Boxoffice-Febuary.07.1948

THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY
PUBLISHED IN
NINE SECTIONAL EDITIONS
BEN SHLYEN
Editor-in-Chief and Publisher
JAMES M. JERAULD Editoi
NATHAN COHEN Associate Ediloi
JESSE SHLYEN .....Managing Editor
IVAN SPEAR
Western Editor
I. HARRY TCLER Equipment Editor
RAYMOND LEVY...._General Manager
Published Every Saturday
by
Ab^^UAiLD PUBLICATIONS
Editorial Offices: 9 Rockeleller Plaza. New York «J,
N f . Raymond Levy, General Manager; lames M.
lerauld, Editor; Chester Friedman, Editor Showmandiser
Section, A. J Stocker, Eastern Representative.
Telephone Columbus 5-6370, 5-6371, 5-6372.
Cable address: BOXOFFICE, New York."
Central Ollices: 332 South Michigan Blvd., Chiccgo
t. 111. I. Harry Toler, Editor Modern Theatre Section
Telephone WAbash 4575.
Western Offices: 5404 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood
2d. Cain Ivan Spear. Manager. Telephone GLadstone
1186.
Washington Offices: 302-303 International BIdg., 1319
F St., N. W. Lee L Garlmg, Manager. Telephone
WAlional 3482. Fllmrow. 932 New Jersey. N. W. Sara
Young.
London Offices: 136 Wordour St., John Sullivan, Manager.
Telephone Gerrard 3934-5-6.
Publication Offices: 825 Van Brunt Blvd., Kansas City
1, Mo, Nathan Cohen, Associate Editor; Jesse Shlyen,
Managing Editor; Morris Schlozman, Business Manager,
lelephone CHeslnut 7777-78.
Other Publications: BOXOFFICE BAROMETEH,
published in November as a section BOXOFFICE;
THE MODERN
ol
THEATRE, published monthly as a
section ol BOXOFFICE.
ALBANY—21-23 Walter Ave., M. Berrigan.
ATLANTA— 163 Walton, N. W., P. H. Savin.
BIRMINGHAM—The News, Eddie Badger.
BOSTON—Frances W. Harding, 20 Piedmont St., Lib
9814. Home. Com. 4700.
BUFFALO— 157 Audubon Drive, Snyder, Jim Schroder.
CHARLOTTE—216 W. 4th, Pauline Gnflilh.
CHICAGO—332 S. Michigan, Jonas Perlberg, WA-4575.
CINCINNATI— 1634 Central Parkway, Lillian Seltz»r
CLEVELAND—Elsie Loeb, Fairmount 0046.
DENVER— 1645 Lafayette, Jack Rose, TA 8517.
DALLAS^1524 Holland, V. W. Crisp, J8-9780.
DES MOINES—Register & Tribune Bldg., Russ Schoch
D5TROIT— 1009 Fox Theatre Blvd., H. F. R.ves.
Telephones: RA 1100; Night, UN-4-0219.
HARTFORD— 109 Westborne, Allen Widem.
HARRISBURG, PA.—The Telegraph, Lois Fegan.
INDIANAPOLIS—Rt. 8, Box 770, Howard M. Rudeaux.
MIAMI—66 S. Hibiscus Island, Mrs. Manlon E. Barwood.
2952 Merrick Rd., Elizabeth Sudlow
MEMPHIS—707 Spring St., Null Adams, Tel. 48-5462
MILWAUKEE-529 N. 13lh, J. R. Gahagan, MA-0297.
MINNEAPOLIS-29 Washington Ave. So., Les Rees
NEW HAVEN^2 Church St., Gertrude Lander.
NEWARK, N. 1—207 Sumner, Sara Carleton
NEW ORLEANS—218 So. Liberty St., Mrs. Jack Auslet
Telephone MA 5812,
OKLAHOMA CITY— 125 NW 15th St., Polly Trindie.
OMAHA—Omaha World-Herald Bldg., Lou Gerdes
PHILADELPHlA-4901 Spruce St., J. M. Mafcler.
PITTSBURGH—86 Van Braani St., R. F, Klingensmith,
RICHMOND-Westhampton Theatre, Sam Pulliam.
ST. LOUIS—5149 Rosa, David Barrett, FL-3727
SALT LAKE CITY—Deseret News, Howard Pearson.
SAN ANTONIO-333 Blum St., L, J. B, Kelner.
SAN FRANCISCO-25 Taylor St., Gail Lipman
ORdway 3-4812.
SEATTLE—928 N. 84th St., Willard Elsey.
TOLEDO-4330 Willys Pkwy., Anna Kline.
IN
CANADA
CALGARY—The Albertan, Wm. Campbell.
MONTREAL-^330 Wilson Ave., N. D. G,, Roy Carmichael.
Walnut 5519.
ST. JOHN— 116 Prince Edward St., Wm. J. McNulty.
TORONTO—242 Milwood, Milton Galbroith.
VANCOUVER-411 Lyric Theatre Bldg., Jack Droy.
VICTORIA—938 Island Highway, Alec Merrlman.
WINNIPEG-The Tribune, Ben Lepkln.
Member Audit Bureau of Circulations
OXOFFICE
SMART MERCHANDISING
«i^ y MART merchandising is Paramount's
policy change which is making "Unconquered" available for
regular-price engagements in April. This is six months afler
the premiere held in Pittsburgh, but it will be as little as three i
months in other parts of the country. Less than 300 advancedadmission
engagements have been played by the picture. So
it has not been "milked" before its availability in sub-key andt
subsequent run situations.
Terming these advanced-price runs as "pre-selling preparation
for this nationwide release," Paramount significantly
points up that it will involve fifty times as many bookings. And
attention also is called to the huge advertising and promotion
campaign that attended the openings on a local area
level. Thus, it is wise to put this picture into general release
before the effect of this advertising and publicity has worn off.
Now, then, if other distributors will follow this good example,
the public demand and the exhibitors' need for good
entertainment will have been met. And much will have been
accomplished toward restoring motion picture patronage,
which was on the downswing.
Another good example is the promotion that Walt Disney
and RKO are putting behind the reissuing of "Bambi.' It isn't
just being dropped into the hopper on a catch-as-catch-can
basis, but it is being accorded the importance of an initial
release. A full-color spread in Life magazine announced its
forthcoming rerelease. That not only shows a confidence on
the part of the producer and distributor, but it also creates a
"desire-to-see" oh the part of the public.
The market is full of reissues these days. But rare is the
instance, if any, in wrhich a proper job of selling, either to the
public or to the exhibitor is evidenced. Many of these pictures
have a greater exhibition value today than they had at the
time of their initial release. Just tossing them in as second
Entereil as SKoni) Class matter at Post Office, Kansas City, Mo.
SKtIonal Edition, $2.00 per year; National Edition, $7.50
Vol. 52 No. 14
FEBRUARY 7, 1948
i