Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1948)

THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY PUBLISHID IN NINE SECTIONAL EDITIONS BEN SHLYEN Editor-in-Chief and Publisher JAMES M. JERAULD Editor NATHAN COHEN Associate Editor JESSE SHLYEN Managing Editor IVAN SPEAR Western Editor FLOYD M. MIX Equipment Editor RAYMOND LEVY General Manager PubJisJied Every Saturday by ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS Editorial Oiiices: 9 Rockefeller Plaza, New York 20, N. Y. Raymond Levy, General Manager; James M. Jerauld, Editor; Chester Friedman, Editor Showmandiser Section; A. J. Stocker, Eastern Representative. Telephone Columbus 5-6370, 5-6371, 5-6372. Cable address: "BOXOFFICE, New York." Central Offices: 1327 South Wabash Ave., Chicago 5, 111. Jonas Perlberg, Manager; Donald Maggart, Central Representative. Telephone WABash 4575. Western Offices: 6404 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 22, Calif, fvan Spear, Manager. Telephone GLadstone 1186. Washington Offices: 302-303 International Bldg., 1319 F St., N. W. Lee L. Garling, Manager. Telephone MAtional 3482. Filmrow: 932 New Jersey, N. W. Sara Young. London Offices: 136 Wardour St., John Sullivan, Manager, Telephone Gerrard 3934-^6. Publication Offices: 825 Van Brunt Blvd., Kansas City 1, Mo. Nathan Cohen, Associate Editor; Jesse Shlyen, Managing Editor; Morris Schlozman, Business Manager. J Herbert Roush, Manager Advertising Sales and Service. Telephone CHestnut 7777-78. Other Publications: BOXOFFICE BAROMETER, published in November as a section of BOXOFFICE; THE MODERN THEATRE, published monthly as a section of BOXOFFICE. ALBANY — 21-23 Walter Ave., M. Berringan, ATLANTA— 163 Walton, N. W., P. H. Savin. BIRMINGHAM — The News, Eddie Badger. BOSTON — Frances W. Harding, Lib. 9814. BUFFALO — 157 Audubon Drive, Snyder, Jim Schrader. CHARLOTTE — 216 W. 4th, Pauline Griffith. CINCINNATI — 1634 Central Parkway, Lillian Seltzer. CLEVELAND — Elsie Loeb, Foirmount 0046. DALLAS — 4525 Hollard, V. W. Crisp, 18-9780. DENVER — 1645 Lafayette, Jack Rose, TA 8517. DES MOINES — Register & Tribune Bldg., Russ Schoch. DETROIT — 1009 Fox Theatre Bldg., H. F. Reves. Telephones: RA 1100; Night, UN-4-0219. HARTFORD — 109 Westborne, Allen Widem. HARRISBURG, PA. — Meohanicsburg, Lois Fegon. INDIANAPOLIS — Rt. 8, Box 770, Howard M. Rudeaux. MIAMI — 66 S, Hibiscus Island, Mrs. Mcrnton E. Harwood. 2952 Merrick Rd., Elizabeth Sudlow, MEMPHIS — 707 Spring St., Null Adams, Tel. 48-5462. MILWAUKEE — 529 N. I3th, J. R. Gahagon, MA-0297. MINNEAPOLIS — 29 Washington Ave. So., Les Rees. NEW HAVEN — 42 Church St., Gertrude Lander. NEWARK, N. J. — 207 Sumner, Sara Carleton. NEW ORLEANS — Mrs. Jack Auslet, 3137 Elysian Fields Avenue. OKLAHOMA CITY — 216 Terminal Bldg., Polly Trindle. OMAHA — Omaha World-Herald Bldg., Lou Gerdes. PHILADELPHIA — 4901 Spruce St., J. M. Makler. PITTSBURGH — 86 Von Braom St., R. F. Klingensmith. PORTLAND, ORE. — David C. Kahn, BR, 1181, ext. 156. RICHMOND — Grand Theatre, Sam Pulliam. ST. LOUIS — 5149 Rosa, David Barrett, FL-3727. SALT LAKE CITY — Deseret News, Howard Pearson SAN ANTONIO— 333 Blum St., L. J. B. Ketner. SAN FRANCISCO — 25 Tcrylor St., Gail Lipmon, ORdway 3-4812. SEATTLE— 928 N. 84th St., Willard Elsey. TOLEDO — 4330 Willys Pkwy., Anna Kline. IN CANADA CALGARY — The Albertan, Wm. Campbell. MONTREAL — 4330 Wilson Ave., N. D. G., Roy Carmichael, Walnut 5519. ST. JOHN — 116 Prince Edward St., Wm. J. McNulty. TORONTO — 242 Milwood, Milton Galbraith. VANCOUVER — 411 Lyric Theatre Bldg., Jack Droy. VICTORIA — 938 Island Highway, Alec Merriman. WINNIPEG — The Tribune, Ben Lepkin. JVTember Audit Bureau of Circulations Entered ai Second Class matter at Post Office, Kansas City. Mo. Sectional Edition, $3.00 per year; National Edition, $7.50 Vol. 52 No. 26 MAY 1. 1948 TOMORROW and TODAY T IS bromidic to say that the child patrons of today are the adult customers of tomorrow. But that fact not only concerns exhibitors who have an eye to the future, it has an important bearing on business of the present as well. While Saturday matinees for children are designed especially to attract the youngsters, experience has shown that many adults come along with them. That may be a reason why too great a care has not been taken to select film fare that is strictly for the children. And that may be a principal cause for the drop in attendance at children's matinees of which there recently has been widespread complaint. Various reasons are attributed to this condition. For instance, C. F. Motley, director of theatre operations for the Griffith Theatres, had this to say: "Seventy per cent of all releases are adult entertainment; even some westerns have psychological themes. Many of the shorts are strictly adult. There are few juvenile stars and even Margaret O'Brien is playing heavy roles. We have tried and still run morning kid shows with fair to poor success. Parents don't want their children to see murder, insanity and drunkeness portrayed in films. We cannot book family pictures every Saturday, for there are not enough of them. The answer is in Hollywood." E. D. Martin of Martin Theatres, Columbus, Ga. also is of the opinion that "recent productions have not carried the normal appeal to children." That condition can be remedied. In fact there are evidences in some current top hits that the so-called "family" picture is coming back into vogue. That they score in appeal with adults as well as with the youngsters. One of them, "Sitting Pretty," is starting a series in this light comedy vein. Another, not yet released, "A Date with Judy," based on the popular radio program of the same name, is expected to meet with the success of and serve as a replacement for the "Andy ^ Hardy" series. Paramount's remake of the feature that made a star of Shirley Temple, to be released as "Sorrowful Jones," may bring another child into stellar importance. But for the present, exhibitors will have to exercise greater care in the selection of programs for their Saturday matinees and other performances aimed at attracting child patronage. We are told that this care should be extended even to the "approved" list of films selected for the Motion Picture Association's Film Library. A number of the subjects therein contain story material and action said to be questionable in appeal and suitability for the juvenile audiences. Aside from product, the higher admission scales for children's tickets that went into effect during the boom period are blamed for the child attendance drop. Resultantly lower prices are being advocated, even for children in early teen-age groups. This move is expected to have a stimulating effect on adult trade, especially on "family show" nights. Speaking of the family show or night, that term has been