The Exhibitor (1960)

Automation Hits Theatre Boxoffke As Vendatkket Bows In N. Y. Theatre COURT (Contmued from page 8) purchase of another product, or the licensing of one television film on the licensing of another television film. Any injunction to that effect would be appropriate. The neces¬ sity for such an injunction flows from the facts of the case and present state of licens¬ ing of feature films to the television in¬ dustry,” the Judge asserted. In connection with the Government’s re¬ quest that he enter a decree directing the defendants to offer to renegotiate existing contracts between them and the U.S. TV sta¬ tions, giving the latter an opportimity to license features on a picture-by-picture and station -by -station basis. Judge Dawson said, “Such a decree would be without legal foundation.” There is no authority in the Sherman Act requiring a defendant in a Government anti-trust case to refund what it has received, even under an illegal con¬ tract, and to pay that amount to a private party not involved in the action, the Judge noted. “Furthermore, it should be pointed out that the trial of this injunction action was not such as clearly to define the respec¬ tive rights of the television stations and the defendants as to the damages which might be sought. “If the television stations are entitled to recoup some money they have an adequate remedy for damages in a suit, before a jury, specifically for that purpose,” Judge Dawson held, noting that the Government had never before sought, in an injunction proceeding, to require the defendants to reimburse third parties for injuries they allegedly suffered as a result of anti-trust violations. Judge Dawson found that Loew’s, Inc. (MGM) in certain negotiations, apparently conditioned licensing of some films on the licensing of others; C & C Super Corpora¬ tion was committed to a policy of block booking, but did not determine which con¬ tracts were so booked; there was sufficient evidence of conditioning and block-booking in certain Screen Gems negotiations; the pol¬ icy of Associated Artists was to sell in blocks, if possible, and that certain contracts were block booked; NTA in certain negotia¬ tions refused to comply with station requests to license fewer films than were contained in the proposed package, and each refusal was designed to require licensing of films not requested as a condition; United Artists in certain negotiations refused to consider selectivity, and conditioned the sale of any of the films on the purchase of the entire package. Defendants in the suit termed the decision a “victory” and the decree “a gentle slap on the wrist.” It was indicated that the company defend¬ ants might appeal on “legalisms” used in the decree. Otherwise, it was said the Govern¬ ment, which lost its motion for renegotia¬ tion, might have more cause for appealing. More Talk On Pay-TY WASHINGTON — The Broadcast Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission of¬ ficially advised the Commission that it saw “no objections” to the request of Marcus Cohn, attorney for the exhibitors, for a final round of oral argument in the hearings of Hartford Phonevision’s application for a three-year pay TV trial. The Commission was said to be considering Cohn’s request. It was believed that a final decision will be forthcoming on the Hartford application before President-elect Kennedy takes office on Jan. 20. NEW YORK — Vendaticket, the first selfservice theatre ticket selling machine to be in¬ stalled in New York — or anywhere else — began doing business last week at Loew’s 175th st. Theatre. The significance of this advance step, far reaching in its influence throughout the en¬ tertainment admission field, was emphasized by the presence of the heads of all companies concerned in the new device. Miss Jinx Falkenburg, whose successful career began in motion pictures, bought the first ticket. Next to purchase tickets were Laurence A. Tisch, chairman of the board of Loew’s The¬ atres, Inc.; and Louis Chesler and M. Mac Schwebel, chairman of the board and presi¬ dent, respectively, of Universal Controls, Inc., which developed and built Vendaticket. Also present was Frank Prince, chairman of the executive committee of Universal Match Co., which manufactures the change making de¬ vice used in Vendaticket. “Depending on the success of this first in¬ stallation,” Schwebel declared, “I have every confidence that the motion picture theatre in¬ dustry will adopt Vendaticket universally as an important ally to effect more efficiency and operating economies.” Theatre executives who have witnessed Vendaticket in private demonstrations pre¬ dicted that within five years it would be in¬ stalled in a great number of the country’s 11, 335 roofed-over moving picture theatres. Vendaticket would replace the manually op¬ erated Automaticket, which has been supplied for more than 30 years to movie theatres by General Register Corp., a Universal Controls subsidiary. Vendaticket is the world’s first completely automated box office. It identifies and accepts coin and paper currency in any combination up to a total of $9, issues the tickets called for and returns the exact change — at the pres¬ sure of a button. At Loew’s 175th st., Vendaticket is located in the lobby. The device appears as a metal cabinet, slightly larger than a telephone booth with the needed directions, buttons, and open¬ ings for intake and delivery spaced about the front panel. It is a complete unit, immediately responsive to the eye and finger of the ticket purchaser as he inserts his payment for tickets. Within the integrated mechanism are combined the functions of the electronic cur¬ rency identifier, automatic ticket issuer and electro -mechanical change -maker. Separate groups of buttons provide for the different prices of seats, afternoon and eve¬ ning, balcony, orchestra or loge. As a simple example, for a ticket costing 99 cents, the machine accepts with equal readiness the full amount in coins, or bills of $1, or $5 denom¬ ination and gives change accurately. It will deliver as many tickets as are demanded. When change is indicated in currency, Ven¬ daticket delivers it in separate $1 bills, in¬ dividually rolled into cigarette-like form. CANADIAN Highlights Sy Harry Alien, Jr. THE TOUGHEST FIGHT that the motion picture industry has probably had to face — outside of taxes and a sagging boxoffice — was won with the success of a plebiscite on Sunday films in eight Ontario cities and towns. Two communities, Newmarket and Kitchener, rejected the idea, however. The win is seen as an important boost to the cause of Sunday films in this country where Sunday showings are only permitted in the Province of Quebec. Approval was given in Tor¬ onto, Brantford, Oakville, Cornwall, Windsor, Oshawa, Niagara Falls, Stamford Township, with votes still to be taken in three other communities, St. Catharines, Kapuskasing, and Cochrane. The plebiscites accompanied ballots for the municipal elections and only asked the public whether it was in favor of the films, plays, and concerts on Sundays. No hours were set. In many communities, Sunday sports between 1:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. has already been approved, for example, Toronto. Under 1950 provincial legislation, Sunday sports are permitted by local bylaw. Movies, however, would not be legal without an enabling act of Legislature, and Mon¬ day’s plebiscites were held merely to register electoral opinion. The move to obtain approval started with the film projectionists who obtained support from the labor colleagues. The projectionists realized their jobs were going out the window imless something was done to bolster sagging theatre receipts. A request to the various city coun¬ cils was forwarded by the various labor councils, and the council under some pressiire from the exhibitors put the issue to ballot. Peculiarly enough, the opposition of the church groups received support from the Film Exchange Employees Union, who saw an end to their present five-day week. The union sent out letters opposing Sunday films. An industry committee was set up composed of E. G. Forsythe, Charles Mason and James R. Nairn. In some communities, hard seU was used with the distribution of handbills, window cards, and posters, and the use of trailers. In some cases, the newspapers opposed the idea, yet in Toronto all three newspapers were in favor of Sunday films. After the first move was taken in Toronto, the pressure was taken off because it was thought there would be a shoo-in for the idea. Continuation of the seU would have worked to the detriment of the exhibitor groups. The vote indicates a growing feeling, undoubtedly, in support of an open Sunday. Much of the credit for the success of the campaign which has been underway quietly for nearly four years belongs to the individual theatre managers who collared their patrons in search of sup¬ port. There were some funny results of the vote. In one community, a church took up a collec¬ tion to support the opposition. The plate reached a theatre circuit executive who dipped in his pocket to show an empty pocket. December 14, I960 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 17