Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1948)

Canada Lifting Ban on 35mm Projector Import The Canadian Government has lifted its ban on the importation of 35mm projectors, the film industry was informed last week. The import of 16mm projection machines still remains on the restricted list. The Government's move applies to imports from all countries. There is the intimation, however, that, effective February 1, the importation of 35mm projectors will be placed in the category of articles for which permit licenses are required. This would provide a svstem of Government control. Technicolor Files Denial In Government Trust Suit A complete denial of the charges contained in the Government's anti-trust suit filed last August was made by Technicolor, Inc., in an answer filed in the United States District Court in Los Angeles last Thursday by Dr. Herbert T. Kalmus, president. Dr. Kalmus said: "Technicolor's process has been evolved through more than 25 years of achievement and with the expenditure of millions of dollars for research, and not by the purchase or absorption of other companies." Report 411,433 Shares In Paramount Treasury Having purchased 7,800 additional shares of its common stock on the open market during December, Paramount at the end of the year had 411,433 shares in its treasury, the New York Stock Exchange reported this week. Total Paramount share purchases, since Barney Balaban, president, announced the stock-buying program November 1946, amount to 603,100 shares. During 1947, however, 35,000 shares were used to purchase Liberty Films and another 56,667 were used in exchange for the acquisition of, Rainbow Productions. Stock Shares Offered Consolidated Theatres, an affiliate of Famous Players Canadian Corp., has made a public offer of 73,500 shares of class "A" stock at $9.50 per share, plus a fractional class "B" stock bonus, the dividend rate to be 50 cents per year. The company operates theatres in Montreal. Buys Four in Philadelphia The A. M. Ellis Enterprises, one of the larger independent circuits operating in Philadelphia and southern New Jersey, has purchased the four Philadelphia neighborhood houses of the Leo Posel circuit, the Tyson, Benner, Regal and Crest. The purchase price was reported at $300,000. Greenville Theatre Changes At Greenville, S. C, the present Rivoli theatre will be refurnished and will open in about a month as the Fox theatre. The present Ritz theatre there has reopened as the Roxy. The Rivoli is now operated by the Trio Amusement Company ; the Roxy by the Textile Amusement Company. THREE AREAS ANALYZED Statistical summaries of the Chicago, Salt Lake City and Detroit directories, compiled by the Motion Picture Association in its census of U. S. theatres, have been released. CHICAGO EXCHANGE TERRITORY Number Seating Number Theatres in operation* 702 595,179 Circuit-operated theatres*.. 351 Closed theatres** 16 9,447 Non-circuit theatres 367 Totals 718 604,626 Totals 718 Seating 395,294 209,332 604,626 Seating capacity of theatres now in operation, accor ding to popu lation groupings:* Cumu No. of Cumu Number Cumu Average Population* * Towns lative Theatres lative of lative Seats Per Total Operating Totaf Seats Total Theatre 1,000,000 and over 1 (Chicago) (Gary) 302 324,409 1,074 250,000-100,001 3 (Peoria) (South Bend) 4 35 337 34,258 358,667 979 100,000 50,001 7 1 1 40 377 40,882 399,549 1,022 50,000 25,001 12 23 47 424 43,545 443,094 926 25,000 10,001 29 52 67 491 55,775 498,869 832 10,000 5,001 35 87 44 535 32,392 531,261 736 5,000 2,501 40 127 46 581 22,128 553,389 48! 2,500 and under 114 241 121 702 41,790 595,179 345 •Excluding two drive-in theatres, total capacity 1,450 automobiles. "Excluding two drive-in theatres, total capacity 2,030 automobiles. #A circuit is denned as "four or more" theatres operated by the same management. #*There are no towns with theatres in this exchange territory ranging in population from 250,001-1,000,000. SALT LAKE CITY EXCHANGE TERRITORY Number Seating Number Theatres in operation 414 186,208 Circuit-operated theatres* . 155 Closed theatres 15 6,829 Non-circuit theatres 274 Totals 429 193,037 Totals 429 Seating 95,356 97.681 193,037 Seating capacity of theatres now in operation, according to population groupings: Cumu No. of Cumu Number Cumu Average Population9 * Towns lative Theatres lative of lative Seats Per Total Operating Total Seats Total Theatre 250,000-100,001 1 (Salt Lake City 17 14,365 845 50,000 25,001 4 5 18 35 18,127 32,492 1,007 25,000 10,001 1 1 16 37 72 27,780 60,272 751 10,000 5,001 12 28 30 102 16,524 76.796 551 5,000 2,501 46 74 69 171 35,446 112,242 514 2,500 and under 227 301 243 414 73,966 186,208 304 *A circuit is denned as "four or more" theatres operated by the same management. ##There are no cities in this exchange territory ranging in population from 50,001-100,000. DETROIT EXCHANGE TERRITORY Number Seating Number Theatres in operation 589 435,830 Circuit-operated theatres*.. 286 Closed theatres* 24 13,728 Non-circuit theatres 327 Totals 613 449,558 Totals 613 Seating 274,608 174,950 449.558 Seating capacity of theatres now in operation, accordi ng to pop ulation groupings: Cumu No. of Cumu Number Cumu Average Population* * Towns lative Theatres lative of lative Seats Per Total Operating Total Seats Total Theatre 1,000,000 and over 1 (Detroit) 167 1 72,459 1,033 250,000-100,001 2 (G. Rapids) (Flint) 3 45 212 36,345 208,804 808 100,000 50,001 6 9 50 262 44,674 253,478 893 50,000 25,001 9 18 47 309 40,101 293.579 853 25,000 10,001 17 35 38 347 32,731 326,310 861 10,000 5,001 30 65 54 401 32,974 359,284 61 1 5,000 .2,501 32 97 37 438 21,512 380,796 581 2,500 and under 147 244 151 589 55,034 435,830 364 *Excluding two drive-in theatres, total capacity 680 automobiles. *A circuit is defined as "four or more" theatres operated by the same management. ##There are no cities in this exchange territory ranging in population from 250,001-1,000,000. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JANUARY 17, 1948 23