The box office digest annual (May 1938)

new %’S ACE IK Cl 1 1 From time, to time, during the past year, we have frequently been asked, how percentages on pictures are figured in our DIGEST. True enough, many other film trade papers have quoted box office figures — but practically always in dollars, very seldom in per cent; and, furthermore, when percentages are given, they are generally anything but correct. The percentages used in our DIGEST are based on actual box office figures received from exhibitors all over the nation. Naturally, 100% is always considered the normal average. In other words, if a theater whose average is $10,000 weekly, grosses $7,500 on a given picture, then that picture draws a 75% rating on that particular run. On the other hand, if an¬ other picture in that same theater grosses $15,000 it is given a 150% rating on that particular run. In other words, in the first case mentioned, the picture would be running 25% below normal while in the second instance, the picture would be run¬ ning 50% above normal business, etc. The figures from all types of houses, both large and small, throughout the country are then averaged out, with the per cent after the name of the picture, being the actual per cent of business, that a certain picture has played to. In order to give our readers a more concrete example of how percentages are figured out, we are utilizing this page, to give a complete "break-down" on a given picture. For this example, we are using the first box office figures on the 20th Century-Fox production — "IN OLD CHICAGO," which, (with the exception of the cartoon "SNOW WHITE") is the biggest box office feature of the past two years. While this picture was Road-Showed in several key cities, it broke for general release during the latter part of the Lenten Season. We mention this because Road-Show figures are never taken into consideration with our theater averages. BOX OFFICE RETURNS ON "IN OLD CHICAGO" In Seattle, Washington, this picture opened at the Fifth Avenue Theater (average weekly gross is $6,200). It grossed $10,997 on its first week, which is equal to 177 V3 % — that is, 771/ 3% above normal business. 1771/3% $6,200 I $10,997 OTHER KEY CITY RUNS, WITH THEATER GROSSES AND PER CENTS, ARE LISTED BELOW CITY THEATER WEEK'S GROSS % CITY THEATER WEEK'S GROSS % Seattle, Wash. Fifth Avenue $10,997 177 Rochester, N. Y. Palace 16,455 183 Tulsa, Okla. Ritz 7,200 180 Dallas, Texas Majestic 12,458 178 Chicago, Ill. Roosevelt 22,900 191 Buffalo, N. Y. Great Lake 18,197 202 Cleveland, Ohio Hippodrome 20,200 166 Salt Lake City, Utah Paramount 9,757 176 Toledo, Ohio Paramount 12,384 173 Indianapolis, Ind. Indiana 13,558 226 Washington, D. C. Palace 19,048 146 St. Louis, Mo. Ambassador 14,158 177 Charlotte, N. C. Charlotte 4,100 (4 days) 171 Springfield, Ill. Lincoln 5,987 171 Portland, Maine Strand 4,850 (4 days) 188 Atlanta, Georgia Fox 11,943 198 Boston, Mass. Metropolitan 26,800 191 Oklahoma City, Okla. Criterion 8,741 194 Albany, N. Y. Palace 11,941 171 Baltimore, Md. New 10,948 237 Pittsburgh, Pa. Alvin 16,405 182 Philadelphia, Pa. Fox 20,554 154 Richmond, Va. State 4,936 183 Detroit, Michigan Fox 29,509 152 Richmond, Va. Capitol 3,994 187 San Francisco, Calif. Paramount 24,611 183 Milwaukee, Wise. Wisconsin 12,339 176 Omaha, Nebr. Orpheum 14,510 203 Kansas City, Mo. Tower 13,082 187 New York City Roxy 62,320 156 Norfolk, Va. Norva 6,945 174 Reno, Nevada Maj estic 2,80 (5 days) 181 Louisville, Ky. Rialto 13,306 204 Nashville, Tenn. Nashville 8,492 (6 days) 197 Syracuse, N. Y. Keiths 13,068 187 Salinas, Calif. California 2,709 (5 days) 189 36 I 6591 AVERAGE ON 36 KEY CITY 1st RUNS . . . . . 183% 7 CHAIN THEATER CIRCUIT REPORTS SHOW AN AVERAGE OF . .194 232 INDEPENDENT THEATER REPORTS SHOW AN AVERAGE OF . .169 3 | 546 PRESENT BOX OFFICE VALUE OF "IN OLD CHICAGO". _ _ 182% N. B, — It might be of interest to our readers to know that a picture that runs 82% above normal business at the box office, will probably gross in the naborhood of $3,500,000 in the world market. Production cost of "In Old Chicago" was slightly in excess of $1,500,000. — The Editor.