Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1961)

THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY Published in Nine Sectional Editions FOR MUTUAL BENEFIT BEN SHLYEN Editor-in-Chief and Publisher DONALD M. MERSEREAU, Associate Publisher & General Manager NATHAN COHEN .. Executive Editor JESSE SHLYEN Managing Editor HUGH FRAZE Field Editor AL STEEN Eastern Editor IVAN SPEAR Western Editor I. L. THATCHER. .Equipment Editor MORRIS SCHLOZMAN Business Mgr. Publication Offices: 825 Van Brunt Blvd. Kansas City 24. Mo. Nathan Cohen, Executive Editor; Jesse Shlyen, Managing Editor; Morris Schlozman, Business Mansger; Hugh Fraze, Field Editor; I. L. t'hatcher, Editor The Modern Theatre Section. Telephone CHestnut 1-7777. Editorial Offices: 45 Rockefeller Plaza, New York 20, N. Y. Donald M. Meriereau. Associate Publisher A General Manager; A1 Steen, Eastern Editor; Carl Mos, Equipment Advertising. Telephone COlumbus 5-6370. Central Offices: Editorial — 920 N. Michigan Ave.. Chicago 11, 111., Frances B. Clow, Telephone Superior 7-3972. Advertising— 59 East Van Buren, Louis Dldier, Telephone WAbasb 2-2334. Western Offices: Editorial and Film Advertising— 6404 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 28. Calif. Ivan Spear, manager. Telephone Hollywood 5-1186. Equipment and Non-Film Advertising — 672 S. Lafayette Park, Los Angeles, Calif. Bob Wettsteln. manager. Telephone DUnklrk 8-2286. London Office: Anthony Gruner, 1 Woodberry Way, Finchley, No. 12. Telephone Hillside 6733. The MODERN THEATRE Section Is Included in the first Issue of each month. Atlanta: Martha Chandler, 191 Walton NW. Albany: J. S. Conners, 140 State St. Baltimore: George Rrownlng, Stanley Thea. Boston; Frances Harding, 1UI 2-1141 Charlotte: Blanche Carr, 301 S. Oiurch Cincinnati: Frances Hanford, UNlversity 17180. Columbus: Fred Oestrelcher, 52% W North Broadway. Dallas: Mable Gulnan, 5927 Wlnton. Denver: Bruce Marshall, 2881 S. Cherry Way. lies Moines: Russ Schoch, Register-Tribune Detroit: II. F. Reves, 906 Fox Theatre Bldg., WOodward 2-1144. Hartford: Allen M. Wldem. Cli 9-8211. Jacksonville: Robert Cornwall. 1199 Edgewood Ave. Memphis: Null Adams. 707 Spring St. Miami: Martha Lummus, 622 N.E. 98 St. Milwaukee: Win. Nlchol, 2251 S. Layton. Minneapolis: Don Lyons, 72 Glcmvood. New Orleans: Mrs. Jack Auslet, 2268% St. Claude Ave. Oklahoma City: Sam Brook. 3416 N. Virginia. Omaha: Irving Baker, 911 N. 51st St. Pittsburgh: It. F. Kllngensmllb, 516 Jeanette. Wllklnsburg, Clliirchlll 1-2809. Portland, Ore.: Arnold Marks, Journal. Providence: Win. Trambukls, Loew's State. St. Louis: Joe A Joan Pollack. 7335 Shaftsbury, University City, PA 5-7181. Salt Nike City: II. Pearson, Deseret News. San Francisco: Dolores Barusch, 25 Taylor St., ORrdway 3-4813; Advertising: Jerry Nowell, 355 Stockton St., YUkon 29537. Washington: Charles Hurley, 306 II. St. N. W. In Canada Montreal: Room 314, 625 Belmont St., Jules Larocheile. St. John: 43 Waterloo. Sam Babb. Toronto: 1675 Bayvlew Ave., Wlllowdale, Ont. W. Gladlsb. Vancouver: 411 Lyric Theatre Bldg. 751 Granville St.. Jack Droy. Winnipeg: 300 New Hargraves Bldg., Kenneth Beach. Member Audit Bureau of Circulations Second Class postage paid at Kansas City, Mo. Sectional Edition. $3.00 per year. National Edition, $7.50. JANUARY 2, 1961 Vol. 78 No. 11 TO SELL two tickets where only one was sold before has always been a matter of great interest to exhibitors and producer-distributors. The obvious reason is, of course, the fact that through the nation’s theatre boxoffices comes the wherewithal for those important industry elements and all others. Yet, somehow, the effort toivard that objective has not always been coordinated. But a change has been taking place and there is a growing realization that the best way to get the job done is for all hands to work together. An evidence of this is the liaison recently set up between the Screen Producers Guild, Theatre Owners of America and the Motion Picture Ass’n of America, both in New York and in Hollywood. The exhibitors’ counsel in matters concerning production and promotion is being sought more than ever before. And individual companies are exemplifying the good effort in carrying this forward between the field and the home office. A good example is clearly shown in the statement recently made by Charles Einfeld, vicepresident of 20th Century-Fox, in which he called for a renewed cooperation between the major film companies and the world of exhibition, saying, “we believe that showmen’s ideas, opinions and suggestions about the company and its product are vital to the continuance of a profitable and successful relationship.” Accordingly, he has extended an invitation to exhibitors to make suggestions as to forthcoming productions, titles, promotional devices and advertising ideas. At the same time, he pointed out that his company “is always ready to do everything possible to cooperate with exhibition in the advertising and merchandising of its product.” Needless to say, a common and mutually beneficial purpose is served when exhibitor and distributor team together to sell more tickets. Of course, this has bei-n done on innumerable occasions. But, in recent years, it has been more or less limited to what might be called the higher-echelon situations. So, it is noteworthy and significant when such cooperation is extended to the smaller situations, such as was reported in a letter published in last week’s issue of Boxoffice. Briefly, the letter recounted the gratifying experience of a group of Northeastern Montana exhibitors in teaming up with 20thFox in the hooking and promotion of pictures in a way that brought satisfactory results for all concerned. The writer of that letter, Chris Gorder, who operates the Fort Theatre at Poplar, Mont., has earned a name for himself as an alert, promotion-minded showman/ Avho has demonstrated that aggressive showmanship is the way to the “payoff” even in the smallest of communities. And, by combining the efforts of several exhibitors in the surrounding area and coupling them with understanding and 'nelpful assistance from the distributors, the opportunities for increased ticket sales are not only enhanced, but virtually assured. Here, in part, is how Mr. Gorder put it: “We are making headway with several of the film companies and there is one company that seems to have almost complete faith in our sincerity and abilities, as we can just about write our own ticket with them. Why is 20th CenturyFox so willing to go along with our picture promotions and at terms which we think are fair? It is because the exhibitors in this area are sincere about trying to build a sales promotion program that will bring in more at the boxoffice for both the exhibitors and the distributors. “The Northeastern Montana theatres are so well organized and enthused about the business that, when 20th Century-Fox notifies us that they have a picture for an area promotion, the deal is almost automatically set up. On the other hand, if 20th Century-Fox has a picture we want to promote, it’s almost just a matter of letting them know the picture and when we want it and then that picture is set up. “Selling motion pictures is not the only project of this group, as we also are outlining a public relations program for future use. This group of exhibitors are all willing to work with and for each other, so the next few months should find many more constructive ideas, as well as solutions to more of our problems.” Note that the Montana group is “making headway rvith several of the film companies” and that the cooperation in promotional effort, in which film terms also figure, is paving the way to “solutions to more of our problems.” Basic to the ultimate success of this business is the proper merchandising of its product. And experience has shown that the job must be carried out on many fronts — at both the local and the national levels, with more aggressive and more far-reaching methods. For that reason, it is gratifying to see cooperative effort extended to such far-flung outposts as those theatres in Northeastern Montana. And the experience therein is reassurance, not only that small-town situations can be made profitable, both for exhibitors and distributors, but that, through them, patronage can be cultivated to a highly important degree — even bringing an accrual of benefits to the bigger towns. Certainly, there is mutuality of interest and purpose in exhibitors and distributors cooperating with one another in the effort to increase attendance. For the most part, such efforts will, in themselves, be fruitful; and they can also serve in bettering exhibitor-distributor relations in general. i