BOX OFFICE: Something to Sell

In Hollywood to peddle his audience-research act to producers, Philadelphia-based Pollster Albert E. Sindlinger trotted out some tempting figures to convince the moviemen that they actually have something to sell. Feature films, said Sindlinger, will soon be classified by their expected box-office gross, and will fall into three groups: 1) under $2,000,000, 2) from $5,000,000 to $6,000,000, 3) from $9,000,000 up. Although the total number of movie theaters in the U.S. has dropped from 18,719 to 11,200 in the past two years, Sindlinger insisted that "blockbusters," the $9,000,000-and-up extravaganzas, can earn practically unlimited profits if properly promoted.