Boxoffice-May.15.1949

THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY
POBLISHED IN NINE SECTIONAL EOIIIONS
BEN SHLYEN
Editor-in-Chief and Publisher
lAMES M. JERAULD -.Editor
NATHAN COHEN_
JESSE SHLYEN_
IVAN SPEAR
FLOYD M. MIX.
RAYMOND LEVY....-GeneraI
Associorte Editor
Managing Editor
Western Editor
Equipment Editor
Published Every Saturday
Manager
by
ASSOCIATED PUBUCATIONS
Editorial Offices: 9 Rockefeller Plaza, New York 20,
N. Y. Raymond Levy, General Manager; James M.
Jerauld, Editor; Chester Friedman, Editor Showmondiser
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1186.
Washington Offices: 6417 Dahlonega Road, Alan Herbert,
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London Offices: 136 Wardour St., John Sullivan, Manager.
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Publication Offices: 825 Van Brunt Blvd., Kansas City
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Other Publications: BOXOFFICE BAROMETER, published
in November as a section of BOXOFFICE;
THE MODERN THEATRE, published monthly as a
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ALBANY—21-23 Walter Ave M. Berrigan.
ATLANTA— 163 Walton, N. W., P. H. Savin.
BIRMINGHAM—The News, Eddie Badger.
BOSTON—Frances W. Harding, Lib. 2-9305.
Audubon Drive, Snyder, Jim Schroder.
BUFFALO— 157
CHARLOTTE-216 W. 1th, Pauline Griffith.
CINCINNATI— 'iu2b Reading Rd.. Lillian Lazarus.
CLEVELAND -Elsie Loeb, Fairmount 0046
DALLAo^l525 Holland, V. W. Crisp, J8-9780.
DENVER -1645 Lalayeile, Jack Rose, TA 8517.
DES MOINES—Register S Tribune Bldg., Russ Schoch.
DETROIT— 1009 Fox Theatre Bldg., H. F. Reves.
Telephones: RA 1100; Night. LrN-4-0219
HARTFORD— 109 Westborne, Allen Widem.
HARRISBURG, PA.—Mechamcsburg. Lois Fegon.
INDIANAPOLIS—Rt, 8, Box 770. Howard M. Rudeaux.
MIAMI—66 S. Hibiscus Island, Mrs. Monton E. Harwood.
2952 Merrick Rd., Elizabeth Sudlow.
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MILWAUKEE—3057 No. Murray Ave., John E. Hubel,
WO 2-0467.
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NEW HAVEN—42 Church St.. Gertrude Lander.
NEWARK, N. J.—207 Sumner, Snra Carlelon.
NEW ORLEANS—Frances Jackson, 218 So. Liberty.
OKLAHOMA CITY—216 Terminal Bldg , Polly Trindle.
OMAHA—Omaha World-Herald Bldg., Lou Gerdes.
PHILADELPHIA—4901 Spruce St., J. M. Makler.
PITTSBURGH—66 Van Broom St., R. F. Klingensmith.
PORTLAND, ORE.—Edward Cogan, Nortonia Hotel,
lllh and Stark.
Sam PuUiam.
RICHMOND—Grand Theatre,
ST. LOUIS—5149 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 Albertan, Wm. Campbell.
MONTREAL—4330 Wilson Ave., N. D. G., Roy Carmichael.
Walnut 5519.
ST. JOHN— 115 Prince Edward St., Wm. J. McNulty.
TORONTO—R. R. No. 1, York Mills, Milton Galbraith
VANCOUVER^llI Lyric Theatre Bldg., Jack Droy.
VICTORIA—938 Island Highway, Alec Merriman.
WINNIPEG—The Tribune, Ben Lepkin.
Member Audit Bureau of Circulations
OXOFFICE
A FORWARD STRIDE
^
-^^ HE new 20th Century-Fox sales policy seems to
be all-embracing in its application to the needs of the buyer
as well as the seller. The principle behind it, as expressed by
Spyros Skouras, is that "pictures are not sold on a basis of
cost but on their ability to ecrm," and the company has geared
its
new plan to increase the earning power of the pictures at
the boxoffice, not only for itself but also for the exhibitors.
There should be no complaints on that score, except, perhaps,
over how much of the boxoffice dollar should go to
whom. That is the eternal question in this business and it will
always remain a matter of individual negotiation between
buyer and seller. But, since the new 20th-Fox policy is not to
be rigid—its flexibility is its most promising point—there will
be room for adjustment of such differences as may arise after
time-testing and picture-experience results have been had.
Exhibitors may scry that the plan is designed to obtain
higher film rentals.
Obviously, all sales plans are designed to
bring maximum returns. But, if, in the application of the plan
with its proposals to make merchcmdising and promotion of
product a vital part of the sales program, exhibitors' earnings
also are increased, everybody benefits.
To implement its custom-cut sales pattern, 20th-Fox has
placed greater authority in the hcmds of the branch manager,
subject only to the approval of the division chief. This is a
healthy turn of policy. It enables the men in the field to deal
best with their customers in the fitting
of the sales method to
conditions in each local situation, cmd also for making adjustments
where they may be called for. This should tend
greatly to improve buyer-seller relations at the base of operations.
And, of prime importance, it portends a return to local
conciliation which, earlier, appeared to have been abandoned.
Mr. Skouras, who knows the exhibitor problem as well as
he knows the distributor problem, says in his statement of
policy: "There can be no arbitrary method of doing business.
We seek to do business in the way the customer prefers, consistent
with a fair cmd square deal."
From such a credo one can expect only the very best of
trade relations to result.
Entered as Second Class matter at Post Office, Kansas City, Mo.
Sectional Edition, $3.00 per year; National Edition, $7.50
Vol. 55
MAY 14
No. 2
1949