What's New? (Dec 1963)

The vision of our President, R. W. Bolstad, has spurred our Company to a World-Wide FIRST, in a new business, which is bein heralded, as the most important forward-step in the theatre business since the introduction of sound in the late '20’s. In a gal 1962, a new system of theatre projection was introduced to the commercial market called EIDOPHOR. Here in Toronto, Maple Leaf Gardens presented the Paterson-Liston heavyweight fight to an almost capacity audience. Shortly thereafter with the beginning of the hockey season, our Company selected the College theatre in Toronto, which is located in a depressed suburban area, for an interesting experiment, Since this theatre possesses no parking facilities, and is situated in an almost completely Ethnic population area, it was felt that the EIDOPHOR installation would be put to the hardest possible test. ee ap Anal ith Maple Leaf Gardens, t t the 35 rrangements were made with Maple Leaf Gardens, to present the 35 awayfrom-home hockey games played by the Toronto Maple Leafs. The results in fase cron perine of iost acon nacht ee the College theatre were almost serge audiences for every game. The vast majority of the patrons came from the immediate vicinity, and this aroused ON THE GIANT SCREENS OF THEATRES! the hope, that a similar pattern could be developed, if the EIDOPHOR equip ment were to be installed in other suburban theatres. MAPLE L ree: the 1962-1963 hockey season, an attempt was made to develop cn EAF additional types of programming. Three boxing events were scheduled, and N.H.L. HOCKEY these were greeted with a healthy public response. Another interesting evERY THmuLin experiment was conducted with the Toronto ve Leaf hockey club. GAMES gis cas to 8 In Toronto, the home games of the Leafs were broadcast on TV begin | ning at 9 p.m. The ee themselves actually commence at 8 p.m. The BE A SUBSCRIBER... 3 CONVENIENT PLANS idea behind the College theatre test was to see whether patrons could be Save mony "> Youeet mee Sonor Base induced to purchase tickets for these particular home games. Since all the SeAiron every cane ME OF ISAM i patron would gain, would be the hour of hockey between 8 and 9 p.m. that ee ne, an) Sein was not alrea ! available on home TV, it was felt that this was a positive Svan can a measuring stick of patron enthusiasm for hockey. A test of four such games mba scambecnieg were arranged, and the results were surprisingly good. NETWORK ESTABLISHED _ After a second test at Maple Leaf Gardens this summer, with the second PattersonListon heavyweight fight, our Company decided to expand the EIDOPHOR experiment. A training school was set-up for projectionists to learn the intricate apparatus, and other training schools were developed for managers, treasurers and other theatre pene A network of nine EIDOPHOR emp ed theatres was established. Six of these are located in Toronto the Beach, Century, College, Glendale, Parkdale and St. Clair. In addition the Strand, Hamilton; Regent, Oshawa and Capitol, St. Catharines were elected. The results so far, for the early part of the season, are quite satisfactory. ___Last month in New York, EIDOPHOR staged a successful demonstration of an equipment projecting in colour. Two weeks ago, a rival equipment TALARIA, exhibited their machine in a colour demonstration, which was held on the west coast. en rapidly now, the entire market for IN-THEATRE TELEVISION, which in reality is CLOSED-CIRCUIT TELEVISION. is forming. Various companies are searching the equipment market, and locations and premises are being researched for potential outlets. Over all competitors, our Company has a long lead. Our areas are researched, our source of product supply is assured and we have available the only equipment which is on the market at the present time and ready to operate. FUTURE , What of the future? Paramount is now conducting discussions in the United States with the National Football League, to show professional football in theatres. It is being contemplated that in the next five years, a hundred theatres in Canada, and two hundred theatres in the United States will combine to present great Broadway plays and musicals simultaneously with their showing in a Broadway theatre. Other strategically located theatres of the future will be chosen to become indoor Sports arenas and they will be capable of presenting many different types of events. At the present time, in addition to hockey and boxing, plans are being developed aimed at football and wrestling. A motion picture theatre has many advantages over a sports arena, in offering a prospective patron LIVE-SCREEN sports action. In addition to the superior comforts available in a theatre as compared to a sports arena, there are the many forms of service a theatre can develop which are unavailable in arenas. There is an intimacy that develops in a theatre audience, where EVERY seat in an auditorium is a good seat, with a perfect view of every minute of the sports action. This atmosphere cannot be duplicated in an arena. It can best be described as audience participation. When the hockey Leafs score a goal on the opposition, the resultant audience excitement is electrifying and it just this sort of enthusiasm, which makes the theatre presentation so crowd-pleasing. With theatre seats scaled at a popular level of $1.25 to $2.50, the patron is induced to return frequently and become a regular hockey fan. All seats are sold ina reserved seat basis and as a result the theatre requires an additional box-office, to operate the sports business, that is entirely separate from its regular theatre ee Some considerable success was achieved in developing season ticket plans for hockey game subscribers this year. Another important business-building feature has been the telephone reservation plan. On busy games nly, bo reservations for tickets are held until an hour before game time. For less per ar events, the holding period for these reservations for seats is increased until close to the actual time of the game. This courtesy service, which is offered at no extra charge to the patron, is greatly appreciated and has been established as a positive business-builder. jl J