Boxoffice-January.03.1953

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JANUARY 3, 1953
o n I n t
Traffic Control in Sub-Zero Weather g
Improving Acoustics in Existing Theatres Robert Boiler 12
Luminous Display Keyed to Theatre's Name 14
A Small-Towner With Big-Town
Economy Ideas Haviland F. Reves 16
Suggested Portable Equipment for Theatre
Fire Protection J. A. Neumartn 18
A Month-to-Month Maintenance Calendar for
the Theatre Haviland F. Reves 20
A Stain-Removal Shelf for $3.50 21
A Hairpin-Shaped Counter Speeds Patron Service at
Ezell Drive-Ins 25
Vital Points to Watch in Electrical Survey L E. Pope 32
Tips on Trouble Shooting for Men in the Booth Wesley Trout 36
Elevated Booth and Extreme Low Projection Angle Permit
Use of Nonslanting Screen Tower Go/7 f. Lipman 40
DEPARTMENTS:
Refreshment Service 25 Advertising Index 44
Projection and Sound 36 ^ew Equipment and
Developments 48
Drive-ln Theatres 40 Literature
Readers' Service Bureau 43 About People and Product.
ON THE COVER
Efficient planning of the interior of
the Parthenon Theatre not
only compensated for the loss of 600 square feet of space, occasioned
by a street-widening program in Hammond, Ind., but created a
more efficient holdout area. One stairway was removed and the
other widened, permitting balcony patrons to spill at one side of
the lobby only, direct
to the outside, eliminating cross circulation.
Interesting design and decorative features are the stair railings
of plate glass with etched ornamentation and the attractive metal
ornament on the fascia above the outer lobby.
50
51
It is really a happy new
year for exhibitors because of the removal
of the two-year ban on theatre
construction. Since it is no longer
necessary for the theatreman to apply
for permission to build, and since he -
may now self-authorize five tons of steel
and 500 pounds of copper per project
each quarter and pyramid these supplies,
1953 will undoubtedly see construction
of great numbers of new theatres.
A further boon is the fact that
no limitation at all will be placed on
the use of foreign and used steel.
Under this new setup even the larger
drive-in theatres can be built, and with
new techniques of design and construction,
indoor houses, except those of the
super de luxe type, can also be built.
With the increased allotments on a
quarterly basis, it should be possible to
start construction in the middle of a
quarter and continue into the third
quarter, thus obtaining 15 tons of steel.
For a theatre designed to be built with
reinforced concrete, steel trusses, bar
joists and metal decking this is believed
by some architects to be ample steel to
even construct a fireproof theatre. The
copper allotment is considered to be
ample for indoor structures.
Theatres built or remodeled recently
reflect architectural ingenuity in designing
buildings to meet particular
local needs. In this issue is the story
of a theatre built to provide maximum
holdout space to accommodate patrons
in the sub-zero temperatures of Alaska.
Perhaps many exhibitors have felt
that achieving good acoustics in
older
theatres would involve major remodeling
and great expense. If so, they will
find the article on improving acoustics
in existing theatres of particular interest,
for often solutions are comparatively
simple and inexpensive.
I. L. THATCHER, Managing Editor
The MODERN THEATRE Section of BOXOFFICE is included in the first issue of each month.
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