Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1945)

50 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW March 31, 1945 Competitor or Partner? (Continued from Page 38) would be tuned out if something more fast moving where available from another station. Bill Robinson was sketched by Patterson and after a few gags delivered one of his excellent dance routines which lacked the glamour of screen production. Concluding the program was a studio live-talent dramatic sketch entitled "Birthday" and starring Jimsie Somers, 8-year-old television actress ; Frances Dee, Philip Foster and Ed Jerome. While the production was effectively handled with movie library war shots woven into the studio scenes there was an inescapable lack of reality which we expect from the screen. From this looksee into the crystal ball of postwar television we can anticipate much programming of a hammy character until experienced artists, working under experienced directors, with the controls in the hands of experienced technicians are coordinated through painstaking rehearsal using good story material. Just as the real artists, writers, directors and cinephotographers are few and greatly in demand at fancy prices, so will be the case with artisans schooled in the television technique. Television programming worth its salt is going to cost a pretty penny. We could see in this preview a vast proving ground for the future talent of the motion picture studios. A screen test laboratory reaching into the hinterlands with television talent scouts sitting at remote receivers spotting a promising face for promotion to stardom. What was that question we were exploring? We can envision many an evening of inclement weather when, if tele-programming has progressed as has the screen, there will be little inducement to leave the fireside to take in a mediocre screen show. We can see many families and friends passing up the movies for some favorite tele-series like the screen's "Hardy Family." We can see young folks cutting rugs to Benny Goodman's music in the parlor instead of a dance hall but when Benny Goodman comes to town in person — the tele-receiver will be silent so far as they are concerned that night and the same goes for good motion pictures when mother and dad and the kids will want to go NEW ROLL TICKET HOLDER TH-2 PAT. APPLIED rOR The new Wenzel Roll Ticket Holder is now fully adjustable. A device that is instantly adjustable to hold your roll at just the correct tension. Never too loose or too tighte regardless the size of your roll. Can be used in any position. Be sure to send for complete descriptive folder W.C. 14. Mention your dealer's name. 1 1 1 ENZEL PROJECTOR COMPANY UJ 250519 S.STATE ST. CHICAGO 16, ILL. FOREST cuu:-U^ PRODUCTS Gradual dclerinralinn of proierlor arc lamp refleilnrs rrsulls in a cnrresportding loss in Rinrioncy Sinre llie only liftlil which can reach Ihe screen musi be rclleclcd by the mirror, the loss in .screen light is in direct proportion to Ihe loss in mirror efficiency Endeavorini; In make up this light loss through the use of more current represents a pure uaste in the form of unwarranted power hills. IVTiodic mirror replacement accordingly is a good investment. Strong precision reflectors for all types and makes of lamps are sold by independent theatre supply dealers The STRONG ELECTRIC CORPORATION Toledo 2, Ohio WORLOS L4BGtST MAKtR Of PBQJECriOIV ARCS Make those improvements now! Now is tlie time to make those much needed A improvements to your theatre. Allow us to offer ^ our suggestions and estimate. NOVELTY SCENIC STUDIOS, INC. Draperies • Interior Decoration • Murals 318-320 W. 48th Street New York out where people congregate for an evening at the movies. Screen trailers, via television to the home will prove more magnetic selling than newspaper ads ever could hope to be and they are the little fellows that spell FUTURE in great big beautiful letters for the motion picture exhibitors of the world if Hollywood will continue making fine screen fare, take to the screen the talent which will be uncovered by television and utilize this new art to the fullest in popularizing its stars and bringing the glamorous messages about "must see" pictures into the homes of the theatres' prospects. As to the technical make-up of the rear projection model demonstrated. Dr. C. B. Jolliffe, RCA vice-president in charge of laboratories, explained that it had been made possible by four prewar RCA engineering and scientific achievements. Some of these were employed in the RCA large screen theatre television demonstration at the New Yorker Theatre in New York, 1941. War interrupted planned production of this new type receiver. The Four Achievements Largc-sise reproduction of the images on a screen built into the receiver cabinet is made possible primarily by a special optical system developed by a group of scientists and engineers working under the supervision of loury G. Maloff, of the RCA Victor Division, and David ]]'. Epstein, of RCA Laboratories. The second RCA development ivhich contributes to the brightness, clarity, and high definition of the pictures is a special high-voltage type of cathode ray tube. This tube produces a much brighter original image on its face than could be obtained zi'ith the lozver voltages used for the purpose before the vuar. The third advance zvhich enhances the quality of the pictures is an automatic frequency control developed by RCA engineers, zvhich eliminates picture distortion caused by "noise" interference. The fourth advance is RCA Victor's nezv translucent plastic viezuing screen. Special features incorporated in the design of the screen provide even distribution of light over the image area and proper distribution of transmitted light zvithin the normal viezving angle. Personal Convenience a Factor In this article we have referred to television as a "new art." Actually it is not a new art at all. It is motion picture exhibition in the home. And all arguments about the element of spontaneity enhancing television will fall as flat as a pancake in actual practice unless we miss our guess. People will not care whether they see and hear (and those are reminiscent words to showmen) Churchill talking from London at one time of the day or another just so long as they can get the speech at a time convenient to them if they are interested. Motion picture exhibitors have gone into the confection and popcorn business by the droves. Why? Because it fits into their business as a profitable sideline. Here is a sideline that can be as profitable as the theatre itself and it is right down the exhibitors' alley; it's the motion picture theatre's counterpart in the home. Are exhibitors going to treat television as they did radio in its early days? We think not! From all the information we can smoke out, it will take no shotgun to wed exhibitors to the television business. They are going to be in it from coast to coast.