Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY Published in Nine Sectional Editions BEN SHLYEN Editor-in-Chlef and Publisher DONALD M. MERSEREAU, Associate Publisher & General Manager JESSE SHLYEN Managing Editor HUGH FRAZE Field Editor AL STEEN Eastern Editor I. L. THATCHER Equipment Editor MORRIS SCHLOZMAN Business Mgr. Publication Offices: 825 Van Brunt Blvd. Kansas City 24, Mo. Jesse Shlyen, Managing Editor; Morris Schlozman . Business Manager; tlugb Fraze, Field Editor; I. L. i'batcher, Editor The Modem Theatre Section. Telephone CHestnut 1-7777. Editorial Offices: 1270 Sixth Ave., Rockefeller Center, New York 20, N. 1. Donald M. Mersereau, Associate Publisher & General Manager; A1 Steen, Eastern Editor. Telephone COlumbus 5-6370. Central Offices: Editorial— 920 N. Michigan Ave.. Chicago 11, ill., Frances B. Clow, Telephone superior 7-3972. Advertising— 5811 North Lincoln, Louis Dldler and Jack Broderick, Telephone LOngbeach 1-5284. Western Offices: Editorial and Film Advertising—6362 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 28, Calif., Syd Cassyd. Telephone Hollywood 6-1186. Equipment and Non-Film Advertising — New York Life Bldg., 2801 West Sixth St., Los Angeles 57, Calif. Bob Wettsteln, manager. Telephone Dunkirk 8-2286. London Office: Anthony Gruner, 1 Woodberry Way, Finchley, N. 12. Telephone Hillside 6733. The MODERN THEATRE Section Is Included In the first Issue of each month. Albany: J. S. Conners, 140 State St. Atlanta: Mary Charles Watts, 205 Walton St.. N. W. Baltimore: George Browning, 208 E. 25 lb St. Boston: Guy Livingston, 80 Boylston, Boston, Mass. Charlotte: Blanche Carr, 301 S. Church. Cincinnati: Frances Hanford, UNlverslty 17180. Cleveland: VV. Ward Marsh, Plain Dealer. Columbus: Fred Oestrelcber, 52% W. North Broadway. Dallas: Mable Gulnan, 5927 Wlnton. Denver: Bruce Marshall, 2881 S. Cherry Way. Des Moines: Pat Cooney, 2727 49th 8t. Detroit: 11. F. Reves, 906 Fox Theatre Bldg., WOodward 2-1144. Hartford: Allen M. Wldem, CH. 9-8211. Indianapolis: Norma Geragbty, 436 N. Illinois St. Jacksonville: Robert Cornwall, 1199 Edgewood Ave. Manchester, N. H. : Guy Langley, P.0. Box 56. Memphis: Null Adams, 707 Spring St. Miami: Martha Lummus, 622 N.E. 98 St. Milwaukee: Wm. Nlcbol, 2251 S. Layton. Minneapolis: Jon Pankake, 729 8tb Ave. S.E. 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. KJlngensmlth, 516 Jeanette, Wilklnsburg. 412-241-2809. Portland, Ore. : Arnold Marks, Journal. St. Louis: Joe & Joan Pollack, 7335 Shaftsbury, University City, PA 5-7181. Salt Lake City: H. Pearson, Deseret News. 8an Francisco: Dolores Barusch, 25 Taylor St., ORdway 3-4813; Advertising: Jerry Nowell, 417 Market St., YUkon 29537. Washington: Virginia R. Collier, 2308 Ashmead Place, N. W., DUpont 7-0892. In Canada Montreal: Room 314, 625 Belmont St.. Jules Larochelle. St. John: 43 Waterloo, Sam Babb. Toronto: 2675 Bayvlew Ave., Willowdale, Ont. W. Gladish. 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. DECEMBER 9, 1963 Vol. 84 No. 7 IT CAN BE DONE! IN OUR ISSUE of September 23, we discussed the promotional activity undertaken by the television networks in launching their new season programs in relation to the motion picture industry’s lack of any semblance of such effort. Thus TV, with exceptional cooperation by newspapers — which usually is not extended to motion picture theatres — had the field to themselves. Titled “Movies Deserve Better,” we scored the newspapers for the favoritism they showed to TV, at the same time suggesting that our industry exert a greater effort not only to garner more and better publicity, but to achieve that improved “image” that it has been so much talking about. Among the responses was the following, from M. B. Smith, vice-president and director of advertising for Commonwealth Theatres, which operates some 125 theatres in seven states: “I’ve seen TV launch its campaigns each fall for many seasons now. The happiest, hardest gamble they’ve ever taken is now in progress, as of September 15-16, when all the new shows broke . . . The ratings will commence flowing this week — and I’m here to tell you that TV has got some problems that are going to become magnificent ‘busts’ in the next few weeks. “As the ratings bounce out this fall, you are going to see some of the worst casualties that TV has ever suffered and the loss in money is quite something, too.” (This prophecy has, indeed, come true.) “There’s still nothing the matter that a good picture cannot cure — either in TV or on the motion picture screen. If the ‘new wave’ pictures are BIG pictures in our industry, then I’m crazy! They may grant the way to the birth of some new ideas. But it still takes a craftsman, highly manifold in skill, to make big pictures! I’ll take the men who have the experience, and the talents and the facilities that are born of major experience and money. “In the midst of all this, though, there is a ‘crying need’ for retaliation on the part of the industry toward its enemy — TV. I think the ebb and tide of TV hits its minimal appeal in the middle of the wintertime. I just looked at Edward Hyman’s summation of product for this fall and winter. It is not the greatest in history, but there are magnificent pictures coming from the majors. “With TV now licking its wounds, this is the time when this industry ought to smash back with a nationwide attack — using such copy as: “IN THE NEW YEAR . . . FROM PARAMOUNT . . , COMES , . “IN THE NEW YEAR . . . FROM HOLLYWOOD . . . COMES . . “I think it is a ‘cry’ that should be carried by an industry to a potential nation of customers. It should resound on posters, in trailers, in lobby displays and in special newspaper ads. If we only talked about a dozen pictures that will pour out of Hollywood around Christmas and the New Year, and carried the story to the public — we strike when and where it can do much good. “Surely, if such an idea could improve busi ness in the new year — and let us not feel that we can ever exaggerate the need — for such which will appear in January. The public, at the moment, may be focused upon TV. We need to move their focus to the best of OUR product!” Virtually implementing this thought, and our own suggestion, is the advisement from Frank Lawson, chairman, of what the Film Advertising Circle of Canada did along this line. This organization, which is composed of publicity and advertising representatives for film distribution and exhibition companies with headquarters in Toronto, did take the message for the industry’s product to the public, handsomely and effectively, as is shown in an illustration elsewhere in this issue. Says Mr. Lawson: “I read with interest your article, ‘Movies Deserve Better,’ which appeared in the September 23 issue of Boxoffice. In an effort to overcome these situations, you will be interested in the attached tearsheet of an ad, which appeared in the Thanksgiving Day (October 14 in Canada) edition of the Toronto Globe & Mail. This ad brought together distributors and exhibitors in a combination of the major releases playing in Toronto on this holiday date. The Globe & Mail was the only paper printed on that day and increased circulation by some 140,000 copies over their normal Saturday circulation. “The newspaper arranged the individual ads in an editorial manner and also provided additional drop-in ads throughout the paper drawing the readers’ attention to this page appearing elsewhere in the paper. Being a holiday edition, the paper also had considerable circulation outside the city of Toronto. “So successful was this ad that plans are now going ahead for a similar venture for the Christmas Season when many new films are scheduled to open. It is quite possible that color will be added in the production of a Christmas display page. “The Film Advertising Circle in cooperation with the Globe & Mail was able to tackle one phase of newspaper advertising with a combined effort. The page is completely devoted to motion pictures; position on the page was drawn by numbers in a hat, and the editorial approach played down any emphasis on the commercial aspect, thus drawing the attention of the readers.” We congratulate Mr. Lawson and his colleagues for the fine job they did in their own good interests and for the fine example they set thereby for their “cousins” on this side of the border. They have provided conclusive proof that unified effort on the part of producers, distributors and exhibitors can be achieved and that, in turn, it can secure the desired cooperation from newspapers — and, doubtless, from points of public contact.