Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY Published in Nine Sectional Editions BEN SHLYEN Ediior-in-Chief and Publisher DONALD M. MERSEREAU, Associate Publisher & General Manager JESSE SHLYEN ....Managing Editor HUGH FRAZE Field Editor AL STEEN Eastern Editor I. L. THATCHER Equipment Editor MORRIS SCHLOZMAN Business Mgr. Publication Offices: S25 Van Brunt Blvd. Kansas City 24, Mo. Jesse Shlyen, Managing Editor; Morris Schlozraan, Business Manager; Hugh Fraze, Field Editor; 1. L. Thatcher, Editor The Modern Theatre Section. Telephone CHestnut 1-7777. Editsrial Offices; 1270 Sixth Ave., Rockefeller Center, Mew York 20, N. Y. Donald M. Mersereau. Associate 1‘ubllsher & General Manager; Al Steen. Eastern Editor. Telephone COlumbus 5-6370. Central Offices: Editorial — 920 N. Michigan Are., Chicago 11, 111.. Frances B. Clow, Telephone Superior 7-3972. Advertising— 5809 Noith Lincoln, Louis Didier and Jack Broderick, Telephone LOngbeach 1-5284. Western Offices: Editorial and Film Advertising— 6362 Hollywood Bird., Hollywood 28. Calif.. Syd Cassyd Telephone Hollywood 5-1186. Equipment and Non-Film Advertising — New York IJfe Bldg., 2801 West Sixth St., Los Angeles 57, Calif. Bob Wettsteln, manager. Telephone Dunkirk 8-2286. London Office: Anthony Gruner, 1 Woodberry Way, Finchley, N. 12. Telephone Hillside 6733. The MODERN THEATRE Section Is Included in the first issue of each month. Albany: J. S. Conners, 140 Stale St. Atlanta: Mary Charles Watts, 205 Walton St.. N. W. Baltimore: George Browning, 119 E. 25th St. Boston: Guy Livingston, 80 Boylston, Boston, Mass. Charlotte: Blanche Carr, 301 S. Church. Cincinnati: Frances Hanford, UNiversity 17180. Cleveland: W. Ward Marsh, Plain Dealer. Columbus: Fred Oestrelcber, 52% W. North Broadway. Dallas-. Mable Guinan, 5927 Winton. Denver: Bruce Marshall, 2881 S. Cherry Way. lies Moines: Pat Cooney, 2727 49th St. Detroit: 11. F. Retes, 906 Fox Theatre Bldg., WOodward 2-1144. Hartford: Allen M. Widem. CI1. 9-8211. Indianapolis: Norma Geraghty, 436 N. Illinois St. Jacksonville: Robert Cornwall, 1199 Edgewood Ave. Manchester, N. H.: Guy Langley, P.O. Box 56. Memphis: Null Adams, 707 Spring St. Miami: Martha Lummus, 622 N.E. 98 St. Milwaukee: Wm. Nlchol, 2251 8. Layton. Minneapolis: Jon Pankake, 729 8th Ave. S.E. New Orleans: Mrs. Jack Auslet, 2268% 8t. Claude Ave. Oklahoma City: Sam Brunk, 3416 N. Virginia. Omaha: Irving Baker, 5108 Izard St. Philadelphia: Al Zurawski, The Bulletin. Pittsburgh: R. F. Kllngensmlth, 516 Jeanette, Wllklnsbutg. 412-241-2809. Portland, Ore.: Arnold Marks, Journal. St. Louis: Joe & Joan Pollack, 7335 Shaftsbury, University City, PA 5-7181. Salt Lake City: II. Pearson, Deseret News. Sa» Francisco Dolores Barusch, 25 Taylor St., (Midway 3-4813; Advertising: Jerry Nowell. 417 Market St., YUkon 29537. Washington: Virginia 11. Collier. 2308 Ashmead Place, N. W., IlUpont 7-0892. In Canada Montreal: Room 314, 625 Belmont St., Jules Larochelle. 8t. John: 43 Waterloo, Sam Babb. Toronto: 2675 Bayvlew Ave., Wlllowdale, Ont. W. GLadlsb. Vancouver: 411 Lyric Theatre Bldg. 751 Granville St., Jack Droy. Winnipeg: The Tribune, Jim Peters. Member Audit Bureau of Circulations Second Class postage paid at Kansas City, Mo. 8ectlonal Edition, $3.00 per year National Edition. $7.50. OCTOBER 7, 1963 Vol. 83 No. 24 A GAP TO BE BRIDGED FROM time to time and from within the industry, itself, the admonition is heard that the people in it should take stock of themselves — to do some selfexamination. And it’s good advice, for all too often there Is a proneness to blame everything else for shortcomings that may be one’s own; to blame outside factors when it’s our own business that is at fault. Those who are willing to make this self-examination and, if the findings do not tally to a satisfactory score, do something toward making the necessary improvements, will find that something CAN be done to bring about the more desirable conditions. Pertinent is the following letter from M. B. Smith, vice-president in charge of advertising and publicity for Commonwealth Theatres in the Midwest: “I think your last two editorials are full of raw, rugged ‘meat’ for the industry. I’m quite aware of the fact that a few newspapers do help us, but I also am aware that far too many look upon the industry as a decadent one. However, one of the great faults that exists in exhibition is the failure of many exhibitors to really cultivate newspapers. “I am quite amazed when I check into individual operations to find that a lot of exhibitors never take the time to obtain scene cuts, or to prepare good material for the local newspaper. The pressbooks are loaded with good material — yet all too many of those in the ranks of exhibition fail to take advantage of the availability of the material. “I am grateful to you for the interest you take in the current industry problems.” Mr. Smith is absolutely right — there is a great deal of material provided in the pressbooks which, if brought to the attention of local newspaper editors and/or amusement editors, will find its way into print. And there is much newsworthy material provided by the industry’s tradepress that will be of interest to the public, as well as be of service to the trade. The downbeat stories that all but buried this industry a while back — the reports of mass theatre closings and other gloomy items that made their appearance in newspapers — were never adequately countered with the good things that could be said about the business. Certainly, there NOW is upbeat news aplenty of the industry’s emergence from its “dark days” of ten years ago into a period of light and progress that its millions of followers will be glad to hear. Certainly, the news of big, new and far-advanced theatre structures and the general upsurge in building, remodeling and modernization that is taking place across the country is of public interest. It tells the story of a “winner” and, as is well known, everyone likes to be on the winner’s side. Some of this sort of news is creeping into news and editorial columns, as we have reported. But it needs to be made more widespread and more penetrating. And that’s a job that each and every theatre owner or manager can best do for himself in his own community. While the Motion Picture Association of America is pondering what course to take in implementing an effective public relations program, the exhibitor at the local level can lay a groundwork for improving the “climate” at his own pointof-contact with the public. And he can draw on the sources aforementioned — the pressbooks and the tradepress — and other channels of information available to him. Just two months ago, in Boxoffice of August 5, 1963, there appeared our semiannual theatre building survey. This report contained facts and figures of the continuing upsurge in new theatre construction, both indoor and outdoor houses and, as well, in the burgeoning shopping center field, that can be the basis for the kind of upbeat stories the industry needs continually to be telling. Not only did this article show what is being done nationally to provide more and better theatre facilities, but state by state. We mention this, because in that regional breakdown there is basic material on which exhibitors can build good news stories for their particular areas. The architects, the contractors and materials suppliers can furnish added details that will enhance the interest therein. This is but one facet of creating a better image for the motion picture and its places of exhibition. Yet it can serve as a solid foundation for the many other “parts” necessary in rebuilding the whole of the industry structure, showing, as it does, that the industry has not only made a “comeback” but is continuing on the rise. Production and distribution fit into the overall task, but the spadework must be done by the exhibitors.