Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1962)

THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY Published in Nine Sectional Editions FOR FUTURE MANPOWER 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 WILLIAM HEBERT. .Western Editor I. L. THATCHER. .Equipment Editor MORRIS SCHLOZMAN Business Mgr. Publication Offices: 825 Van Brunt Bird. Kansas City 24, Mo. Nathan Cohen, Executive Editor: Jesse Shlyen, Managing Editor: Morris Schlozman. 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, Eastern Editor. Telephone COlumbus 5-6370. Central Offices: Editorial — 920 N. Michigan Are., Chicago 11, Hi., Frances B. Clow. Telephone Superior 7-3972. Advertising— 5809 North Lincoln, Louis Dldier and Jack Broderick, Telephone LOngbeach 1-5284. Western Offices: Editorial and Film Advertising— 6404 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 28, Calif. William Hebert, manager, Telephone HOllywood 5-1186. Equipment and Non-Film Advertising — 672 S. Lafayette Park. Los Angeles. Calif. Bob Wettstein, manager. Telephone DUnkirk 8-2286. London Office: Anthony Gruner, 1 Woodberrv Way, Finchley, No. 12. Telephone Hillside 6733. The MODERN THEATRE Section is included in the first issHe of each month. Atlanta: Jean Mullis, P. 0. B_ox 1695. Albany: J. S. 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 Oestreicher, 52% W. North Broadway. Dallas: Mable Guinan, 5927 Winton. Denver: Bruce Marshall, 2881 8. Cherry Way. Des Moines: Pat Cooney. 2727 49th St. Detroit: H. F. Reves, 906 Fox Theatre Bldg., WOodward 2-1144. Hartford: Allen M. Wldem, CH 9-8211. Indianapolis: Norma Geraghty, 436 N. Hlinois St. Jacksonville: Robert Cornwall, 1199 Edgewood Ave. Memphis: Null Adams, 707 Spring St. Miami: Martha Lummus, 622 N.E. 98 St. Milwaukee: Wm. N'icbol, 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: A1 Zurawski, Hie Bulletin. Pittsburgh: R. F. Klingensmlth, 516 Jeanette, Wilkinsburg, 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 Lake City: H. Pearson, Deseret News. San Francisco: Dolores Barusch, 25 Taylor St.. ORdwav 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 Bayview Ave., Wlllowdale, Ont. W. Gladlsh. Vancouver: 411 Lyric Theatre Bldg. 751 Granville St., Jack Droy. Winnipeg: 93 Albert St., Barney Brookler. Member Audit Bureau of Circulations Second Class postage paid at Kansas City, Mo. Sectional Edition, $3.00 per year. National Edition, $7.60. FEBRUARY 5, 1962 Vol. 80 No. 16 EVERY now and then, a motion picture industry executive will arise and show concern over the industry’s need for obtaining the services of bright young men, with an eye to developing them into “executives of the future.” New faces, they say, are as much needed in theatre management, in distribution and production posts as they are in pictures. But there appears to be no concrete program for attracting such promising young people. True, some individual circuits and, perhaps, a home office or two may list their personnel needs with colleges when an opening occurs. But that is not enough. Something like a central point of contact to which the young people can make their interests and qualifications known seems to be needed. From time to time, we receive letters from college students and others who want to get into this business, the most recent of which follows: “I’m in the dark, and I thought maybe you could help. Are there many jobs open for college graduates in this business? And, if so, what types? “I’m 20 years old and a junior in college. During the summer months and Christmas vacations, I manage a theatre for an excellent theatre chain in . . . but I couldn’t really plan a future there because of financial reasons. Not that I expect lots of money, but everything there is so cut-and-dried that there really isn’t anything to the job except following the pattern set by the head office — no booking or correspondence, or anything. “There’s something about this business that gets into your blood. I’m sure it’s not dying, as many people say it is, but it is going into a new era. People are getting tired of TV. “Every time I read an issue of Boxoffice, which I have delivered here, I feel more and more sure of the fact that I want to go into the motion picture industry, whether it is in the theatres themselves or the film companies. As it stands now, I am majoring in psychology, as everyone hopes I am going into personnel work with a department store chain, but I am hoping that I can find a place for myself with some future in it. After all, there is no future in doing something you don’t want to do, is there? “I would appreciate your help.” This is but one of many examples that, in various ways, show interest on the part of young people who, it is refreshing to note, see a future in this business. Like the lad who wrote the foregoing letter, some have gained experience by working in theatres during vacation periods; others have become interested through frequent attendance, which has given them a feeling that a job in this business would provide highly interesting as well as gainful work — and that there is a good future in it. Additionally, there has, in the past several years, been a development of “motion picture appreciation” clubs, headed by young people who are genuine movie enthusiasts and who want to do something to cultivate greater interest in moviegoing. Local theatremen, some productiondistribution executives, the Johnston Office, have extended helpful encouragement to these groups. This enthusiastic interest, somehow, ought to be infused with widespread industry interest, for it can serve, not only in patron-building but as a source for future manpower that every branch of this business needs. If the energy and vision that it took to build this industry are to be revitalized, it will be done through the drive and energy of youth. The industry’s advantages must be made better known to attract new young people to it; and those already within its ranks need to be given opportunities to test their capabilities and incentives to cause them to remain and grow. ★ ★ Pioneer's Pioneer Members of the Motion Picture Pioneers, Inc., are delighted over the election of Herman Robbins as president of this organization and its associated Foundation. Mr. Robbins, who is chairman of the board of National Screen Service, might be termed a pioneer’s pioneer, having started in this industry 50 years ago. He has been a member of the Pioneers organization since its founding 23 years ago throughout which he has taken an active part in its good works and development. Working on behalf of his fellowmen, whether within the industry or without, has been like second nature to Mr. Robbins, whose record on behalf of humanitarian causes is second to none. ★ ★ Example for Ourselves The U.S. Travel Service branch of the Department of Commerce has announced that it is going to use short subjects to stir interest on the part of Europeans to come to the United States for their vacations. Travelogs already in film vaults will be the basic source of such material and producers also will be encouraged to make new subjects showing interesting views of American life. Thus, another “outside” business takes advantage of the effectiveness of the motion picture in selling its products or its services. Which reminds: whatever happened to the industry’s long talked-about plans of showing a series of institutional shorts on its own behalf on its own theatre screens?