Build Them Big in Mexico; 8,000-Seater Opens MEXICO CITY—The Florida Theatre, said to be one of the largest and most sumptuous film houses in the world, was inaugurated here Friday ll8i. The n»w theatre has a seating capacity for 8,000 spectators and, if an eventuality arises, can accommodate 3,000 more standees. The theatre probably will also serve as a convention hall to house forthcoming meetings of the Lions and Rotarians in the Mexican capital. The Granat brothers, Oscar and Samuel, financed the new film house, which is added to their chain, including tlie Colonial, Opera, Coloso, Ermita. Granat and others. Outstanding feature of the theatre is that it is not located in the heart of tlie capital, or in one of the swanky residential sections, but in one of the city's most highly populated middle and lower class residential zones. The latest in projection equipment and theatre comforts is thus brought to the poorer classes. This policy has marked the entire growth of the Granat chain of neighborhood houses, of which the Florida is the most impressive. The film house wa.s opened with a double bill (twin bills and even three, four and fivefeature programs are highly popular in neighborhood theatres) including a Mexican film, "Aquellos Ojos Rojos" (Those Green Eyes), a musical featuring singer Ramon Armengod and Issa Morante. and Columbia's "Convicted," with Broderick Crawford and Glenn Ford. Admission fee is higher than usual neighborhood houses, which charge from 80 centavos (about 9 cents) to 1.50 pesos (about 17 cents), and has been set at 2.50 pesos (about 29 cents). However, in justification of the higher admission, the management plans to provide better film fare. Marble, bronze, mirrors, silks and brocades have been combined to achieve harmonious effects and spaciousness never hitherto attempted in a neighborhood house. Theatre site occupies 4,000 square meters (about 12,000 square feet) and an idea of size can be gained from the fact that the lobby alone could accommodate two of the film hou.ses located in the center of the city. Furnishings of the new screen house required an investment of 172,000 pesos ($19,885) and this solely for the soft-cushioned sofas, tables and corner seating nooks, all in subdued dark shades. Two generating plants for light and power, installed by Camiones & Maquinaria, assure continuous service in the event of power failure. The screen is said to be the largest in the world, 120 square meters (about 360 square feet) and was especially constructed for the theatre. Three Simplex projectors assure clear, perfect projection on the giant screen, while the theatre is so constructed that good visibility is had from any seat in the house. The new film house far outstrips the 6,000- seat capacity of Radio City Music Hall. A spokesman for the Granat brothers repeated over and over again that the Florida was a "neighborhood" house. The brothers and their representatives refused to reveal the extent of the investment in the theatre, but the scale of construction and lavish decorations and furnishings indicate that quite a few million pesos were required, aside from the investment in the land. The new house far outstrips capacities of existing first run houses in Mexico, almost tripling them in some instances. Tlie Colonial and Coloso, controlled by the Granats, also neighborhood houses, have a respective seating capacity of 4,450 and 4,703. Nearest rival in first run houses is the Roble, completed last year, which has a 4,000-seat capacity. Other first run houses include the Chapultepec, with 3,260 seats; Mariscala, 3,000; Metropolitan, 3,000; Mexico, 3.574, and the 2,774-seat Olimpia. Other houses in the center of town seat under 2,000 each. lOCt FOR CEREBRAL PALSY DRIVE—The first 100 per cent contribution from all the employes of one company is presented to the United Cerebral Palsy drive by four employes from United Paramount Theatres—Constance Fraser, Gloria Giordano, Dorothy Hill and Ruth Cento. Receiving; the bushel of money are little Vivian Principe, of Bloomfield, N. J., five-year-old national poster girl, and Leonard H. Goldenson (R), who has reason to smile with pride since he is president of both orgranizations. Edward H. Hyman and Robert M. Weitman, vice-presidents of United Paramount Theatres, stand behind Vivian, The presentation took place in the Paramount building on the eve of the campaign which opened Thursday, May 1, Advertises the Fact Its Critic Likes Movies PHILADELPHIA — Holiday magazine has taken space in several media magazines to point out that it has a movie critic who likes movies, in an apparent pitch to space buyers for film companies for business. The single column ads are headed "He Likes Movies," and the copy contains this message: "We've often wondered why people who apparently don't like movies become movie critics. "We go to a movie and enjoy it thoroughly. Then, a few days later, we read the movie column of some movie magazine only to di.scover how dull or dim-witted we were for ever having gone near the theatre, much less enjoying the picture. "Our Holiday magazine critic, Al Hine, actually likes movies. He's a movie fan first, a critic second. "A['s monthly movie column reflects the views of an intelligent moviegoer who expects to be entertained. He waves no banner for any special type of movie. He's not on the search for the much revered mature message" or "great art form." Al looks only to be pleased and entertained — 75 cents' worth, a dollar's worth, whatever the price of a ticket. "Be it comedy or crusade, if a film pleases Al Hine, he says so—and explains why. If it doesn't, he explains that, too. We think he does both extremely well. We suggest that you read him in Holiday, now on the stands." Edward G. Robinson Gets A Congressman's Pat WASHINGTON—Edward G. Robinson and the film industry were both defended before the House Un-American Activities Committee by Rep. Samuel W. Yorty (D., Calif.) on Wednesday (30), as the film star once again appeared befor the committee at his own request in an attempt to clear his name. Robinson referred to widely circulated innuendos against him, and defied anybody to make any open and public charges against him. He said nobody could prove he had ever been either a Communist or a sympathizer with any Communist aims, because he never had been. Yorty appealed to the film star's "millions of fans" in asking understanding for Robinson whom he characterized as "a kindhearted man and a great artist . politically . . inexperienced," and who had been victimized by false friends. The California Democrat praised the industry for "doing a fine job in cleaning its own house" of Communist influence. He said that Communists are a small minority in Hollywood and asked that they "not be used by publicity seekers to unfairly discredit a great industry and its artists" whom he described as "among the finest of our citizens." Robinson described himself as a liberal Democrat who had permitted his name to be used and then had been "shocked" to discover the hidden purposes of some of the organizations and the Communist membership of people he had thought to be sincere liberals. He said he, himself, had never been either disloyal or dishonest. 20 BOXOFFICE May 3, 1952
Bfetiifeen the Sea and the Sierras Stood the Sin-Strewn Gateway to Gold .>>yi
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HARRY HART By pRED McLENDON and Al
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U Hoblitzelle to Get Good Citizen H
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Like everybody else, he's kept an a
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REFRESHMENT SERVICE Check the Smoki
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These views 0/ production processes
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Anniversary of Harry Strong and the
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j j PROJECTION AND SOUND Change You
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MANUAL OF PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE Co
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A Manual of Drive-In Design and Ope
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DRAW CROWDS WITH FIREWORKS! DRIVE-I
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