Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1939)

70 MOTION PICTURE HERALD July 2 9, 1939 Schme Brothers Convention Marks Rise of Circuit to 150 Theatres Growth of Operations Credited to Selection by Executives of Top Manpower JOHN A. MAY GEORGE V. LYNCH TO those who know, and they are many who claim to know, no small part in the progress of the Schine circuit is the recognition given by J. Myer Schine, president, and Louis W. Schine, vice-president, to the excellence of the organization's manpower in home office and field, and the cooperation of the personnel in building the circuit from one house to 150 in 20 years of operation. Emphasized at the circuit's recent convention, in Gloversville, New York, was the smooth functioning of the operating departments, each headed by a leader carefully selected by the brothers and highly trained as an expert in bis particular line. Many executives in the home office and in the field, have grown up with the company, but the organization is essentially young in spirit and personnel. Department heads and theatre managers are mostly young men with a preponderance of college graduates. Each home office department functions independently, but all are tied together by weekly meetings of department heads at which time general problems are discussed and policies formulated. Typical of the Schine home office procedure, is their method of screening all features and shorts for the benefit of the operating, booking and publicity departments, with the heads and assistants of these departments present at the screenings. Immediately after each picture has been viewed, each person who has seen it, fills out a screening report that includes his opinion of the picture's boxoffice possibilities and playing time as well as his thoughts on the sales angles and exploitation possibilities. After the independent opinions are secured, a round table discussion is held by all concerned, and a complete plan of campaign is outlined. Started Operations in 1918 The Schine brothers went to Gloversville in 1918 when they acquired the old Hippodrome which was an upstairs theatre. Formerly a roller skating rink, it had been converted into a theatre but had been unsuccessfully operated by a series of owners and managers. When they acquired the Hippodrome, it was one of three theatres operating in Gloversville. Within two years after taking over the Gloversville Hippodrome, the Schines acquired the two other Gloversville theatres and the new Glove which had been erected only three years before. It was in Gloversville that the Schines first tested their theories. With these theatres as a nucleus, they put into actual practice the cardinal principles of giving the public the best and most in entertainment at reasonable prices and in comfortable and pleasant surroundings — ideals upon which they reasoned they could build the chain of theatres they have today and those they may operate in the future. Keenly alive to the boxoffice possibilities of sustained showmanship, the Schines have always encouraged spirited exploitation in the field, evidences of which are indicated LOUIS GOLDSTEIN GUS LAMPE by the great number of the circuit's mana HAROLD SLITER DOUG. LE1SHMAN LOU LAZAR CLINT YOUNG J. MYER SCHINE LOUIS W. SCHINE GENE CURTIS FRANK BOUCHER gers who are active members of the Round Table and frequent winners of Quigley Award honors. Group insurance for employees, bonuses for managers, social organizations for the personnel have long been policies of the company.