FIGURE OF THE WEEK . me A m That's what June Haver and Gloria De Haven are doing to the appla-e of Pr-'^-ers^nf 9nn, rpnturv-Fox's new Technicolor musical hit. Ill Get By. niteen ""/""•".,, and wrmarLunViJn Dennis Day and Harrv James to round out the top -t.^d^ what more there are guest star appearances by Jeanne Craln. Dan DaUey. vicwr i«i»ur Reginald Gardiner! (AdTertlMment)
— THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY Published in Nine Sectional Editioni BEN SHLYEN Editor--in-Chief and Publisher lAMES M. JERAULD..-. -....Edltoi NATHAN COHEN....Executi¥e Editor lESSE SHLYEN Managing Editor IVAN SPEAR Westsrn Edlior KEN HUDNALL. Equipment Editor JOHN G. TINSLEY._Advertising Mgr. Published Every Saturday by ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS Editorial Offices: 9 Bocliefcller Plaza. New Yorli 20. N. V. John G. TUisley, Advwils- Ing Manager: James M. Jerauld, Editor: Chester Friedman, Editor Shovrmandlser Section; A. J. Stocker and Halph Scbiilbe, Equipment Advertising. Telephone COlumbus 5-6370. Publication Offices: 825 Van Brunt Blvd., Kansas City 1, Mo. Nathan Cohen. Exocutlve Bditor: Jesse Shiyen, Managing Kdltor: Morris Schlozman, Business M.mager. Kenneth Uudnall. Editor The .MUIIERN THBAntE: Herbert lloush. Manager Advertising Sales. Telephone Cilestnut 777T. Central Offices: Editorial—621 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago 5, 111. Jonas Perlberg. I'elephone WEbsler 9-4745. Advertising 35 East Wackcr Drive, Ciilcago 1, 111. Evvlng Hutchison and E. B. Yeck. Telephone ANdover S-3042. Western Offices: Editorial and rilm Advertising—6404 Hollywood Blvd., Uullyviuod 28, Calif. Ivan Spear, manager. Telephone GLadslone 1186. Equipment and Non-Kllm Advertising—672 S. LaFayntte Park Place, Los Angeles, Calif. Bob Wettaeln, manager. Telephone DUnkIrk 8-22ii6. Washington Offices: 6417 Dahlonoga Goad Alan Herbert, manager. I'hune Wisconsin 3271. Sara Young, 932 Ne« Jersey, N.W. London Offices: 26A, Itedelifie Mews, Ken sington, S. W. John Sullivan, Manager. Publishers of: The MOUEUN TIIEiTllE, published monthly us a section ol UUX- IIFFICE; BOXOKFICE B.VKO.MEIEIl. Albany: 21-23 Waller Ave., M. Berrlgao. Birmingham: The News, Eddie Badger. Boston: Frances W. Harding, Lib. 2-9805. Charlotte: 216 W. 4lh, Pauline Urlfrilh. Clncinnall: 4029 Heading, LlllUn Lazarus. Cleveland: Elsie Loeb. Fah mount 1-0040 Dallas: 4525 llullund. V. W. Crisp. Denver: 1645 Uifajetle, Jack liose. Des Moines: Ueglster^ribune. Russ Schoch Detroit: Fox Tlieaire HIdg., H. F. Uetes. Indianapolis: H. M. Kudeau.x. .Memphis: 707 Spring St., N'ull Adams. .Milwaukee: 3057 iNu. .Murray, John flubel. Minneapolis: 29 \Va.4tiing(un, .Sii., Ufl Kecs Nevv ll.iven: 42 (Tiurrh (Irrlrurk LandK. New Orleans: Frances Jordan. N.O. States. Okla. City: Terminal Blilg.. Pully Trlndle Omaha: World-lleruld Bld^., Lou Cerdff. Philadelphia: 536:t Rurk^. Normiiii sbcun. I'ltlsburgh: R. F. Klingensmith. 516 Jeannette. Wllkinsburg. Churchill 1-2809. Portland, Ore.: Kei:h IVunld. Ilrnadwair Theatre. Advertising: Mel Hickman. U07 Terminal Sales Blilg., ATvinier 4107. LniUs: 5149 Rosa, ll.iviti Rairell. St. Salt Uke City: Di-errl .News. II. IVnr^nn. San Francisco: flail l.lpman. 215 Taylor St , Ordivay 3-4812. .Vdverllsing: Jerry Noivell, Howard Bhlg., 209 Post St.. Ylkon 6 2532. Seattle: 1303 Campus Pkwy. Dare Ballard In Canada Calgary: The .MhiTlan, Wm. CamnbeH. Montreal: 4330 WIKon. liny Carmlchael St, John: 116 Prlniv Rl.vard. W MrNulty. Toronto: H. U. 1. York MIIK. M. (Inlhrahh. Vancnuver: Lyric Theatre Bldg , Jack Ur ly. rietorla: 933 Mand IPwy. Alee Merrlmin. Winnipeg Tlie Tribune. Ben I.epkln. Member Audit Bureau of Circulations Entered as Seeond Class matter Rt Pnst nfflce. Kansa-s Clly, Mo. SeellomU Edltlgn, 13 00 per year: National BdlUon, $7.50. SEPTEMBER 2 3, 1950 Vol. 57 No. 21 TREE KID' ADMISSIONS •t^ HE policy of allowing free admission to children which was initiated by some drive-in theatres is being assailed by veteran exhibitors who see in this a danger that, as one e.xhibitor leader puts it, "is bound to have a very serious impact upon boxoffice receipts of the industry." This practice, he says, will cultivate in the minds of today's children the entertainment is it idea that motion picture something of no value and that will always come to them for nothing. Another view or reason for indulging in the practice was expressed in a letter published in the September 16 issue of BOXOFFICE. Robert B. Tuttle, manager of the Sky Drive-In Theatre of Adrian, Mich., stated therein that admitting someone free for one or two adult admissions has a two-fold purpose: (1) the night is slow, and through a reduced admission (which is what it amounts to) you attempt to stimulate attendance. (2) the extra people stimulate concession sales. The two-for-one or children-admitted-free-ifaccompanied-by-parents ideas did not have their beginning with the advent of the drive-ins. They are almost as old as picture business itself. But the angle of increasing attendance, especially of children, for stimulating concession sales, is an outgrowth of the drive-in. Not only did this stimulate sales at the concession stands, it also stimulated attendance generally, attracting the families. But whether it is good practice in the long run is another matter. free The occasional two-for-one and other partial admission schemes, even when they become fixed weekly events on specific nights, takes on a different aspect than free admittance to children on a regular day-iii-and-day-out basis. It does have a tendency to minimize the value of motion pictures in the eyes of the young people, even of the adults. It can make them feel they arc being overcharged when they attend a theatre that does not follow such a policy. And that has an adverse effect on the public attitude toward picture theatres generally. From the dollar and cents point of view, there may be some questioning as to the net gain actually derived through increased sales of refreshments accredited to the increased attendance of children that entered free. Parents may feel that they can spend the ten or 20 cents they thus "saved" on popcorn or beverage. But is the profit as much as it would be if full ticket price had been charged, even allowing for a reduced attendance? Aside from consideration of the immediate profit angle, there is the more important one of building lor the future; of deciding, now, in the early days of the drive-in theatre that it is an institution designed for permanence; that it is not a catch-as-catch-can catch-penny business forced to depend on gimmicks for its existence. The trouble with gimmicks is that you have to keep changing them. The something-for-nothing idea sooner or later plays itself out. And, when the public is weaned on coming in for anything other than the entertainment, convenience or comfort offered, whether that be in drive-in or conventional type of theatre, the industry has been sold short. And the exhibitor is lelt holding the bag. During the war years, there came up advocacy of raising child admissions from the traditional ten or Id cents to a 25-cent minimum. This, of course, was for children between five and 12 years of age. It was instituted in many situations around the country with marked success. In recent months when business was off, some exhibitors cut back the child admission price and it served as a stimulus to overall patronage. There is no denying that cultivation ol children as tile adult patrons ol tomorrow is a phase ol theatre operation that should not be overlooked or in any way be neglected. But such cultivation should be made to create appreciation of the motion picture as sometning worth paying for. Better a low child ticket price than none at all. As for the concessions business, it has made tremendous progress in the last several years. has earned a place—a It very important place—in the motion picture theatre as an adjunctive service to the patron. And so it should be regarded and operated. The motion picture should not be the "chaser" to a box of popcorn or bottle of pop or vice-versa. Good concessions operations are profitable enterprises in themselves. But, if the profit is made at the expense of what retail merchants call "loss leaders" and. especially, when the loss item is the principal stock in trade, the price-cut reduces the net gain. The exhibitor should feel himself entitled to a profit on his theatre ticket sales as well as on his vending sidelines. Neither should be operated at the expense of the other. ^i^
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