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BOX OFFICE FIGURES!
This Supplement to NATIONAL BOX OFFICE DIGEST is the first authentic box office record ever to be published on the motion picture industry.
Norman Webb, who has compiled all of the box office statistics and figures for THE DIGEST ANNUAL, is a man of long experience in the picture business. He is thoroughly acquainted with all phases of production, distribution, and exhibition. For the past twelve years he has made a particular study of box office analysis, during which time he has served as a box office statistician for the Paramount-Publix home office, and for the Paramount, M-G-M, and First National studios. Besides having spent seven years in the various studios, he was also an independent exhibitor for eight years. So I believe he is exceptionally capable of preparing box office statistics, that are authentic, intelligently analyzed, and imparptially presented.
(Signed)
The box office statistics published in the following pages have been prepared by myself and staff, from theater reports received from exhibitors — both chain and independent — film exchanges, executives of American producers and distributors, and other reliable sources. Naturally many of our sources of information are secretive, while other information is from actually published facts and figures.
I have, to the best of my ability, taken the gross figures from the various exhibitors and changed them into percentages, thus determining the actual box office value of each individual picture, as well as the various producers, directors, writers, and stars connected with the making of these pictures We have checked our records with various theater circuits and also with many members of independent theater organizations, and according to the information we receive, we have found that our statistics are from 95 to 98% accurate. We receive box office figures from first-run key-city theaters, grossing as high as $120,000 a week, as well as from small neighborhood houses grossing as little as $250 a week.
In this big industry, naturally at times there have been people who argued with us about our figures and asked us to change them. We have even been threatened that we would be barred from the industry if we did not do so. However, at all times we have used our own judgment, and believe that all of the facts and figures contained in this volume are as nearly correct, and as fair, as it is humanly possible to make them.
(Signed)
N.B. In this issue we are publishing the box office ratings on all pictures released during the past two years (1936-37) and also the box office ratings on the pictures that have been released during the first two or three months of this year — 1938. Accordingly, the ratings on various executives, producers, directors, stars, etc., are based on their past two year record. Practically every producer, director and star has at some time or other had a big hit, and at other times has made pictures which were not so good — maybe even a flop. But over the past two year period, practically everybody of importance in the industry has had at least four or five releases, and so consequently in giving the box office figures for the past two years, we believe that a fairer and more accurate rating is given to each individual.