Boxoffice-October.08.1962

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THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY
Published in Nine Sectional Editions
BEN SHLYEN
Editor-in-Chief and Publisher
DONALD M. MERSEREAU, Associate
Publisher & General Manager
JESSE SHLYEN. .. .Monaging Editor
HUGH FRAZE Field Editor
AL STEEN Eastern Editor
CHRIS DUTRA Western Editor
I. L. THATCHER. .Equipment Editor
MORRIS SCHLOZMAN Business Mgr.
Publication Offices: 825 Van Bnint Bird.
Kanfis City 24. llo. Jesse Shlyen. Managing
Editor; ^lorrls Schlozman, Business
Manager; Hugh Fraze. Field Eklltor; I. L.
Thatcher, Editor The Modern Theatre
Section. Telephone CHestnut 1-7777.
Editorial Offices: 1270 Shth Kit., Rockefeller
Center. Neit Vork 20. iN. Y. Donald
Mersereau. Associate Publisher ft
General Manager; W Steen. Eastern Editor.
Telephone COIumbus 5-6370.
Central Offices: Editorial—920 N. Michigan
A\e., Clilcago 11, 111.. Frances B.
Telephone SL'perlor 7-3972. Advertising—5S09
North Lincoln. Louis Didler
and Jack Brodctlck, Telephone LOngbeach
1-5284.
Western Offices: Editorial and Film Advertising—6362
llollynood Blvd., Hollywood
Calif., Chris Dulra. manager. Telephone
Hollywood 5-1186. Equipment and
Non-Film Advertising—New Vork Life
Bldg., 2801 West Sixth St.. Los Angeles
57, Calif. Bob Wettsteln, manager. Telephone
Dunkirk 8-2286.
London Office: Anthony Gruner, 1 Woodberry
Way, FliKhley, No. 12. Telephone
Hillside 6733.
'The SIODEItN THEATltE Section Is Included
in the first Issue of eacb month.
Atlanta: Jean Mullls, 1'. 0. Bos 1695.
Albany: J. S. Conners, 140 State St.
Baltimore: George Browning, 119 E.
25tli St.
Boston: Guy Livingston, 80 Boylston.
Boston, Mass.
Cbarlotte: Blanche Carr, 301 S. Church.
Cincinnati: Frances Ilanford. UNlversity
1-7180.
Dlet^and: W. Ward Marsh. Plain Dealer.
Columbus: Fred Oestreicher. 52% W.
North
Broadway.
Dallas: Mable Guinan. 5927 Wlnton.
Denver: Bruce Marshall. 2881 S. Cherry
Way.
Des Moines: Pat Cooney, 2727 49th St.
Detroit; H. F. iteves. 906 Foi Theatre
llMe.. WOodiiard 2-1144.
Hartford: Allen M. Widem, CH. 9-8211.
lndl;iiiapolls: Norma Geraghty. 436 N.
III11111I.S
St.
laiksunvllle; Itobert Cornwall, 1199 Bdgenood
Ave.
Vlemphls: Null Adams, 707 Spring St.
\liaml: Martha Lummus, 622 N.E. 98 St.
Miluaiikee: Wm. Nichol, 2251 S. Uyton.
llliineaivolis: Don Lyons. 72 Glenwood.
\'ew Orleans; Mrs. Jack Auslet. 2268%
Si Claude Ave.
iklaliuma City: Satn Brunk. 3416 N.
\liciMia.
lni.ili,i: Irving Baker. 5108 Izard St.
hliailiiiihla: Al Zuravvski, The Bulletin.
'llt>biirgh: R. F. KUngensmlth, 516 Jeanelte.
Wllklnsburg. CHurchlll 1-2809.
'ortland. Ore.: Arnold Marks. Journal,
'roudence: Guy Langlcy. 388 Sayles St.
il, Louis: Joe & Joan Pollack, 7335
Stiaflsbury, University City, PA 5-7181.
;3lt L.ike City: II. Pearson. Deseret News.
an I'ranclsco: I>olores Baruseh, 25 Taylor
St., ORdway 3-4813; Advertising:
Jerry Nowell, 417 Market St.. TUkon
2 n.537.
a.il)ington : VirKlnia B. Collier, 2308
Ashmead Place. N.W., DHpont 7-0892.
In
Canada
[ODtreal: Room 314, 625 Belmont St..
Jules Larochelle.
L John: 43 Waterloo. Sam Babb.
oronto: 2675 Bayilew Ave.. Willowdale.
Ont. W. Gladlsh.
ancouvcr: 411 Lyric Theatre Bldg. 751
Granville St., Jack Droy.
Innlpeg: The Tribune, Jim Peters.
Member Audit Bureau of Circulations
econd Class postage paid at Kansas City,
!o. Sectional Edition, $3.00 per year,
atlonal Edition. {7.50.
>CTO B E
ol. 81
R
1962
No. 25
OH THE ONE HAND . . .
SHOWMANSHIP, I believe, can do so much
towards boosting the boxoffice, not only in
relation to particular programs, but also in making
a theatre a focal point of value in entertainment
in its locality.
Thus wrote Lee C. Prescott, manager of the
Odeon Theatre in Bury, Lancashire, England, a
unit of the Rank Organization, when he acknowledged
receipt of a Boxoffice Showmandiser
Honor Citation for an exemplary showinandising
effort.
And American exhibitors are in full agreement,
as they are evidencing by the application
of above-the-ordinary- effort to upbuild attendance
by the fullest possible exertion of showmanship
effort during the ensuing final quarter of
the year. While there have been many exhibitor
complaints over the insufficiency of strong,
saleable product for this period, there has come
about a growing realization that, to overcome
this handicap, they must employ every facet of
showmanship to sell, not only their picture offerings
but the institution of the theatre, as well.
And, to make it "a focal point of value in entertainment
in its locality, ' they must employ every
means and every angle at their command.
At the circuit level, theatremen are moving
forward with new showmanship campaigns and
reviving or improving some of the older, successful
ideas, many of which have found their
way into other businesses, but which this industry
should recapture. Among the circuits that
have big promotion campaigns under way or
already in work are the RKO Theatres, AB-PT,
Stanley Warner, National General, Commonwealth
of Kansas City, Interstate of Texas, to
. . . And
From another angle, the feeling on the part of
exhibitors that product during the ensuing
quarter is lacking in saleable qualities is the
fault of the producer-distributors. They expect
exhibitors to put forth extra effort in selling
that about which they know little, except, perhaps,
the titles and the top name players of the
releases set for October. November and December.
But what have the producer-distributors
done to enthuse and inspire exhibitors to really
get behind the product; to point up to them the
merchandiseable ingredients that each release
contains?
Every picture has something in it that is
saleable; else, why would it have been made?
Assembly-line production long since has been
eliminated. So, it would seem, ei;erv picture had
some special reason for being made. But, if the
name a few. This activity is hound to seep
through to individual theatres, which will aid
and abet the effort at the grassroots level. Incidentally,
many individual showmen, particularly
those who have updated, refurbished and reequipped
their theatres, have been putting forth
extra promotional effort in selling the theatre, as
well as the picture, which should be done
throughout the year, not just in slack seasons.
There are many ways in which this can be
done—low-cost and no-cost ways, among them.
The Associated Motion Picture Adverti.-ers has
set up an Exhibitor Service Division to be of
assistance in this direction. Among other things,
it is serving to remind exhibitors that, if product
appears to be below their boxoffice standards,
they have other things to sell that will draw
patrons to their theatres. There are the special
events that can be tied in with the holidays occurring
in each month; special shows; introduction
of new ventures, such as Kiddies' Clubs,
every two weeks; improved services, special tieins
with local merchants; greater civic activity;
and, of course, keeping before the public via
screen, lobby and in other ways, a continual
plugging of forthcoming pictures.
Look at the way television keeps hammering
about its upcoming "new" shows, not only via
the idiot boxes but in big newspaper ads, in
magazines, on radio and through merchant and
sponsor tieups. This serves to keep up the interest
in television, to create want-to-see, and
attracts viewers for these and other shows, regardless
of whatever their shortcomings.
Let's take back the thunder that television stole
from us. Let"s tell and yell about that which we
have to sell!
on the Other
producer-distributor treats it with disdain, the
exhibitor, too, is made to feel it is unworthy;
and. if he is so unfortunate as to have booked
it, he is going to spend little time or effort, let
alone money, in promoting it.
There would be fewer picture failures and less
need for shot-in-the-arm showmanship efforts,
if producer-distributors would better inform
and enthuse—exhibitors about what they want
them to buy and. in turn, sell to the public—if
they, themselves, pointed the way in their trade
paper advertising.
This would not cost the pro-
(lucer-tlistributors anything— it would MAKE
MONEY FOR THEM—and the exhibitors, too!
(JL^ /SUuLli^)^