents. In the days of the fire hazards, I’m sure most of your responsible operators re¬ sented demands that they leave the entertain¬ ment field to vaudeville and the circus. We, too, are sensitive to the need for improvement and constantly work at it. At the same time, we know that of all the commonly used fuels, gas has the safest record, judging from Na¬ tional Fire Protection Association annual re¬ ports — copy attached. Additionally, as I men¬ tioned before, we are hauling billions of gallons safely each year. Won’t you please take another look at LPGas — from the point of view of total industry performance and the specific use of car heating? FELIX F. EBERHART, Editor and Business Mgr. LPGA (Liquid Petroleum Gas Assn.) Times EDITOR S NOTE: It is possible that under IDEAL conditions, and with EX¬ PERIENCED handling by TRAINED personnel, a relative safety can be ac¬ complished. Drive-in theatre conditions are not ideal, and neither is the person¬ nel trained in the handling of inflamma¬ ble or explosive gasses. So we still feel that inflammable or explosive gas burn¬ ing equipment has no place in any concentration of humans such as a drivein theatre brings together. And, most particularly, not right in the patron's cars. From MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. Of course, the editorial staff of GREATER AMUSEMENTS, in common with many others in the motion picture industry, saves and files your various supplementary sections of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR (REVIEWS and EXPLOITATION). However, there is no binder available in this office in the 91/2 x 121/^ inch size which will hold these editions. Do you have a binder available? FRANK W. COOLEY, JR. Editor Greater Amusements EDI TOR'S NOTE: We are happy that this oldest of all industry trade papers places such store on our separate saveable service sections. Standard three-ring binders are available to the purchase of subscribers for $1.50 each, and will ac¬ commodate two complete seasons of either department. From PHILADELPHIA, PA. In an effort to better the boxoffke business at our drive-ins I have started to run BUCKAND-A-HALF ($1.50) NIGHTS instead of DOLLAR NIGHTS. And I have gotten Morrisville, Ridge Pike, and Valley Forge to go along. I think it could spread, so at least DOLLAR NIGHT will be eliminated. It might be very helpful if MOTION PICTURE EX¬ HIBITOR would editorialize in your own in¬ imitable fashion on this accomplishment, as only you can. MELVIN J. FOX Melvin J. Fox Theatres EDITOR’S NOTE: We’ll get back to this after we note its effect on the policies of surrounding drive-ins. But our im¬ mediate reaction is that anything that approaches the attaining of full ad¬ mission prices per patron is worthwhile. At a usual price per adult of 70 cents, that $1.50 is at least more than the price of two adults. As such it is certainly a step in the right direction. From OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA. The opportunity to express myself in print on the only subject I know anything about is too tempting to decline or to turn over to someone else. This is an assignment I shall take great pleasure in performing myself. With no wish to "butter up” MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR, let me state that I think this is a great idea which will be wel¬ comed by all showmen, and will certainly be read with interest. NORMAN T. PRAGER Cooper Foundation Theatres From CLOVERSVILLE, N.Y. I think your new SHOWMANALYSIS fea¬ ture, "HOW I WOULD SELL . . .” is a very constructive idea all around. It’s going to keep a lot of the people in this business thinking, and besides that, it’s going to give exhibitors campaigns devised by exhibitors and not by anyone in Ivory Towers. Therefore, it should be practical and applicable in all situations. SEYMOUR L. MORRIS Schine Circuit, Inc. From LOS ANGELES, CAL. I am at your service. My pedigree in the motion picture business is a long one, includ¬ ing 17 years as Paramount’s western division sales manager. GEORGE A. SMITH, Director of Advertising Pacific Drive-In Theatres Corp. From TORONTO, CANADA I think this new department of yours is a dandy. F. H. FISHER, Vice President The Odeon Theatres (Canada) Ltd. EDITOR’S NOTE: The above are just a few highlights from the score of letters we have received from theatre and circuit executives following the announcement of our new SHOWMANALYSIS feature, "HOW I WOULD SELL ...(a particular feature).” At one SHOVTMANALYSIS to an issue, reservations are now being made for future issues. Many showmen of proved talent are waiting to get their ad¬ vertising and exploitation teeth into a campaign of their own. From BLACK RIVER FALLS, WISC. To me, MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR is the Bible of this business. More than ever we must have faith in our industry. All of us together, working as a team, will finally suc¬ ceed in placing the motion picture industry in the top 5 of the nation’s leading businesses. Let s have more optimism and less pessimism! GERALD BARES Jerry’s Friendly Falls Theatre EDITOR S NOTE: This summer’s sus¬ tained strong business, that a generous supply of good pictures has brought along, should give a lot of people, pro¬ ducers and exhibitors alike, a resurgence of faith.