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In, the season just closed some interesting events were recorded at the boxoffice — that common denominator of pictures and picture personalities.
For instance, only one picture more than in the previous season, scored above the 115 per cent mark; but there were 11 more that hit higher than 125 per cent; and one picture scored a top mark of 215 per cent, coincidently the same high mark set two seasons before by "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."
While there were 13 more regular feature releases this current season than last, the percentage of those hitting higher than average was approximately five per cent less. There were fewer westerns in 1939-40 but a larger percentage of big hits.
Quite a crop of new names came out among the top-rankers in all divisions. However, there were few displacements among yesteryear's crown wearers.
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Ratings published herein are computed on boxoffice reports on all pictures that played first runs in large metropolitan centers, in cities of intermediate size and in small towns in typical situations throughout the country. The mean average is struck by totaling the percentages and dividing by the number of runs. Pictures with fewer than five runs were not figured, as fair averages could not be computed thereon.
It is fitting to compare boxoffice returns of a motion picture with the box score of a baseball game. In both the figures recorded provide an accurate record of the abilities of the participants as well as of the game (picture) itself.
Batting averages are affected by the number of times a player goes to bat. Thus, a ballplayer who goes to bat only once and scores a hit will have 1,000 per cent, while the player who goes to bat many times more has a lesser chance of attaining the perfect score.
So it is with motion pictures, which "go to bat" every time they have a playdate. The opening "score" may hit the top mark; only to be reduced by subsequent playings; or the reverse may be the case.
On the pages that follow there is presented the boxoffice record of the pictures released during the 1939-40 season; of the producing companies; of their stars, directors, producers and writers. These records tell their own important story.
BEN SHLYEN
Publisher
MAURICE KANN
Editor
Records is published annually by Associated Publications at Ninth and Van Brunt, Kansas City, Mo. Hollywood Office: 6404 Hollywood B 1 v d., Ivan Spear, Manager. New York Office: 9 Rockefeller Plaza, Louis Rydell, Manager. Published October, 1940.
PRICE ONE DOLLAR