This Theater and You (1949)

[Music] stored in the Library of Congress are some of the earliest Motion Pictures peep shows as the early films were known were looked upon by producer exhibitor and audience alike as a novelty not a very high class novelty at that this is the in 1893 ah a Chu kazun type the human eye is blessed with a characteristic that permits it to retain an image for 1 15th of a second after it is no longer in front of it this phenomenon of Persistence of vision led to all manner of fascinating gimmicks the Zoot Trope the stroboscope the praxinoscope all of them serious resourceful attempts to capture and preserve motion then came the motion picture theater here in a moral and refined atmosphere people could watch in utter Wonder as pictures moved on the screen actually they were looking at stals and sequence just as we do today these run through a projector so fast they appear as one continuous movement people from every Walk of Life flocked to the theaters a nickel bought an evening of Enchantment and the projectionist cranked away trying to keep the film moving at the same speed at which the cameraman cranked when he shot it with the old projectors the projectionist cranked the film into a basket not onto a real as today between showings he rewound the film today the motion picture is a form of entertainment popular with everyone and theaters are glamorous places full of Sparkle and luxury the Winking Lights of the Marquee invite you to see the latest featur newest techniques [Music] welcome to the theater your theater one that represents many things to many people your theater is Show Business the Brilliance and gayety and excitement of it focused in the heart of your town for your enjoyment your theater is a library heavy with film containing history of the world and its Works compress and presented in [Music] action your theater is a Marketplace displaying Wares of the world for your inspection your theater is a style Center it is a travel agency it is a sports [Music] arena it is a concert hall whatever your tastes your your theater is a box seat on life your theater is more it is a member of your community whatever concerns you concerns it it is a business a local Hometown business that depends on local Hometown people for its management and operation this means work and payrolls employment and income for citizens of this community being a business your theater is a customer of your bank it patronizes your local newspapers it stimulates business with local Merchants it buys from your utilities companies mechanics printers Carpenters from suppliers of every sort and description your theater then means profit and revenue for the community at the Hub of all this activity is the exhibitor the manager of your theater his is a life of Public Welfare and private Enterprise as an ad administrator he operates your theater cleanly safely and courteously he trains his staff well for your pleasure he provides you with clear projection and good sound he gives you comfortable seats and a warm Pleasant environment for your enjoyment of pictures as a public servant your exhibitor is active in civic affairs cooperating fully in the social betterment of the community he serves in business religious and professional organizations and in so doing makes his theater your theater a focal point in community life as an impressario your exhibitor conducts a continuous poll of what you like and do not like forom Motion Pictures are a sounding board of your likes and dislikes when you like them you show it you show it in your reactions in your conversations and in your return to this theater and you show it in box office receipts your theater's gauge of success in pleasing you you show your dislike too when a picture does not please you both you and the exhibitor know it so he does everything possible to give you what you want and what a problem this can be for example this woman wants more Musical shows these boys want more westerns these girls more love stories this man more Adventure others Want More Travel comedy mystery romance Thrillers More Everything your exhibitor then has the difficult assignment of selecting a varied fair for your enjoyment day in and day out he works continually to maintain a theatrical tradition which has made the motion picture theater so much an ingrain part of our social life that it is difficult to imagine what it would be like without it suppose for a moment that the lights of this theater of ours went dark what then what would serve serve instead stage shows of course if that is such shows were nearby and if we all could afford them as easily as we can movies the greatest entertainment value per dollar in the world music naturally if again music were available and at modest Motion Picture prices drama yes but not drama just down the street from us not new plays every few days there would not be anything like this however not at any price [Applause] [Music] only here in this theater can you enjoy these Charming children of fantasy what a [Music] maroon he's in there he's in there he's in here he's in here he's in there he's in there ply want a cracker ply want a cracker cracker cracker here [Music] sweetheart my big mouth the same for drama of nature full scale [Music] an action right here before you sweeping you along with it [Applause] [Music] and delightful Novelties that improve on nature hey bud where's your partner A Fine Thing a fish they let talk me they won't give one stinking lie only here do you find realism that takes you to the other side of the world and only here do you enjoy spectacle that takes you out of the world [Music] entirely they are experiences so important to our way of life that 90 million people attend motion picture theaters every week so important that your theater and pictures went with our Armed Forces to every corner of the world so important that many schools supplement textbooks and school rooms with recommended attendance at showings of various pictures your theater then is an American institution so come in and welcome welcome from friends from fellow citizens from the world's Storehouse of talent poor poured into the mold of your particular pleasure welcome from the theater your theater to you [Music]