Motion Picture News (Jul - Sep 1930)

42h Motion Picture News July 5, 1930 MA.NACERT ROUND TABLE CLUB Zigmond Added A New Slant To The "Locked Door" Gag One of the main reasons for the showman success of Jerome Zigmond, manager of the Avalon Theatre in Grand Junction, Colo., is his penchant for sticking new angles on gags that have been used before, and when he played "The Locked Door" he brought his showmanship into play and effected a stunt that had them talking for days. First, he tied up with the Piggly-Wiggly Grocery Stores and they furnished gratis $25 worth of groceries to the person lucky enough to open the door of a safe lodged in the lobby of the theatre. The advantage of this stunt was that there was no cost for keys, as in the other "Locked Dcor" gags that we have shown on these pages, except those special tie-ups with locksmiths; and instead of a lock, Zigmond used a safe and had the combinations printed on a circular on which was also a detailed explanation of the contest and the prize to be awarded as well as mention of picture, theatre and playdates. It was possible to have a different combination on every slip at no more cost than ordinary circulars. This was due to the printer having a numbering machine and turning it back at every hundred and changing one of the other numbers. Zigmond figured that there is a certain fascination that you get working a safe combination that does not surround an ordinary lock and key stunt. Most persons have never had the opportunity of working a safe and the people in Grand Junction seemed to get a lot of pleasure out of it. And, incidentally, it was first necessary to purchase a ticket at the box office before one was entitled to work the safe combination. The stunt had a bunch of people grouped about the safe from the time the house opened until it closed and as this was the first time the gag had ever been used it met with more than the usual amount of word of mouth publicity and subsequent box-office business. And as this is what Jerome is constantly striving for, it seems that he is hitting the mark quite often. Walker Says It With Pen And Ink From Haver straw Our good friend, G. W. Walker of the Capitol Theatre, Haverstraw, N. Y., believes in saying it, not only in words, but with pen and ink sketches, and in order that you — may better understand what we are talking about, we have reproduced a sketch which occupied a prominent spot in one of his letters to Club headquarters. Walker, in the event you don't know it, has had a most interesting career in the show business, and besides has spent many years at cartoon work for many publications, including Motion Picture News about fifteen years ago. Another accomplishment, and a mighty good one, too, is his being a projectionist, and in these days, when the booth is both the heart and the mouth of the modern theatres' entertainment, knowing a whole lot about projection and sound equipment constitutes a most important portion of any real manager's work. That he headed himself in the right direction has been proven by the fact that he took over this theatre and, besides managing it, he is the sole owner. At any rate, it clearly demonstrates that if his ideas of theatre management and showmanship were not all they should be, he would not be meeting with the success that he is. We would like to hear a whole lot more from this progressive showman and would welcome the opportunity of saying more about him on the pages of the Round Table Club. What do you say, Walker? Will you accommodate us? It Costs You Nothing to Belong to the MANAGERS' ROUND TABLE CLUB And see what marvellous benefits you derive from this organization! A great many showmen (we know) have been just on the verge of joining the Managers' Round Table Club, but have neglected to do so largely through oversight. We suggest that YOU get full information about this great army of showmen and then decide once and for all whether you want to join. The mere fact that so many live-wire showmen already belong to the organization — that they represent the cream of the show-world — every branch of theatre management — that not a single one was induced by a salesman or any other sort of solicitation other than through the actual activities of the Club and the word-of-mouth praise that has spread from one end of the world to the other — but joined after simply reading the facts about what the Club does for its members — all these are indications that it is worth your while at least to get these facts as quickly as possible, and then (if you want to) join and get the benefits that such association with fellow showmen is bound to bring. IT HAS ALMOST REACHED THE POINT WHERE IT IS NOT A QUESTION OF WHO BELONGS TO THE CLUB— BUT, WHO DOESN'T BELONG TO IT! "All For One And One For All "