Boxoffice-11.11.1950

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LETTERS ••CHILDREN" LETTER GREAT SER>1CE To BOXOFFICE; Your letter, "My Children and the Movies" from Mrs. Leslie C. Smith, was a great piece of public relations for this business. What an impact it would have were it published in some leading woman's magazine like Woman's Home Companion or Good Housekeeping! Another great service would be to have it copied in Reader's Digest. Could that be accomplished? Also, what are the chances of RKO taking a letter like this, turning it over to the producers of This Is America for a nice piece of interesting public relations for the movies? I am sure that if handled right, this could make a good short subject. We plug everybody's business in our March of Times and This Is America shorts and in other ways, but nary a mention about the movies. Again, Mrs. Smith's letter deserves great circulation: we in the movie theatres can do it by distributing reprints to our patrons, but the folks we want to reach are the women who are not now attending the movies. think every theatre manager should also I show the letter to the editor of his paper. I believe they could get some important points from it, which might perhaps result in an editorial. Some papers might print the entire letter, although it is lengthy. Resident Manager. North Carolina Theatres, Inc. Hickory, N. C. EARLE M. HOLDEN ASKS ACTION AGAINST CENSORS To BOXOFFICE: We should mark well these recent quotations by Eric Johnston, and inscribe them in the foyers of our motion picture theatres, where all may be reminded of their eternal truths, even as statements of profound legal principle are engraved on the faces of our courthouses: "... If the motion picture and the radio had existed when the Bill of Rights was drawn, they would have been included as agencies of free expression." "No one but people with common sense deserve democracy, and no people without common sense can preserve it very long." "The one thing a democracy can't tolerate for very long is an officialdom that arrogates to itself the right to say what we shall read, see and hear." These statements strike to the heart of what democracy is all about. They are not idle Fourth of July speeches, solemnly intoned but empty of meaning. They are truths by which our nation lives —or has lived for a long time, anyway. They are a vital part of a system on which we are now staking everything we have, to match it against a competing system which we think is inferior. They are truths which aren't as self-evident these days as they used to be. There's a lot of nibbling at them going on, and it's all done in the .sanctimonious spirit of what is said to be "security" or "decency" or even—Heaven help us! — "our way of life." Now. who's against .security, decency or our way of life? Heck, nobody. So we all keep our mouths shut, until we get one of those shives poked into us right where we livein the motion picture business. Freedom is everybody's business—sure. But give it a small switch, too—everybody's freedom is our business! It makes even more sense. Have we, in the film industry, let them hack away at the freedom of others, thankful they weren't giving us the business? Well, all that has done has been to encourage "them" to get around to us. We should have stopped '"them" while they were working on the other guys. Tyranny needs no encouragement to spread its poison; but it can get discouraged awfully easy, too. It's kind of late, but not too late to attack censorship in general starting at its sorest spots—with some powerful discouragers. For meeting heckling censorship at its WILL ENHANCE OUR INDUSTRY 7-0 BOXOFFICE: We should like to order IfiOO reprints of the article, "My Children and the Movies," by Mrs. Leslie C. Smith, in the October 28 issue of BOXOFFICE. We intend to mail these reprints to organizations such as Civic, Veterans, Churches and Synagogues, Social Clubs, P.T.A., Fraternal Organizations, Industry and Trade Groups, Women's Clubs and other organizations that would be interested in this comprehensive digest of a mother speaking her mind. A great deal can be accomplished in the public relations field by this article y/hich would enhance our industry in the public's light. J. R. WEINSTEIN District Manager, Century Theatres, New York, N. Y. worst, there's no business like the foreignfilm distributing business, as Irving Berlin forgot to specify in that song. The foreign film distributors are the little guys. They have no central organization through which their censorship problems are cleared. It's every man for himself, bucking individually, and usually in person, every one of the 200 or so censors mentioned by Mr. Johnston. You'd think the foreign-film distributors, being for most the vital sort of people they are, would eventually wear these censors down. But a lot of them just don't wear down easily. Putting 'em out of business is just more than a one-man-at-a-time operation. Only concerted effort will do it. 229 W. 42nd St., New York, N. Y. NOEL MEADOW AGAINST FREE KIDDY TRADE To BOXOFFICE: As one of the many exhibitors who reac't your magazine every week, and also anxiousljH look forward to it, could not but help readinj; the editorial Ben Shlyen wrote and then thf rebuttal to it, furnished by the officer of t circuit theatre in St. Louis. Mr. Shlyen's editorial dealt with concession stand versus ficf kid admissions as did the reply by the offic^' of the circuit theatre in St. Louis. WouU like to add a little more fuel to the fire, a it is only through the exchange of ideas, that progress is made. First, I sincerely agree with Mr. Shlyen that the theatre should try to keep utmost in the minds of the theatregoers that thf theatre is a place where you look forward tc having a wonderful time and seeing a wonderful picture. It is a place where you can gc and let your imagination run the limit, putting yourself in the hero's place or the villain's place whichever you choose. It shoulc not be a place where the kids are admittec free and the exhibitor counts on his concession trade to bring back that lost revenue As far as the children or kids being salesmer, for the theatre, I am sure that the kid's tast« for entertainment, differs very greatly fron that of the average adult. The main reason, that the students do not attend the shows more often, is due to the fact that from the time they were old enougt, to remember, till they reached the age of 12, they could always go to a show for IC cents or 12 cents, or as in the case of thL' circuit theatre and some of these drive-ir theatres, they were and are being admittec free! . . . Opposes Cheapening Films If the theatres could get together and raise the prices of the kids' tickets (we did anc have certainly noticed no drop in kids' business), to a point where the children woulc realize that to be able to go to a show, wat and is an event to look forward to, the theatres would be impressing in the minds oi these children, who in years to come we hope will be our adult admissions, that a movie if something, it is a form of entertainment thai' is worth paying for. My oldest girl is ten: naturally she gets in the show free. Neithei my wife nor I can excite her about going tc the movies, but just mention going to the amusement park and she gets all wound up' Why! Because she knows she can go to the show when she just about pleases: it is free but to get to go to the amusement park, thai is SOMETHING DIFFERENT! SOMETHING DIFFERENT! That is what I wish we could get all the patrons of the theatre to thinking, that the movie is something different instead of just run-of-themill entertainment. I sincerely don't see how this trend of thought can be forwarded, when all over the country, the drive-ins and alsc more theatres are beginning to let their future audience in free. Might add that the same thing is going to happen to television; everybody gets a set. everybody can see it all they want and any time they want to. anc as soon as everybody gets tired of seeing all the television they can stomach, they will begin to look for something different also. Logan Theatre, Logan. Iowa. DON HOWARD 34 BOXOFTICE November U. 195(
i P. .^( CHESTER FRIEDMAN EDITOR oxofFie HUGH E. FRAZE Associate Editor SECTION. PRACTICAL IDEAS FOR SELLING SEATS BY PRACTICAL SHOWMEN mo BRITISH SHOWMEN WIN BONUS AWARDS FOR OCTOBER The 42nd monthly BOXOFFICE Bonus of ilOO was divided among ten exhibitors and nanagers for submitting ideas and promoions helpful to the boxoffice during October. A Scotswoman, a Yorkshireman, a Canaiian and seven American showmen were ited to receive a $10 Bonus and a Citation if Honor each. Miss Lily Watt, an attractive icottish lass who manages the Odeon Theare in Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, has been a onsistent contributor to the Showmandiser ection since the Bonus was first announced a 1947. Many of her ideas have been up for Jonus consideration since then. Her present .chievement is for window tieups she sub- 'initted on several recent attractions. G. Foster, manager of the Ritz Cinema, jforkshire, England, was the other overseas Ivinner. Foster was cited for his skill in i;reating lobby displays of special distincion. W. K. Trudell of London, Ont., received Bonus for a general tieup he arranged in iresenting the local Miss America candidate '11 the stage of the Capitol Theatre in a homecoming celebration. ivic Paul Sapoch, manager of the Plaza Theare, Charlotte. N. C, topped all entries in the >rogram field. Sapoch makes effective use of lisplay mats in his house program and uses he front page for institutional gimmicks. A clever display ad created to sell a horror )rogram earned a Bonus for Gray Barker. idvertising manager and booker for Snyder's 3rive-In, Clarksburg, W. Va. Ben Tureman, manager of the Russell Theitre, Maysville, Ky., originated and carried Lily Watt out a Sleepless Marathon in conjunction with his campaign for "The Sleeping City." His exceptional ingenuity and originality earned him a Bonus and a Citation of Ben Tureman Honor. Tureman had a man stay 32 hours in a store window. Jack Crouthers, Harrod Theatre. Harrodsburg, Ky., took top honors in the public relations phase of showmandising. Crouthers organized a posse composed of members of his Roy Rogers Riders club to assist the Kiwanis fund drive for National Kids week. Additional Bonuses and Citations were awarded to the following: Edward Monroe, manager of the Strand, Jacksonville, Fla., front display; John Manuel, manager of the ,^ Walter Knoche Jack Crouthers W. K. Trudell Gray Barker John Manuel Strand and Liberty, Cumberland, Md., co-op advertising; Walter Knoche, manager of the Palace Theatre, Fredericksburg, Tex., ballyhoo. November entries for the BOXOFFICE Bonus should be addressed: Showmandiser Section, BOXOFFICE, 9 Rockefeller Plaza, New York 20, N. Y. ->^r J olnt to ^^^raue For years, newspapers have discriminated against motion picture theatres by charging an excess advertising rate. In New York, for instance, the Times charges theatres five cents more per line than general advertisers pay. In the Herald Tribune, theatres pay 10 cents a line more; in the Mirror. 12 cents more. At 12 cents a line extra, it costs $1.68 more per inch to advertise a motion picture than it does to advertise other products. This amusement rate, a surcharge on general advertising rates, is a IkmcIhIh tl.t in(liistr\ iiihi nti d troiii tin li.'
Page 1 and 2: V/etoen. MctuM yndocd^ Bob Hope, Lu
Page 3 and 4: OF FAME ! Next: M-G-M! M-G-M presen
Page 5 and 6: j^J0HNAGAI)fc'FI!ANKL0VE)Oy^''SyZAN
Page 7 and 8: ' mil. , Sara I ike . 21-23 I Franc
Page 9 and 10: i BOXOFFICE FAIR TRADE PRACTICES CO
Page 11 and 12: k. State Censors Called To National
Page 13 and 14: e 6t V >-. r-^ «J ^)- iM endorseme
Page 15 and 16: There's Only One
Page 17 and 18: . . . . amateur The High ^^^ of Cro
Page 19 and 20: aagraphs That Are Paramount IN Disc
Page 21 and 22: dIe 24.000 YOU'VE GOT TO BE TO STAY
Page 23 and 24: Portrait of an l^xhibitor^s Wife .(
Page 25 and 26: land, Nancy Davis and John Hodiak.
Page 27 and 28: iccaj^on -v viib^.^^^K^. \ I >-N, \
Page 29 and 30: they've played Columbia's sensation
Page 31 and 32: I Use the NSS LUE RIBBON AWARD KIT
Page 33: Monogram and U-I Have Big Backlogs
Page 37 and 38: I I American -1 bVANCE PROMOTION RE
Page 39 and 40: Football Fans Enter Guessing Contes
Page 41 and 42: ; In ' and • Almost f until I see
Page 43 and 44: I In ^ Senator 'Has Nothing fo Hide
Page 45 and 46: ' Two , (London). I viUe ' BUFFALO
Page 47 and 48: I I i ALBANY—The federal ban on t
Page 49 and 50: . . Bill , . Manager . . The . . .
Page 51 and 52: NEWS AND VIEWS THE PRODUCTION CEMTE
Page 53 and 54: I '! AFM Places Monogram On Union '
Page 55 and 56: . . Among DENVER \rive-ins in the t
Page 57 and 58: ; On I I . . Back . . . . ELC ^ SEA
Page 59 and 60: . ' I I lenses, f ' office , an C |
Page 61 and 62: I Minneapolis Bills Headed by 'Lady
Page 63 and 64: . . . Add . . Merle . . Don . . Hol
Page 65 and 66: . . Louis . . . . Ticket Tax Suit E
Page 67 and 68: ' ATLANTA—East , tured I The I dr
Page 69 and 70: I surest , The ; intricacies I I I
Page 71 and 72: . . . John . . W. . . Walter . . Em
Page 73 and 74: ' I . . . Abe . . . MGM q I CONGRAT
Page 75 and 76: Texas Variety Club Re-EIec!s Office
Page 77 and 78: ;. mary Lowgrade Operations Are Thr
Page 79 and 80: • hotel, ' jSays Exhibitors Share
Page 81 and 82: • . . Katharine . . "La . . . . R
Page 83 and 84: HALT TO COMPETITIVE BIDDING IS ASKE
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; BOXOFFICE Small-Towner Must Watch
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, Samoa ,s Monogram ; .-,3—Copper
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. Word . handling : Marco, . . ;t.
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fcondenmed by many exhibitors for p
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' TOwTisend I DETROIT—lATSE 1 The
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; Hippodrome—The . . . The . . Se
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f i I (15) • Rufe, Allied Film Cl
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Hartford Theatre Marks Fifth Year H
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I Palace—Right . . . Monogram . .
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f i i among : ea's ; 3 . :k ' ' irt
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I 1 O'Rourke . . The . . For . . .
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BOXOFFICE BookinGuide Nov. 11, 19 ^
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' j ' ExhihiioT Has His Say (Contin
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tt Very Good; + Good; — Fair; —
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1 Western : .'iinan-Ward I CHECK RU
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' J elles-J. I JJ. F PUBLIC (IjC We
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' •.. :: ((16) . (8) , Rabbit ' i
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'ipln/MS on Current Productions; Ex
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; onal 1 New ! Box , 12 : Advertisi
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Boxoffice-11.11.1950

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