Boxoffice-December.20.1952

Columbia
Its
Shorts
Projects
Most Important
Program
A 'McBoing Boing' Sequel
Among 118 Subjects
Lined Up for 1952-53
Columbia is projecting the most ambitious
short subjects program in its history
—a total of 118 subjects for the 1952-53
season. The lineup includes a number of
continued series, new and reissue comedies,
and the cartoons in Technicolor, all of
which add up to 27 two-reelers, 87 one-reelers
including 27 cartoons, and four serials.
Dozen Releases From PA
At the top of the list go the dozen releases
compounded on the drawing boards
of United Productions of America, creator
of "Gerald McBoing Boing." And on this
year's expanded schedule there is another
"hot" item, the second Gerald cartoon.
"Gerald McBoing Boing's Symphony," the
sequel, shows the little noise-making boy at
work as the one man sound effects department
of a radio station. By calling attention
to its Academy Award winning predecessor,
the new film, backed by the same sort of
advertising, promotion and publicity campaign
given the original, can make a similar
or better record at the boxoffice. The
newly published "Gerald McBoing Boing"
comic book and the hard-cover volume of
the same title are definite pre-selling aides.
The continuing and growing success of
UFA cartoons has created a steady 'rise in
the number of releases. Of the 12 on the
1952-53 list, six star Mr. Magoo, who has
cracked the top rank of cartoon characters.
Five others join the new "Gerald" in the
Jolly Frolics group. Among the latter is
"Madeline," based on Ludwig Bemelmans'
children's book classic. The book publishers,
Simon & .Schulsler, and local book
stores are alerted to cooperate with exhibitors
in tie-in campaigns. Columbia has already
held special screenings of this subject
for educators and librarians, who have
expressed hope that local theatres will advertise
the showing to inform children and
adults who have been told about the short.
Three Stooges in
Eight Films
For laughs, the Three Stooges will be
hack in eight two-reelers. Jules White, who
produces the Stooge comedies, also will
turn out six more two-reelers, under the
All-Star banner, starring Andy (Hyde, Joe
Besser, Wally Vernon and Fddie Quillan.
Along with the old standbys, there is a
new series in Columbia's (jiie-reel program.
'Animal Cavalcade," devoted to showing
the training and performances of top animal
acts, is narrated by radio-TV comedy
It's the Follow Through That's Important in Selling Shorts
by MAURICE GRAD
Short Subjects Sales Manager,
Columbia Pictures Corp.
Today, more than ever before
"Follow Through" in our
industry', just as with the
golfer who fervently hopes
one day to turn in a score
in the 70s, is absolutely essential
in order to accomplish
the desired result. He cannot,
as the pro so correctly
emphasizes, stop his concern
with the ball at the moment
of impact, but must see to it
that the whole body continues
in the same motion
with which it began so that he
can receive the full benefit of
all his weight and all the
strength at his command.
This is just as true in business
as it is in sport.
But what about our own industry?
Do we "follow
through," or do we sometimes
let our picture play without
any help from a merchandising
point of view?
Too often the latter is what
happens in the case of shorts
and serials. And it is in this
very field that the exhibitor
should exert greater effort, for
it is often through these films
that a weak engagement can
be built into a profitable one.
1 am reminded particularly of
one exhibitor with whom I
spoke on my recent trip
around the country". He had
booked our "Cavalcade of
Broadway" reel featuring
Johnnie Ray, which was produced
just as that young singer
hit the peak of his popularity.
Not content to sit back satisfied
with the usual "also selected
short subjects" line, he
star Morey Amsterdam.
Maurice Grad
included Johnnie Kay copy in
his newspaper advertising and
posted paper in his lobby well
in advance of playdate. The
result? He told me that although
the feature picture was
one on which he expected only
moderate business, his gross
for the engagement was well
above the average for the
liouse.
An exceptional case? I
think not. for this is the kind
of merchandising so vitally
needed to see us through a
period of declining grosses.
Naturally the job of merchandising
isn't one to be
carried by the exhibitor alone.
Here at Columbia we have always
held the position that
selling film to the public requires
the best efforts of both
the distributor and of the exhibitor;
and kve have always
planned our releases and our
campaigns with this thought
in mind. We believe merchandising
begins with the selection
of the story material and
the production of that story,
not with the sale of a can of
film. And we try our best to
continue our share of the merchandising
right through production
and into release.
The UPA cartoons are going
to receive the same nationwide
effort we have always
There will be eight
of the animal shorts on the first year's program.
World of Sports, with out-front and
behind-the-scenes action in all sports, will
have 12 entries, with Bill Stern again
handling the narration.
There will be six of the Allan Fuiit Candid
Microphone subjects and 12 of the
hardy ])erennial, Ralph Staub's Screen
Snapshots, now in its 32nd year and the
oldest shorts series going. This year's
schedule is headed by "Hollywood Fun Festival,"
starring Martin and Lewis.
A number of past successes are being
rereleased. There will be 12 two-reel comedies,
evenly divided among the Assorted
and Comedy Favorites series. These feature
Hugh Herbert, Vera Vague, Buster Keaton,
I.con Errol, Una Merkel. Billy Gilbert.
Success of the cartoon rereleases. Color
Favorites, has upped the number of subjects
in Technicolor from 12 to 15. Featured
in this series will be the "Fox and the
given them in the past. Many
of you saw the layout in Life
on one of the UP.\ Jolly Frolics
cartoons, "Rooty Toot
Toot." This was a sample of
the sort of publicity we are
always seeking for our shorts
—and the kind we hope to get
for more of them. In particular,
there are two reecnt UPA
releases of which you will be
hearing more in the coming
weeks, "^^adeline" and "Gerald
McBoing Boing's Symphony."
"Madeline" went
into national release Thanksgiving
day, but before that we
had arranged with the book
publishers to alert all of their
outlets to the release, paving
the way for extensive book
shop tieups for exhibitors;
and screenings were held for
educators and librarians
across the country.
The second Gerald is now
in prerelease here in New
York, and promotion and
merchandising is well under
way. Screenings are being
held for every important magazine
and newspaper, layouts
are being worked out, and
every effort is being extended
to make this a worthy successor
to the first Gerald.
But that is only our part
of the job. The most important
part comes when the exhibitor
books the subject and
begins his own campaign. .\11
of the pressbooks, posters,
mats, publicity in the world
do no good if patrons don't
know what the short is about
and were it is plaving.
A public-wise veteran of our
industry once said, "Tell 'em
and you can sell 'em." But
you have to tell them first.
That's what follow-through
will do.
Crow." There will be eight Thrills o;|
Music rereleases, featuring popular bands
men Jerry Wald, Ray McKinley and Raij
Anthony. Retail record outlets and loca
radio disk jockeys can be brought into pro
motion campaigns for these one-reelers.
Columbia also will make available eigU
one-reel shorts of various classes in its neM
Topnotcher series and is continuing
availability of such 1951-.52 subjects a|
the two-reeler in Technicolor, "A Day Witl
the FBI" and the six classical Music t