Boxoffice barometer (1944)

Page scan 00019 from Boxoffice barometer

Record Details:

Title:
Boxoffice barometer
Date:
1944
Publisher:
Kansas City : Associated Publications
Volume:
Boxoffice barometer (1944-45)
Leaf #:
00019
Language:
English
Collection:
Year Book and Hollywood Studio System
Format:
Periodicals
Contributor:
Media History Digital Library
Sponsor:
Media History Digital Library
Coordinator:
Media History Digital Library
Description:
BOXOFFICE was the leading American exhibitor trade paper of the post-World War II era. But the publication had modest beginnings. In 1920, Ben Shlyen founded the paper, orginally titled THE REEL JOURNAL, in an office located in Kansas City's Film Row district. Like other regional exhibitor publications, THE REEL JOURNAL focused its attention on the local -- in this case, KC and the nearby territories that the city's distribution exchanges served. By the end of the 1920s, however, Shlyen had acquired or founded several more small exhibitor papers serving other US markets. In 1932, their titles all changed to BOXOFFICE, though they continued to be published in regional editions for decades to follow. -- Eric Hoyt, 2015
Date Added:
May 02, 2025
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Dke mencan ^^uuonted Youthful and youthfully-minded picture patrons everywhere continue enthusiastic over western melodramas. Year after year, these action films, based on the early-day frontier life which became the backbone of American history, supply a real need. The addition of music in more recent years gave the action pictures a big boost. In fact the winner of first place this year, Roy Rogers, is a capable singer himself and has been supported by upper-budget production values, including musical backgrounds, good casts and elaborate sets. Gene Autry, who has been in the armed forces over two years, has had to retain his popularity on his record, and through reissues, for no new pictures of his have been released in that time. Autry has held first spot in these action winner lists ever since the BAROMETER started. His has been an enviably successful record. He was a pioneer in the singing-cowboy field. Rogers has been a consistent winner since 1938, when he broke into the ranks of the favorites in eighth THE LEADERS 1. Roy Rogers 2. Gene Autry 3. William Boyd 4. Ken Maynard 5. Smiley Burnette G. Johimy Mack Brown 7. Charles Starrett 8. George "Gabby" Hayes 9. Hoot Gibson 10. Tex Ritter place. In 1939 he was fourth; in 1940 he was fifth; second in 1942, our latest previous report. William Boyd has been in every winning list published in BAROMETER, always second or third. His record: Third in 1937, second in 1938 and 1939; third in 1940; second in 1941 and third in 1942. Ken Maynard won a place among the winners in three previous years: seventh in 1937 and 1938; twelfth in 1940. Smiley Burnette started taking a place among the winners in 1939, with ninth place; was seventh in 1940, sixth in 1941 and fifth in 1942. Johnny Mack Brown took an honor spot here first in 1939, with eleventh place. (For several years we listed 12 winners.) Then in 1941 and 1942 Brown held eighth place. Charles Starrett is now a four-time winner, with seventh place in 1939, eighth in 1940, seventh in 1941, sixth in 1942 and seventh this year. George "Gabby" Hayes was tenth in 1941, ninth in 1942, and is here as eighth this year. Hoot Gibson came into the winning list for the first time this year, only the winner with that distinction. Tex Ritter won sixth place in 1938, eighth in 1939, and eleventh in 1940. Our method of polling the vote for leading stars is covered in an earlier part of this section. ROY ROGERS GENE AUTRY WILLIAM BOYD BOXOFFICE BAROMETER 11