Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1947)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, January 4, 1947 Big Year Ahead With the beginning of a New Year, theatremen would do well to take stock and analyze the possibilities not alone for maintaining their previous attendance averages but of increasing the old figures to new highs. Motion pictures are still the least expensive form of entertainment. People, despite some major or minor changes in economic conditions, are still earning far more money than at any time prior to the war and even with increased living costs, are far better off financially than at any time in the past. Great numbers of people developed the movie-going habit through the prosperous years and can be counted on to continue that habit, provided the local theatremen make an intelligent and aggressive attempt to maintain their interest in the theatres' attractions. The backlog of product, represents a lot of money tied up in celluloid and before long, it is our prediction, they will have to start liquidating some of that product and get it into circulation. While we do not expect the market to turn overnight from a buyers' to a sellers' market, we do sense an easing off from the predominantly sellers' market to a more equalized situation all around. Should the big companies find it necessary to put more of their finished pictures into release, many exhibitors may find a lot of product coming into the market during the next six months. But that is just one side of what the new year may hold for the industry. The other side is what we started off talking about. Theatremen have their work cut out for them. They must keep hammering away to get the people who are not regular patrons to attend the picture shows with greater frequency. This is the big job for every showman, for it is no great trick to win the attention of the more or less confirmed movie fan with a headline or a display about a star, but it does require ingenuity, resourcefulness and imagination to make the non-regulars conscious of a certain picture or particular star of a forthcoming or current attraction. In short, let's get back to smart showmanship and sell our shows to the limit and with the particular appeal that best suits each individual situation. Let's advertise our merchandise and create a demand and desire on the part of the community to see those good pictures so you can feel reasonably certain that you have gotten the maximum in attendance out of each show you offer. The year of 1947 can be as big as you make it. If you happen to be the type that sits back and hopes for a continuation of the lush business, your competitor may be gradually taking a lot of business away from your box-office. But if you are a real showman you will sell your shows for all they are worth and run your theatres in a manner that will make for plenty of community goodwill and good business. 16-mm. Competition In spite of everything being said about the threat of 16-mm. competition to legitimate motion picture theatres, we have, after an extensive survey and investigation of the matter, found the one and only danger that really does exist. You can discount or forget about the dozen or more angles that have been given prominence in connection with this particular, so-called, threat. When tracked down, they evaporate into thin air. But there IS one phase of 16-mm. exhibition that can, and is, hurting some established theatres. They are the one and two night stands in small towns and hamlets not populous enough to support a full-time theatre. Before movie shows came to these localities via the travelling 16-mm., the people of the communities drove or went by bus to the nearest town provided with a movie show. Those kind of spots are naturals for the itinerant 16-mm. showman and from information we have had on the subject, they are doing very well. Apparently the people in those little towns don't mind the age of the picture and, of course, the youngsters would go for any kind of a western or action picture, especially since it is probably an event for them to see a picture show. There appears to be quite a lot of these travelling shows operating around the fringes of the larger towns and cities and the established exhibitors in the regular theatres can do little or nothing about it. They can't kick to the town fathers of the movieless towns just because someone is bringing a show to such towns. So long as those travelling showmen don't force a dope, sex or other objectionable show down their throats, they can be considered as legitimate as any other theatre. One southern exhibitor told us that to protect himself and his big investment in the bigger town, he was going to organize two travelling units (with either 16-mm. or 3 5 -mm. equipment) and cover all the communities where there was a possibility of someone else breaking in. That may be the solution. It is an experiment worth watching. — "CHICK" LEWIS