Boxoffice-12.1953

: December
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Taped Pictures, Sound
J^EACTIONS to the RCA demonstration of
color television pictures recorded on halfinch
tape with four magnetic tracks for the
pictures and one for the sound were instantaneous.
Nicholas M. Schenck, Sol A. Schwartz and
a number of studio technicians who saw
the demonstration, described it as "amazing"
and all admitted it would save time
and money in studios when directors and
producers can look at their pictures without
waiting for "rushes" to be developed on
film. Dr. Herbert T. Kalmus issued a
statement the following day in which he
said the process would probably result in
a reduction in the use of film by the television
industry and might be adopted for
immediate playbacks in studios, but that
it might be ten or 15 years before it reaches
theatre screens.
After all that has happened to the film
industry since the release of "This Is Cinerama"
and "Bwana Devil," it takes courage
for anybody to make a long-range prediction.
Brig. Gen. David Sarnoff, chairman of the
RCA board, says the tape will be commercially
usable in two years.
This opens a field of speculation so wide
that it leaves one gasping.
General Sarnoff has a flair for public
relations. While still waiting for the FCC to
approve color television standards, he
showed that he could eliminate film in making
records of color telecasts. And he chose
a time when both the film and TV industries
were watching the Telemeter pay-asyou-see
apparatus at Palm Springs. Not
much attention has been paid to installations
of television projectors in theatres
since the wide-screen excitement spread.
Possibly, General Sarnoff took note of that,
too, and decided to shock the industry into
a realization of the fact that electrical recording
of both pictures and sound could
start another revolution in projection
techniques.
Theatres that want to use TV projectors
for sporting events will have to start fresh.
Black and white projectors will be out of
date in a few months. Only two theatre
color TV projectors are ready for developments—RCA
and Eidophor—the latter
owned by 20th Century-Fox.
Exhibitors who think they have problems
trying to keep up with the parade of scientific
marvels may be able to extract some
satisfaction from the fact that telecasters
and receiver manufacturers also are overwhelmed
by new problems. Black and white
receiver sales have fallen off so sharply
that warehouses are loaded.
Gives 'Em What They Want
pOREIGN films and reissues of American
films have been "art" for the past five or
six years for the owners of small houses
who have known how to sell 'em, but television
shows from films—especially good
ones—have been classified as so much
poison.
Not by Al Sherman, general manager of
the Georgetown Theatre, Washington. D.C.,
By JAMES M. JERAULD
however. One night not long ago, Al asked
himself: "If a good reissue film can draw
an audience, why can't a good reissue of a
TV show?"
Then he tried "Pygmalion," "Champagne
for Caesar" and "Stagecoach" after they
had been aired on Washington stations.
Now he is waiting for more good ones.
He still advertises the Georgetown as
"Washington's repertory cinema," a name
highbrow enough to attract the art lovers.
'Robe' to Leave Roxy
THE ROBE" will bow out of the Roxy Theatre
December 15 after 14 weeks and six
days of a record-smashing run that knocked
the motion picture industry loose from a
lot of cherished traditions.
When the run began, there were not
more than a half-dozen Cinemascope theatre
screens ready for use in the United
States. When it finished, there were nearly
500. In other countries there was a rush
to secure installations.
Spyros P. Skouras and his associates in
20th Century-Fox gambled about $30,000,-
000 to get this revolution under way and
lost a lot of sleep before the Roxy opening.
Since then "How to Marry a Millionaire"
has opened in two theatres on Broadway
and elsewhere, "The Robe" has repeated
its New York success in showings across
the country and is now slated for 83 New
York neighborhood houses Christmas day.
"Beneath the 12-Mile Reef" will follow
"The Robe" into the Roxy with an elaborate
premiere. This picture Is out of a
backlog of Cinemascope pictures the company
has completed.
Disney for Holidays
I^KO shrewdly put sales pressure on three
Walt Disney reissues for the holiday
season and offered them to RKO Theatres.
The circuit grabbed all of them—"Peter
Pan." "Bear Country" and "Nature's Half
Acre."
"Peter Pan" has demonstrated its holiday
drawing power with the youngsters before.
The other two, of more recent vintage,
also have a lot on the ball.
Movie Stocks Among
Top Leaders in
'53'
NEW YORK—Motion picture stocks had
an average increase of 2 per cent in the
year ending October 29. ranking eighth
among 47 business and industrial stocks
listed by American Investors Service, investment
consultants.
Of the 47 stock groups, 25 showed a
gain over October 30, 1952 and the remainder
showed losses. Radio and television
stocks as a group dropped 10 per
cent.
Stocks which failed to make as great a
percentage gain as motion pictures included,
among others: rubber, aluminum,
communications, meat packing,
chemicals and steel.
Goodman Now Heads
WB Contract Dept.
NEW YORK—Bernard Goodman, supervisor
of Warner Bros, exchange operations,
will take over the duties
of I. P. (Mike)
Dolid, who left Friday
to take up residence
in Florida. The appointment
was made
by Ben Kalmenson,
vice - president and
general sales manager.
Goodman will supervise
sales contracts
and coordination of
field sales activities
with the home office.
Be"»ard Goodman
Dolid had been associated with Warner
Bros, since 1923. During a 30-year period he
has handled numerous sales department
duties.
With Mrs. Dolid, he will occupy a new home
in Miami. Their daughter, who teaches school
at Port Washington, will remain in the north.
Executives and workers in the home office
gave a testimonial dinner for Dolid Tuesday
(8) at the Shelbume hotel.
R. G. Yates a Vice-President
Of Television Company
NEW YORK—Richard G. Yates has been
elected vice-president of Hollywood Television
Service to handle eastern sales. Earl R. Colins,
president, has reported. He takes over the
post held by Morton W. Scott, now president
of Studio City Television Productions, which
releases through HTS. Yates also will be
executive assistant to Collins. He will headquarter
at the Republic home office here.
He was previously assistant director of sales
of Republic.
Collins said a forthcoming series will be
titled "The Greatest Outlaws of the Century"
and deal with Billy the Kid, Belle Starr, Prank
and Jesse James, Quantrell and his raiders
and five other characters.
Savini, Feys Hold Talks
On Astor 3-D System
NEW YORK—R. M. Savini, president of
Astor Pictures, and John C. Feys of Holly-,
wood, vice-president of Astor 3-D Films, Inc.,
held talks in New York on the "Astor 3-V
Single Camera Optical Unit." a system which:
features a single film, a single camera andl
single lens for the production of both 3-D
and wide screen pictures. The film can be
projected by a single or double projector, aC'
cording to Feys.
Savini has also closed a deal with Pat Pat
terson of Los Angeles and San Francisco
under which Patterson will have exclusive
distribution rights for all of Astor's
product and rereleases for the west coast
territory.
John P. Byrne on Tour
NEW YORK—John P. Byrne. MGM easteml
sales
manager, who has been named captain
of the 30th Anniversary Jubilee, by Charles
M. Reagan, sales manager, left Monday (7)
for Minneapolis on the first lap of a countrywide
tour. Seattle and Los Angeles will b('
the second and third stops.
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