Boxoffice barometer (1960)

Record Details:

Title:
Boxoffice barometer
Date:
1960
Publisher:
Kansas City : Associated Publications, Inc.
Volume:
Boxoffice barometer (1960)
Leaf #:
00030
Language:
English
Collection:
Hollywood Studio System and Year Book
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:
March 21, 2024
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i GROSSES Picture Records at the Satiou’s Roxoffices 119 Features in ‘Hit’ Class Scoring 120% or More O MATTER what the quality of pictures I made over a given season, if the public does not patronize them, the effort is largely lost. Which is why the release of a picture is an anxious time for everyone concerned in its making. And while some pictures build up by word-of-mouth, usually the first month determines its acceptance at the boxoffice. In the season just ended — 1958-59 — no less than 15 pictures grossed over 200 per cent of normal business. This is something of a record, for last year's Barometer only listed nine above the 200 mark. Honors must go to Walt Disney in this respect, for not only did he produce the two very top hits of the season, ("Sleeping Beauty" and "The Shaggy Dog"), but his compxmy, Buena Vista, released "The Big Fisherman," which grossed more than 200 per cent. All in all, there were 119 in the hit class (those scoring 120 per cent or more) in the season just closed, compared to 115 in the previous season. Among the '58-'59 hits was the delightful "Gigi" which won the Academy Award as well as our own Blue Ribbon Award for family entertainment value. That these family pictures pleased the public is evidenced by the fact that five Blue Ribbon Award winners grossed more than 150 per cent of average at the boxoffice, four grossed 140 per cent or more. For those who have wanted to scrap the family picture, this is impressive in its implications. It is matter for thoughtful study to see how widely these top hits differ as types of pictures. Comedies, heavy dramas, murder mysteries with 'comic aspects, cartoon features, action pictures with romance thrown in, even message pictures are among these top hits. It is difficult to set hard-and-fast rules for putting pictures in seasonal categories, since some companies use the calendar year and others start the season with September or October. For that reason, pictures are listed as pre-release when they have had sufficient playings to obtain grosses but are listed as next season's product by the company. As for the top company credits, there was a triple tie between Columbia, MGM and 20thFox, each having 14; Warner Bros, was next with 13; Paramount and United Artists had 12 each; Buena Vista seven; Universal six; American International six (counting combos as separate hits); Allied Artists four. Among miscellaneous companies there were 17 hits, several of which were foreign-made. (These Grossed 150% or More) 4ISLEEPING BEAUTY (BV) 286 IISHAGGY DOG, THE (BV) 281 CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF (MGM) 280 HERCULES (WB) 262 AUNTIE MAME (WB) 251 SOME LIKE IT HOT (UA) 247 BIG FISHERMAN, THE (BV) 233 HOLE IN THE HEAD, A (UA) 229 NORTH BY NORTHWEST (MGM) 226 PILLOW TALK (U-I) 220 RIO BRAVO (WB) 212 IMITATION OF LIFE (U-I) 206 SOME CAME RUNNING (MGM) 206 y+fFBI STORY, THE (WB) 203 NUN'S STORY, THE (WB) 202 IIGIGI (MGM) 198 ROOM AT THE TOP (Cont'l) 197 ++ANATOMY OF A MURDER (Col) 193 DARBY O'GILL AND THE LITTLE PEOPLE (BV) 190 ++IT STARTED WITH A KISS (MGM) 184 SAY ONE FOR ME (20th-Fox) 183 LOVE IS MY PROFESSION (Kingsley) 180 I WANT TO LIVEl (UA) 178 HORSE SOLDIERS, THE (UA) 176 BLUE DENIM (20th-Fox) 176 ++MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT (Col) 176 HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (AA) 175 AL CAPONE (AA) 175 SEPARATE TABLES (UA) 173 RALLY ROUND THE FLAG, BOYS! (20th-Fox) 169 +tWILD STRAWBERRIES (Janus) 168 DON'T GIVE UP THE SHIP (Para) 167 GEISHA BOY. THE (Para) 166 SCAPEGOAT, THE (MGM) 165 BUCCANEER (Para) 164 HOUSEBOAT (Para) 162 BELL, BOOK AND CANDLE (Col) 161 ^INN OF THE SIXTH HAPPINESS, THE (20th-Fox) .160 ++THEY CAME TO CORDURA (Col) 160 LADY CHATTERLEY'S LOVER (Kingsley-Int'l) 159 TONKA (BV) 157 ++BEST OF EVERYTHING, THE (20th-Fox) 154 ftSAPPHIRE (U-I) 154 YELLOWSTONE KELLY (WB) 154 4>BIG CIRCUS, THE (AA) 153 FATHER PANCHALI (Harrison) 153 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD, THE (Col) 151 THIS EARTH IS MINE (U-I) 151 4+CAREER (Para) 150 (These Grossed 140% or More) y^DAMN YANKEES (WB) 149 MY UNCLE (Cont'l) 149 TAMANGO (Hal Roach) 147 ^tlDIARY OF ANNE FRANK, THE (20th-Fox) 146 HANGING TREE, THE (WB) 146 MARDI GRAS (20th-Fox) 146 HORRORS OF THE BLACK MUSEUM (AIP) 145 WHITE WILDERNESS (BV) 145 ONIONHEAD (WB) 144 TEMPEST (Para) 144 If Pre-Release © in combination package Blue Ribbon Award 30 BAROMETER Section I