Step a Little Closer, Folks

The U.S. movie box office has not yet completely lost the land-office look it had during wartime. But moviemen suspect that the boom is over. How soon a real slump will come is something that fretful Hollywood has begun to fret about.

But no matter how hard the public is to please, or how hard-to-sell the picture, Hollywood knows that it can count on exhibitors. Last week, as if to keep in trim for tougher times ahead, theater managers were pushing movies with all the zeal, noise and logic of oldtime pitchmen hawking snake oil.

Samples, as reported by the Motion Picture Herald:

P: In Boston, where Lassie was starring in Hills of Home, a collie showed up at the box office to be photographed, while a pressagent explained that the dog rated a pass to the show because he was a relative of the star.

P: In Morristown, N.J., an enterprising theater manager touted Life With Father by persuading his doorman to dress up in an 1880s costume.

P: In Indiana, exhibitors were considering some joint action. Against the threat of radio giveaway programs (see RADIO & TELEVISION), they made plans for a movie-house giveaway show involving at least 125 theaters.

P: In Tampa, Fla., to push Julia Misbehaves, a model took a bubble bath in a store window.

P: In Plainfield, N. J., on behalf of a jungle epic called Man Eater of Kumaon, ushers took turns stuffing themselves into a tiger skin to do some pacing and growling in the lobby.

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