Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

BOXDFFICE THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY PUBLISHED IN SEVEN SECTIONAL EDITIONS PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS BEN SHLYEN Editor -in-Chief and Publisher V/M. G. FORMBY Editor A. L. FINESTONE Associate Editor JESSE SHLYEN Managing Editor ]. HARRY TOLER Modern Theatre Editor J. H. GALLAGHER Director of Advertising Publication Office; 4704 East 9th St., Kansas City, Mo. Phone, Chestnut 7777. Be n S h 1 y e n, Publisher. NEW YORK: 551 Fifth Ave., Joseph H. Gallagher, Mgr. Phone Vanderbilt 3-7138. CHICAGO: 908 So. Wabash Ave., Calvin Hermer. Mgr. Phone, Webster 2233. HOLLYWOOD; 6404 Hollywood Bldv., Ivan Spear, Mgr. Phone. Gladstone 118 6. SECTIONAL OFFICES: BOSTON, 14 Piedmont St. ; PITTSBURGH, 1701 Blvd. of the Allies; CLEVELAND; 12805 Cedar Road; DETROIT: 2425 Cass Ave.; MINNEAPOLIS; 801 Wesley Temple Bldg.; DALLAS: 210 S. Harwood; ATLANTA: 148% Walton St.; SAN FRANCISCO: Golden Gate Bldg. 10c Per Copy. Per Year $2, Foreign $5 Entered as Second Class matter at the Postoffice at Kansas City, Mo., under Act of March 3, 1879. Tell 'Em, Sell 'Em! ISeVERAL weeks ago we devoted this space to the forgotten or "in-between" pictures, pointing out the wisdom of giving greater attention and effort to the merchandising potentialities in pictures so classed. In a letter commenting on that article Ed Kuykendall, president of the MPTOA, writes: "You will recall that I have been continually urging exhibitors to pay more attention to exploitation of the 'newer stars' and timely pictures with lesser-known stars; it is their insurance for the future, because the older established stars are losing their attraction with each picture and the younger generation of patrons are demanding more and more the type of stars that represent and stand for modes of today. We must not forget that a large percentage of patrons today is this younger generation. "It is regrettable but true that the average theatre manager lets down and lessens his publicity efforts when he finds one of the so-called “B" pictures coming along, when, above all times, this is it for special efforts. As exhibitors we must use every stunt to bolster this type of picture; most of them are good entertainment; all cannot be specials." Laxity in taking advantage of big opportunities in the smaller pictures is not solely an exhibitor fault. Distributors come in for a share of the blame, for they have done far too much slighting in trade advertising of the greater percentage of their releases, giving almost exclusive preference to the big ones or what are thought to be big ones. This is a business of enthusiasm — enthusiasm that inspires showmanship and salesmanship. Exhibitors who buy pictures months in advance of their making; circuit managers who have no voice in the buying but screen what they are told is coming to them; all need knowledge of the wares they are expected to sell to the public. Especially in this era when, in many instances exhibitors buy numbers, not knowing what titles those numbers later will bear and what else the finished product purports to contain, is knowledge of facts — SELLING FACTS — essential. The big hits on which distributors blast away for weeks before release and several weeks afterwards might do just as well with less of this super-abundance of enthusiasm. If some of this enthusiasm were to be given over to a wider spread of regular releases, it would inspire exhibitors and managers to greater effort in making bigger attractions out of average ones; to establishing greater public interest in new personalities; to make profit dollars grow in many instances where none grew before. As an example of the merchandising value placed on trade advertising by exhibitors in line with our own beliefs on the matter, we quote from the Skouras Theatres house organ, "Forward,” the following; "While not belittling press books which are ol genuine service to the showman, the enterprising manager will do well, at the same time, to pay close attention to the trade paper and magazine advertising on the pictures he is trying to plug. "It seems only logical that trade paper advertising on a picture, because it is condensed and concentrated on some effective selling angle, may prove of valuable assistance to the showman in putting across the picture." While the two preceding paragraphs do not specifically mention "in-between" pictures, it stands to reason that the same logic applies to them; perhaps more so. If theatres could operate only on big pictures and close their doors and cut off overhead the rest of the time, a different situation would obtain. But those "in-between" nights on which are played "in-between" pictures are necessary to keep up the picture-going habit that is the foundation of this business. That foundation is worth strengthening. But exhibitors can't be expected to do the job alone. Selling will do it, of course. But inspired selling, enthusiastic selling — of all pictures — will do it better.