Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

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SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, October 8, 1949 8 Series in Theatre Debut (Continued jrom Page 7) seemed to hang over the stadium during the larger part of the gameAs seen at the Fabian Fox, the sun peeped through enough for a very short time so that the shadows of the players reflected themselves on the ground, fcut most of the images during the run of the game were on the hazy side, which made the faces of the players scarcely distinguishable at times, excepting during close-up shots. In addition there was, part of time, a ribbon of darker density extending vertically across the left side of the screen, which varied in width from approximately half a foot to two or three feet. No reason for this was obtainable as STR went to press. Robert Jamieson of Dumont Television Studios, who was in charge of the pickups, declared that the images left the park clearly and were seen very distinctly on the average television receiver. Jamieson used four "supersensitive image orthicon" cameras to pick up and placed his cameras well. Better Camera Work Indeed this world series broadcasts showed a number of improvements from a camera coverage angle and gave a wider view of the plays than usually noted on television. Jamieson even had a camera in the bull pen and another, equipped with telephoto lens, was placed behind the pitcher so that it could give a pitcher's view of the game. The fans at the Fabian Fox seemed to like it. Faibian used RCA large screen theatre television and offered the game with Warner Bros. "White Heat" and Columbia's "Kazan" as a double bill for $1.20. In Boston, a disappointed city which found that its home team was not in the swim and that two from the city of New York were gave Sam Pinanksi's Pilgrim Theatre a crowd of 2,(X)0 for the first world series broadcast over theatre television in the city's history. The disappointment over not having a home town team in, which manifested itself as the advance sales ($1.25 and $1.80) dropped off, seems to have been dissipated though. An American Theatre executive said that sales now indicated that the theatre will be filled for the remainder of the series. The crowd reacted like a ball crowd — noisy when unusual plays were made. The reaction on the whole was splendid. Ample comment on the excellence of the accommodations were heard, with the majority of these comments being to the effect that the fan was more comfortable in the theatre than he would have been at the ball park. Box Lunches 'A stunt which the Pilgrim pulled by serving box lunches at noon also drew praise for the patrons, some of whom had come in at 10 A. M. As to visibility most of the fans seemed leaned to the belief that the plays on the screen were clearer than they would have been at the park and that they were "right on top of the plays." The crowd also seemed surprised to find that an improved technique, plus a large screen, gave a good view of field and players. In Scranton, Comerford put on the series at its West Side on a purely experimental basis. Originally Comerford had not been alble to get clearance from the Federal Communications Commission because of a temporary microwave relay line needed to get the images from the Scranton Times. The Commission reversed itself and the house put on the series, charging 30 cents admission and offering no features. RCA large screen television equipment was used. In Chicago more than 2,200 baseball fans paid $1-25 each to see the first of the world series games at the Balaban and Katz State Lake Theatre. Intermediate System The show was brought in over the Paramount intermediate system, which records the video image on film and then passes it through projectors. However in this instance the actual reception of the image and developing of the film took place in B&K's Chicago where the Paramount equipment had been installed and the film rushed to the State Lake across the street. First pictures reached the screen at the State Lake approximately 20 minutes after the game started and were somewhat hazy due to mist on the playing field. But as weather cleared the images became much sharper. State Lake management had no complaints on the show and expect an even larger crowd during the remainder of the series. Two Houses, Same Town In Milwaukee, the St. Cloud Amusement Company's Town and Oriental both put on the World Series over RCA's television system. The Tower drew an attendance of about 1,000 and the Oriental about 1,400, which amounted to about two-thirds of the capacity of both houses. However, the audience seemed pleased. The reception of the telecast was good excepting that it was somewhat cloudy during the first three innings and during the seventh and eighth innings, the image flickered, due possibly to atmospheric conditions. Milwaukee fans paid an admission of $1-25. Schine Loses Medina Suit; Dissolution Is Upheld Sthine this week lost another round in its Medina Princess Corporation fight when the Cuyahoga County Court in Ohio upheld the original leases. Directors of the corporation, which owned both the Temple and the Princess, had voted to dissolve the corporation and reassign the leases to the owners. 'Schine, which had operated the houses in a pool, claimed the reassignment was improper and sued for a received to wind up the affairs of the pool and offer both houses at public sales. The court denied this. M. S. Fine and P. E. Essick of Cleveland head the Medina Temple Theatre and the lessees had been Schine and Mrs. Ethel Yudelevitz, each owning a half interest. Heat, Too Moonlite Movies, a new drive-in located near Santa Clara, Calif., owned by Golden State Theatres, is slated to open Oct. 21. The open-airer will be equipped with individual car-heaters for winter operation. Ben Stevenson has been named manager. He was formerly at the Parkside Theatre where Bud Sears is now in charge. Roy Young, assistant manager of the Noe Theatre, was made manager when Sears left for the Parkside. No Effect, Yet Devaluation has not made itself felt at the British box-office, Sir Sidney Clift, head of the Clifton Cinemas of Britain, declared this week upon his arrival in New York. As to future effect, Sir Sidney said: "I have no idea," adding that he did not think the Government itself knew. Business has been off for the summer in England but good product continues to draw good business, he declared, adding: "If you get the right product the business is good." Sir Sidney said he was in New York only on a visit. David E. Griffiths, president of the Kinematograph Renters Association, who accompanied Sir Sidney, declared he was also visiting and expressed interest in television. Paramount Wins Stockholder Suit Attempts by Stockholder Sol Kokol of Brooklyn to force Paramount to buy his stock in the present company for cash before it split up under the consent decree received a set back Monday when the New York Appellate division of the Supreme (state) court reversed a decision of its lower branch favoring Kokol. (In New York the Supreme court is approximately the same as a county court in other states. Appeals from it go to the Appellate Division and the to the Court of Appeals, which is similar to the Supreme Court in the majority of states.) Reverses 'The Appellate court found that the split of Paramount under the decree did not constitute a voluntary dissolution in the sense of the state statute. This statute provides that when a company dissolves or transfers its assets it must receive stockholder approval and dissenting stockholders have the right to have their stock appraised and be paid cash for his stock by the company on the basis of the appraisal. Kokol, who had not approved the consent decree transfer of assets, sued under the statute and won in the lower court which appointed appraisers. Appellate court reversed the lower court. He may still appeal to the Court of Appeals in Albany. Miss. Blue Law Fight Is Lost Blue-law fighting exhibitors of Hattiesburg, Miss., seemed to have taken the count in their struggle this week when a state court made permanent a temporary injunction which ordered them to comply with the state curfew statute. The law allows theatres to operate from 1 to 6 P.M. on Sundays, but requires them to close after that. It is thought to have been designed to prevent competition with churchgoing and exhibitors in Hattiesburg had decided to nullify it by defiance, fairly certain that no jury would convict them since the measure is unpopular. Injunction The mayor sought an injunction however, which was issued temporarily by Chancellor Lester Clark on Aug. 20 after public disorders which resulted in almost 200 arrests had resulted. In making the temporary injunction permanent Chancellor Clark said he did not think much of the law but had been impressed by the exhibitor defiance and the resulting disorder.