Boxoffice_May.09.1960

Dads Enjoy Drive-ln TV Fights While Kids
Play and Refreshment Sales Mount Higher
Tables and chairs for 40 persons are provided in the TV room recently opened adjoining the concessions
at the Chief Drive-in Theatre, Austin, Tex. The TV set (left) was promoted from a local dealer.
34
In constructing the new family
eating and TV room at the Chief Drive-In
Theatre, Austin, Tex., one thought was in
the mind of Glyn Morsback, manager, and
that was the convenience it would be to
the patron in getting something to eat
without having to move very far away from
the TV program. The room is attached
directly to the front of the old snack bar.
The only entrance is through the snack
bar, thus increasing the concessions sales.
The room has seating and eating arrangements
for around 40 persons. More tables
and chairs may be added later.
In constructing the room, another main
thought was to keep the expense to a
minimum. Glass windows were removed
from the existing stand and installed on
both sides of the room. The back is actually
the rear of the booth. The roof has
exposed rafters with acoustic tile in between,
thus keeping unnecessary noise
down. A 24 -inch television set was promoted
from a local dealer at no cost.
For the convenience of patrons, and with
the increase in concessions sales in mind,
the drive-in is now opening one hour
earlier. This has boosted the snack bar
sales considerably. Fathers usually watch
TV in the room while the rest of the family
enjoys the playground. The increase of
concessions sales is also very noticeable
during a Wednesday or Friday night fight
Dad can watch it while his family sees
the movie. Here is an example of how this
room has increased sales: A family of five
came into the concessions stand. The
Father bought $1.85 worth of food and all
five sat down and watched a program on
TV. Only 35 minutes later he had spent
an additional $3.15.
This view taken
from the rear of the
TV lounge looks
down toward the
cafeteria concessions
counter. The only
entrance to the
lounge is through
the snack bar and
patrons entering the
main
concessions
room are naturally
tempted. Sales have
increased
amazingly.
Earl Podolnick, head
of Trans-Texas Theatres,
and Glyn
Morsback, manager
of the Chief and
Burnet Drive-Ins, are
credited with the
new patron feature,
by Norm Levinson,
general manager and
advertising
of
Trans-Texas.
director
U.S.
Drive-ln Audience Has
Income Above Average
Movie fans who attend drive-in theatres
generally have above-average purchasing
power and have had more education than
the population generally, it was revealed
in a study of outdoor theatre audiences
made by Dr. Stuart Henderson Britt, professor
of marketing at Northwestern University.
The study was made for the
Theatre-screen Advertising Bureau, an
association of five comp3nies producing
and distributing screen ads.
Di'. Britt based his findings on answers
given in a mail sampling of 2,683 families.
Questionnaires were mailed to three 1.000-
family panels in various sections of the
counti-y. The purpose of the study was to
detei-mine if the audience of the drive-in
theatre is as substantial in character to
the advertiser as the over-aU papulation.
Those who go to drive-ins generally have
reached a higher income level, a higher
percentage of them are two-car o\vners
than the population generally, and a larger
percentage of them own their oiSTi homes,
major appliances, and TV and radio sets
than the general U. S. population. Or. Britt
reported.
The di-ive-in audience is composed primarily
of married people, with 66 per cent
of patrons 15 years or older being married,
the survey showed. This was an important
finding to the screen ad producers
who were anxious to dispel any
notion that the outdoor theatre was merely
a "trysting place for juveniles" and to
show that the audience was "a stable, family
market."
Hometown Newspaper Lauds
Beautiful Drive-ln Grounds
The Clanton Drive-In Theatre in Clanton,
Ala., was recently honored by frontpage
comment in the Union Banner, local
newspaper, on the beauty of the theatre.
The editor wrote:
"Much is being said about Oscar awards.
If there are any offered for attractive
landscaping and particular plot care, somebody
ought to page Clanton Drive-In Theatre.
With the approach of spring and
warmer weather, that place of Mr. and
Mrs. Joe Jackson, the theatre grounds as
well as the home gardens, is budding
out with greenery and flowers that are
beautiful to gaze upon. It is Clanton's
beauty spot for all transients passing
through on 31, and most assuredly gives
this little county seat in the center of
Alabama an air of grace, beauty and dignity
in the eyes and minds of all those
motorists who pass our way."
The fine landscaping and lovely flowers
are not a new thing at the Clanton. As
long ago as August 6, 1955, the Modern
Theatre Section published an illustrated
feature article showing the beautiful
grounds and the maintenance work that
was done. The article was titled: "Here's
How One Exhibitor Maintains His Theatre
as a 15-Acre Garden."
Modern Theatre has O. C. Alexander,
Wil-Kin Theatre Supply, Atlanta, to thank
for sending us the Union Banner clipping.
The MODERN THEATRE SECTION