Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1931)

MANAGERS' ROUND TABLE CLUB Chajcle $ E .^'Ch ich!' Lewi S Qhalt/nan. and ^dit&t, C^n. (i9ntefn.ationa( O^^fociatcon o^cfkofPmen. Cl^eetin^ MOTION PICTURE HERALD A Consolidation of Exhibitors Herald World and Motion Picture News ^ Cl>&u^ QVeeA. ^foi. c\{uhcal y^ene^it and IP^ot^tef^ Conducted By Aisr Exhibitor For Exhibitor^ SLANTS ON A "BIG" INDUSTRY! \\^ ONGRATULATIONS are in order, Chick," f wrote a rising young chap in a iarge circuit pubhcity department, "I've just been promoted to director of publicity." So we congratu,! lated him. ,i And did he get the substantial salary increase ' which should go with such a promotion? He did j{ not. So from his optimistic viewpoint opportunity ] was knocking at his door; while from a practical , slant we could only see his promotion as a move to \ save a few dollars by the circuit. "Hollow honors" is the title of that incident, and j there are hundreds of others just like it. So we are } wondering whether the boss who made that "mas' ter" move would allow himself to be promoted to a bigger job without asking for the salary increase which goes with important promotions. I H'* ^ Those field representatives whose duties consist of watching the theatre overhead might think this I one over when tackling the lighting cost problem: Douse all the lights as per the usual method when ' closing the house for the night and then take a flashlight and go down to the meter room and see ' if any of those meters are still running. If they show any signs of activity then it's high time to investigate and find out where some juice is being used all night long. 'Sfact, we tried it on four managers and three of them discovered lights \ burning where they least expected to find them, such as boiler rooms, organ loft, hanging ceilings, fan houses and projection booths. One house even discovered a blower fan with a two-horsepower motor going full blast. So this experiment is worth while occasionally. 'K A certain manager met his division chief at the home office and was told that they wanted him (the manager) to know how well-pleased they were with the results he was getting at what was once a "cluck" house. Naturally, the man was elated and felt that his hard work was not ignored. Imagine his surprise when he reached the theatre to find a new man at his desk with the glad tidings that he was instructed to take over the house. So back to the home ofiice went the now dejected manager to ask "Why?" And he was told, 'midst apologies, that due to the sale of some of the circuit's houses, it was necessary to place the boys who were without theatres. But, "Don't worry," he was told, "we'll take care of you." "Report to the B . . . Theatre tomorrow morning and see if you can't help Manager X. . . . put that house over. Of course, you'll have to take a.little cut, but as soon as things adjust themselves we'll see that you get a house again." Pardon, did we call this a business . . . ? * * * * For the benefit of some perpetual knockers, we'd like to say that one of the major circuits demonstrated they had hearts when they carried several men without assignments for quite a few weeks at full salary. This particular circuit had been the target for a lot of unfair criticism and if the truth were known it would surprise a lot of boys to know how fair the outfit really is. And the man responsible for the hiring (and very often the firing) is one executive who will see that a deserving manager gets in line for promotion with a salary increase. Other large and small chains would do well to add a touch of humane treatment in their contact with the boys running the houses and we are certain that the results would prove it more than worth while. * * * * Oh well, if I can't break a hundred this spring, I'm going to throw my clubs in the lake and take up ping-pong. ''Chick"