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THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY<br />
PUBLISHED IN<br />
NINE SECTIONAL EDITIONS<br />
BEN SHLYEN<br />
Editor-in-Chief and Publisher<br />
JAMES M. JERAULD<br />
Editor<br />
NATHAN COHEN Associate Editor<br />
JESSE SHLYEN Managing Editor<br />
IVAN SPEAR<br />
Western Editor<br />
J. HARRY TOLER Equipment Editor<br />
RAYMOND LEVY General Manager<br />
Published Every Saturday by<br />
ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS<br />
Editorial Offices: 9 Rockeieller Plaza, New York 20,<br />
N. Y. Raymond Levy, General Manager,- James M.<br />
Jerauld, Editor; Chester Friedman, Editor Shovirmandiser<br />
Section; A. I. Blocker, Eastern Representative.<br />
Telephone Columbus 5-6370, 5-6371, 5-6372. Cable<br />
address: BOXOFriCE, New York.-<br />
Central Offices: 332 South Michigan Blvd., Chicago<br />
4. 111. J. Harry Toler, Editor Modern Theatre Section.<br />
Telephone WABash 4575.<br />
Western Offices: 6404 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood<br />
22, Calif. Ivan Spear, Manager. Telephone GLadstone<br />
1186.<br />
WasUngton Offices: 302-303 International Bldg., 1319<br />
r S; , N W. Lee L. Garling, Manager. Telephone<br />
NAtional 3482. Filmrow: 932 New Jersey, N. W. Sara<br />
London Offices: 136 Wardour St., John Sullivan, Manager.<br />
Telephone Gerrard 3934-5-6.<br />
Publication Offices: 825 Van Brunt Blvd., Kansas City<br />
1, Mo. Nathan Cohen, Associate Editor; Jesse Shlyen,<br />
Managing Editor; Morns Schlozman, Business Manager.<br />
Telephone CHestnut 7777-78.<br />
Other Publications: BOXOFFICE BAROMETER,<br />
published in November as a section BOXOFFICE;<br />
of<br />
THE MODERN THEATRE, published monthly as a<br />
section of BOXOFFICE.<br />
ALBANY-2I-23 Walter Ave., M. Berrigan.<br />
ATLANTA— 163 Walton, N. W., P. H. Savin.<br />
BIRMINGHAM-The News, Eddie Badger.<br />
BOSTCN—Frances W. Hardrng, 20 Piedmont St., Lib.<br />
9814. Home: Com. 4700.<br />
BUFFALO— 157 Audubon Drive, Snyder, Jim Schroder.<br />
CHARLOTTE—216 W. 4th, Pauline Griffith.<br />
CHICAGO—332 S. Michigan, Jonas Perlberg,<br />
WAB-4575.<br />
CINCINNATI— 1634 Central Parkway, Lillian Seltz»r.<br />
CLEVELAND-Elsie Loeb, Fairmount 0045.<br />
DALLAS-^525 Holland, V. W. Crisp, 18-9760.<br />
DENVER— 1645 Lafayette, Jack Rose, TA 8517.<br />
D£S MOINES—Register 6 Tribune Bldg., Russ Schoch.<br />
DETROIT— 1009 Fox Thecrtre Bldg., H. F. Reves.<br />
Telephones: RA 1100; Night, UN-4-0219.<br />
HARTFORD— 109 Westborne, Allen Widem<br />
HARRISBURG, PA—The Telegraph, Lois Fegan.<br />
INDIANAPOLIS—Rt. 8, Box 770, Howard M. Rudeoux.<br />
MIAMI—65 S. Hibiscus Island, Mrs. Monton E Harwood.<br />
2952 Merrick Rd., Elizabeth Sudlow.<br />
MEMPHIS—707 Spring St., Null Adams, Tel. 48-5462<br />
MlLWAUKEE-529 N. 13th, J. R. Gahagan, MA-0297.<br />
MlNNEAPOUS-29 Washington Ave. So., Les Rees.<br />
NEW HAVEN—42 Church St., Gertrude Lander.<br />
NEWARK, N. J.-207 Sumner, Sara Carleton<br />
NEW ORLEANS—218 So. Uberty St., Mrs. Jack Auslet.<br />
Telephone MA 5612.<br />
OKLAHOMA CITY— 125 NW 15th St., Polly Trindle.<br />
OMAHA—Omaha World-Herald Bldg., Lou Gerdes<br />
PHILADELPHIA-—1901 Spruce St., J. M. Mailer<br />
PITTSBURGH—85 Van Braam St., R. F. Klingensmith<br />
PORTLAND, ORE.—David C. Kahn, 823 S. E. Ash St<br />
RICHMOND—Grand Theatre, Sam PuUiam<br />
ST. LOUIS—5149 Rosa, David Barrett, FL-3727<br />
SALT LAKE CITY-Deseret News, Howard Pearson<br />
SAN ANTONIO—333 Blum St., L. J. B. Ketner<br />
SAN FRANCISCO-25 Taylor St., Gail Lipman,<br />
ORdway 3-4S12.<br />
SEATTLE—928 N. 84th St., WiUard Elsey.<br />
TOLEDO-^330 Willys Pkwy., Anna Kline.<br />
IN CANADA<br />
CALGARY—The Albertan, Wm. Campbell.<br />
MONTREAL—4330 Wilson Ave., N. D. G., Rov'<br />
Carmichael.<br />
Walnut 5519.<br />
ST. JOHN— 116 Prince Edward St., Wm. J. McNulty.<br />
TORONTO—242 Milwood, Milton Galbraith.<br />
VANCOUVER^lll Lyric Theatre Bldg., Jack Droy<br />
VICTORIA—938 Island Highway, Alec Merriman<br />
WINNIPEG—The Tribune, Ben Lepkln.<br />
Member Audit Bxjreau of Circulations<br />
OXOFFICE<br />
A DANGEROUS TREND<br />
^^0<br />
' # OT ONLY the dearth of quality product.1<br />
but the waste of what little there is are two of the underlyingi<br />
causes of the drop in theatre patronage. The peaks and the<br />
valleys of theatre attendance are more accentuated now thani **'<br />
at any time in the past decade or more. The very good pic<br />
tures continue to do very good business, while the ordinary,jJ**<br />
let alone poor, pictures do very badly. As a result,<br />
theatre factotums, seeking to bolster patronage, are resorting **-<br />
to the dual-billing of top product, thus shortening their sup-)<br />
ply of drawing attractions which could do well singly or, at<br />
least, supported by average secondary fare<br />
For instance, as recently as last Saturday, the following<br />
weekend bookings were advertised in a midwest city: "Cap-:<br />
tain From Castile" and "Good News"; "Tycoon" and "The<br />
Swordsman"; "Road to Rio" and "The Gangster"; "Road tc<br />
Rio" and "Magic Town"; "Good News" and "The Other Love.'<br />
With the latter two exceptions all the bookings were in a ma-;<br />
jor circuit's theatres. In the first two instances, both features<br />
were in Technicolor. With that in itself a drawing attraction,<br />
why waste it? And why, on a weekend, run programs that<br />
are four hours and ten minutes long! Where is that old show<br />
manly technique of trying to get as many turnovers as poi<br />
sible in each day's operation?<br />
The records show that theatre attendance is off by<br />
average of about 20 per cent. But that's still good as comi<br />
pared to prewar times. And it's still good enough to warron;<br />
exercise of judicious booking and merchandising to get thi<br />
most out of each top attraction. Granting that the instance£[<br />
above cited are double-feature situations, there seems to b(>jj|."<br />
little justification for such extravagant waste of good product^,<br />
And this is not restricted to a single area; it is a dangerous<br />
trend that is spreading across the country.<br />
It's easy to tell the other fellow what to do and to "operate'<br />
a theatre, let alone a chain, from an editorial desk, but<br />
wonder how much better it would be, not only for the presenB^we<br />
but for the long pull, to put that extra cost of double-A-in«<br />
into advertising, promotion and aggressive showmandising.<br />
There's not much use talking about rounding out a gooe<br />
feature offering with a program of good shorts, when the a{<br />
filiated key houses don't even treat their own company';<br />
product that way. But, with the call for a return of old-timf^Kjii<br />
showmanship, tliat would seem to be part of the old operatii<br />
that worked so well. It would, at least, be a relief to<br />
monotony that has persisted for so long.<br />
Distributors are emitting a cry in the wilderness for bette<br />
showmanship, better programming, greater and better play "ai<br />
ing of the vast quantities of unplayed good short subject?<br />
when the several thousand key exhibition stands in whicl<br />
they have interests, themselves fail to set the good exampk<br />
These key houses create the pattern, which the subsequent<br />
have no choice but to follow. So, as a poor practice become<br />
•i=c<br />
Ketlii<br />
Entered as Second Cl«s matter at Post Office, Kansas City, Mo.<br />
Sectional Edition, $2.00 per year; National Edition, $7.50<br />
Vol. 52 No. 19<br />
MARCH 13, 1948<br />
1
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