Boxoffice-July.17.1948

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50 DRIVE-INS AT PITTSBURGH, ip AS OUTDOOR THEATRES BOOM ' Cleveland and Pitt Areas Have 100 Open Airers, Top U.S. Figure PITTSBURGH—The drive-in theatre boom is on in tliis exchange area and upwards of 50 such theatres are now in operation or will be shortly. This equals the 50 drive-in theatre total recently reported in the Cleveland exchange district. Together, this sector which comprises northern Ohio, western Pennsylvania and a small section of northern West Virginia probably constitutes the largest concentration of drive-ins in the country. 1948 OUTBURST IN PROJECTS Until this season, there were few outdoor theatres in the Pittsburgh district. However, almost without warning, the driveins started popping up through the area and when spring came this year several dozen were ready to unlock the turnstiles and welcome motoring patrons. Most of the drive-ins are owned by newcomers to the industry—enterprising businessmen who viewed the auto park idea as a means of obtaining good returns on an investment. However, a check on the operators show that others are farmers, school teachers, road stand operators, 16mm film exhibitors, motel owners, auto and car service managers and film projectionists. However, there are many established exhibitors in the field, including Blatt Brothers, Louis Stutler, Durward Coe, Kayton Amusement Co., James Di Mauro, George C. Davis, Gene Basle, Ted Laskey, Charles E. Warner, Steve Madve jr., Andrew Battiston, Mario Battiston, Jerry Castelli, Theodore Grance, Gabe Rubin, Albert P. Way. A number of these exhibitors are in partner- .ship with drive-in operators or are directors of drive-in corporations. HAVE CAPACITY OF 18,000 CARS Altogether, the 50 theatres have a combined capacity of approximately 21,000 cars which, figured on a basis of four patrons to a car, adds about 82,000 "seats" to the exchange area. The Motion Picture Ass'n of America survey indicated that the exchange area has a total capacity of 382,768 seats in its Indoor theatre. Thus the additional "seats" now available at drive-ins is approximately 21.5 per cent of the indoor seating total, Most of the theatres are in the 400-500-car class. The largest Is the 750-seater, the Blatt Bros. Drive-In at Altoona while the .smallest is a 90-car theatre, the Bunker Hill, near Morgantown. W. Va., owned by Orvlllc Pauley. Make Drive-In Survey WASHINGTON Tlie Motion Picture Ass'n of America Is undertaking a survey (if all drlve-ln theatres In the country, as supplementary to Its theatre survey of 1947. In this census, first of Its kind ever undertaken, the MPAA research department did nut liiclud'e the outdoor theatre. Drive-Ins in Pittsburgh Area Town and Name of Drive-In Location, Owners and Capacity Altoona—Blott Bros. Drive-in. Plank rd. at Good's Lane. Rt. 36. Wm. I. Blatt. owner; 7S0 cars. Aliquippa (Hopewell Twp.)—Green Garden Open Air ....5 Miles from Aliquippa; Kulilc Bros., owner; 4ra cars. Baden (Economy Twp.)—Hi-Way Between Ambridge & Freedom, Rt. 88. Ohio River Blvd.; Gabe Rubin, owner; 400 cars. Butler—Skyway Route 68, 2\', miles west ol Butler; Dr. R. B. Herrick. WilUam L. Shultz, owners; Aven B. Caldwell, mgr; 400 cars. Bridgeville— ( ;...) Auto Theatres, Inc.; 500 cars. Butler-Geibel's Route 68. Buller-Chicora road. Braddock's Grave—Drive-In Route 40. 9 miles east oi Uniontown. Beaver Falls—Spotlite 88 New Brighton-Ellwood road. Route 88 at intersection ol Bennetts Run road, Route 588: Ralph M. Felton. owner; 500 cars. Beaver Falls—Hi-Way 51 Just oii Rt. 51; John Wincek S Albert R. Tale, owners; 500 cars. (Patterson Heights. Chippewa Twp.) Belle Vernon—Super 71 Route 71 and 711. Allen property near Belle Vemon-Smithton road; Auto Theatres, Inc., owners; 700 cars. Carmichael's- ) Route 88 on road to Masontown; Louis Sluler. Durward Coe. owners; 250 cars. Claysville—Sunset Auto Theatre At Sunset Beach, Rt, 40, west ol Washington, Pa.; C. M. Du- Cray and Stephen Selto. owners; 250 cars. DuBois— ) Albert P. Way. owner: 350 cars. Ellwood City—Blue Sky Between Ellwood City and Zelienople: John Wincek and Albert R. Tate, owners; 350 cars. Erie—Sky-Way Carl Guerrein, owner; 400 cars. Erie—Star West 12th at Pittsburgh Ave.: William Coleman and Joseph Gold, owners; 350 cars. Grove City—Larklield William DeMarsh and Chester DeMarsh, owners; 250 cars. Hermitage—Hickory Route 62. Sharon-Mercer road, 1", miles east ol Sharon; Open Amusement and and Air Corp.. Mr. Mrs. Peter L Patti Mrs. Cecilia Lampros. owners; 700 cars. Irwin—Super 30 Hall-mile irom Pa. Turnpike; Outdoor Theatres. Inc.. Theodore Grance. president: 800 cars. Imperial—Penn-Lincoln Near junction Routes 22 and 30: Paul G. Trunick. Arthur E. Klixbull, owners: 400 cars. Kiltarming— ) Route 422, Benjamin Franklin Highway, enroute to Ford City; Norbert Stem. Ernest Stern, owners: 500 cars. McEeesport—Rainbow Garden L. R. Travis, owner: 350 cars. Meadville—Airway Intersection routes 19 and 322; E. F. Dodge, owner; 40O cars. Mundy's Comer— ( ) lames DiMauro, Michael Vincinni. Sam Lubell and K. A. Vaveris, owners; 400 cars. New Castle—Super Castle Route 224. 3 miles west oi New Castle: Outdoor Theatres. Inc.. owner: Theodore Grance. president; 500 cars. New Castle—Skyline Across irom airport. Route 224 and Route 422. Parkstown Corners; Kwialkowski. owner; Mitchell 500 cars. New Kensington—Family Route 56, Leechburg road, 4 miles Irom New Kensington; Family Drive-In Theatre, Inc.—Henry Rolnick and Nale Farber. owners: 750 cars. Pittsburgh—South Park At entrance to South Park. Route 88: Norbert Stem. E.nest Stem, and George C. Davis, owners; SOO cars. Salina—Sky-Hi Route 322 and intersection Route 257 at Cranberry near Franklin: Kayton Amusement Co. and Ray Woodard. owners: 400 cars. Sewickley—Brookside Big Sowicklov Creek road; Thomson-Marr. R. W. Thompson jr.. owners; 400 cars. Seward—Laurel Hill Route 56. Scoltdale—Ruthom Mount PloasantConnollsville road. 2 miles south ol Mount Pleasant; D. J. Ruth and R M. Thorn, owners: 400 cors. SI. Marys—Fairviow On road lo DuBois; loseph Farrell and Edward |. Mulcahy. owners: 400 cars. Traruler—Reynolds Route 18, Sharon-Greenville road, site ol iormer Camp Reynolds; Carl T. Knight and Carl C. Blake, owners; 400 cars. Uniontown—Smell's McClollandtown road. Route 21, 4 miles Irom Uniontown: Smell Brothers, owners; 250 cats. Uniontown—Star-Lite Lemont. 2 miles north ol Uniontown. Route 119: Gene Basle and Tod Laskey. owners: 600 cars. Vandorgriil— ) William P. McMahon and Harold A. Lee. owners. Walerlord—Sunset GAR. highway. Route 97 just oil Route 19: 1 mile east ol Walerlord enroulo lo Union Cilv: Aldon Phelps. Edward Wilson and Ray Woodward, owners: 300 cars. Warren—While-Way Ben While iarm. Slarbrick. south ol the Lily Pond crossing, between the White Barn and Rl. 6: Ben While, owner: 400 cars Wilkinsbutg—Route 22 East ol Wilkinsburg. Route 22; Ohio & Allied Theatres—Ben Wachnanny. Maurice I. Gordon and A. R. Kanlner; 850 cars. I Continued on next \mgc> 10 BOXOFFICE :: Jul.v 17, 1948
PARAMOUNT TELEVISION PACT SETS PRECEDENT FOR FUTURE Buys Tube-to-Film Rights For Quick Theatre Use, Later Air Programs NEW YORK—Two precedents affecting the future of theatre television were set in connection with the Democratic national convention in Philadelphia. Paramount recognized the property right of the television broadcasting pool in the telecasts by contracting for both theatre use and film reproduction from a television receiver for use on the air outside New York, and the broadcasting companies decided not to attempt to monopolize the event for home receivers. INDICATED A COURT FIGHT This may set the pattern for the future when theatres want important news or sporting events. In tliree court actions prior to the Republican convention the broadcasters made it plain that they intended to battle to uphold their contention that their telecasts could not be picked up by places charging admissions —whether theatres, hotels or halls. Paramount admitted this right in connection with the Louis-Walcott fight and contracted for its use in the Paramount Theatre. On the Republican convention it contended that the television pool had no property right in a public event. DuMont, a member of the pool, is closely allied with Paramount. The Dewey acceptance speech was shown at the Paramount Theatre by the fast television receiver-to-film technique. The film was not used elsewhere. Under the an-angement for use of the Democratic convention scenes Paramount paid for the film-television technique at the Paramoimt Theatre and also secured the right to use the film record for use on KTLA, Los Angeles and WBKB, Chicago. A clause in the agreement required that the off-the-tube showings should be made at "approximately the same time as such broadcasts." FOX PASSES CONVENTION Twentieth Century-Fox which used the RCA direct to screen television apparatus In the Fox Theatre, Philadelphia, decided not to repeat the stunt for the Democratic convention. There are only two of these projectors in use at present. Warner Bros, studio on the coast has one. The projector used at the Fox Theatre was returned to Camden for further experimentation by RCA. RCA is experimenting with a tube-to-film technique similar to the one used by Paramount. Eastman Kodak also has an apparatus for making 16mm pictures from the tube face of a receiver. To date the latter has been used principally for making film records of live television programs. There is a possibility that both 20th-Fox and Warner Bros, may decide to try the tube-to-film process as a result of experience with convention coverage. One thing the conventions demonstrated was the fact that men with picture experience and a flair for theatre showmanship BOXOFFICE : : July 17, 1948 20th-Fox to Furnish Video Films io UP NEW YORK— Wire services which dropped their talk about forming new television new.sreel corporations some time ago after they found out what it would cost are now allying themselves with the new.sreels to provide film background material for television stations. Many of the new television stations are, or will be, owned by newspapers which are subscribers to the wire and photo services. Twentieth Century-Fox, which was the first to find a sponsor for its television newsreel, is now first to make an arrangement with a wire service for building up television film libraries. The deal is with United Press. Hugh Baillie, head of UP, and Spyros P. Skouras. 20th-Fox president, signed the contract. Movietone News will supply film to document UP news dispatches to its subscribing stations. The service will be on a weekly basis, but the films probably will be used daily by the stations. have an advantage over the newcomers. WPIX, new television station in New York, hired a staff of Life pictorial editors as advisers. The other big broadcasters learned as they went along, and admittedly bored thousands of owners of home sets. Knowing when enough is enough and also knowing what not to show is a combination of instinct and hunch. With its years of newsreel experience Paramount selected what it wanted and did some editing. It also provided titles. Theatre operators in the New York area discussed the new medium from a.ssorted points of view, but most of them agreed that television programs—to be good theatre attractions not only must have plenty of Washinglor advance buildup, but aLvj muj>t have dramatic value. Warner Bro.i. and 20th-Pox will continue their experiments with the RCA apparatus. Paramount executives are enthasla.stlc. They are convinced they are leading the parade toward theatre screens. Paramount takes Its pictures ott a cathode lube without magnification and the sound without amplification. The tremendous magnification and amplification required for a direct throw on a full sized screen by the RCA appratus still has "bugs," engineers .say. SOUND DIFFICULTIES The sound amplification has encountered difficulties with FM broadcasts, which also are on extremely .short waves. Getting good views of the pictures from the sides of the theatre and from high balconies also has proved to be a problem. It also may be necessary to develop a new type of more brilliant screen and rearrange the sound apparatus. Most sound comes through perforaUons In the screen when films are used, but these perforations reduce the brilliance of the television pictures when projected with the big mirrors. Engineers who have been working on these problems have come a long way and say they are confident they will solve most of the remaining problems. They make no estimates of how long this will take. VIEWS OF EXHIBITORS Some theatre men awaited the conventions with obvious nervousness. They agree the Louis-Walcott fight was heavy competition, but they are convinced that national political conventions, as now staged, are theatre attractions only at the high points of the programs. Paramount showed the Democratic convention koTiote speech Monday night and then followed it with the Beau Jack-Ike Williams fight. Audience reactions were mild during the keynote speech, but stirred up sharply during the fight. The fight took place at Shibe park not far from the convention hall in Philadelphia, so that there were no technical difficulties involved in switching from one scene to another. Drive-Ins in Pittsburgh Area (Cont.) Washington. Route 19 on New Pittsburgh Hi- 2 miles Way. norlh ol Manifold road: Gene Basle and Ted Laskey- owners; 30O cars. Boute 40. 3 miles west of Brownsville; I. K. (Cuppie> Kau"'- and Mrs. Bellv Wilson, owners; 450 cars. Aoute 119. 5 miles from Uniontown. enroute to Point Marion; Stove I. Danko, Louis A. Sharpe and Lindley B. Dugan. owners; 350 cars. WEST VIRGINIA Houte 33. 1 mile from ElWins on Belington-Elkins highway: Bretsel Lang and Harold Talbott, owners; Cray Barker, booker:
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Page 9: : July Dore Schary Heads MGM Produc
Page 13 and 14: ver torhe SK Is Tin City the 4th-of
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Page 17 and 18: WARNER BROS'. TRADE SHOWINGS OF DAN
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Page 27 and 28: CHESTER FRIEDMAN HUGH E. FRAZE Asso
Page 29 and 30: ' •laWl; Front at the Towne Theat
Page 31 and 32: i Superlative Stunts Start 'Superma
Page 33 and 34: : July agents Drive-ln Boom May Lev
Page 35 and 36: K J Schine Radio Station To Be Laun
Page 37 and 38: I The SCA Conlracl Fighl Loew's The
Page 39 and 40: itiire, as . . Jim . . . Baroudi
Page 41 and 42: . . Gene . . Ike Local PHILADELPHIA
Page 43 and 44: I OLLYWOOD NEWS AND VIEWS OF THE PR
Page 45 and 46: ^ EDWARD k George Jessel's producti
Page 47 and 48: I EA&IE Arizona Again Seen As Site
Page 49 and 50: . . . The Associated to Build Three
Page 51 and 52: iA.. . . U-I , tupeCI r Los Angeles
Page 53 and 54: il I 201 . . On . . Tom From the BO
Page 55 and 56: i r Selios Will Operate Ross in Eva
Page 57 and 58: . . . Joe . . . Irving . . Tom . .
Page 59 and 60: MGM Returns to Fold In Minneapolis
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Homer swimming party. Eleven stitch
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: July . . . R. , . . Herbert . . F
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: July Uptown at Davenport Bought b
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zr.-v'±^ i?i Tr^^ . w 23eKn: Flint
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: July Skyline Drive-In Opened Atop
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. . . Ruth . . Jerry . . Lee . . .
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, fi . . Tommy . . George . . Psych
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Wage-Hour Revisions Still Under Stu
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I..I . .The . . Another . . Sidney
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Musselman Theatres And Interstate P
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. . The OKLAHOMA CITY Dobert S. Ker
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j I DALLAS I the I I I barker, —
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. . The . . W. . . The NEW ORLEANS
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New Theatre Boom In West Memphis ME
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. . Babe . . Loew's : July . . . .
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: July Film Board Launches Free Toi
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; July . . . Reggie . . . Perry . .
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f The mnu nmu IIECIIAXICAL Mni\'TM4
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ENGINEERED FOR Bigger Box-office ""
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Your '1ace'' can be your fortune Ni
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i . . Make m mmu num MECHANICAL MAI
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I the i I i ture 1 The ' granted I
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I I i f/1.9 1 I All mTiii ilodel 13
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liM^. : July êemunSni 99 IMPORTANT
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THE BOXOFFICE To create an atmosphe
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MMm I Before and After Photos On an
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: and !| \J K THE DRINCOLATOR Count
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^mi^ jMomfiJk of Mm&^'>6 COMPLETE P
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ONLY WAGNER ONLY WAGNER ONLY WAGNER
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ArchitectuTal Advisory Stall THE PL
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THIS G-E CENTRAL PLANT AIR CONDITIO
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. NEW i^ Drive- In Profits ADLER Oh
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Is mfjT MADE FOR All Types of Theat
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-i^Si^/ agrm Beslgnei^N" Z^^^'^m .
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WHY DRIVE-INS EVERYWHERE RELY ON BA
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DON Be sure the lamps you buy have
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: July Ihe History of Progress in M
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Iffi I I tion, I ] sure I I adjusta
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I tion I have ; BOXOFFICE 'Talking
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The QUIZ POT (Continued from page 3
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I Gate Crasher Foiled By Bell Chime
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haniv • The about PEOPLE Lou Walt
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that "within two years time, magnet
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the construction of a 500-car drive
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ÔXOrt-ICt BAROMETER • EXHIBITOR
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1. ' I rural ,5 raaire Trevor, Walt
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I w CHECK RUNNING TIME WITH LOCAL E
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• «— BOXOFFICE BookinGuide ::
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I Musical um 12 n CHECK RUNNING TIM
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I iavor i JHABETICAL 1 intarpretati
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1 L'-!S ii • 1 2 20th Century-Fox
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Op/n/ons oa Curraat ProductioBS; Ex
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; I .\ve.. . $525: RATES: 10c per w
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Boxoffice-July.17.1948

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