Boxoffice - Feb. 17, 2014

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Now, Nothing But
"A" Houses
Lincoln—Warner Bros, and those other
film companies who have joined
with them in announcing nothing but
"A" features for the coming season,
will be glad to know there's an exhibitor
here ready for 'em. In the past
year, J. H. Cooper has modernized two
of his three theatre properties here
the Nebraska and the Lincoln. He is
now planning to fix up the Stuart.
In which case, he'll have nothing but
"A" houses.
Ask Exchanges' Aid
[n Admission War
Minneapolis—Competing Gateway disrict
exhibitors have requested local exhanges
to discontinue servicing the Stocklolm
as long as that theatre puts out
wo-for-one tickets wth the consequent
ffect of reducing its dime admission scale
a nickel for double features. The the-
,tre also has cash gift nights.
100,000 to Boys Town as
lefro Plans a Sequel
Omaha—Ready to produce a sequel to
Joys Town," Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer is
reparing to turn over $100,000 to Father
J. Flanagan, head of Boys Town, Neb.,
pay off the mortgage incurred in conruction
of a new building there.
In making the new picture. Metro will
ilize the same technicians and artists
10 created the initialer.
eek "Peaceful" Solution
)f Film Product Problem
Minneapolis—The Benz brothers, who
ve obtained a 60-day option on the
')00-.seat Minnesota, will try to effect a
eaceful" solution of the problem of ob-
1 lining major film product for the house
Mich they operated for the owners re-
' I'ntly during a 25-week period.
Serious Drift ofK C Theatre
Trade Away From First Runs
Kansas City—The problem of the drift
of business away from downtown centers
is one not peculiar to Kansas City. Other
cities have felt it to some extent. But
here it has grown steadily more serious
in the past ten years because there has
been little, if any. attempt to solve it.
The problem has seriously affected downtown
first runs, particularly at their evening
shows.
A well defined program is just getting
under w-ay to rejuvenate the downtown
area and make it the center of attraction
for the city—for both business and entertainment.
Sponsored by the Chamber
of Commerce and including as active participants
key figures in the downtown
world, the movement has set up both immediate
and long time objectives, and expects
to begin their realization at once.
Because it promises to alleviate a situation
that eventually may jeopardize the
existence of first runs, which bear the
brunt of film rentals in Kansas City, the
movement has attracted the attention of
the motion picture business here. Downtown
first run managers are members of
the key advisory committee of the move-
It is claimed, that with the exception
f M-G-M. all the exchanges are servicing
ment, and are pressing the importance of
he Stockholm. Tlie opposition hopes that
their position and needs on the program
can induce the other branches to quit
; it as develops.
elling the theatre.
Opposition exhibitors charge that prosective
patrons stand near the theatre
Would Solve Parking Problem
summarized, objectives
Briefly of the
oxoffice with the two-for-one tickets and movement are these:
iduce customers to use them so that they
1. Solution of the parking problem.
an attend the show free or for a nickel. 2. Creation of traffic arteries to the
Some of the exhibitors are fearful that
>ne Stockliolm situation will give the
southeast, southwest and northeast, with
and
auxiliary consideration of streetcar
enzes an additional prop in a contemlated
obtain pictures double
bus traffic.
3. Elimination
fight to for of slum areas that en-
circle the downtown and replacing them
Baturing at the 1.800-seat Palace, which
1 is proposed to reopen at a dime addssion.
with modern housing projects.
The exchanges have been in-
4. A cleanup and modernization drive to
sting that the theatre charge a minimum remove the accumulated grime of a decade
and to modernize buildings. A block system
cents in order to obtain product,
he de luxe house is on the edge of the
of supervision has been proposed with
;op only a few blocks distant from the a supervisor for each block in the area.
nailer and less pretentious Gateway the- A committee of architects and engineers
would serve as advisors.
5. Downtown comfort stations, prohibition
of excessive noise, elimination of
smoke, improvement of sidewalks and
curbs, removal of overhead signs, and improvement
of lighting in the district.
6. A campaign to attract people to downtown
Kansas City, both from Kansas City
and from surrounding territories.
Of these objectives the solution of the
problems of parking and traffic are of the
most immediate importance to downtown
theatres. The difficulty of getting into the
area is one of the things that steadily has
driven the film trade from first runs to
suburban theatres. Combined with the
25-mile speed limit, it has made the trip
downtown in the evening a disagreeable
task to many seeking entertainment. With
trafficways, built to permit fairly high
speeds, moviegoers could get to the downtown
sector from almost any point in the
city in a very short time. If, after they
got into the area, there was plenty of
easily accessible parking space, the downtown
businesses, including theatres, could
attract crowds. At present any sizeable
crowd makes it almost impossible to find
a parking place, and makes it extremely
difficult not only to get downtown but
to get out again.
Inadequate trafficways and parking are
the primary barriers to drawing people
downtown, and the other points in the
program, such as cleanup and modernization,
the campaign to "sell" downtown
Kansas City, etc., would be effective only
if those two problems were solved.
Perhaps the project of second importance
to downtown theatres is the proposal
for slum clearance and modern
housing, which, of necessity, is a long
range objective. But if the slums could
be eliminated, and close-in districts be
rebuilt with modem living facilities, the
difference to first run and other downtown
theatres would be enormous. Achievement
of this objective would not necessarily
mean the attraction of business away
from outlying theatres; it would mean
utilization of what now are "blighted
areas" for the city's future growth.
The drift away from downtown first runs
began with the decline of vaudeville and
the development of modern sound and projection
equipment. For ten years there
has been nothing to stop that drift. It can
be seen in the reversal of matinee and
evening business in downtown first runs.
Formerly the bulk of business was done
at evening shows at their higher admission
prices. Today it is done on matinees.
This does not mean that enough more are
coming in the afternoon to make up the
difference. The difference hasn't been
made up.
The suburban theatre, wdth its comfortable
seats, fine projection and sound
equipment, air conditioning, and attractive
surroundings offers the same show
as the downtown first run. which gets as
much as 250 per cent more than the suburban
in admission price. About the only
thing the downtown first run has to offer
—except, possibly, for larger and more
ornate surroundings—is 27 days quicker
view of pictures.
KMTA Directors Meeting
Set tor Early in March
Kansas City—Tentatively set for the
first part of March is a directors' meeting
of the Kansas-Missouri Theatre Ass'n.
Several industry matters, including the
Neely bill, will be taken up at the session,
according to Frank Cassil of St. Joseph,
Mo., head of the organization. One matter
that may be discussed is the annual
convention, which, however, is expected
to be held later this year than usual, possibly
in September, due to the absence of
legislative sessions on either side of the
Kansas-Missouri state line.
Gets Ginger Rogers Starrer
Hollywood— "Kitty Foyle," next Ginger
Rogers starrer for RKO. will be adapted
by Robert Ardrey.
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