WHO GOES TO THE MOVIES?

New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 120, 10 October 1941, Page 11

WHO GOES TO THE MOVIES?

Dr. Gallup's Answer HO goes to the movies, and why? This year R.K.O. Pictures wanted to know the answers to these and a few other pertinent box office questions. To find out, they commissioned Dr. Gallup, America’s Professor of Pollology, and Dr. Gallup gave them many replies that they had not expected. Hollywood has claimed that 80,000,000 people attend American cinemas each week. Dr. Gallup said the average was 54,275,000 weekly. Hollywood says the industry brings a gross amount of a Villion dollars into U.S. box offices annually. Dr. Gallup reported that the figure was seven hundred million dollars. Radio as a rival to films loomed large in the Gallup report. On a Sunday in the U.S.A., while films attract 11,500,000, Jack Benny on the air has an audience of 34,000,000. On Mondays, while 5,428,000 see pictures, 26,000,000 are listening to a sponsored programme. Hollywood thought that 75 per cent. of its Audiences were female. Dr. Gallup reduced this figure to 51 per cent., although it varies for different pictures. Rebecca’s audiences were 70 per cent. female. Arizona’s were 75 per cent. male. And men like comedies far more than women. f The Typical Movie-Goer The typical movie-goer, Dr. Gallup found, is 27 years of age and earns between £5 and £6 weekly. The biggest section of film-fan life, however, is the 19-year-old, who buys 2,080,000 tickets each week in U.S. About double feature programmes, Dr. Gallup discovered that only four per cent. of audienees object to them. Among the remainder, people who are offered them ask for them and people who aren’t don’t. Where both double and single feature programmes are offered, as in New York City, 63 per cent. prefer them. What about stars? Dr. Gallup found that Hollywood’s star system does sell pictures. However, there are only about 60 stars (eight to a studio) who have teal box office value, and these must appear in at least three pictures annually to maintain their appeal. Dr, Gallup further says that it is a waste to put more than one star in one picture, as they can sell more seats separately. Film-goers do not think they are overpaid. " Missing The Bus" In the United States, the best box office draw is Spencer Tracy, and for boys and men the next 13 favourites are all men. Women’s preferences are divided equally between male and female stars. Most fans are likely to prefer actors of their own age and sex. Perhaps Dr. Gallup’s most significant conclusion was that Hollywood is missing the bus by failing to make pictures for people more than 30 years of age, in the average and above-average income groups.