Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

10 Video Threat Is Weaker (Continued from Page 6) fact were never out of the picture as far as family interest was concerned. What's more, television has lost out to radio several times this year so far as the bar trade is concerned. Each time there is a big sports event which is broadcast but Mot televised, the bars shut off the video receiver and the crowd gathers around a portable radio which is usually put up on the back bar. To add insult to injury, Wednesday night when the Washington Senators licked the Boston Red Sox 2-1, there were bars where the television set was showing wrestling and boxing, but where the customers were gathered around the radio set to hear a radio account of the game. The account was not even broadcast from the ball park. It was brought to the studio 'by telegraph and then reeled iof¥ by a sports announcer ! Theatres in the Field •Meanwhile theatres themselves, in a few instances, it is true, have taken a more active interest in television. The World Series, which probably interests more Americans at the moment than what Russia is going to do, were booked for theatre telecasts this week by six theatres in five different cities. There is evidence that had equipment been available and had the facilities to pick up the signal on the series been greater than they are now, that a number of larger first run-houses would have jumped on the series band wagon. Judging on the evidence of the first game, which from the viewpoint of the showman was a stinker, since it had little flashing action and was based on a duel of pitchers, the idea of showing special events in theatres is sound, even though they lack color. The future may prove this assumption wrong, and present evidence does not apply to smaller houses. ■But it was a tremendous step forward in experimentation and one which should answer some of the questions the Federal Communications Commission wants to know about theatre television before it grants frequency allocations for that purpose. The theatres which tied in with this event are pioneers. They may eventually -prove saviors. May Prove Lesson In fact, when this series is over, exhibitors who tried it may ifind that they have discovered a lot of what's wrong with theatre television. One thing that faces them is that while sets in the home and the bar reduce pictures, theatre television has to blow them up. And in this expansion the defects stand out. Will the future of theatre television demand that separate cameras pick up the theatre events from those intended from the home receiver? That's a good question, for on the home receiver the event, much smaller, looked better, from all evidence. Wants Money's Worth A man-that-wasn't-there caused the State Theatre in Hollister, Calif., to bounce back an admission price. Playing MGM's Spencer Tracy starrer, "Edward, My Son," the cashier found an angry customer in front of the box-office after the show. After much argument the payment was returned. The refund slio under "reasons" gave the cause. It read: "Edward didn't show." DR. E. H. HONAN, who among other distinguished accomplishments, helped the commercial development of stereophonic recording, this week joined Altec as engineering manager. Prior to that Honan had been engineering manager of Western Electric's Electrical Research Products division. than the theatre showing, even though you couldn't see what was what in many instances. Another thing that may be brought to light is whether theatres need cable service or whether they can pick it out the air. The -New York Paramount, most consistent experimenter, has tried both. Fabian's Fox used cable. Yet there were times when the signal was not good. Comerford's Westside used an air pick up. Which is going to be the better method? Pioneers Incidentally, it appears that Fabian has pioneered in one respect. The extra profits television brought in will not increase his -film rental. Apparently both Columbia and Warners, whose product play the Fabian bill, have agreed to take an average on what the matinees ordinarily bring as a basis for film rentals and not demand the extra "so.nething" which the v:deo sliows brought in. Rent for One^ Run for Another What's sauce for the small town independent exhibitor is not' sauce for the independent subsequent-run exhibitor in larger cities, it was emphatically demonstrated this week as a result of the directors' meeting held by the Mid-Central Allied Independent Theatre Owners at the Hotel Sheraton in St. Louis. Round table discussions held by the directors showed that while film rental is of vital importance to the independent in smaller locations, it is not as important to the independent subsequent-run exhibitor in larger cities as availability and run. The round table discussion concerned itself with buying and booking in various areas of the territory. The directors elected William H. Hoffman of the LaMar at Arthur, 111. as board chairman and appointed a new executive committee consisting of President Henry Holloway ; Vice-President Jeff Jeffries ; Secretary-Treasurer Hugh M. Graham, Charles Beninati and Hofi^man. SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, October 8, 1949 Dickinson Adds 3, Will Seek 1st Run The Dickinson Circuit, operating in western Missouri and eastern Kansas, this week moved to step into two more major situations when it took over two houses in Springfield and one in Joplin, 'Mo. The houses — ^the 1,000-seat Tower, the 850seat Granada in Springfield and the 850-seat Glen, formerly the Show, in Joplin — will be remodeled and converted from subsequent to firstruns late in October, Circuit Chief Glen Dickinson said. He added he expected to get product, for 'both situations in -which Fox Midwest now operates, through bidding, a system which enabled him to reopen the Crystal at Topeka, Kansas, under a first-run policy. The three new houses now bring the Dickinson circuit up to 36 under-roofers and three under-skyers. PCCITO to Hold 'Exhibitors' College' An "exhibitor's college" to offer refresher course on current problems will be a highlight at the Pacific Coast Conference of Independent Theatre Owners' Convention at Sun Valley Oct. 15 17, Board Chairman Rotus Harvey announced. Committees composed of exhibitors best informed on such subjects as competitive bidding, arbitration, maintenance, drive-ins, exhibitordistributor relations, print handling, local checkers, contracts, family series pictures. National Screen, labor relations, daylight saving time and ^national taxation, will give the instructions. "Everyone of us spends thousands of dollars educating our children but few of us spend anything to keep up on our business," Harvey said, discussing the plan. "School teachers, professional men, take refresher courses each year so they will be able to keep up with the changing times. We have to do the same." Canada Delays Action On Public Relations The 'Motion Picture Branch of the Board of Trade at Toronto this week delayed recommendations on public relations program presented to it by the Canadian Motion Picture Industry Council. The detision not to act was based on a desire to study the proposal made at the allindustry conference to be held in Ottawa Oct. 12-13. Iron Curtain No Bar To American Movies To Irving Brown, European representative of the American Federation of Labor, American films are not only "a vital and indispensable force in spreading .'\merican democracy abroad," but they're also getting the business in the Iron Curtain countries. Brown, back from Europe, told the AFL convention in St. Paul : "I have seen it demonstrated time and time again that American motion pictures are more popular with the masses of the people than the films of any other nations." Speaking of U. S. films in Czechoslovakia, he said : "Getting tickets to see them is tougher than pulling a strike in the salt mines of Siberia." Russian pictures, he claimed, often play to almost empty houses.