Boxoffice-Febuary.18.1956

Movies to Ease Tension,
Big Factor in Filmgoing
NEW YORK—Nearly half of the moviegoers
in 33 major cities go to see films in
order to relieve nervous tensions, according
to a survey just completed among 4,798 theatres
by the Willmark Service System. Patrons
were questioned as they were leaving theatres
at both downtown and neighborhood houses
in low, middle and high income areas.
According to the Willmark tabulation 48.5
per cent were women and 51.5 were men.
More women than men gave the nervous
tension explanation for their presence at
theatres. The percentage of these was 90.2.
Of the remainder, some said they came to
see a particular star, liked the movies in
general, or wanted to get away from home.
Of the men interviewed, 80.2 per cent
stated they sought to relieve the pressures of
other responsibilities by attending the movies.
Others offered a variety of reasons for attendance,
such as "waiting for a train," "out
of town with time to spare," "wanted to get
away from home," "like the movies in general,"
or "came to see a star."
When asked for a good way to forget their
troubles, 86 per cent said they would recommend
the movies.
The survey provides exhibitors with a good
selling slogan, tying relaxation with entertainment.
Actually 74 per cent of those interviewed
said that the theatre was a better
place in which to relax than the home.
Other statistics revealed that 91.1 per cent
enjoyed the film they had just attended. In
the case of double features, 47.2 per cent enjoyed
the main feature more than the second
feature; 15.9 per cent enjoyed the second
feature more than the main feature, and
33.5 per cent enjoyed both features; 3.4 per
cent said they did not enjoy either picture.
Some said they attended movies regularly.
Of these, 57.5 per cent said they were regular
moviegoers, with 23 per cent attending twice
a week and 34.5 per cent once a week. Of the
remainder, 5.2 per cent said they attended
three times a month; 15.7 per cent twice a
month; 11.8 per cent once a month, and 9.8
per cent rarely attended.
The survey was conducted in the following
cities: Albany, Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston,
Buffalo, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas,
Denver, Detroit, Hartford, Houston, Indianapolis,
Kansas City, Los Angeles, Memphis,
Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Newark,
New Orleans, New York City, Norfolk,
Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh,
Providence, Richmond, St. Louis, San Francisco,
Seattle and Washington.
AA Sets Writers Fees
On Films Sold to TV
HOLLYWOOD—Similar to the company's
arrangement with the Screen Actors Guild,
Allied Artists will pay scriveners from 12%
to 15 per cent of the fees they originally
received for working on theatrical features
that are sold to television.
The agreement, reached by AA president
Steve Broidy with Writers Guild of America,
West, calls for the 12% per cent fee on pictures
sold to video for $20,000 or less, and the
higher amount if the studio receives more.
Broidy currently is negotiating with the
Screen Directors Guild to draft an arrangement
in the same pattern.
Any Exhibitor Who Thinks He Is
Overworked Should Read This
BETHESDA, OHIO—Most people are
glad to have a job, work at it eight to
ten hours a day and then go home to
relax. But not Mr. and Mrs. John
Romanowski owners of the local Wayne
Theatre, who are currently holding down
six jobs between them.
Mrs. Romanowski, still in her 20s, not
only keeps house for her ambitious husband
but is a regular cashier of a large
chain grocery store during the daytime
and at night is ticket taker at the Wayne
Theatre.
Meanwhile John works daily as a contractor's
helper. At the end of the day's
work he hurries home for a quick dinner
and then rushes to open his theatre on
time for the first show. At the theatre
he is the projectionist as well as the
manager.
In spite of this full program, Romanowski
has time to serve at his newly
elected job of constable of Goshen township
and helps patrol the territory.
When John Romanowski came to
Bethesda six years ago and took over the
Wayne Theatre, one of the first moving
picture theatres to operate in Belmont
county, the going was tough. But having
learned the picture business in Dillonvale
under the late John Olszeski, owner of
the Dillonvale Theatre, he had confidence
that he could make a success of it.
At first he was his own janitor, as well
as owner, manager and projectionist.
Mrs. Romanowski took tickets and said
"howdy" to folks at the theatre's front
door. To help the family budget, John
took a job as a contractor's helper laying
tile, spreading concrete and building
framework for new homes. He did these
things so well that he is now a member
of a trade union and maintains a high
standard of work.
Last election the people of his township
thought so highly of his stability
and civic enthusiasm that, unknown to
him, they elected him constable in a
write-in campaign. The Romanowskis
are busy and happy but they don't see
much of each other. "Sometime," said
the triple job Mrs. Romanowski, "I'll be
asking my husband for a ticket before he
comes in the front office."
Newsreels Continue
Global Coverage
NEW YORK—The importance of motion
picture newsreels as sources of information
as well as entertainment has been demonstrated
again by a survey conducted by the
Motion Picture Ass'n of America that covered
the number and type of subjects presented
on the screen in 1955.
While treatment of U. S. news continued
predominant, of a total of 3,673 subjects covered
1,200 had to do with foreign countries
and 670 dealt with both U. S. and foreign
subjects. The remaining 1,803 subjects were
concentrated on U. S. events. During 1954
1,308 subjects were devoted to foreign events
and 667 to U. S. and foreign, with 1,965 focusing
on U. S. events only. The 1954 total was
3,940.
BRITAIN TOPS FOREIGN NEWS
Great Britain and Northern Ireland led
with France second, Germany third, Italy
fourth and the Soviet Union fifth. The
first four were in the same order as in 1954.
The Soviet Union supplanted Korea in fifth
place last year.
The total number of subjects, or clips, in
1955 was 3,673, compared with 3,940 the preceding
year. Several complete issues were devoted
to a single subject, as the Salk polio
vaccine or a review of the year's news.
Sports coverage constituted one-quarter of
the total. The leading events were, in the
following order, football, winter sports, horse
racing, baseball and water sports. The clips
totaled 936.
Six hundred and 76 clips were devoted to
foreign and U. S. government topics. Foreign
led with 305 against 222 for the U. S. government,
and there were also 149 clips that had
both U. S. and foreign coverage, as when the
Canadian prime minister visited the White
House.
Next highest in the categories were human
interest clips for a total of 404.
National defense followed with 318. In obtaining
newsreel coverage the Air Force led
with 111. Trailing were the Army, with 91;
the Navy, with 80, and there were 36 in the
general category. The U. S. Coast Guard had
none.
In the political arena the figures were low.
That may not prove true in this presidential
election year. It is known that preliminary
overtures have already been made to the
newsreels—and to television—by both major
parties.
CATHOLICS LEAD RELIGION
The 1955 record shows 28 clips devoted to
U. S. politics and seven to foreign politics for
a total of only 35. That is exactly 1 per cent
of all 1955 newsreel coverage.
As for clips devoted to religions, the Catholic
religion led with 38, followed by the
Protestant with nine and the Jewish with
three.
The remainder were minor classifications.
They follow:
Agriculture, 34 clips; civilian aviation, 31;
acts of God, 91; other disasters, 79; education.
54; fashion, 103; health and welfare, not including
industry participation in those activities,
65; labor, 26: motion picture industry,
including participation in health and welfare
activities, 133; prominent personalities, 166;
scientific and industrial progress, 93; trial
and investigation, 21; violence, warfare and
riot, 123; weather, 13, and miscellaneous, 202.
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BOXOFFICE :
: February
18, 1956