The Exhibitor (1956)

LONGER AND LESS FEATURES During the days of the SENATE SMALL BUSINESS SUB-COMMITTEE meetings we, and we suppose many another industryite, often wondered about the accuracy of statements made about the number of feature films released in a particular year, or years. Depending on who was making his point, figures and totals varied, and you couldn’t help wishing for some firm chamber of com¬ merce totals on which you could “hang your hat.” So, just recently, when one of our editorial activities made desirable a canvass of the past reviewing activities of Motion Picture Exhibitor, we requested a detailed annual account, by number of features and by total run¬ ning times, of all features reviewed between the 1936-37 season and the 1955-56 season. While such a count would include some miscellaneous domestic features of inde¬ pendent origin, and some playable foreign features, as well as the “line” products of the big distributors, it did seem that such hulk totals would he factual and be¬ lievable. And if we had the total of all running times, it would he a simple matter to compute average running times for each year’s product, and to ascertain the move¬ ment in feature picture lengths, which is another subject of much talk and little fact. The fruit of th is clerical effort has now been com¬ pleted, and here tabulated are the requested totals. Interesting, too! Because Motion Picture Exhibitor has always maintained the most thorough reviewing service in the entire trade press, this will undoubtedly prove to be a greater number than reviewed by any other trade paper. But at least these totals of individual fea¬ tures, and of minutes of feature entertainment, were available to the hooking of the nation’s theatres in any particular year of the past two decades. Features Screen Av. Running Season Reviewed Minutes Time 1936-37 642 46,126 m. 71.9 ni. 1937-38 657 47,841 m. 72.9 m. 1938-39 686 50,428 m. 73.5 m. 193940 677 50,844 m. 75.1 m. 1940-41 645 48,944 in. 75.9 m. 1941-42 596 43,733 m. 73.4 m. 1942-43 506 37,240 m. 73.6 m. 1943-44 489 36,762 in. 75.2 in. 1944-45 449 34,487 in. 77.3 in. 1945-46 472 36,907 in. 78.2 ni. Ten Year Results 5819 433,312 ni. 74.5 in. 1946-47 536 42,851 in. 80.0 in. 1947-48 545 45,002 in. 82.5 in. 1948-49 566 46,208 in. 81.6 ni. 1949-50 589 47,783 in. 81.1 m. 1950-51 565 45,772 in. 81.1 m. 1951-52 548 45,447 m. 82.9 in. 1952-53 553 46,621 m. 84.3 in. 1953-54 528 43.886 in. 83.1 in. 1954-55 421 37,151 in. 88.2 in. 1955-56 415 37,209 ni. 89.7 in. Ten Year Result s 5266 437,930 ni. 83.2 in. Note the contrasts. There is little to add! In 1955-56 the average feature was nearly 18 minutes longer than in 1936-37. But there were more than 200 less features. And the dramatic drop in supply of more than 100 fea¬ tures between the 1953-54 season and the 1954-55 season, squeezed not only the theatre outlets, hut the average weekly attendance at those outlets. “Longer and less” may prove more profitable for the producer distributors, hut it applies the twin pincers of shows-per-day and attendance-per-week on the industry’s potential gross. And conditions today, in theatres throughout the U.S.A. and Canada, stand as mute testimony lo the truth of this conclusion. PASS THE CREAM AND SUGAR In the issue of Nov. 28, our cover shot showed man¬ ager William Evans, Plaza, New York, serving coffee to customers waiting in line outside his theatre. What we neglected to mention was the name of the feature responsible for the mob, and still packing them in during a record run at the theatre. This happy situation is the result of MGM’s “Lust For Life.” With all vestiges of Indian Summer apparently gone, we hope manager Evans doesn’t run out of coffee. “Lust For Life” has settled at the Plaza quite comfort¬ ably, and it is a safe bet that Evans won't run out of customers for some time. Incidentally, the cover shot of manager Evans illus¬ trates a fine object lesson in public relations. You can bet that patrons will remember that cup of coffee served by the manager and will return to the Plaza often. It may he the pictures that attract customers, hut it is such extra effort on the part of the theatre staff that builds good will and repeat business. Evans has brewed more than a cup of coffee. Jay Emanuel x A JAY EMANUEL PUBLICATION. Founded in 1918. Published weekly by Jay Emanuel Publications, Incorporated. Publishing office: 246-248 North Clarion Street, Philadelphia 7, Pennsylvania. New York: 229 West 42nd Street, New York 36. West Coast: Paul Manning, 8141 Blackburn Avenue, Los Angeles 48, Cal. Jay Emanuel, publisher; Paul J. Greenhalgh, general manager; Albert Erlick, editor; George Frees Nonamaker, feature editor; Mel Konecoff, New York editor; Arnold Farber, Physical Theatre and Extra Profits departmental editor; William Haddock, associate editor; Albert J. Martin, advertising manager; Max Cades, business manager; Leo Maestripieri, circulation manager. Subscriptions: $2 per year (52 issues); and outside of the United States, Canada, and Pan-American countries, $5 per year (52 issues). Special rates for two and three years on application. Entered as second class matter at the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, post office. Address letters to 246-48 North Clarion Street, Philadelphia 7, Pennsylvania