Modern

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I
THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY
PDBLISHEO IN NINE SECTIONAL EDITIONS
BEN SHLYEN
Editor-in-Chief and Publisher
JAMES M. JERAULD..— Editor
NATHAN COHEN Associate Editor
JESSE SHLYEN Managing Editor
IVAN SPEAR _ Western Editor
FLOYD M. MIX. Equipment Editor
RAYMOND LEVY General Manager
Published Every Saturday by
ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS
D
OXOFFICE
LET'S KEEP IT
GLOWING
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jgiigpiitl
Editorial Ollicos: 9 Rocketeller Plaza, New York 2Q,
N. Y Raymond Levy, General Manager; M. James
lerauld, Editor; Chester Friedman, Editor Showmandiser
Section; A. Stoclcer, Eastern Representative.
Telephone Columbus 5-6370, 5-6371, 5-6372. Cable
J.
address: ^'BOXOFFICE, New York."
Central Offices: 1327 South Wabash Ave., Chicago
5 Jonas Perlberg, Manager; Donald Maggart,
111
Central Representative. Telephone WEBster 4745.
Western Offices: B404 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood
28 Calif. Spear, Ivan Manager. Telephone GLadslone
1186.
Washington Offices: 302-303 International Bldg., 1319
F St., N. W. Lee L. Garling, Manager. Telephone
NAtional 3482. Filmrow: 932 New Jersey, N. W. Sara
Young.
London Offices: 136 Wardour St., John Sulhvan, Manager.
Telephone Gerrard 3934-5-6.
Publication Offices: 825 Von Brunt Blvd., Kansas City
Mo. Nathan Cohen, Associate Editor; Jesse Shlyen,
1,
Managing Editor; Morris Schlozmon, Business Manager.
Herbert Roush, Manager Advertising Sales
J,
and Service. Telephone CHestnut 7777-78.
Other Publications: BOXOFFICE BAROMETER,
published in November as a section of BOXOFFICE,
THE MODERN THEATRE, pubUshed monthly as a
section ol BOXOFFICE.
ALBANY—21-23 Waher Ave., M. Berrigan.
AILANTA— 163 Walton, N. W., P. H. Savin.
BIRMINGHAM—The News, Eddie Badger.
BOSTON—Frances W. Harding, Lib. 9814.
BUFFALO— 157 Audubon Drive, Snyder, Iim Schroder.
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CLhVELAND-Elsie Loeb, Fairmount 0046.
DALLAS^!525 Holland, V. W. Crisp, J8-9780.
DENVER— 1645 Lolayelte, Jack Rose, TA 8517.
DES MOINES—Register & Tribune Bldg., Russ Schoch.
DETROIT— 1009 Fox Theatre Bldg., H. F. Reves.
Telephones: RA 1100; Night, UN-4-0219.
HARTFORD- 109 Westborne, Allen Widem.
HARRISBURG, PA—Mechanicsburg, Lois Fegan.
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MINNEAPOLIS—29 Washington Ave. So., Les Rees.
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PHILADELPHIA—4901 Spruce St., J. M. Makler
PITTSBURGH-86 Van Braam St., R, F. Klingensmith
PORTLAND, ORE.—David Kahn, 7722 N. Interstate.
RICHMOND—Grand Theatre, Sam Pulliam
ST, LOUIS-5I49 Rosa, David Barrett, FL-3727.
SALT LAKE CITY—Deseret News, Howard Pearson
SAN ANTONIO—309 Blum St., San Antonio 2, L. I. B.
Ketner.
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ORdway 3-4812.
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IN CANADA
CALGARY—The Alberlan, Wm. Campbell.
MONTREAL—4330 Wilson Ave., N. D. G., Roy Carmichael,
Walnut 5519.
ST. JOHN— 116 Prince Edward St., Wm. J. McNulty.
TORONTO—R. R. No. I, York Mills, Milton Galbraith.
VANCOUVER—411 Lyric Theaire Bldg., Jack Droy.
VICTORIA—938 Island Highway, Alec Merriman.
WINNIPEG—The Tribune, Ben Lepkin.
Member Audit Bureau op Circulations
*^ T FREQUENTLY has been said that, like th.
weather, everybody talks about "a return to showmanship,
but nobody does anything about it. Of course, that's ai
exaggeration. For there have been many good evidences c
something being done to restore the brand ol showmanshi)
that developed this business from the folding-chair nickel
odeon to the multi-comfort palatial edifices of today. Perhap;
what is meant is that the lack has been in consistency onr
continuity of the effort.
The lush war period had more than a little effect in mak
ing showmanship effort spotty, to say the least. It wasn't mucl •
needed. But it's quite a different story now in the postwa ole-f
period. So, in addition to the individual exhibitor efforts tho
will be made. National Screen Service is going "to do some
thing about it" in an attempt to stimulate an over-all industry ttilmsbei
effort to start and keep the ball rolling.
skly torn
'
The
Back to
their wares
keynote of its drive
Showmanship."
and try to
to honor
Naturally,
impress upon
George Dembow is "Ge
NSS salesmen will shov
exhibitors the value ii
Hi
^
aJealolF
,
greater use of newspaper space, one-sheets, three-sheets, win ^
^^|
dow cards and even 24-sheets, as well as other lobby an(
picture-seUing materials. And, of course, not overlooking the
job that the screen itself can do to sell the public on what tht
theatre has to offer in entertainment, comfort and all else tha
it means to the community.
Few, indeed, are the pictures that sell themselves. Ne
exhibitor needs to be reminded that the bigger the picture
the bigger the campaign called for. But therein may lie the "'»
fallacy that has somewhat contributed to the failure of so mam 5'
of the smaller or in-between pictures. They need rr.OTe sell
ing than the bigger ones; yet they seem to be given the brusl
off, not alone by exhibitors, but also by the producers anc
distributors. There's many a so-called little picture with fair;
to-good entertainment qualities and even middling star-appeal
which, given a bit more than the "usual" promotion, will draw
and please substantial patronage.
Every picture can't be great. But too many people in thit
industry have let themselves get unsold on just what is gooc
entertainment. And too much of the public—for too longhas
been permitted to think the same way. A distributor can'
enthuse exhibitors and exhibitors can't enthuse patrons b^
passiveness and headshaking that keeps good average picture
entertainment a secret. Many a little "B" has saved the hide
of many a so-called big "A." But the "A" got the selling
Great pictures are essentials to this business. They are the
magnets and the prestige builders—and not without profit
But it is the "just good" picture that is the regular stock-in
trade that must be depended upon for the regular Hne of pa
tronage that keeps this business going.
The industry has learned that business doesn't come automatically—as
it did in the war years. It knows that in il£
shown
lei-and
Jomuc
I
JOBS,
hi
We hope
liisilwill
kUspai:
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th
eiH^ cily
tSB,
opi
synt
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Here
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Entered as Second Class matter at Post Office, Kansas City, M«.
SictioMl Edition, $3.00 per year; National Edition, $7.50
SEPTEMBER 11, 1948
Vol. 53 No. 19