Boxoffice (Jul-Sep 1962)

THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY Published in Nine Sectional Editions BEN SHLYEN Editor-in-Chief and Publisher DONALD M. MERSEREAU, Associate Publisher & General Manager JESSE SHLYEN ... .Manoging Editor HUGH FRAZE Field Editor AL STEEN Eastern Editor CHRIS DUTRA Western Editor I. L. THATCHER .. Equipment Editor MORRIS SCHLOZMAN Business Mgr. Publication Offices: 825 Van Brunt Blvd. Kansas City 24. Mo. Jesse Slilyen, Managing Editor; Morris Schlozman, Business Manager; Hugh Fraze, Field Editor; I. L. Thatcher, Editor The Modern Theatre Section. Telephone cnestnut 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., Cilicago 11, III., 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— 6362 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 28, Calif., Chris Dutra, manager. Telephone Hollywood 5-1186. Equipment and Non-Film Advertising — New York Life Bldg., 2801 West Sixth St., Los Angeles 57, Calif. Bob Wettstein, manager. Telephone Hllnkirk 8-2286. Loudon 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: Jean Mullis, P. 0. Box 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, UNiversity 17180. Cleveland: W. Ward Marsh, Plain Dealer. Columbus; Fred Oestreicber, 52% W. North Broadway. Dallas, liable Gulnan, 5927 Winton. Denver: Bruce Marshall, 2881 S. Cherry Way. Des Moines: Pat Cooney. 2727 49th St. Detroit; n. F. lteves, 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 Edgewood Ave. Memphis: Null Adams, 707 Spring St. Miami: Martha Lummus, 622 N.E. 98 St. Milwaukee: Wm. Nichol, 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, The Bulletin. Pittsburgh: R. F. Klingensmltb, 516 Jeanette, WUklnsburg, CHurchill 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: II. Pearson. Deseret News. San Francisco: Dolores Barusch, 25 Taylor St., ORdway 3-4813; Advertising: Jerry Nowell, 417 Market 8t., YUkon 29537. In Canada Montreal: Room 314, 625 Belmont St., Jules Laroclielle. St. John: 43 Waterloo, Sam Babb. Toronto: 2675 Bayvlew Ave., WIHowdale, Ont. W. Gladlsh. Vancouver: 411 Lyric Theatre 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 Edition, $7.50. SEPTEMBER 17, 1962 Vol. 81 No. 22 WOMPI'S WONDERFUL WORK HE ASSOCIATION of the Women of the Motion Picture Industry is growing apace, adding to its membership and its units, which now total 568 and 13, respectively, and adding to its services on behalf of many worthy causes, which good work redounds to the credit of the motion picture industry. Just how much this is and what it means was impressively brought out at WOMPI’s ninth annual convention held in Kansas City last week. The details appear elsewhere in this issue. But we want to add a note or two from our personal observation of what took place. Quite early in the WOMPI career, we applied the well-known slogan of the Ladies’ Home Journal, “Never Underestimate the Power of a Woman,” to the accomplishments of WOMPI. But, this past week, we saw that “power” in action. It wras gratifying to see the efficiency with which these industry women worked; the precision with which they arranged and carried out their convention program; the earnestness of their spirit to render helpful aid to the needy in many walks of life and in far-separated areas, as well as to be of service to the industry itself and to humanitarian projects that the men of the industry had undertaken. It w7as heartwarming to witness the presentation of a check for $2,000 to the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital, for the sponsorship of a room for one year at the hospital, particularly when it came to light how that fund was raised, viz; Each WOMPI member contributes ten cents per w'eek for this purpose. That doesn’t seem like very much. But compare the sum of $2,000, coming from this group of salaried workers, with contributions made by big industry corporations and the magnitude of this gift becomes at least 100-fold greater. In addition to the group and personal gifts made individually, WOMPI members render still further service to the Will Rogers fund-raising campaigns. They aid in collections within the industry and give of their time and effort in the handling of collections at theatres, outdoor in the summer and indoor in the fall. This is but one of the many services rendered by WOMPI that aids and abets the industry’s public relations efforts. At the convention, Tom Edwards, veteran exhibitor at Eldon, Mo., who calls himself a hillbilly, because his theatre is situated in the Ozark country, and who frequently has served as master of ceremonies at both national and regional industry affairs, was at his eloquent best at the WOMPI convention. And his salute to this organization (published elsewhere in this issue) , in w'hich he sums up what WOMPI means to this industry, gave a glow of pride, not only to the members of WOMPI, but to others of the industry who heard his delivery. In fact, we think that Tom’s interpretation of what WOMPI represents could well serve as a credo for the rest of the industry, which, if patterned after w'idely and assiduously followed, would achieve that unity of purpose about wrhich the industry often speaks, but seems always to stop short of reaching. We join with Tom Edwards in a salute to WOMPI and wish it continuing growth and widespread emulation throughout all exchange centers of the U.S. and Canada, with the reminder that this industry should “never underestimate the power of a woman.” ★ ★ 'Movies and Censorship' With the convening of 47 state legislatures in January of next year, it is to be expected that a considerable number of motion picture censorship and classification bills will be introduced. Some will be renewals of bills that have come up in the recent past and, judging by the way in which pressure groups and others have kept up their attacks on motion pictures, new measures are sure to be introduced. In some die-hard drives, particularly for compulsory audience classification, past defeats have been no bar to the renewal of these pressures. Especially where the vote has been close, the danger is greatest. But, in any case, exhibitors and the rest of the industry must not allow themselves to be caught napping. Far better to overestimate, than to underestimate the strength of the “enemy.” One thing playing into the hands of the censorship zealots has been the misinformation they have and are continuing to spread. To offset this, exhibitors must see to it that civic leaders, opinion makers, state legislators and others in their communities w7ho are influential, are better informed on the whole subject of movies and censorship. A pamphlet by that title, written by Bosley Crowther, motion picture editor of the New7 York Times, can be most helpful therein. We urge every exhibitor, whether in the small or large communities, to obtain copies of “Movies and Censorship” and give them the widest possible distribution to the “right people.” The cost, in quantities from 10 to 500, ranges from 20c down to 15c per copy. They may be ordered from the Public Affairs Committee, Inc., 22 East 38th Street, New York 16, N.Y.