Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1942)

ISSUE OF JUNE 27, 1942 VOLUME 147, NUMBER 13 How to Try to Get What Your Theatre Needs ! The working space of the theatre business became still more cramped during the month of June, first with the installation of Government Order L-41, limiting construction in the amusement field to work costing po more than $5,000; and later with initial steps toward reducing yet further the manufacture of theatre equipment. More or less in anticipation of the effect of these new restrictions upon theatre operation, the amusements and buildings sections of the WPB, instructed the operators of theatres, hotels and restaurants to address their appeals for materials in case of a breakdown, to their nearest WPB field office, rather than direct to Washington. Each field office is manned to have an intimate understanding of local conditions, and the inference is that to proceed through the district organization is to get faster action. For the convenience of exhibitors and theatre managers, a list of all of the War Production Board field offices throughout the United States is published on page 24 of this issue of Better Theatres. The field office, after considering the merits of a request for emergency repair or maintenance materials, will forward the request to the proper department in Washington, and if the request is granted, a preference rating for the materials will be wired directly to the theatre management. At a meeting of equipment manufacturers' representatives with WPB officials, the Government, through Harold Hopper of the WPB amusement section, took occasion to reiterate its recognition of the motion picture business as a "medium for training, education, information and morale building." And despite the burden of the message, the press release covering the meeting stated that "it is intended to keep theatres operating," adding: "On the other hand, the manufacture of motion picture theatre equipment uses many critical materials, such as copper, nickel, aluminum and steel, and it is imperative that such materials be conserved for the war program." Seating: L-41 or M-126? Whether auditorium seating comes under the rules applying to construction, or those affecting equipment purchasing, remains a puzzler, at least for the WPB. Seating manufacturers have decided the matter, thus far, for themselves and are, regarding their product as equipment, which is logical enough, since auditorium chairs are not legal fixtures — that is, they are not attachments of the building. . Nevertheless, the Buildings Branch of the WPB considers the installation, as opposed to manufacture, of seating a part of construction, therefore restricted by Order L-41 limiting remodeling expenditures to $5,000. The Amusements Section, however, advises that it is trying to obtain "liberalization" of this interpretation. Under Order M-126, manufacture of auditorium seating using iron or steel became prohibited on June 19th, while assembly of chairs already manufactured must cease on August 3rd. Copper Versus Picture Elsewhere in this issue Charles E. Shultz asks, "How Much Can You Reduce Arc Current to Save Copper?" then proceeds to provide data which will permit the management and projectionists of each theatre to answer the question for themselves. This article is something of a sequel to Mr. Shultz's efforts in the May 2nd and 30th issues to aid wartime conservation by encouraging accurate measurement of projection lighting efficiency. His present discussion has of course been prompted by recent suggestions that arc current be reduced 20%. The data reliably cover average conditions for various trims, F E AT U R E S. .O F. .T H I S. .1 S S U E You Can Keep Your Theatre Smiling . 8 Rivoli Theatre, West Haven, Conn. . 10 The Theatre in the War 13 Planning the Candy Booth for Convenience 16 Common Faults That Can Be Corrected 18 Overcoming Arbitrary License Rulings 23 WPB Field Offices 24 Guarding Against Warm Weather Odors 25 How Much Can You Reduce Arc Current? 26 F. H. Richardson's Comment ... 28 About People of the Theatre ... 33 A section of Motion Picture Herald devoted to the physical theatre, published by the Quigley Publishing Company, Inc., Rockefeller Center, New York, every fourth" week. Martin Quigley, publisher and editor-in-chief. George Schutz, editor. Colvin Brown, general manager. Ray Gallc, advertising manager. C B. O'Neill, Western adv. manager, 624 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago Another addition to the nation's growing roster of newsreel theatres. This is the new Telenews in Denver, unit of the circuit of that name operating in Detroit, Chicago, Dallas, and several other cities. The theatre was formerly the Denver, a 600-seat house opened only about a year ago. It was somewhat remodeled before reopening recently as a news house. This picture was taken on opening night. The manager is Les Allan. and unless image quality is to be waived entirely as a factor, for the duration, they will show many a theatre that little or no reduction of arc current is feasible. And in this it is highly significant that Mr. Shultz has indicated the effect of screen deterioration on the limitations of the arc and lens system. That theatre management and public alike should be satisfied with any kind of picture may of course be asserted with considerable conviction in these times. Still, there is a limit to the impairment of image quality if the play on the screen is to retain its effectiveness, and hundreds of theatres have never got close to what is today accepted as standard screen illumination. Reduction of arc current also suggests the effect of the practice on post-war projection. Present-day standards of projection represent many years of technical advances in equipment and balesful of propaganda. Now it is well that we reduce arc current, when our projection setup permits, in order to save copper. After the war we could do so to save money, however little. Doggone if Ave aren't pessimistic today ! Must be the weather — or Tobruk. — G. S. 7