Boxoffice-March.06.1948

f- l^."*
: March
head ol the sound depart-
United Artists
ot Double post art director and production designer
was handed to NICHOLAI REMISOFF by Enterprise
lor the Dana Andrews starrer. "No Minor
Vices," which Lewis Milestone will produce and
direct.
Technical crew appointed lor James Nasser Productions'
"An Innocent Allair" includes CLARtlNL
EURIST, assistant director; EDWARD CRONJAGER
head cameraman, JACK MAPES, set decorator: and
FRED BERGER. Iilm editor.
Universal-International
Producer Robert Arthur signed NICK CASTLE as
dance director lor "Washington GirL" WILLIAM
DANIELS drew the photography stint
Checking in lor the lilm editor post on "The
Wonderlul Race at Rimrock" was EDWARD CUR-
Wamers
. Crew assignments tor "A Kiss in the Dark" went
to ROBERT BURKES, director of pholographv; ERit^
STACEY, unit manager, STANLEY FLEISCHER, art
director, and DAVID WEISBART, lilm editor. STAN-
LEY FLEISCHER was assigned to the art directorship
and ANTON F. GROT won the same post on
Your;
CARL GUTHRIE
^EILLY
edit
Title Changes
Columbia
"Rusty Takes a Walk" is now called RUSTY
LEADS THE WAY.
Metro
e Eurt
Lagctt Wechsler, will
SUN IN THE MORNING is the new tag lor '
ior Jock."
Republic
The release title of "Alcatraz Prison Train"
TRAIN TO ALCATRAZ.
United Artists
FOUR FACES WEST is the new tog tc
"
Sherman's "They Passed This Way, made
Universal-International
FEUDIN', FUSSIN' AND A-FIGHTIN' was
the new name lor 'The Wonderlul Race at R
Warners
SMART GIRLS DON'T TALK is the new
"Dames Don't Talk."
Chester J. Bell, Manager
For Paramount, Dies
DEN'VER— Chester J. Bell. 54. manager of
the Paramount, exchange here since 1936.
died in Burbank, Calif.,
^^^^^' ^ ^°"^ illness. He
R- ^ .^^^^^L. .^MK^.
had been on leave since
October when he was
operated on and in
November went to
Califoniia to visit
. .
^^^^
relatives.
Bom in Dunkirk,
Ind., Bell attended
Valparaiso university
and the University of
',f
^HH Washington. A veteran
of World War I, he
Chester Bell worked for Prestolite
as a salesman before joining Paramount in
1922 as a salesman.
He was a salesman in Detroit, later in
Chicago, and returned to Detroit as sales
manager, was then moved to Salt Lake City
as manager, and was promoted to the Denver
exchange in 1936.
He is survived by his wife Lida Mae; his
parents. Mr. and Mrs. M. J. Bell, Los Angeles,
and a sister, Mrs. Rhea Ketchiun, New York.
The funeral was in North Hollywood, and
be in Louisville. Ky.
burial will
HETHER those who produce motion
pictures or those who exhibit them
know best what the public desires in
the way of screen entertainment has always
been, and probably always will be, one of
filmdom's most provocative issues.
The magi of production are prone to sit in
their ivory towers quoting from laudatory
critiques to justify the continued making of
certain types of pictures, the pursuance of
antiquated cycles, in the face of advices from
their respective distribution departments that
such offerings are encounteri:ig exhibitor resistance
and public indifference. During lush
times, when virtually any picture is dependable
to record favorable grosses—on paper,
at least—the Hollywood mighty glibly cite
stratospheric figures,
as well as rave reviews,
to uphold their arbitrary and often too-costly
sallies into artistry.
Certainly it is unnecessary to record that
such lush days are over, a fact which is
forcefully being brought to Cinemania's attention
by curtailed production activities,
executive salary cuts and widespread unemployment
among film workers.
America's showmen, especially those who
remain alert to changes in the public's film
tastes and do their best with available product
to cater thereto, realized many months
ahead of filmmakers that the golden era had
come to an end, that, for the time being at
least, ticket-buyers are shopping for screen
fare and giving their patronage only to the
type of pictures their current appetites find
acceptable.
One such discerning theatreman is Harold
J. Fitzgerald, president of the Pox "Wisconsin
Amusement Co., a National Tlieatres subsidiary.
Recently, while in Hollywood to attend
a series of NT executive huddles, Fitzgerald
revealed to this department some very illuminating
facts and figures from a survey which
he had conducted as to what classifications
of films are asserting the widest appeal
among the movie fans in the sizable territory
covered by the large circuit which he heads.
The Fox "Wisconsin topper explained that
the poll pointed up his belief that, among
other factors, the element of timing enters
into the boxoffice success or failure of any
given feature. In the war years, for example,
Fitzgerald learned that certain types of films
were in vogue: now, in the unstable postwar
era, he finds that the American public—or,
at any rate, that portion of it which patronizes
the showcases in the chain which he
heads— is considerably more interested in its
own problems, rather than the problems of
others.
"The vast majority of motion picture audiences,"
Fitzgerald set forth, "look for a
Open First Drive-In Using
Moonlight Movies System
RIALTO. CALIF.—A new motif in drive-in
theatre design was made public when W. A.
Tharp. former Indiana exhibitor, opened his
Foothill Drive-In here March 6. The theatre
counterpart of themselves, or .someone they
know, in a picture . . . whether the theme is
romantic or .something else."
In other words, so-called "escapist" entertainment
is in demand, to the detriment of
features dealing with controversial subjects
or preachment, "arty" themes and features
appealing primarily to the intelligentsia.
Fitzgerald's
survey embraced the boxoffice
results as tabulated on 90 recent top releases,
which were divided into 14 type classifications.
U.sing 100 per cent as a base index,
his findings worked out like
of
their popularity and revenue:
this, in the order
Musical comedies, 135 per cent; general
musicals, 121; general comedies, 117; westerns,
101; psychopathic drama. 97; adventure,
96; general dramas, 94; gang.ster-detective,
94; farce comedies, 91; musical-concert-dramas,
90; 81; mysteries, light dramas,
80; sophisticated comedies, 62; and concertmusicals,
50.
Fitzgerald's exhibition domain covers a
typical and sizable slice of America. It seems
reasonable to assume that showmen in other
parts of the nation are having similar experiences,
although they may not take the
time to reduce their observations to statistics
and analyses.
Wheher or not such observations will have
effect on future production schedules is, however,
a question that time alone can answer.
Anyone guided by past performances, remembering
Hollywood's characteristic ostrich-like
attitude toward exhibitor opinion,
might risk a few bob on a negative answer.
Further evidence that current production
plans are all wet may be found in the fact
that Universal-International is making "Mr.
Peabody and the Mermaid," Warner has "The
Octopus and Miss Smith" and Monogram is
doing "Sixteen Fathoms Deep."
TITLE TINKERS CORNER
Harry Sherman's latest for Enterprise,
which began its life as "They Passed This
Way" and with considerable fanfare was
changed to "New Mexico," then back to "They
Passed This Way," now bobs up as "Four
Faces West." At least it stays in character
geographically.
Making a bid for the rubber marquee championship
is Abbott and Costello's current
effort for Universal-International. Laimched
as "The Brain of Frankenstein." it has been
renamed "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein."
Still to get billing in the title—but
nonetheless hopeful—are the Wolf Man and
Dracula, who will aid the Frankenstein monster—
and A. & C—in contributing horror.
has a 670-car capacity and is the fii-st installation
to feature the Moonlight Movies system
for the parking of cars. Tharp, who conceived
the new system, has applied for a
patent and has established headquarters in
San Bernardino to lease the device to interested
showmen. His general agent is Perry
Rfttcliff.
I,*
BOXOFFICE
:
13, 1948
61