Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1939)

Training Ushers For Bigger Jobs £J How the service staffs of RKO's Cincinnati theatres are instructed at monthly meetings usher training that goes in purpose considerably beyond the needs of the immediate job has been started for the staffs of RKO's theatres in Cincinnati by Joe Goetz, assistant division manager. The training is given in special monthly meetings of the ushers employed by the eight RKO houses in the Cincinnati metropolitan district. The duties of ushers, and how to perform them efficiently, are pointed out; but in addition, the young men are addressed by various community leaders in vocational and personal matters for the purpose of directing them into channels leading to bigger jobs, either in showbusiness or out of it. The first meeting, for example, was addressed by Mayor James Garfield Stewart of Cincinnati. The ushers and chiefs of service, numbering about 100, were told: "You young men are in exactly the right environment to acquire, not only the fundamentals of showbusiness, but also to broaden out into other fields if you so desire. You have constant contact with the public, which affords valuable experience, and by initiative, observation, strict application you will develop a technique which it would otherwise be rather difficult to acquire. Executives are always on the lookout for the young man who has really got what it takes, and that young man can be you if you are constantly on your toes." Others whom Mr. Goetz scheduled for these meetings are Eugene Weatherly, chief of police, who was asked to talk on Service chiefs and ushers being addressed by Mayor Stewart of Cincinnati. crowd psychology and what to do in emergencies ; and a representative of the telephone company, to discuss personality values in the correct answering of the telephone. Barney Houston, Cincinnati fire chief, was also asked to talk on fire hazards and to conduct a fire drill. Mr. Goetz comments : "Although the meetings have been in progress but a short time, we already can see considerable improvement in the way members of our service staffs go about their duties. W e anticipate highly beneficial and permanent results from these meetings." Incidentally, meetings for the cashiers of RKO's Cincinnati theatres are also being inaugurated to develop habits of courtesy, and to instruct them in detection of counterfeit money, in some phases of box office acounting, and in other details relating both to their routine of work and their contact with the public. . . . an Usher Who Went to the Top ^JAn interview with Joseph R. Vogel, who has been desiqnated a director of Loew's, Inc. JOSEPH R. vogel, who has just been elected to the board of directors of Loew's, Inc., recently completed thirty years of service with the organization. From parttime (after school) usher at Loew's Yorkville theatre in New York, at the age of 14 back in 1909, to general manager of all Loew theatres outside of New York, and of the famed Capitol and Astor theatres in New York, is Mr. Vogel's success story, to which his directorship now adds still another chapter. Few men have held theatre positions at such an early age as Joe Vogel: from 14 to 16, a part-time usher; at 17, treasurer and assistant theatre manager ; manager of the Fulton theatre in Brooklyn at 18. Then in 1921, at the age of 26, he was made the first manager of Loew's State on Broadway. And from 1923 on he has been a theatre executive at the Loew home office. Interviewed there he recalled early experiences. "When I started ushering the single-reeler was the 'feature' picture. Vaudeville was the main part of the program, with $50 the top pay for an act. job the manager had was to get the people out of the theatre. The film was always put in the 'chaser' spot — an act or two would be left out of each performance, and when the film came on, patrons would leave, thinking they had seen the whole show. "The first five-reeler we played was 'Queen Elizabeth,' starring Sarah Bernhardt. The question was whether to run the picture altogether, or to put in an act of vaudeville between each of the five reels. Yes, sir, believe it or not, it was decided that the audience would not sit through five reels, so an act was put on after each reel! Of course, it didn't take long to find out that this was wrong. "In fact, pictures quickly became the main attraction, and vaudeville acts were then booked only to help a weak picture. And now the big stage performers want to know what the picture is before they take an engagement!" Pointing out that the theatre manager today has a much bigger job than when motion picture first became important, Mr. Vogel said : "Managers, assistant managers and ushers should take part in regular conferences to improve the operation of their particular theatre. The live-wire usher who studies, takes courses at night, and uses every means to learn the rudiments of theatre operation, in every department, is the usher who will get somewhere. "The theatre manager who knows something of salesmanship and has learned how to make his theatre attractive and efficiently operated is the successsful manager. All other things being equal, the public will go to the theatre that is kept in the best condition, from both an appearance and an operating viewpoint. "During the depression years, Loew's never stinted on maintenance. In the long run, there is no real economy in cutting down on theatre maintenance. Ultimately, even more money than would have been necessary has to be spent after a theatre has been allowed to run down. The only sound policy is one that calls for keeping the theatre physically fit at all times." With Loew's thirty years. Just the same, the toughest 10 A Section of Motion Picture Herald