Boxoffice-October.27.1951

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At the SMPTE Convention: Three-Dimensional Films Predicted Most Promising Trade Development HOLLYWOOD—With plans to hold Its next conclave in Chicago next April, the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers concluded its 70th semiannual convention here Friday (19) at which more than 600 motion picture and TV engineers, scientists and research analysts heard a record total of 65 papers and reports. The emphasis was upon television in its technical aspects and as concerns its Impact upon the motion pictiu:e Industry, but the convention topics embraced a wide range. Generating considerable interest was the three-dimensional film, which was envisioned as "the most promising theatre entertainment of the future" if filmdom's resources can be put behind its further development. Speakers on this subject included Raymond Spottiswoode, technical director of the Festival of Britain, who reported on the stereoscopic three-dimension film program presented there earlier this year; I. Melville TerwUliger, who described his "Inspacian systems" for accomplishing depth-dimension effects; Norman McLaren, John O. Stott and M. L. Gunzburg. In the latter days of the five-day meeting the conventioneers also heard reports on 16mm, magnetic sound tracks, color photography and other technical subjects. Honoring three delegates who are nationally known in the field of photographic optics, the SMPTE's Pacific Coast section is planning a CYCLdRAMIC Cusfoni Screen GIVES YOU ''CENTER SEAT VISION" From every seat in the house! ELIMINATES GLARE AND DISTORTION! GIVES AMAZING NEW DEPTH! PERFECT SOUND TRANSMISSION! NO PERFORATIONS! dinner meeting for Wednesday (31) at which the speakers will be Paul C. Foote, of Bell St Howell, Chicago; Arthur Warmisham, Taylor & Hobson, Leicester, England; and Malcolm G. Townsley, also of Bell & Howell. Around 2,744,831 TV Sets For First 8 Months of Year WASHINGTON — An estimated 2,744,831 television receivers were shipped to dealers in the first eight months of 1951, according to an announcement by the Radio-Television Manufacturers Ass'n on Friday (12). Meanwhile, Glen McDaniel, president of RTMA" was telling a New Orleans gathering on the same day that TV receiver production in 1951 would total no more than 5,250,000 sets, compared with 7,400,000 in 1950 when material shortages were not as acute. McDaniel admitted during the course of his speech that TV servicing Is a "serious problem" due to the lack of trained and reliable servicemen, and that there are some grounds for complaint by the public. Levin Names Kornbluth NEW YORK—David Kornbluth has been named New Haven representative for Jack H. Levin Associates by Jack Levin, president. He is the 22nd representative for the national survey, research and checking company. A'^cdeêc^f Monufacturad by B. F. SHEARER COMPANY ti\l StCONU AVENUE, SEA1TL6, WAShlNGiON EXPORT DISTRIBUTOR: FRAZAR & HANSEN LTD., 301 CLAY STREET, SAN FRANCISCO .. CANADA: DOMINION SOUND EQUIPMENT LTD. .. OFFICES IN ALL PRINCIPAL CITIES OUTDOOR DRIVE-IN IN-A-CAR SPEAKERS and junction boxct complcfc with traniformcr to match any impedance. to Coost Alto replacement speaker conci (Jensen) any sise. I DRIVE-IN THEATRE MFC. CO. ."' «.',l',',':''i:. REFRESHMENT^ SERVICE from Coast over 'A Century S- SPORTSIRVICr CORP. WOITMIVKI USO. • lUfrAlO. N. Y. Refreshment Service for DRIVE - IN THEATRES Movies Win Over TV As Kiddies' Preference PROVIDENCE—Proof that the "young fry" are stUl 100 per cent movie fans, television notwithstanding, the P>rovidence Bulletin, which runs a Small Fry Forum once a week on its feature pages, recently asked the following question, "Do You Think Movies Are Better Than Television?" Every child "sampled" indicated a decided preference for movies. Scores of reasons were advanced for their choice, and the consensus seemed to be that the children felt the screen entertainment brought them scenes and action, as well as "color" that could not be obtained on video. Many of the youngsters stated that it was more fun to go to the movies "because you get to meet your friends, and really have a good time." One youngster (a boy) said that television could never present his cowboy heroes in the thrilling scenes he witnesses in his favorite theatre. He further said that movies shown on television were not clear, and hurt his eyes. Not one vote was given to television over movies as real entertaiimient. 20th-Fox Changing Titles On Two Decemiser Films NEW YOHK—Twentieth Century-t'ox has made two tiile changes on pictures scheduled for December release. In addition, "Kangaroo," the Technicolor picture filmed in Australia, has been taken out of November release to give full opportunity for an international exploitation campaign in Australia and the U.S. The pictures scheduled for December release now are: "I'll Never Forget You," final title for "Man of Two Worlds," filmed in i England in Technicolor and starring Tyrone Power, Ann Blyth and Michael Rennie; "The i Girl on the Bridge," final title for the Hugo Haas production, formerly called "The Bridge," with Haas, Beverly Michaels and Robert Dane featured; "Elopement," starring Clifton Webb, Anne Francis, Charles Bickford and William Lundlgan, and "Fixed Bayonets," with Richard Basehart, Michael O'Shea and Gene Evans. The revised release schedule for November now has three pictures: "Let's Make It Legal," "Anne of the Indies" and "Golden Girl," the last two in Technicolor. Marc J. Wolf to Induct New Irish Variety Tent NEW YORK—Marc J. Wolf, international chief barker of Variety Clubs International, will fly to Ireland November 23 to Induct the new Dublin tent into the organization. At that lime the tent will indentify the charity it will adopt. Wolf will then go to London to meet with the barkers In England. Wolf also is scheduled to address the National Allied convention which opens here in October 28, and to dedicate Variety Manor, school for feebleminded children sponsored by the Variety Club of Dayton, Ohio, November 7. vjltJ wEDI # m pit" 1)21 b! I binl 32 BOXOFFICE : : October 27. 1961 I
1 (yt:- hi.. CHESTER FRIEDMAN EDITOR OXOfFiG HUGH E. FRAZE Associate Editor SECTION PRACTICAL IDEAS FOR SELLING SEATS BY PRACTICAL SHOWMEN Warner Katz-Kabn Ad Team Scores Big on 'Streetcar in Pittsburgh Vprv Desirable —B> Huntirrord Quite abruptly, a few weeks ago, Phil Katz, high pressure exploiteer and manager of the Enright in Pittsburgh, found himself elevated to the Warner zone office in that city as assistant to Jack Kahn, division advertising and publicity director. The promotion came by way of reward for an outstanding job at the Enright during the last four years. Ever since moving to his "desk" job, Katz has been trying to live up to his reputation by working up some live campaigns to reactivate public interest in motion pictures, especially these playing in the local Warner downtown theatres. He and Kahn did an excellent job of selling "A Streetcar Named Desire." The picture played at the Warner, opening big and showing top grosses in its third week. The advertising team chartered four streetcars to carry patrons to the theatre without charge for fare. The stunt was tied in with the efforts of legislatures to get a reduction in excessively high fares. A congressman posed for pictures and made a statement for the press on the need for "cheap transportation." Cy Hungerford, nationally famous cartoonist for the Post-Gazette, picked up the gimmick and the next day the paper broke a threecolumn cartoon Illustration on page one. Some of the gimmicks which swelled interest in the picture were a top ad schedule, ranging up to full-page layouts in three daily papers; cross plug trailers in 25 Warner houses in the area: a saturation radio campaign on WCAE and KQV; 10 window displays; a front cover and feature story in "This Week In Pittsburgh," and a layout in the Sunday Press roto section. A "triple" staê wedding was in the works in conjunction with the Stanley engagement of "Here Comes the Groom." All of Pittsburgh was invited and as an indication of the tremendous interest aroused, more than 350 couples responded to an ad for three couples who desired to hitch up on the Stanley stage. The couples ra^te an all-expense honeymoon by plane, a few thousand dollars worth of rings, wedding trappings and service gifts, and both the radio and newspaper sources of news dissemination had a field day with human interest incidents. A few days before "Force of Arms" opened at the Warner, Katz located a G.I. who had met and married an American WAC in the Italian theatre of the war. Since the couple's adventures followed closely the pattern of the picture's plot, they were spotted on a television program and several radio shows for guest shots. To promote "That's My Boy," a Stanley booking, a jingle contest was worked with radio station KQV. The contest broke all records for entries received at the station on any similar setup. The two theatremen promoted dozens of Martin and Lewis >^^- This fhree-column cartoon, the work of Cy Hungerlord, cartoonist for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, appeared on the front page of that paper after an extensive attention-getting publicity stunt developed by Phil Katz and lack Kahn for the Enright Theatre. sports shirts for prizes, which were awarded for the best "last lines" submitted by station listeners. So the kid trade was not neglected, Kahn and Katz worked a tieup with a pet shop to give the youngsters live rabbits in conjunction with cartoon shows set in for Teachers Institute day, October 12. The sponsor received advertising on the screens and in lobby displays at all participating theatres. Both the news columns and radio commentators carried announcements. ue.did in tfie ^JwtouSe Periodically we have written about the lack of politeness and courtesy in theatres and its effect on patronage. An article on this same subject recently appeared in another tradepaper. It immediately elicited a letter from a theatre manager whose response can be summed up: 'If the ushers are discourteous, then so are the patrons." The inference is that if the people who buy admission tickets to the theatre were more civil and courteous, the staff would be polite. That type of thinking could only originate with one who does not have long experience in business—we mean any business. It is obviously a more modern philosophy of management in theatres, aind indicates how far we are now removed from the old concepts of sound management. There are too many well-founded reasons to explain the discourtesies the patron endures without making him the goat. The manager could say, if he wanted to, the reason is simply that we are not getting the high caliber type of employe who at one time was attracted by the glamor and the opportunities this business offered. There was more incentive for ushers in this business at one time. Or, if he were well-versed in tradition, he could admit that because there has been a gradual but steady loss of interest by the circuits in such operational phases of management, that perhaps his own training was neglected. When the period of circuit expansion was at its zenith, there was a vast reservoir of manpower constantly being trained. Today, a sizable proportion of theatres are being managed by men who came into this business since the war and whose training frequently ended when they learned how, where aad when to bank the daily receipts. (Continued on next page) mmmmmmmmmm^mi^mim^mi^^^^^s^^^^^^s^î^^^^^^^^^^ BOXOFFICE Showmandiser : : October 27, 1951 — 239^ 33
Page 1 and 2: *^7Jie luAe h/ me /P/&&^rL 7
Page 3 and 4: THE BRIGHT ! LIGHTS >w SPELL M-G'M!
Page 5 and 6: Ôll,^^ VIRGINIA \ RUTH ,.A^ , OMAN
Page 7 and 8: — ' •'^n^Kfrnmrnmrnmovm" " "-^"
Page 9 and 10: - MAJOR FILM MERCHANDISING CAMPAIGN
Page 11 and 12: Boxoffice Article Used To Sell MPAA
Page 13 and 14: IIAT STORMED THEIR LIVES! sîr .y'
Page 15 and 16: Rllil h dahq.it^ I V / \ / otttsirf
Page 17 and 18: THE CROWDS ARE i BACK THANKS TO 20t
Page 19 and 20: LETTERS A Plan for Studio Visitors
Page 21 and 22: j0> Millions Hear Bob's NBC Plugs F
Page 23: k theatre on the field, but they li
Page 26 and 27: . . The . . Jack *fôU
Page 28 and 29: Republic Will Appeal Roy Rogers TV
Page 30 and 31: BOXOFFICE BAROMETE This chart recor
Page 34 and 35: ' Merchant Co-Op Page For 'Annie' U
Page 36 and 37: Front Given Frenchy Atmosphere For
Page 38 and 39: Lucky Star Night Is Cued to Birth D
Page 40 and 41: . . Grace . . Benay . . . . BROADWA
Page 42 and 43: . . . Jack . . . Mike . . Gerard .
Page 44 and 45: . . Edward . . : ALBANY TXTarner Th
Page 46 and 47: 1 Macy Executive Reviews Advertisin
Page 48 and 49: ' ' ' a ' STUDIO PERSONNEUTIES Clef
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Page 52 and 53: . . Dave . . Roy . . . . . Betty .
Page 54 and 55: Montana ITO Session At Butie Nov. 1
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Page 58 and 59: KANSAS CITY 13ube Melcher, head of
Page 60 and 61: . . . Frank . . Dod . . Doris —
Page 62 and 63: y CA5E STUDY NO. I: 88 Carloads Her
Page 64 and 65: '' i i "5 is chief bookkeeper for t
Page 66 and 67: ; ! Despite Movietime Postponement
Page 68 and 69: g HART D. MARTIN said Martin Theatr
Page 70 and 71: . CHAP :''i ,.j»-^-- a.*««" ,jfi
Page 72 and 73: Patrons Request Year-Round Airer MA
Page 74 and 75: . . Volney . . Max ' '• OKLAHOMA
Page 76 and 77: . . . Milton . . . . "Tembo," . . R
Page 78 and 79: : How Can America Produce 4f/ the S
Page 80 and 81: . . Word . . Children ST . LOUIS Ty
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- staff under the late George "Dad"
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. . Mrs. . . The PITTSBURGH ^XTilli
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. . Variety . . . Serge . . Sherwin
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' Leo Jones Tests Public Sincerity
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— . . Broderick .1 CLEVELAND "The
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BOSTON Caul Simons, salesman at Col
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| The EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY (Contin
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REVIEW DIGEST ++ Very Good; + Good;
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D. FEATURE UNITED ARTISTS CHART rr]
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.10-13-51 . ..Jean SHORTS CHART 630
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k SPECIAL SERVICE FOR EXHIBITORS..
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Boxoffice-October.27.1951

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