Boxoffice-Janury11.1965

: .Martha
NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY
'iint Sectional Editions
BEN SHLYEN
tor-in-Chiei and Publisher
ONALD M. MERSEREAU, Associate
Publisher & General Manager
;5SE SHLYEN Managing Editor
UGH FRAZE Field Editor
THATCHER. . .Equipment Editor
:iORRIS SCHLOZMAN, Business Mgr.
m Offices; S25 V^ui Brunt Blvd.,
.it)' Mo. U4121. Jesse Shljcli,
UDa^ig i:>lUur; Morris Sciilozmun, Uusi-
_ Manager; Hugh Frxse, Field Editor;
L. Tluldier, Editor The .Modern Tbeatre
rjttioa Tclepbone CHisUiul i-7777.
iditorial Offices: 1270 Sixtli Ave., Kockeiller
Lenter, Ne»- Yoik. N.V. 10020.
onald .M. Mersereau, Associate I'ublislier
Uaieral Miuiaeer; Frank Leyendecker,
eM-s Bditor. TeleDlione COlumbus 5-6370.
il Offices; Editorial—920 N. Mich-
Ave., Clilcago 11, lii., Frances B
Teleplione superior 7-3972. AdversljiK—5S11
Nortli Lincoln, Louis Didier
"loderlck, Teiephone LOngbeacb
-52S4.
/estern
62 Uollj-Muod Blvd.,
jod. Calif. 90028, Sjd Cassyd.
ine
Office—Antliony
HOlljTvood 5-1186.
Gruiier, 1 Wood-
Way. Findiley. N. 12.
J. S. Coniiers. 110 State St.
i; .Nell .Middieton, IStS Luckie NW.
urc; George Browiiing, 208 E.
un.
Guy Livingston, 80 Boylston.
.Mass.
tc: Blanche Carr. 301 S. ChurcJi.
Cincinnati: Frances Uanford, Box 20138,
gtil-7180.
leveland: W. Ward Marsb, I'iain Deaier.
vlumbus: Fred Oestreiclier, 52^ W.
Korlb Broadway.
alias; .Mable Guinan, 592" Winton.
leaver: Brace Marsball. 2881 S. Cherry
Way.
les .Moines: Pat Cooney, 2727 49tb St.
•eUoit: H. F. Beves, 906 Fox Theatre
., WOodvtard 2-1144.
lartford: AUen M. Wldem, 249-8211.
ndianapolis; Norma Geraghty. 436 N.
Illinois St.
acksonvUle: Robert Cornwall, 1199 Edgelanchester,
N. H.: Guy Langley, P.O.
lempliis: Null Adams, 707 Spring St.
lummus, 622 N.E. 98 St.
Ulwaukee; Wm. Nichol, 2251 S. Layton.
llnneapoUs; John Pankake, 729 8th Ave.
Jew' Orleans: .Mrs. Jack Auslet, 22681^
Si. Claude Ave.
Sam Brunk, 3416 N.
iklahoraa City:
Virginia,
(maha: Irving Baker. 5108 Izard St.
hUadelphia: .U Zuravv^ki, The Builetm.
'Ittsburgh: R. F. Klingensmith. 516 Jean-
, Wllklnsburg. 412-241-2809.
*ortland. Ore.: Arnold Marks. Joujmil.
Louis: Myra Stroud. 4209 EUemviiiMl
Ian Francisco: Dolores Barusch. 25 Tay-
St., OKdway 3-4813.
Vashuigton: Virginia R. Collier. 2129
Florida Ave.. N.W. DUpont 7-0892.
IN
CANADA
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Jules LarocheUe.
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lANUAl
Vol. 86
1, 1965
No. 12
NOW IS
EVERYBODY, and we do mean everybody
— people in the industry and
people who have just helped to make
the current Chi-istmas-New Year's period
the most bounteous one in several decades—are
ecstatic in their enthusiasm
of the lines that formed and are continuing
to form at theatre boxoffices throughout
the land! It has been a great spiritlifting
experience to hear, wherever we
may be, the apparent delight which Mr.
and Mrs. John Q. Public are exuding
over seeing and being among the crowds
at theatres. Moreover, that their delight
is emphasized over the great enjoyment
they have derived from the pictures they
have seen and their enthusiastic interest
in those they are going to see, due to
the enormous word-of-mouth praise these
various pictures have generated. Sensational
and phenomenal are the two
words that describe it all.
The lead news story on an adjoining
page gives an accounting of the facts
and figvures and the specifics of the pictures
mvolved. They carry pretty much
across the board, with a majority of the
releasing companies sharing the cornucopia.
Too, each of the gold-strike hits
is different from the others, but all are
loaded with that Vitamin-E (for entertainment)
that is widely appealing.
From the beginning days of this business,
the Christmas-New Year's period
has been one of its peak seasons. The
long "lay-off" from mid-September, during
which time distributors, generally,
ai-e holding back on top quality pictures,
may account for the boom attendance at
this hoUday time. And, one wonders, if
it's the season in itself that brings out
the attendance, why won't it work just
as well for product that's just a bit above
rim-of-the-mill?
Also pondered has been the question,
long in the minds of exhibitors, as to
why the distributors should pit their best
against one another—if business would
be big at the holiday time anyway. Why
not spread out the revival of attendance,
making use of the super attractions as
business-builders during less lush periods.
Again, we say, if it's the season of the
year that brings out the crowds, then
the biggest "guns" aren't necessary. But,
if it's the pictures that should be credited,
then, it would seem, it would be good
business to use them when the bigger atti'actions
are most needed to keep up the
flow of patronage. It seems to us, that
while the industry is leading from
strength— of product, that is—at holiday
periods, it reverses its course when it
THE TIME!
puts itself in the position of showing
weakness during the rest of the year.
The industry has tended, ever since
the advent of television, to blame the
public's "selectivity" of its pictvu-e fare
for the unsteadiness of theatre attendance.
Yet, despite such very fine experiences
as in the holiday period just
past, and at other times as well, it continues
to ignore the lessons learned
therein. True, every picture can't be a
blockbuster or a "sleeper." But a greater
intermingling of the better pictures with
the average will help to sustain the momentum
that the hits generate.
The opportunity for doing this was
never better than right now—when the
public enthusiasm for motion picture
entertainment, in theatres, is at just
about its all-time peak. And so is the enthusiasm
of those in this business. So
let's not rest on our laurels. Let's do
something to consolidate our gains—and
keep up the momentum throughout the
ensuing months!
All Eyes on Miami
The eyes of the industry will be on
Miami, Fla., this coming week when the
boards of directors of the two national
exhibitor organizations meet, separately,
and then jointly, to take the long-pending
step for unification. As has previously
been reported, the presidents of both organizations,
Jack Armstrong of National
Allied and Sumner Redstone of Theatre
Owners of America, as well as other officers,
have forthrightly declared their
favor for uniting their forces.
There is much to be gained from so
doing, as not only exhibitor leaders, but
others in the industry have observed
over the years. The objective is not for
the single purpose of strengthening exhibition
as opposed to production-distribution.
But, rather, for engendering
a more harmonious relationship between
these elements, increasing their cooperation
in the many areas in which there is
a common interest and, resultantly, benefitting
the industry as a whole.
Needless to say, it is to be hoped that
complete accord will quickly be reached
and, by this time next week, Allied and
TOA will be as one!
Q^Ju^