Happy 45th, “The Sound Of Music”

posted by Coate on March 2, 2010 at 9:55 am

[This is a revised and updated version of an article published in 2005 to commemorate the film’s 40th anniversary.]

THE SOUND OF MONEY:
CELEBRATING THE 45TH ANNIVERSARY OF “THE SOUND OF MUSIC”

By Michael Coate

So you’re impressed with the box-office performance of AVATAR, eh? Never before has a movie made so much money so quickly? Well, flash back a few decades and consider another movie that rocked the industry.

Never mind that THE GODFATHER and THE EXORCIST grossed $100 million. Never mind that JAWS grossed $200 million. Forget the umpteen times you returned to see STAR WARS, helping propel its original box-office performance close to $300 million. Forget the $350 million E.T. made. And ignore the $600 million amassed by TITANIC. Before all of those spectacular feats there was another motion picture that brought in huge sums of money from the get-go and spawned an insane amount of repeat business. The movie in question was THE SOUND OF MUSIC, the beloved film production of the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical which in turn was based upon the real-life adventures of the von Trapp family and the German films DIE TRAPP-FAMILIE (1956) and DIE TRAPP-FAMILIE IN AMERIKA (1958). The award-winning 1965 film performed as a blockbuster before the industry knew just what a blockbuster was.

So…whether you believe the hills are alive with the sound of music or alive with the sound of mucus, I hope you’ll take a moment to enjoy this look back at the original exhibition history of THE SOUND OF MUSIC on the occasion of its 45th anniversary. Included herein will be references to hundreds of “Cinema Treasures” from a bygone era. I predict reading this will conjure up memories of when and where you saw the film for the first time (and the second time… and the third…).

INTRODUCTION

Part of the success of any motion picture is due in part to the manner in which it is marketed and distributed. In the case of THE SOUND OF MUSIC, its distributor, 20th Century-Fox, chose a release pattern whereby the $8 million film, following its world premiere on March 2, 1965 in New York and continuing over a span of six weeks, was booked on a reserved-seat “roadshow” basis exclusively in a single theater in each of 51 of the top markets in North America. The theaters selected to open the film, each of which was located in a market exceeding a population of 200,000 (1960 census), were equipped with 70-millimeter projection and stereophonic sound. Fox ordered a considerable number of expensive 70mm prints for this film, no doubt to showcase the production’s beautiful Todd-AO large-format cinematography and dynamic, music-filled soundtrack.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC, directed by Robert Wise (THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, WEST SIDE STORY) and featuring Julie Andrews' unforgettable performance, was among a number of prestigious productions given the “roadshow” treatment, whereby a film was booked as an exclusive engagement in major cities and would play for many, many months before being put into a nationwide general release. Although roadshow presentations had been around since the dawn of the movie industry, they enjoyed a renaissance in the 1950s and ‘60s thanks in part to “large format” processes such as Cinerama and 70mm. Much like a Broadway show, reserved-seat tickets were sold in advance and at a higher-than-usual cost. Typically there were ten shows per week: a single “performance” in the evening with a matinee on weekends, holidays and one weekday. The roadshow experience, typified by high-class musicals such as MY FAIR LADY and historical epics like LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, was enhanced by the use of state-of-the-art projection and sound technologies of the day and the sale of souvenir program booklets. And, given that the typical film selected to be roadshown had a lengthy running time, there often was an intermission, and, in some cases, an overture, entr'acte and exit music. Other popular and critically-acclaimed roadshow releases from the '50s and '60s included THIS IS CINERAMA, OKLAHOMA!, AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, BEN-HUR, WEST SIDE STORY, HOW THE WEST WAS WON, DOCTOR ZHIVAGO, and 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY.

Roadshow-style exhibition, however, had died out by the early 1970s due to a number of factors, including too many roadshows in release at the same time (diluting their value as a special event); a string of critical and/or box-office disappointments in the late 1960s (STAR!; PAINT YOUR WAGON; HELLO, DOLLY!; etc.); audiences gravitating toward counter-culture and youth-oriented films (EASY RIDER, WOODSTOCK, etc.); studios favoring nationwide, saturation-style booking over limited-market exclusives; and the trend of having films booked into newly-built suburban multiplexes instead of in older, single-screen downtown venues.

What is noteworthy about Fox’s distribution of THE SOUND OF MUSIC is that roadshow attractions typically were limited to “important” markets (such as those included in the March-April 1965 launch of the film; see list below), but due to the incredible success of the movie from day one, the studio elected to delay a general release of the film and continued booking the film over a two-year span in not just the large markets but also as a roadshow in small and medium-sized markets, including in many that had never before played a film on a hard-ticket, roadshow basis.

The gamble paid off as industry trade publication Variety reported THE SOUND OF MUSIC in North America during its first twelve months of release grossed a remarkable $43 million (plus another $14 million internationally). Now before you snicker at that figure in light of the vast sums of money today’s movies generate, consider that it was earned with adult tickets typically no more than $2 or $3 and in only about 150 theaters, each showing the film an average of ten times per week. By contrast, films today, on average, play in 3,000-5,000 theaters, 35 times per week, and with $7-12 tickets. Do the math…

“I knew we had a good picture,” producer-director Robert Wise remarked to Variety in autumn 1965. “But I had no idea that it would become such a staggering hit.” To this day, THE SOUND OF MUSIC holds for a great many theaters the house record for longest-running and/or top-grossing engagement.

Wise also recognized the value of showmanship as well as the battle with exhibitors to install and maintain the very best presentation equipment, for he hoped that audiences everywhere would have an opportunity to experience films under the best possible circumstances.

“I don’t want to diminish the audience reaction,” the Oscar-winning filmmaker told Variety prior to the film’s premiere. “I can’t accept seeing only 75-80 percent of the creative effort of all concerned being shown and heard on-screen in theaters. The man who sees a roadshow at a theater several months after it has opened deserves the same on-screen and sound quality. It is well accepted that many theaters are not interested enough to get onto the screen what we put into it. The [audience] should not be robbed.”

As such, there were requirements that had to meet the approval of the filmmakers and distributor in order for a theater to be considered for booking the film. These included a theater’s seating capacity and screen size, as well as a city’s population and proximity to other cities. The minimum requirement, however, to book THE SOUND OF MUSIC as a roadshow, at least initially, was that a venue needed to be equipped with a stereophonic sound system. Fox released the film for roadshow bookings in both 70mm six-track stereo and 35mm four-track stereo formats (and, later, in conventional 35mm-monaural for general-release bookings). If a theater was not equipped for stereo presentations (and most theaters at the time were not so equipped), then that theater/city would have been ineligible to book the film as an exclusive reserved-seat engagement and instead would have had to wait until its general release to play the film. In many cases this meant a city had to wait more than two years to play the film.

SNEAK-PREVIEW TEST SCREENINGS

As is customary in the film industry, THE SOUND OF MUSIC was screened in a near-completed state for the purpose of gauging an audience’s reaction, which, in turn, influenced final tweaks and adjustments made prior to the film’s media/press screenings, its March 2 world premiere and subsequent release to the general public. Two “Middle America” cities were chosen to screen the film in a cryptically-promoted sneak preview.

01.15.1965 … Minneapolis, MN — Mann
01.16.1965 … Tulsa, OK — Brook

THE RESERVED-SEAT “ROADSHOW” ENGAGEMENTS (UNITED STATES & CANADA)

This list is a work-in-progress. The known engagements have been arranged chronologically by date of premiere.

The duration for some of the engagements has been provided. This data, measured in weeks, provides the reader with insight into just how insanely successful THE SOUND OF MUSIC was and offers a striking contrast to contemporary moviegoing.

Duration data marked with “+ moveover” indicates an engagement was relocated to another cinema in the same market and continued on an exclusive, reserved-seat basis. (The duration provided for any continuation/moveover run includes the duration of the moveover run plus the cumulative duration since the distributor considered it a continuation of the original booking.) Duration data marked with “+” indicates the total duration has not been confirmed but that it is known that the film played at least as long as the figure provided. Duration data marked with “+ RE” indicates the engagement returned for a second reserved-seat booking; such return runs are listed separately.

As a courtesy to those who may wish to read more about a particular theater, links have been included for those theaters where a dedicated page exists. And as a nudge to the frequent contributors to Cinema Treasures and its staff members, note the number of theaters for which there is no link (i.e. take note and help get pages created for these missing theaters).

Okay…enough with the introductory nonsense, let’s get on with the main attraction: THE LIST!

03.02.1965 … New York, NY — Rivoli (93 weeks)
03.10.1965 … Beverly Hills (Los Angeles), CA — Fox Wilshire (94 weeks + moveover)
03.10.1965 … Toronto, ON — Eglinton (146 weeks)
03.17.1965 … Boston, MA — Gary (83 weeks)
03.17.1965 … Chicago, IL — Michael Todd (93 weeks)
03.17.1965 … Detroit, MI — Madison (98 weeks)
03.17.1965 … Miami Beach, FL — Colony (82 weeks)
03.17.1965 … Philadelphia, PA — Midtown (93 weeks)
03.17.1965 … Vancouver, BC — Ridge (99 weeks + moveover)
03.17.1965 … Washington, DC — Ontario (97 weeks)
03.18.1965 … Montreal, QC — Seville (98 weeks + moveover)
03.18.1965 … San Francisco, CA — United Artists (93 weeks)
03.24.1965 … Atlanta, GA — Martin Cinerama (90 weeks)
03.24.1965 … Baltimore, MD — New (91 weeks)
03.24.1965 … Cleveland, OH — Ohio (91 weeks)
03.24.1965 … Dallas, TX — Inwood (91 weeks)
03.24.1965 … Denver, CO — Aladdin (112 weeks)
03.24.1965 … Milwaukee, WI — Strand (97 weeks)
03.24.1965 … Minneapolis, MN — Mann (95 weeks)
03.24.1965 … Salt Lake City, UT — Utah (95 weeks)
03.24.1965 … Warwick (Providence), RI — Warwick (86 weeks)
03.31.1965 … Buffalo, NY — Teck (79 weeks)
03.31.1965 … Calgary, AB — Odeon (72 weeks)
03.31.1965 … Charlotte, NC — Carolina (79 weeks)
03.31.1965 … Cincinnati, OH — International 70 (79 weeks)
03.31.1965 … Edmonton, AB — Varscona (114 weeks)
03.31.1965 … Honolulu, HI — Kuhio (81 weeks)
03.31.1965 … Houston, TX — Alabama (90 weeks)
03.31.1965 … Indianapolis, IN — Lyric (94 weeks)
03.31.1965 … Phoenix, AZ — Vista (115 weeks)
03.31.1965 … Richmond, VA — Willow Lawn (86 weeks)
03.31.1965 … St. Louis, MO — St. Louis (83 weeks)
03.31.1965 … San Diego, CA — Loma (133 weeks)
03.31.1965 … Seattle, WA — 5th Avenue (117 weeks)

04.01.1965 … Winnipeg, MB — Kings (88 weeks)
04.06.1965 … Tulsa, OK — Brook (79 weeks)
04.07.1965 … Columbus, OH — Northland (84 weeks)
04.07.1965 … Dayton, OH — Dabel (105 weeks)
04.07.1965 … Des Moines, IA — Capri (113 weeks)
04.07.1965 … Jacksonville, FL — 5 Points (31 weeks)
04.07.1965 … Louisville, KY — Rialto (64 weeks + moveover)
04.07.1965 … Memphis, TN — Paramount (79 weeks)
04.07.1965 … Norfolk, VA — Riverview (115 weeks)
04.07.1965 … Oklahoma City, OK — Tower (82 weeks)
04.07.1965 … Omaha, NE — Dundee (118 weeks)
04.07.1965 … Pittsburgh, PA — Nixon (106 weeks)
04.07.1965 … Portland, OR — Fox (116 weeks)
04.07.1965 … San Antonio, TX — North Star Mall Cinema I & II (82 weeks)
04.07.1965 … Tampa, FL — Palace (77 weeks)
04.15.1965 … Orlando, FL — Beacham (60 weeks)
04.15.1965 … Rochester, NY — Monroe (85 weeks)

05.27.1965 … Atlantic City, NJ — Virginia (79 weeks)
05.27.1965 … Fort Worth, TX — Palace (21 weeks)
05.28.1965 … DeWitt (Syracuse), NY — Shoppingtown (76 weeks)

06.19.1965 … Albany, NY — Hellman (30 weeks + RE)
06.23.1965 … Akron, OH — Village (91 weeks)
06.23.1965 … Asbury Park, NJ — Paramount (52+ weeks)
06.23.1965 … Hamden (New Haven), CT — Cinemart (73 weeks)
06.23.1965 … Nashville, TN — Belle Meade (69 weeks)
06.23.1965 … Scranton, PA — West Side (53 weeks)
06.23.1965 … Shrewsbury (Worcester), MA — White City (53 weeks)
06.23.1965 … Syosset, NY — Syosset (78 weeks)
06.23.1965 … Toledo, OH — Princess 70 (91 weeks)
06.23.1965 … Upper Montclair, NJ — Bellevue (100 weeks)
06.23.1965 … West Hartford, CT — Elm (77 weeks)
06.23.1965 … Youngstown, OH — State (51 weeks)
06.30.1965 … London, ON — Hyland (73 weeks)
06.30.1965 … Ottawa, ON — Nelson (55 weeks)
06.30.1965 … Sudbury, ON — Century (14 weeks)

07.07.1965 … Columbia, SC — Carolina (22 weeks)
07.14.1965 … Harrisburg, PA — Eric (68 weeks + RE)
07.14.1965 … Kansas City, MO — Midland (75 weeks)
07.16.1965 … Chattanooga, TN — Brainerd Cinerama (26+ weeks)
07.21.1965 … Savannah, GA — Savannah (12+ weeks)
07.21.1965 … South Portland, ME — Maine Mall Cinema I & II (68 weeks)
07.21.1965 … Wichita, KS — Boulevard (49 weeks)
07.22.1965 … Birmingham, AL — Eastwood Mall (17 weeks)
07.22.1965 … Grand Rapids, MI — Midtown (71 weeks)

08.03.1965 … El Paso, TX — Pershing (17 weeks)
08.04.1965 … Albuquerque, NM — Sunshine (16 weeks)
08.04.1965 … Sioux City, IA — Cinema (47 weeks)
08.06.1965 … Cedar Rapids, IA — Times 70 (65 weeks)
08.06.1965 … Lexington, KY — Kentucky (16 weeks)
08.11.1965 … Greenville, SC — Carolina (15 weeks)
08.11.1965 … Raleigh, NC — Ambassador (61 weeks)
08.11.1965 … Winston-Salem, NC — Winston (44 weeks)
08.13.1965 … Columbus, GA — Beverly (13 weeks)
08.18.1965 … Erie, PA — Plaza (21 weeks)

09.22.1965 … Beaumont, TX — Liberty (14+ weeks)
09.22.1965 … Corpus Christi, TX — Tower (12 weeks)
09.22.1965 … Eugene, OR — Fox (26 weeks)
09.22.1965 … Knoxville, TN — Park (40 weeks)
09.22.1965 … Little Rock, AR — Capitol (13 weeks)
09.22.1965 … Sacramento, CA — Crest (59 weeks)
09.22.1965 … Spokane, WA — State (54 weeks)
09.23.1965 … Augusta, GA — Daniel Village (19 weeks)
09.23.1965 … Macon, GA — Grand (14 weeks)
09.29.1965 … Tucson, AZ — Catalina (45 weeks)

10.06.1965 … Fall River, MA — Durfee (26+ weeks)
10.06.1965 … West Springfield, MA — Showcase Cinemas (36 weeks)
10.14.1965 … Las Vegas, NV — Fox (24 weeks)
10.20.1965 … Moorhead (Fargo, ND), MN — Moorhead (53 weeks)
10.20.1965 … New Orleans, LA — Orleans (56 weeks)
10.27.1965 … Hamilton, ON — Century (38 weeks)
10.27.1965 … Springfield, IL — Lincoln (23 weeks)
10.28.1965 … Charleston, SC — Riviera (12+ weeks)
10.28.1965 … Fort Wayne, IN — Jefferson (52+ weeks)
10.29.1965 … Evansville, IN — Washington (26+ weeks)

11.03.1965 … Fitchburg, MA — Saxon (16 weeks)
11.10.1965 … Davenport, IA — Coronet (74 weeks)

12.23.1965 … Colorado Springs, CO — Cooper 70 (40 weeks)
12.24.1965 … Austin, TX — Varsity (22 weeks)
12.25.1965 … Allentown, PA — Boyd (45 weeks)
12.25.1965 … Binghamton, NY — Capri
12.25.1965 … Boise, ID — Ada (11 weeks)
12.25.1965 … Canton, OH — Palace (42 weeks)
12.25.1965 … Champaign, IL — Co-Ed Twin (26 weeks)
12.25.1965 … Fresno, CA — Warner (33 weeks)
12.25.1965 … Green Bay, WI — West (26+ weeks)
12.25.1965 … Jacksonville, NC — Iwo Jima (12+ weeks)
12.25.1965 … Lubbock, TX — Village (41 weeks)
12.25.1965 … Lynchburg, VA — Warner
12.25.1965 … Manchester, NH — Strand (27 weeks)
12.25.1965 … Montgomery, AL — Empire
12.25.1965 … Newport News, VA — Newmarket (30+ weeks)
12.25.1965 … Reno, NV — Crest (19 weeks)
12.25.1965 … Roanoke, VA — Grandin
12.25.1965 … Shreveport, LA — Broadmoor (35 weeks)
12.25.1965 … Sioux Falls, SD — Cinema (44 weeks)
12.25.1965 … Utica, NY — Uptown (26 weeks)
12.25.1965 … Williamsport, PA — Rialto (26+ weeks)

01.19.1966 … Madison, WI — Hilldale (39 weeks)
01.21.1966 … Palm Beach, FL — Paramount (20 weeks)
01.26.1966 … Mobile, AL — Loop (25 weeks)
01.28.1966 … Bristol, TN — Paramount (17 weeks)

02.02.1966 … Cocoa Beach, FL — Fine Arts (26+ weeks)
02.02.1966 … Reading, PA — Fox (41 weeks)
02.02.1966 … Tallahassee, FL — State
02.04.1966 … Daytona Beach, FL — Beach (16 weeks)
02.09.1966 … Quebec, QC — Cinema Sainte-Foy Salle Alouette (43 weeks)
02.11.1966 … Wheeling, WV — Victoria (20 weeks)
02.16.1966 … Lawrence, MA — Showcase Cinemas (36 weeks)
02.18.1966 … Halifax, NS — Paramount (19 weeks)
02.18.1966 … Tuscaloosa, AL — Capri (15 weeks)
02.23.1966 … Charleston, WV — Capitol (17 weeks)
02.23.1966 … Huntington, WV — Orpheum (18 weeks)
02.24.1966 … Kingston, ON — Hyland (13 weeks)

03.03.1966 … Flint, MI — Palace (17 weeks)
03.03.1966 … Kalamazoo, MI — Capitol (16 weeks)
03.03.1966 … Lansing, MI — Gladmer (16 weeks)
03.18.1966 … Victoria, BC — Odeon (24 weeks)
03.23.1966 … Billings, MT — Babcock (27 weeks)
03.23.1966 … Jackson, MS — Paramount (12 weeks)
03.24.1966 … Amarillo, TX — Esquire (17 weeks)
03.24.1966 … Harlingen, TX — Rialto (12 weeks)
03.24.1966 … Tyler, TX — Arcadia (14 weeks)
03.30.1966 … Great Falls, MT — Civic Center
03.30.1966 … New London, CT — Capitol
03.30.1966 … St. Joseph, MO — Fox East Hills (13 weeks)
03.30.1966 … Springfield, MO — Gillioz (13 weeks)
03.30.1966 … State College, PA — Nittany (10 weeks)
03.30.1966 … Topeka, KS — Grand (13 weeks)
03.31.1966 … Waco, TX — 25th Street (10 weeks)

04.06.1966 … Charlottesville, VA — University
04.06.1966 … Yakima, WA — Yakima (19 weeks)
04.07.1966 … Baton Rouge, LA — Paramount
04.07.1966 … Monroe, LA — Eastgate
04.07.1966 … Quincy, IL — State (10 weeks)
04.07.1966 … Spartanburg, SC — Palmetto (14 weeks)
04.07.1966 … Waterloo (Kitchener), ON — Waterloo (22 weeks)
04.08.1966 … Rockford, IL — Times (25 weeks)
04.14.1966 … Wichita Falls, TX — State (10 weeks)
04.21.1966 … Abilene, TX — Queen (14 weeks)

05.25.1966 … Albany, NY — Hellman (RE, 9 weeks)
05.25.1966 … Wildwood, NJ — Ocean (19 weeks)
05.27.1966 … Myrtle Beach, SC — Gloria (17 weeks)

06.15.1966 … Duluth, MN — Duluth
06.15.1966 … Grand Forks, ND — Forx
06.22.1966 … Columbia, MO — Cinema (15 weeks)
06.22.1966 … Lancaster, PA — Fulton (16+ weeks)
06.23.1966 … Dubuque, IA — Strand (12+ weeks)
06.29.1966 … Brockton, MA — Westgate Mall Cinema I & II (26+ weeks)
06.29.1966 … Hyannis, MA — Center (14 weeks)
06.29.1966 … Louisville, KY — Penthouse (cont. from Rialto, 15 [79] weeks)
06.30.1966 … Lethbridge, AB — Paramount (11 weeks)
06.30.1966 … Fort William (Thunder Bay), ON — Capitol (11 weeks)

07.01.1966 … Peoria, IL — Beverly (23 weeks)
07.12.1966 … San Jose, CA — Century 22 (67 weeks)
07.27.1966 … Altoona, PA — Capitol (12 weeks)
07.27.1966 … South Bend, IN — River Park

08.31.1966 … Fairless Hills (Trenton, NJ), PA — Eric (28 weeks)

09.21.1966 … Anchorage, AK — Fireweed (12 weeks)
09.21.1966 … Brandon, MB — Strand (4 weeks)
09.21.1966 … Oakland, CA — Roxie (35 weeks)
09.21.1966 … Regina, SK — Capitol (16 weeks)
09.21.1966 … Stockton, CA — Ritz (18 weeks)
09.22.1966 … Belleville, ON — Belle (7 weeks)
09.22.1966 … Brantford, ON — Odeon (6 weeks)
09.22.1966 … Moncton, NB — Paramount (6 weeks)
09.22.1966 … North Bay, ON — Capitol (5 weeks)
09.22.1966 … Peterborough, ON — Paramount (10 weeks)
09.22.1966 … Prince George, BC — Parkwood (4 weeks)
09.22.1966 … Sarnia, ON — Odeon (10 weeks)
09.22.1966 … Sault Ste. Marie, ON — Algoma (5 weeks)

10.05.1966 … Monterey, CA — Steinbeck (25 weeks)
10.05.1966 … Wilmington, DE — Cinema 141 (41 weeks)
10.12.1966 … Burlington, VT — State
10.12.1966 … Wilkes-Barre, PA — Gateway
10.13.1966 … Cornwall, ON — Capitol (4 weeks)
10.20.1966 … Brockville, ON — Capitol (5 weeks)
10.20.1966 … Timmins, ON — Victory (4 weeks)
10.20.1966 … Windsor, ON — Park (22 weeks)
10.26.1966 … Boston, MA — Paris (13 weeks)
10.26.1966 … Chelmsford, MA — Route 3 Twin (11 weeks)
10.26.1966 … Maynard, MA — Fine Arts

11.02.1966 … Ellisville (St. Louis), MO — Ellisville (16 weeks)
11.02.1966 … Moline Acres (St. Louis), MO — Lewis & Clark (12 weeks)

12.21.1966 … Fredericksburg, VA — Victoria (11 weeks)
12.21.1966 … Harrisburg, PA — Eric (RE, 8 weeks)
12.21.1966 … Lebanon, PA — Colonial (8 weeks)
12.21.1966 … Lewistown, PA — Embassy
12.21.1966 … Petersburg, VA — Bluebird (6 weeks)
12.21.1966 … Trumbull, CT — United Artists (26 weeks)
12.21.1966 … Waynesboro, VA — Wayne
12.23.1966 … Gainesville, FL — Florida
12.23.1966 … Guelph, ON — Palace (4 weeks)
12.23.1966 … Hickory, NC — Carolina
12.23.1966 … Niagara Falls, ON — Seneca (7 weeks)
12.23.1966 … Pointe-Claire, QC — Fairview Twin (16 weeks)
12.23.1966 … St. Catharines, ON — Pen Centre Twin (15 weeks)
12.23.1966 … Saskatoon, SK — Paramount (18 weeks)
12.23.1966 … Tacoma, WA — Temple
12.25.1966 … Los Angeles, CA — Carthay Circle (cont. from Fox Wilshire, 23 [117] weeks)
12.26.1966 … Medicine Hat, AB — Monarch (6 weeks)
12.26.1966 … Prince Rupert, BC — Totem (4 weeks)
12.26.1966 … Saint John, NB — Paramount
12.28.1966 … St. John’s, NF — Capitol (7 weeks)
12.29.1966 … Red Deer, AB — Paramount (4 weeks + moveover)

01.12.1967 … Oshawa, ON — Regent (8 weeks)
01.13.1967 … Durham, NC — Center
01.13.1967 … Wilmington, NC — Manor
01.18.1967 … Kamloops, BC — Paramount (6 weeks)
01.26.1967 … Lacombe (Red Deer), AB — Lux (cont. from Paramount, 4 [8] weeks)

02.01.1967 … Montreal, QC — York (cont. from Seville, 7 [105] weeks + moveover)
02.08.1967 … West Vancouver, BC — Park Royal (cont. from Ridge, 11 [110] weeks)

03.23.1967 … Montreal, QC — Versailles (cont. from York, 7 [112] weeks)

THE RESERVED-SEAT “ROADSHOW” ENGAGEMENTS (INTERNATIONAL)

03.29.1965 … London, England, UK — Dominion (170 weeks)

04.09.1965 … Auckland, New Zealand — Plaza (52+ weeks)
04.15.1965 … Bournemouth, England, UK — Odeon (52+ weeks)
04.15.1965 … Brighton, England, UK — Regent (52+ weeks)
04.15.1965 … Christchurch, New Zealand — State (52+ weeks)
04.15.1965 … Manchester, England, UK — Gaumont (104+ weeks)
04.16.1965 … Glasgow, Scotland, UK — Gaumont (140 weeks)
04.17.1965 … Melbourne, Australia — Paris (140 weeks + moveover)
04.17.1965 … Sydney, Australia — Mayfair (140 weeks + moveover)
04.18.1965 … Birmingham, England, UK — Gaumont (104+ weeks)
04.18.1965 … Blackpool, England, UK — Palladium (46 weeks)
04.18.1965 … Bristol, England, UK — Odeon (52+ weeks)
04.18.1965 … Cardiff, Wales, UK — Capitol (104+ weeks)
04.18.1965 … Edinburgh, Scotland, UK — Odeon (52+ weeks)
04.18.1965 … Leeds, England, UK — Majestic (130 weeks)
04.18.1965 … Newcastle, England, UK — Queens (140 weeks)
04.18.1965 … Southampton, England, UK — Odeon (52+ weeks)

05.20.1965 … Buenos Aires, Argentina — Ambassador (96 weeks)
05.26.1965 … San Juan, Puerto Rico — Metropolitan (44 weeks)

06.11.1965 … Tokyo, Japan — Piccadilly (20 weeks)
06.16.1965 … Nairobi, Kenya — 20th Century (3 weeks)
06.??.1965 … Johannesburg, South Africa — Fine Arts (26+ weeks)
06.??.1965 … Lima, Peru — ?
06.??.1965 … Liverpool, England, UK — Odeon (52+ weeks)
06.??.1965 … Osaka, Japan — Namba Dai Gekijo (12+ weeks)

07.06.1965 … Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — Palacio (44 weeks)
07.12.1965 … Nottingham, England, UK — Odeon (52+ weeks)
07.12.1965 … Sao Paulo, Brazil — Rivoli (39 weeks)
07.14.1965 … Manila, Philippines — Ever (37 weeks)
07.20.1965 … Bloemfontein, South Africa — Ritz
07.26.1965 … Porto Alegre, Brazil — Marrocas (21+ weeks)
07.28.1965 … Brisbane, Australia — Paris (52+ weeks)
07.??.1965 … Hong Kong — ?
07.??.1965 … Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — ?
07.??.1965 … Port of Spain, Trinidad — De Luxe (26+ weeks)
07.??.1965 … Singapore — ?

08.06.1965 … Dunedin, New Zealand — Octagon (20+ weeks)
08.12.1965 … Kampala, Uganda — Norman (2 weeks)
08.16.1965 … Cape Town, South Africa — Van Riebeeck (26+ weeks)
08.18.1965 … Perth, Australia — Paris (52+ weeks)

09.03.1965 … Tel Aviv, Israel — Peer (25 weeks)
09.07.1965 … Santiago, Chile — Ducal (40 weeks)
09.09.1965 … Caracas, Venezuela — Florida (48 weeks)
09.21.1965 … Belo Horizonte, Brazil — Guarani
09.26.1965 … Leicester, England, UK — Odeon

10.04.1965 … Sheffield, England, UK — Odeon (52+ weeks)
10.29.1965 … Bangkok, Thailand — Krung Kasem (20 weeks)
10.??.1965 … Curitiba, Brazil — Maraba
10.??.1965 … Pretoria, South Africa — 20th Century

11.05.1965 … Napier, New Zealand — State
11.18.1965 … Mexico City, Mexico — Manacar (65 weeks)
11.??.1965 … Alagoinhas, Brazil — Azi
11.??.1965 … Durban, South Africa — Colosseum
11.??.1965 … East London, South Africa — 20th Century
11.??.1965 … Hastings, New Zealand — State

12.09.1965 … Stockholm, Sweden — Ritz
12.17.1965 … Helsinki, Finland — ?
12.17.1965 … Wellington, New Zealand — Kings (41 weeks)
12.17.1965 … Zurich, Switzerland — Corso (6 weeks)
12.20.1965 … Barcelona, Spain — Aribau
12.20.1965 … Copenhagen, Denmark — Imperial (24 weeks)
12.20.1965 … Madrid, Spain — Amaya
12.22.1965 … Rotterdam, Netherlands — Corso
12.23.1965 … Antwerp, Belgium — Rubens (12 weeks)
12.23.1965 … Bombay (Mumbai), India — Regal (47 weeks)
12.23.1965 … Brussels, Belgium — Varietes
12.25.1965 … Frankfurt, West Germany — Metro (2 weeks)
12.25.1965 … West Berlin, West Germany — Royal
12.30.1965 … Bogota, Colombia — Palermo
12.30.1965 … Milan, Italy — Cavour

01.10.1966 … Lisbon, Portugal — Roma
01.10.1966 … Lisbon, Portugal — Tivoli (44 weeks)

02.17.1966 … Adelaide, Australia — Paris (119 weeks)
02.18.1966 … Paris, France — Cameo (8 weeks)
02.18.1966 … Paris, France — Ermitage (8 weeks)

04.07.1966 … Oslo, Norway — ?

05.20.1966 … Dublin, Ireland — Cinerama (91 weeks)
05.20.1966 … Munich, West Germany — City (3 weeks)

06.29.1966 … San Jose, Costa Rica — Raventos
06.??.1966 … Monterrey, Mexico — ?
06.??.1966 … Oxford, England, UK — ?
06.??.1966 … Taipei, Taiwan — Great World (16 weeks)

07.03.1966 … Norwich, England, UK — Gaumont (32 weeks)
07.11.1966 … Alexandria, Egypt — Amir (15 weeks)

10.24.1966 … Cairo, Egypt — Cairo Palace (23 weeks)

11.??.1966 … Madras, India — Safire (20 weeks)

12.22.1966 … Delhi, India — Odeon (17 weeks)

12.20.1967 … Sydney, Australia — Paris (cont. from Mayfair, 41 [181] weeks)
12.21.1967 … Melbourne, Australia — Esquire (cont. from Paris, 38 [178] weeks)

THE SOUND OF…SOMETHING DIFFERENT (SELECTED INTERNATIONAL TITLES)
Dutch: “De Mooiste Muziek"
French: "La Melodie Du Bonheur"
German: "Meine Lieder Meine Träume"
Greek: "E Meloudia Tees Efti Hias"
Israeli: "Tze-leh Ha-musica"
Italian: "Tutti Insieme Appassionatamente"
Portuguese (Brazil): "A Novica Rebelde"
Portuguese (Portugal): "Musica No Coracao"
Spanish (Latin America): "La Novicia Rebelde"
Spanish (Spain): "Sonrisas Y Lagrimas”

LITERAL TRANSLATION OF SELECTED INTERNATIONAL TITLES
Chinese: “Fairy Music Blow Fragrant Place, Place Hear"
Dutch: "The Most Beautiful Music"
Egyptian: "Love And Tenderness"
French: "The Melody Of Happiness"
German: "My Songs My Dreams"
Greek: "The Melody Of Happiness"
Israeli: "The Sound Of Music"
Italian: "All Together With Passion"
Portuguese (Brazil): "The Rebellious Novice"
Portuguese (Portugal): "Music Of The Heart"
Spanish (Latin America): "The Rebellious Novice"
Spanish (Spain): "Smiles And Tears"
Thai: "Charms Of The Heaven Sound”

THE “SPECIAL SELECTIVE” AND “GENERAL RELEASE” ENGAGEMENTS (UNITED STATES & CANADA)

The music (and the money coming in) didn’t end with the roadshow release. Beginning in late-1966/early-1967 in the U.S. and Canada, THE SOUND OF MUSIC was put into a “Special Selective Engagement” release, which was, essentially, a modified roadshow in that the bookings were area exclusives with reserved performances, scheduled showtimes, and higher-than-normal admission prices. The distinction between this release and the original roadshow release is that seats, in most situations, were not reserved. It was at this stage that most small and mid-sized cities that did not run the film on a reserved-seat basis first played the film. It was also during this time that large cities began their first of numerous return engagements. The majority of these engagements were shown in 35mm, although it is unclear if Fox’s mandatory stereophonic sound policy was still in effect or if souvenir roadshow program booklets were offered for sale.

The “General” release (“Continuous Performances at Popular Prices”) followed the “Special Selective” release in mid-to-late 1967, depending on the market, and it wasn’t until 1968 that many tiny towns played the film for the first time. Gradually, the film would be booked into virtually every city with a movie theater, and the film remained in circulation through the summer of 1969, at which time several theaters ran a “Farewell” engagement.

Ultimately, THE SOUND OF MUSIC played over 9,000 engagements during its record run of four and a half years and concluded its run number one on the all-time box-office list.

CONCLUSION

Many box-office records and trivia were established during the phenomenally successful run of THE SOUND OF MUSIC. Among the unique items: (1) THE SOUND OF MUSIC became the first motion picture to gross $100 million (a feat journalists and historians frequently attribute mistakenly to 1975’s JAWS), (2) domestically more than 75 engagements ran in excess of one year, (3) a dozen domestic engagements ran in excess of two years, (4) in numerous situations, the number of tickets sold for a given theater exceeded the population of the city in which the theater was located, suggesting strong repeat business and people traveling from other cities to see the film, (5) the film performed so well in coastal resort areas (such as Atlantic City) that theaters stayed open year-round whereas they customarily closed during the winter, (6) during the summer of 1966, only a year and a half after its premiere and several months prior to beginning a general nationwide release, THE SOUND OF MUSIC surpassed GONE WITH THE WIND to become the industry’s top-grossing motion picture, and (7) the film played for so long in some theaters that protests took place by angry moviegoers complaining they were prevented from seeing other newer films.

As successful as THE SOUND OF MUSIC was in North America, the film was even more successful internationally, particularly in Australia and the United Kingdom, where engagements of two and even three years in their principal cities were the norm. As an (extreme) example of the film’s appeal, there were well-publicized reports of moviegoers seeing the film over 100 times, including a woman in Cardiff, Wales who saw it over 900 times!

In only a handful of countries could THE SOUND OF MUSIC be considered a flop. In Germany, for obvious reasons, the film was greeted coldly. In fact, for the Munich engagement, many of the scenes featuring the Nazis were removed by the local exhibitor (without the approval of the filmmakers or studio) rendering much of the film incoherent. As well, it under-performed in France and Switzerland and in parts of central Africa. And the film did not even play first-run in Austria despite having been filmed there.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC, in North America, was officially re-released during 1973 and 1978 and in a limited 25th anniversary re-release during 1990. The film’s network television debut broadcast was in 1976, and its first home video release was in 1979. In recent years “Sing-A-Long” presentations have become popular. In 2001, the film was selected for preservation by the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress. In 2003, for special screenings, Fox ordered new prints struck featuring for the first time a digital soundtrack. The film recently underwent a restoration and is scheduled to be released later this year for the first time on Blu-ray Disc.

In the decades since its release, the amazing box-office performance of THE SOUND OF MUSIC has been surpassed by 167 films. However, adjusted for inflation, THE SOUND OF MUSIC ranks number three all-time behind only STAR WARS and GONE WITH THE WIND. So, whether you adore or loathe THE SOUND OF MUSIC, or are simply indifferent, there’s no question the film was an unqualified success, the likes the industry had never seen and one that foreshadowed the blockbuster era.

REFERENCES

Primary references for this project were hundreds of daily newspapers archived on microfilm. General references include the books THE SOUND OF MUSIC: THE MAKING OF AMERICA’S FAVORITE MOVIE by Julia Antopol Hirsch (1993, Contemporary Books) and GEORGE LUCAS’S BLOCKBUSTING: A DECADE-BY-DECADE SURVEY OF TIMELESS MOVIES INCLUDING UNTOLD SECRETS OF THEIR FINANCIAL AND CULTURAL SUCCESS edited by Alex Ben Block and Lucy Autrey Wilson (2010, George Lucas Books/HarperCollins), the website BoxOfficeMojo, and THE SOUND OF MUSIC coverage in trade publications Boxoffice, The Film Daily, The Hollywood Reporter, Motion Picture Herald, Motion Picture Exhibitor, Movie Marketing, and Variety.

Research was conducted at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC; Die Deutsche Bibliothek, Frankfurt, Germany; Young Research Library (University of California Los Angeles); Southern Regional Library Facility (University of California Los Angeles); Margaret Herrick Library (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Fairbanks Center for Motion Picture Study), Beverly Hills, CA; Main Library (University of Illinois), Urbana, IL; as well as at several public libraries throughout the world.

Canadian engagement details researched and contributed by Bill Kretzel.

Special Thanks: Jerry Alexander, Marilyn Arnold, Serge Bosschaerts, Deborah Bryan, Mary Piero Carey, Evans Criswell, Anthony Cutts, Nick DiMaggio, Peter Fraser, Carlos Fresnedo, Jarrell Greever, Jean-Pierre Gutzeit, Dr. Sheldon Hall, Thomas Hauerslev, William Hooper, Bill Huelbig, Bill Kretzel, Paul Linfesty, Gabriel Neeb, Jim Perry, Dr. Jochen Rudschies, Barbara Shatara, Grant Smith, Carol ‘Stash’ Stanley, Bob Throop, Ashley Ward. As well, the author extends a special thank-you to the many librarians who were of assistance throughout this project.

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You are invited to share any thoughts you may have pertaining to this article or memories you have of seeing THE SOUND OF MUSIC.

Theaters in this post

• 20th Century Cinema
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• 5th Avenue Theatre
• Alabama Theatre
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• Amir Cinema
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• Aribau Multicines
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• Bellevue Cinema 4
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• Broadmoor Theater
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• Capitol Theatre I and II
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