Exhibitors Herald (1927)

March 26, 1927 EXHIBITORS HERALD 31 Brings Chi “Blue Skies” PAUL ASH (You Know Paul) was due back in Chicago March 15 (mention Ides of March at your peril) and that made it a holiday so everybody went down to the station. Here^s A1 Kvale, who led Ash's band at the Oriental in his absence. Ash's secretary and Louis McDermott, Ash's pro* ducer, awaiting the laggard locomotive. No foolin' about that holiday thing, either. Chicago picturegoers think Paul's the fellow they named Wednesday after (as you'll learn if you try to get into the Oriental some Wednesday night) and-— this being Tuesday— most of them were there. You can see some of their heads, lower right. That's Paul on the patlform with his hat off, McDermott alongside pointing out Ye Cameraman or something. “Later"^— as the subtitles say— Kvale, Ash, McDermott and A1 Beilin, Irving Berlin representative who shared Paul's Miami vacation, lined up so the **Herald*’ camera could give you a good picture of the men who've done more than any others in their respective lines to make bandshow presentation what it is. (There may be no connection, but Chicago's had nothing but sunshine and blue skies since Ash returned.) Stageshows in Europe Vitaphone Proves Stageshow Booster Jonas Perlberg, State, Hammond, Ind., writes the following postscript to a letter (complete in next issue) telling of record business done with “Don Juan” and Vitaphone ; Vitaphone has brought the better class people into the house, folks coming from all small towns within 30 miles. Tried to cut stageshows during "Don Juan” but got so many letters complaining about it that we’re putting stageshows back again. Joe Weil to Do Universal Presentation Will Set Policy for 260 “U” Chain Theatres — Headquarters in New York (Special to the Herald) NEW YORK, March 22. — Universal issued the following announcement last Saturday: With the constantly growing number of theatres and the consolidation of their management in the New York office, the Universal Chain Theatres Corporation yesterday engaged Joe Weil, formerly exploitation manager of Universal Pictures Corporation, to organize and to operate an exploitation and presentation program for their two hundred and sixty theatres. This move has been under discussion for some time ; the necessity for it has been apparent from the first. The success of such departments as conducted by the Balaban & Katz chain, the L. & T. Theatres, the West Coast Theatres, the Stanley Theatres and other chains has been so productive of unity of action and efficiency and economy of management as to leave no doubt of its practicability. In fact, the occasion for it was more necessary on account of the wide distribution and diverse character of its houses. Choice Is Unanimous The job of creating such a department required a man of exceptional experience and ability. Because of his success in putting over Universal pictures, both in New York at the Colony, Cohan and Central theatres, and through his efficiency in running the exploitation department throughout the country, the unanimous choice of the Universal Chain Theatre officials fell upon Mr. Weil. Universal Chain Theatre officials will Mangan Pats Spain on Map; They Like It London -to -Paris -to -Barcelona is Nucleus of European Publix Route “It’s a small world” and presentation is making it smaller. Francis A. Mangan, Publix producer, has put Spain on the presentation map by taking his London Plaza stageshows to Barcelona (not a music tie-up) and Paris is next. After that — who can tell? Shanghai doesn’t look so promising at the moment, but maybe the lack of good stageshows is what the war’s all about at that. Anyway — Mr. Mangan contributes the following information from Barcelona under date of February 26: “Here I am away down here in Spain looking out over the Mediterranean and trying to introduce stage presentations to the Spaniards. We have hit upon the idea of transporting stage presentations from the Plaza in London to the Coliseum, our house here in Barcelona, and it is working out admirably. Has Company of 25 “I now have a company of some twenty-five people here, including sixteen Tiller Dancers. The Spaniards are taking to it wonderfully, in fact more readily than the English did at first. “The distance for transporting scenery, costumes, etc., is very great and the customs regulations are very severe, having to pass through France or Belgium or both, but this will be altered after the opening of the new Paramount in Paris.” give Mr. Weil an absolutely free hand in the creation and direction of the new department. It is his desire to formulate a constructive policy of presentations in Universal houses, and Mr. Weil will create and direct this department in accordance with his own ideas of the kind of presentations required. To Unify Departments A uniform publicity, advertising and exploitation service for all the theatres will be organized and centered in New York, with the proper machinery for extending all branches of the chain. A uniform program will be published in New York for all the houses. A magazine will be started for their benefit, and other plans will be put in effect.