Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1962)

M i THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY i Published in Nine Sectional Editions ^ ON THE UPBEAT! BEN SHLYEN Editor-in-Chief and Publisher DONALD M. MERSEREAU, Associote Publisher & General Moryoger JESSE SHLYEN Monoging Editor HUGH FRAZE field Editor AL STEEN Eostern Editor I. L. THATCHER. .Equipnnent Editor MORRIS SCHLOZMAN Business Mgr. Publication Offices: 825 Van Brunt Blvd. Kansas City 24, Mo. Jesse Shlyen, Managing Eiditor; Morris Scblozman, Business .Manager; Hugh Fraze, Field Editor: I. L. Thatcher, Editor The Modem Theatre Section. Telephone CHestnut 1-7777. Editorial Offices: 1270 Sixth Ave., Rockefeller Center, New York 20, N. Y. Donald M. Mersereau, Associate Publisher & General Manager; A1 Steen, Eiastem Editor. Telephone COIumbus 5-6370. Central Offices: Eldltorial — 920 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago 11, IlL, Frances B, Clow, Telephone Superior 7-3972. Advertising— 5809 North Lincoln, Louis Didler and Jack Broderick, Telephone LOngbeach 1-5284. Western Offices: Editorial and Film Advertising— 6362 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 28, Calif., Telfephone HOUywood 6-1186. Equipment and Non-ETlm Advertising — 672 S. Lafayette Park, Los Angeles, Calif. Bob Wettsteln, manager. Telephone Dunkirk 8-2286. London Office: Anthony Griiner, 1 Woodberry Way, Finchley, No. 12. Telephone HlUside 6733. The MODERN THEATRE Section is included in the first issue of each month. Atlanta: Jean Mullls, P. 0. Box 1695. Albany: J. 8. Conners. 140 State St. Baltimore: George Browning, 119 E. 25th St. Boston: Guy Livingston, 80 Boylston, Boston, Mass. Charlotte; Blanche Carr, 301 S. Church. Cincinnati; Frances Hanford, UNiverslty 17180. Cleveland: W. Ward Marsh, Plain Dealer. Columbus; Fred Ocstrelcher, 52% W. North Broadway. Dallas: Mable Gulnan, 5927 Wlnton. Denver: Bruce Marshall, 2881 S. Cherry Way. Des Moines; Pal Cooney, 2727 49th St. Detroit; H. P. Reves, 906 Fox Theatre Bldg., woodward 2-1144. Hartford: Allen M. Wldem, CH. 9-8211. Indianapolis: Norma Geraghty, 436 N. Illinois St. Jacksonville: Robert Cornwall, 1199 Eldgewood Ave. Memphis: Null Adams, 707 Spring St. .Miami: Martha Lummus, 622 N.E. 98 St. •Milwaukee: Wm. Nlchol, 2251 S. Layton. Minneapolis: Don Lyons, 72 Glenwood. New Orleans; Mrs. Jack Auslet, 2268% St. Claude Ave. Oklahoma City: Sam Brunk, 3416 N. Virginia. Omaha: Irving Baker, 5108 Izard St. Philadelphia: Al Zurawski, The Bulletin. Pittsburgh: R. F. Klingensmith, 516 Jeanette, Wllkinsburg, CHurchlll 1-2809. Portland, Ore.: Arnold Marks, Journal. Providence: Guy Langley, 388 Sayles St. St. Louis: Joe & Joan Pollack, 7335 Shaftsbury, University City, PA 5-7181. Salt Cake City: H. Pearson, Deseret News. San Francisco: Dolores Barusch, 25 Taylor St., ORdway 3-4813; Advertising: Jerry Nowell, 417 Market St., YUkon 29537. In Canada Montreal: Room 314, 625 Belmont St., Jules Larochelle. St. John; 43 Waterloo, Sam Babb. Toronto: 2675 Bayvlew Ave., Wlllowdale. Ont. W. Gladlsh. Vancouver; 411 Lyric llieatre Bldg. 751 Granville St., Jack Droy. Winnipeg: The Tribune, Jim Peters. Member Audit Bureau of Circulations Second Class postage paid at Kansas City, Mo. Sectional Edition, $3.00 per year National EJdltion, $7.50. 1 1, 19 6 2 No. 8 r "13 ARE, and welcome, is such an upbeat story as that which appeared in The Wall ' Street Journal of Thursday, June 7, that frontpaged, at the top of column one, a long article, ' headlined : MOVIE HOUSE REVIVAL ^ More Theatres Open Than Close for First Time in Post-War Era and the entire article, which was carried to almost another full column on another page, gave a picture of the industry to the public that was , well-merited. ' This wasn’t news to us, for BoxoFFiCE has been regularly reporting the continuing trend of new theatre building, the latest of such surveys having appeared in our May 7, 1962 issue, a copy of which w'as sent to The Wall Street Journal. But giving this information to the public and the important element of that public that reads the Journal is what it is entitled to be told and should know: That the motion picture business is BUILDING UP, and not going downhill! And we’re glad to see that other newspapers around the country have similarly been giving accent to the positive about theatre business. Maybe the BoxOFFiCE survey gave the Journal the idea to do a similar check-up story. But, ' whether or not this is the case, we are glad to see that it did some interviewing of its own, reaching into small and large situations that betoken the trend of expansion of theatre building in new areas, of refurbishing and modernizing old structures and of relighting closed houses, / which are being operated successfully. From reports that continue to come to our news desk, there is a strong indication that new theatre building will reach boom status within the coming year and that rehabilitation of older and closed houses will continue at a steadily increasing pace. Among the reasons: People are coming back to movie theatres, for they have learned that they afford them the best in entertainment; the general attendance rise is holding, warranting putting money into keeping it up through improved facilities; experience in new theatre operations in new residential and shopping areas is proving satisfactory; betterment in the film production outlook is highly encouraging. ★ ★ Denver's Example Speaking of accenting the positive, an exemplary action was engaged in by the Denver branch managers of five major distributing companies who teamed up and went on a joint tour of key cities in that area. The purpose was to 'i_ let the public in those communities know about || the good and entertaining pictures that were on j| schedule for release during the next six months and to do a public relations and selling job for the industry as a whole. The plan worked out to a highly successful degree, garnering front-page reports of the meetings held with leading citizens, newspaper and radio folk, with listings of the forthcoming pictures, cast and other information about them; and through radio interviews that brought out the same or similar facts. Local exhibitors, of course, participated in these meetings and they were afforded the opportunity to carry on when the pictures are ready to play their theatres. There is nothing like enthusiasm to sell anything. And, as most everyone knows, there is no enthusiasm that can equal that of a film man when he knows he can pull out all stops. Doubtless, that was the case in the Denver teaming-up, for it would not have been undertaken, if the product didn’t back it up. Now that so much good product appears assured on upcoming schedules of all companies, an industry-wide emulation of the Denver move would have a widespread revitalizing effect. ★ ★ Columbia Moves Ahead Columbia Pictures has an impressive lineup of product set for release during the remainder of this year and carrying into 1963, as reported in Boxoffice last week. It is a varied product, such as exhibitors have been asking for, that provides story material that will appeal to audiences of varying types and tastes. And that’s a good way to attract the maximum of potential ticket-buyers. Among the big ones are: “Advise and Consent,” “The Interns,” “The Best of Enemies,” “Diamond Head,” “Jason and the Golden Fleece,” “Bye Bye Birdie,” “Lawrence of Arabia” and “Barabb'as,” to name a few. And featured are such stars as Charlton Heston, Kim Novak, Jack Lemmon, Anthony Quinn, Alec Guinness, Henry Fonda, Charles Laughton, Sophia Loren and Janet Leigh. In December of 1958. A. Schneider, Columbia president, announced a long-range plan for the company’s future progress. This was called the “Columbia Formula” and it called for focusing on top-budget films and more independent pictures as keys to the program. Judging by the current and upcoming lineup aforementioned, Columbia is moving well ahead of schedule for which Mr. Schneider, Leo Jaffe, executive vicepresident, Sol Schwartz, head of production, and their associates are to be congratulated. JUNE Vol. 81