Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1929)

16 Motion Picture X c w s December 7, 192» "Erpi" Equipment Available On Weekly Instalment Plan; No Down Payments $99.75 In Cash All That's Necessary To Secure Device — Applies To All Types — W. E. After 5,000 More Houses Any unwired exhibitor with $99-/5 in casn m his possession now has a standard sound reproducer in his grasp — if he wants it. Under a new selling policy. Electrical Research Products, Inc., has lifted the down payment plan and will sell its equipment on a so-much-a-week basis to all who are interested. The company figures that many small houses will close unless reproducers are made available to them without straining either credit or bank balances. The terms are applicable to all types of equipment from what is known as the 3-S, designed for theatres seating up to 1,000, into the 1-S which is the largest equipment and the type designed for theatres of 2,500-seat capacities and over. Possibilities are computed at 5,000. 100 Per Cent Out Toronto. — Verily this is the day of sound. Proof: An English company trying to gain a foothold in Canada has found its Canadian rights hanging on its hands because eleven of its twelve releases are silent. All first runs in Canada are now wired. 3,006 W. E. Installations Made In U. S.; 892 Abroad Western Electric installations to date total 3,S98, of which 3,006 are in the United States and 892 in foreign countries. One of W. E.'s most recent installations was made at Verldensteatret Trondhjam, in Norway, only 190 miles from the Arctic Circle. Bunn Announces Two New Western Electric Trailers ■Western Electric has completed two trailers for use of exhibitors installing its sound equipment. Both reels are offered without charge, according to C. W. Bunn, Erpi general sales manager. One trailer is silent, for use prior to innovation of sound, and the other is designed to introduce the first sound program. They show how sound is scientifically conceived. Treat 75 Theatres Weekly For Acoustical Correction To increase the acoustic quality of Western Electric wired houses, 75 theatres are now being acoustically analyzed weekly by the acoustic department of Electrical Research Products under supervision of S. K. Wolf. In every case where the analysis shows that the theatre is in need of treatment, a specific acoustic recommendation is made. In making the surveys, engineers are required to determine the exact volume and seating capacity, nature and thickness of all surfaces in the theatre, type, thickness and amount of draping and decorating material used in theatre, exact nature of all seats and furniture, etc. It also includes a noise survey and recommendation for eliminating all noises in the house. Military Funeral For Charles Maigne, Director San Francisco. — Charles Maigne, writer, scenarist and director for Paramount, who died at Lettermnn Hospital, was buried at 'i iilio with full military escort. Maigne was a captain in the regular army. How W. E. Sales Plan Works Out The "no payment" plan just adopted by Electrical Research Products for sale of Western Electric equipment provides for purchase of the device over a period of three years divided as follows : TYPE 3-S (F. AND D.) For theatres seating up to 1,000: Payment No. Ol Weeks Payable $99.75 26 95.50 26 62.00 52 57 52 15 weekly service charge TYPE E 3-SX (F. AND D.) For theatres seating 1,000 to 2.000: Payment No. Of Weeks Payable $133 26 128 26 83.50 52 77.00 52 20 weekly service charge TYPE 2-SX (F. AND D.) For theatres seating from 2,000 to 2,500: Payment No. Of Weeks Payable $177 26 170 26 112 52 30 52 30 weekly service charge TYPE 1-S (F. AND D.) For theatres seating 2,500 and more: Payment No. Of Weeks Payable $221 26 210 26 140 52 129 52 40 weekly service charge Seek Open Field In Amplification Chicago. — A more wide open market for sound amplification, making accessible equipment of a higher quality at a lower price is the object of the Audio Research Foundation, just incorporated in Illinois by a number of radio manufacturers, Investigation of practices in the radio industry and allied fields will be undertaken at once. The movement has for its purpose the determination of the validity of various patents in an effort to eliminate current conditions, which it is charged, may prove to run counter to the anti-trust laws. Sound equipment enters the picture through the incorporation of radio parts and mechanisms based on radio patents. Ad Specialist To Talk Before AMPA Industrial payroll and employment conditions throughout the country, with reference to box office receipts, will be discussed by Roy Dickinson, associate editor of Printers' Ink, at the regular weekly meeting of the Associated Motion Picture Advertisers on Thursday, December 12. Dickinson has just completed a national survey through several hundred important channels, including executives of many concerns that are large employers of labor, to determine with accuracy in behalf of a series of articles being published by Printers Ink, just what business leaders actually intend to do with respect to continued production in 1930. The information he has obtained is said to give very clear indications of what leading business administrators anticipate as the results to their particular enterprises of the recent Wall Street crash. Dickinson is known as one of America's best informed specialists on advertising as a science in the merchandising of product. His position as an associate editor of Printers' Ink gives him intimate contact with the theories and practices of many of the country's largest users of advertising space. Hence, his talk to members of the AMPA is expected to reveal a surprising degree of similarity between the advertising and merchandising problems of the directors of advertising for motion picture producing, distributing and exhibiting organizations, and those of concerns in the so-called staple commodity fields. Dallas Records Smashed Dallas.— "Rio Rita," at the Capitol for three and a half weeks, chalked up a new record. Film Board Presidents Lined Up For New Year The new list of Film Board of Trade presidents for 1930 includes the following: Albany, J. H. Morgan; Atlanta, Dave Prince: Boston, Joseph A. McConville: Buffalo, A. J. Herman; Charlotte, E. P. Bryan; Chicago, Felix Uendellaobn; I cinnati, Paul Kreiger; Cleveland, A. J. Mertz; Dallas, P. K. Johnston; Denver, A. P. Archer; De Moines, E. J. Tilton; Detroit, Frank J. Downey; Indianapolis, Harry D. Graham; Kansas City, L J. Doty; Los Anoeles, N. H. Browcr; Memphis-Little Rock, J. F. Wellington; Milwaukee, C. W. Trampe; Minneapolis, M. A. Levy; New Haven, J. A. Davis; Nezv Orleans. N. P. Eberlcy; New York, Tliom.is Murray; Oklahoma City, E. D. Brewer; Omaha, Earl A. Bell; Philadelphia, P. A. Bloch; Pittsburgh, J. J. Maloney; Portland, Leslie E. Davis; St. Louis, Roy Dickson; Salt Lake City, Wayne C. Ball; San Francisco. M. E. Corey; Seattle, 11. Wallace Rucker; Washington, D. C, Ralph Binns; Montreal, D. Leduc; Toronto, Jack Hunter; Vancouver, R. A. Scott; Calgary, F. . L. Vaughan; Winnipeg, T. J. Gould; St. John. W. A. Sault; Cuba, Arthur Pratchett; Mexico, General N. C. Olvcra.