Boxoffice Barometer (March 26, 1962)
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“KING OF KINGS” (70mm Super Technirama Technicolor) Jeffrey Hunter, Siobhan McKenna, Hurt Hatfield, Ron Randell, Viveca Lindfors, Rita Gam, Carmen Sevilla, Brigid Bazlen, Harry Guardino, Rip Torn, Frank Thring, Guy Rolfe, with Maurice Marsac, Gregoire Aslan and Robert Ryan as John the Baptist, with thousands of extras. Presenting an epic story of the life and times of Jesus Christ. A Samuel Bronston Production. “THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE” ( CinemaScope-Color) Glenn Ford, Ingrid Thulin, Charles Boyer, Lee J. Cobb, Paul Henreid, Paul Lukas, Yvette Mimieux, Karl Boehm. Film ver- sion of the famed Vicente Blasco-Ibanez novel. A Julian Blaustein Production. V f “SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH” ( CinemaScope-Metrocolor) Paul Newman, Geraldine Page, Shirley Knight, Ed Begley, Rip Torn, Mildred “THE HORIZONTAL LIEUTENANT” Dunnock, Madeleine ( CinemaScope- Metrocolor) Sherwood. Film version of Jim Hutton, Paula Prentiss, Jack Carter, Jim the Tennessee Williams Backus, Charles McGraw, Myoshi Umeki. Comedy Broadway stage success. of a U.S. military “clean up” operation on a An Avon Production. Pacific island. A Euterpe Production. ' THROUGH IN 62 ! “MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY” ( Ultra Panavision- Metrocolor) Marlon Brando, Trevor Howard, Richard Harris, Hugh Griffith, Richard Hayden and Tarita. Spectacular sea adventure drama, based on trilogy of novels by Charles Nordoff and James Norman Hall. Filmed in the South Seas and on a replica of the great three masted sailing ship, HMS Bounty. An Areola Pictures Production. “A VERY PRIVATE AFFAIR” {Color) Brigitte Bardot and Marcello Mastroianni. Story of a French girl who achieves fame as a screen star. A Progefi- Cipra Production. “ALL FALL DOWN” Lva Marie Saint, Warren Beatty, Karl dalden, Lansbury, ! Angela Brandon deWilde. Film ersion of James Leo Herlihy’s best-selling novel. John Houseman Production. “RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY” CinemaScope-Color IN ( ) “TWO WEEKS Randolph Scott, Joel McCrea, Mariette Hartley. Out- ANOTHER TOWN” door drama set in the High Sierras circa 1870 ( CinemaScope- Color) Kirk Douglas, Edw. G. Robinson, Cyd Charise, George Hamilton, And the all-time Claire Trevor. Screen version BEN-H U R, of Irwin Shaw’s best-selling novel. Academy Award Che ipion keeps A John Houseman Production. setting new box-cifice records! lUXimCE * BAROMETER C * * N *T* E* N *T*S Many Signs Indicate Good Year Ahead 9 Improved Trend in Production for 1962 11 The All-American Favorites of 1961 19 Grosses—Ratings at the Boxoffice 30 Showmanship on the Beam During 1961 48 Live Action Shorts Gain 56 Blue Ribbon Winners of 1960-61 60 Blue Ribbon Winners of Past Years 73 Blue Ribbon Honor Roll Call 74 Producers of the 1960-61 Hit Films 78 Directors of the Season's Big Hits 82 Roster of the National Screen Council 86 British Production—A Review and Preview .... 91 Britain's Top Ten Boxoffice Hits 94 Alphabetical Index and Review Digest 117 Feature Index of the 1960-61 Releases 123 Looking Ahead at Coming Features 139 Shorts Index of the 1960-61 Releases 152 Published by Associated Publications, Inc., as a section of BOXOFFICE ot 825 Van Brunt Blvd., Kansas City 24, Mo. Ben Shlyen, Publisher and Editor-in-Ghief; Donald M. Mersereau, Associate Publisher and General Manager; Nathan Cohen, Executive Editor; Al Steen, Eastern Editor; Jesse Shlyen, Managing Editor; E. S. Nelson, Velma West Sykes, Morje Sweeney, Associate Editors; William Hebert, Hollywood Editor. Eastern Office, 1270 Sixth Ave., New York 20, N. Y. Western Office, 6362 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood 28, Calif. London Office, 1 Woodberry Wtay, Finchley, N 12. BAROMETER Section mm bros. /mmRim mmusrobb Musum simnrnm (and here's the reason why. .). r* This summer76 and millions ofbeads heraid the coming- 4 ' Meredith Willson's Starring Co-Starring ROBERT PRE SHIRLEY JONES'BUDDY PRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY MORTON D»C0S Hu trombones OWA (SJXFU The most marvelous movie ever made! From the Broadway play that kept playing forever! c KETT- HERMIONE LD-PAULFORD 'A MUSIC SUPERVISED BY RAY HEINDORF TECHNIRAMA® TECHNICOLOR® M SCREENPLAY BY MARION HARGROVE PRESENTED BY WARNER BROS. HereatWarnerBros, we've been making picturesforalong longtime. Wehave never boon more proudofan enter- tainment achieve- ment than we are of ’The MusicMan _ By AL STEEN vasion of its importance. It apparently firing line in 1962. COMPO’s battles believes there is room for two national against the admission tax, minimum HE title of this writer’s article in exhibitor organizations because competi- wage laws and censorship in past years last year’s issue of Barometer was: T tion is the life of trade. TOA believes are important chapters in industry his- “Many Changes Are Envisaged for 1961.” that the organization which gives the tory and its success in those fields has Not very original but, at least, valid. And best service has the best chance for been well recorded by the tradepress. the same theme could have been dwelled survival. With both national organiza- COMPO is continuing to keep its eye upon in all previous years of industry tions stressing helpful service, the com- on censorship matters and has history. bined energies cannot help but be of broadened its scope by admitting the That’s the interesting facet of this benefit. The only losers are those ex- talent guilds to membership. One of its business. It’s constantly changing. hibitors who do not belong to any main functions last year was the launch- Seldom, if ever, are two years alike. The organization. ing of what now is known as the COMPO steel industry just goes on making steel. merchandising plan, an extension and The hardware business continues mak- CONSTRUCTIVE PLATFORMS adaptation of the so-called Ben Marcus ing tools and gadgets—some new and Both associations have mapped out plan originally introduced in Wisconsin. some old. The fashion trade brings out constructive platforms for themselves for Launched in Pittsburgh and then in new styles but, basically, the operations 1962. In some cases, they overlap and Cincinnati with highly favorable results, of all of them are pretty much the same duplicate but, if their purposes are the COMPO is ready to extend the service year after year. The film business is same, the combined strength should to any territory which wants it and different. achieve their goals. Allied will lean a will give it the benefit of its experiences Yes, 1961 was a year of changes just little more toward trade practices, stress- in the above two cities. It is certain that as the previous ones were and that goes ing earlier availability of pictures tabbed the merchandising plan will be utilized for all phases of it. Whether some of the “special handling.” In any event, a in many areas this year. changes were constructive or destructive healthy year is envisaged for both ex- is a matter of viewpoint. But it must be hibitor bodies. CENSORSHIP PROBLEMS GROW conceded that the seeds planted in 1961 A look at pay television reveals that Censorship continues to be a problem will carry over and blossom in 1962 and Telemeter is still entrenched in the and it is unlikely that the industry will be accepted, as a bride and groom de- Toronto suburb of Etobicoke and that escape at least some efforts to inflict a clare in their vows, for better or for plans are under way for the expansion form of censorship in municipalities, if worse. of the service. Meanwhile, green lights not in states. The influx of foreign Therefore, in looking ahead for this have been given for experimental pro- pictures with sensational themes and year, the past year must be taken into grams in Little Rock, Ark., and Hart- the easing of the Production Code to consideration. And we can start any- ford, Conn., by Telemeter in the former permit the production of films based on where. and by Zenith-RKO General in the formerly prohibited subjects are facets latter. TelePrompTer is going ahead ALLIED, TOA ADVANCES that could stir up the censorship pro- with its “key” system and, quietly, it is Let’s start off with exhibitor associa- ponents, according to some industry understood, other systems are under- tions. This time last year, Theatre observers. The amendments to the Pro- going tests. Owners of America was completely in duction Code allowing a treatment of the driver’s seat insofar as dominance FIGHT AGAINST PAY TV homosexuality could have conflicting in the organization field was concerned. Can the Joint Committee Against Pay effects. The new leniency could be a time, Allied States Ass’n had not yet recovered TV offset the tide of interest in the boxoffice tonic and, at the same from its disastrous convention in Miami medium and halt further explorations bring about fresh efforts to impose using the amended code as Beach where the once powerful exhibi- and tests? Exhibition hopes so. But it censorship, tor This will be a year in which association all but pulled the cover appears certain that 1962 is going to see a weapon. producers of the coffin over its head. There were more action on this front than on some diplomacy must be exerted by of playing with dynamite un- rumors a new national independent of the other battle sectors. In a way, it who could be privilege with organization being formed, that some of boils down to a form of moral rearm- less they use their new the Allied units would switch to TOA ament. The public must be brought to care and good taste. and that others would pull up their tents realize that pay TV is not in the public Classification has become an intra- and silently steal away into the night. interest. It will be a costly campaign mural football, with the industry ap- But Allied has made a remarkable but there is much at stake and it must parently divided on its possible effective- recovery.