Long Ambition Filming

          The first film released in the format was Rogers and Hammerstein's 'Oklahoma', which opened at the Rivoli Theatre in 1955. Todd insisted it be screened as though it was a live theatre presentation, with one show a night including an interval, and the audience in evening dress. He even banned the sale of popcorn during the films run. After its huge success Todd sold the rights to the system to Twentieth Century Fox which then gave

him the money to achieve his life long ambition of filming 'Around the World in Eighty Days' in Todd-AO. However, because he had sold the rights to the system Fox stopped him from releasing his film in 70mm in many countries, one of which being England. Consequently anyone seeing the film at the Astoria Charing Cross Road in the fifties saw it in 35mm CinemaScope.  Strictly speaking this is not quite true, as at the time cinemas had to show a certain quota' of British films a year unless they were a 'special venue cinema'. That was a cinema showing a special format film, i.e. not in 35mm. To overcome this rule.