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50
The Kinematograph Year Book.
Trade Statistics
Kinemas
In 1949, there were approximately 4,800 kinemas in Great Britain, with one seat for every 10 people in the country. Some 2,000 are regarded as first-run houses.
There are upwards of 30 news theatres with seating capacity between 250 and 500 each.
Attendances
Estimated total weekly attendance (in millions) for 7 selected years : Peak
1934 '36 '37 '39 war '45 '48 period
10 19 23 25 31 30 28 Revenue
The official figures of total box office receipts were :
1945 £117,000,000
1946 £121,000,000
1947 £108,000,000
1948 £112,000,000
The last figure is according to the
White Paper on National Income
and Expenditure, April, 1949.
Other estimates vary the figure a
few millions. Average seat range : 6d. to 2s. 6d. Average seat price : Is. 6d. It is estimated that circuit revenues
are approximately \ to \ of the
total box-office revenues. About 20 per cent, of the circuit boxoffice takings is earned in the London
area.
Estimated remittances to U.S. in respect of U.S. film rentals.
1946 £17,500,000
1947 £14,000,000
The producers' share of the total earnings of U.S. films in this country from June, 1948 to September, 1949 was estimated at about £14,500,000.
Major Circuits
Nearly 1,000 of the best kinemas are in the 3 major circuits, while
another 1,000 are in smaller circuits.
The chief circuits are : Gaumont-BritisrO Odeon }560 A.E.C. 414 G.B. and Odeon circuits came under the control of Circuits Management Association, Ltd., in 1948.
Exhibitors' Quota
Exhibitors' defaults on their quota of British long films. :
1945/6 1946/7 1947/8
Exhibitors'
quota 15% 20% Exhibitors
defaults 681 959 1,367
1948/9 1949/50
Exhibitors' quota 45% 40% Exhibitors' defaults
Films Registered
Number of long films (over 3,000 ft.) registered by the Board of Trade : British Foreign Total
Year ending
Mar. 31, 1945 67 379 446 Mar. 31, 1946 83 364 447 Mar. 31, 1947 107 367 474 Mar. 31, 1948 170 301 471 Mar. 31, 1949 120 403 523
Censorship
Each year approximately 1,000 to 1,600 subjects are examined by the British Board of Film Censors.
"A" Cer "U" Cer "H" Certificate tificate tificate
1945 351 902 3
1946 341 1,192 10
1947 276 1,130 2
1948 372 1,230 5 In connection with the 1948 figures,
it was necessary for cuts to be made in 194 of the films submitted before a certificate was issued ; 3 films were wholly rejected ; 10 film subjects were rejected in script form.