Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Mar 1956)

Your doorman may be a dream . . . Your usherettes may be starlets UT EVERY PERFORMANCE STILL MUST BE PERFECT! For a perfect performance, vital operating equipment has to work without a single slip. The best man to keep it exactly that way is an expert RCA Theatre Service Engineer. He's the only man who brings to your house the full backing of RCA’s technical resources. RCA SERVICE COMPANY, INC. A Radio Corporation of America Subsidiary Camden, N.J. MANKO TAILOR-MADE SEWED COMBINATION SEAT COVERS KEEP YOUR THEATRE CHAIRS LOOKING NEWAT THE LOWEST POSSIBLE COST!!! OVER 50,000 TAILOR-MADE MANKO SEAT COVERS SOLD IN LESS THAN 2 YEARS Priced from $1.25 PROVE IT TO YOURSELF! Mail your old seat cover to us with \our check for $1.50 (to cover handling and mailing) and we will send you a i Complete Stock of Finest Quality MOHAIR, CORDUROY, LEATHERETTES IN POPULAR THEATRE COLORS OVER 100,000 PRE-CUT SEAT SQUARES SOLD IN LESS THAN 2 YEARS Priced from 45^ new tailor*made Manko cover. Color will be matched as closely as possible from our large stock of fabrics which are also sold by the yard. WE GUARANTEE TO FIT ALL STANDARD MAKES OF CHAIRS for Current Price List — Discounts to Recognized Z)ea/ers MANKO FABRICS CO., INC. {Seating Division) 156 W. 28th ST., N. Y. 1, N. Y. For The Best Signs You'll See . . . ADLER CHANGEABLE LETTER DISPLAYS 1 or nge rOW ain* Vou lass lel" 1 Original “Third Dimension" Plastic Cast Aluminum Letters in Wider Rs of Sizes; 4 OTHER ADLER EXCLUSIVES: L Cost “Sectionad" Displays — -18-8 St less Steel Frames (The Strongest Can Buy) Completely Glazed With G or Plastic — Regular or *'Remova-Pa Frames. WRITE FOR FREE CATALOG ADLER SILHOUEHE LETTER CO. II843-B W. Olympic, Los Angeles 64 , ^ • • • trmjfp • • • • • • <ON» • • ♦ • SCREENS ' ‘EVER-YWHERE’ ' • •. • • • « m • m mu an employee in ejecting a patron who is boisterous or disorderly, this law is applicable only when the theatre employee ivas authorized to eject patrons, or the employee was placed in such position that the court could imply that he had authority to eject disorderly or undesirable patrons. So while the courts hold that theatre managers and ushers impliedly are authorized to maintain order and eject disorderly patrons, the courts also have held that a theatre owner is not liable in damages for injuries inflicted on patrons by a person employed to do such things as repairing or cleaning the premises. In other words, a theatre owner never is liable for injurious acts of an employee who had no expressed or implied authority to eject a disorderly patron, unless the owner or his manager wilfully permits the unauthorized employee to effect the injury. Special Police Officers Then, again, the rights and liabilities of a theatre owner differ materially if the injurious acts are performed by a theatre employee instead of by authorized police officers. For example, a theatre owner is liable in damages for any unlawful injurious acts of a special police officer if the injury is effected to protect the proprietor s property. He is not liable if the conduct of the injured disorderly person was such that it was the duty of the police officer, by virtue of his police powers, to eject and arrest the patron for apprehension and punishment by law. Pertinent cases: Neallus v. Hutchinson Amusement Company (139 Atl. 671); Klaming v. Orleans Theatres Company (117 So. 132). In the latter the higher court held the theatre liable and said : “fVhenever such managers, or those charged ivith the duty of maintaining order, have reason to believe one in the audience guilty of improper conduct, calculated to alarm or disturb the audience, they are justified in taking such reasonable steps as will be necessary to put an end to the disturbance, even to the extent of ejecting the offenders. On the other hand, people who visit such places of amusement and entertainment are entitled to full protection at the hands of the managers in the enjoyment of the privilege for which they have paid their money. And where, as in this case, a patron is insulted, maltreated and caused to leave by an employee w’ithout just, reasonable or probable cause, such proprietor will be held liable in damages." It is well established law that a theatre owner is never liable for assault of a patron, whether an adult or a child, by an employee who acts outside his regular authority. — Leo T. P.VRKER A ttorney-at-Laiv, Cincinnati. 26 Motion Picture Herald, March 24, 1956