Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

October 4, 19 3 0 Motion Picture News 121 MANAGercr round table club Blaire Opens House Again; He Is Now Ready For Action It was with a great deal of regret we learned that the Regent Theatre in Cedar Falls, Iowa, was forced to close its doors due to demolition by flames. As most of the Club members know, this house is managed by our friend, Merle R. Blaire. But we are now happy to report that the house has been renovated and rebuilt and with its new finery is more beautiful than before. As his first move in the campaign to bring back the patronage stronger than ever. Blaire set out to promote a doubletruck ad in the local newspaper. The dealers came through wonderfully and you can see the finished product in the cut we are showing. As you will notice, the theatre occupies the most prominent position on the page. Our B~t Wuhn 0 C MEBajUtD BEST WISHES Casey Bros. ft. Sett WuAw lf&. Our Flrtt San*r Show In Your New Tourn. Ail C«Ur Falls WU] Roar *t Wild WUml. UghniT Conpildjaore •»■_<**.., Regent Cafe Mim 0*i.tom4„Gx Our Congratulations f j. a-v. * w c In addition to securing this valuable advertising, Blaire was also the recipient of many publicity stories and pictures from the local papers as well as the sheets in nearby towns. All of this tended towards a big opening night. And when the theatre opened its doors after being darkened a month, Blaire found that the town was mighty proud of it. We would like to say that his showmanship has done much to keep that theatre in the good graces of the community and we know that he is going to continue his good work and keep us posted on the results. Flower Show Week Gave Greenberg A Sweet Lobby Break Flower show week, offered Ben Greenberg, manager of the Paramount Theatre in Springfield, Mass., an opportunity to transform his lobby into a flower garden and he more than took advantage of it. Artistic groupings of the gladioli were used, and one of the most striking was in the lobby at the left of the entrance. Here, the Paramount artist, Emil Paulson, arranged a towering pedestal which graduated back from the wide base so as to provide shelves for the flowers which are displayed in large pottery vases. The pedestal was colored in all the shades of the rainbow, and various varieties of gladioli were placed against backgrounds that harmonize with the blooms. A sun dial in front of the display added to the effect of a modernistic garden on a towering terrace. Another grouping that attracted much attention was on the mezzanine floor. Here a large number of .fir trees were used to form a background of natural green, and the flowers in vases and urns were displayed against the background and along the walls of the salon. Garden benches of concrete together with huge urns and vases transformed the spacious mezzanine salon into a spot of rare beauty. A crew from Carter's, Inc., with the assistance of the Paramount'staff, arranged the flower show, which was put on at no cost to the theatre. In order to stage a thing like this Greenberg must be in pretty good with the local merchants, and it leads us to believe that he is pretty active in his city. So we hope to number him among the active members and contributors to the Club pages. ECONOMY Many showmen who lie awake nights figuring out how to cut down the cost of their advertising campaign or save a few dollars here or there in the operation of their theatre, seem to entirely overlook the tremendous saving which can be effected by looking carefully into the operating cost of the various portions of their theatre which they are so inclined to overlook. We mean, for example, the heating plant and the fuel it takes to operate it. Here is a phase of theatre operation which burns up needlessly thousands of dollars every year, the larger the house very often the larger the waste. Supposing you devote a little thought to this angle and give some consideration to the many devices which are being marketed throughout the country which, perhaps for your particular theatre, can be adapted so as to maintain the efficiency of your heating plant or perhaps increase its efficiency and, at the same time, cut down the cost of the fuel. We are not ballyhobing or advocating any particular type of equipment but, rather, are trying to impress you with the fact that there is available such fuel savers, one of which may be just what you want. A theatre manager is supposed to be a good business man and a good business man will rarely turn a deaf ear to a solicitor or salesman who has something he believes can be used in the theatre. After all, the short time it takes to listen to what a man has to offer should be well worth the time so spent. Why not make it a point to lend a willing ear to anyone who wants to impress upon you the fact that they are selling something that can save you money? And, as a matter of fact, you should go even further. You should scout around and find out how other theatres are economizing in their heating plants and at the same time increasing the efficiency of their equipment. We suggest that you do a lot of good common sense concentration and you may be surprised to find, even as a whole lot of other showmen have found, that if you are trying to cut down your overhead here is a corking way to do it and to show that you are a darn good business man at the same time. Smeltzer Operating Broadway Theatre In Oakland, Calif. It was with pleasure that we learned William G. Smeltzer, after a year's absence from the theatre, during which time he was engaged in another line of business, has re turned to the game. At the present time he is managing the Broadway Theatre in Oakland, Calif. The house is a new one, having been opened some time in August. The marquee is the largest one in Oakland and when Smeltzer sends us in a few photos of it we are going to present it to you on the Club pages. Since the house has been opened it has been doing a nice business, and we feel that the showmanship displayed by this showman is an aid to it in no small measure. Welcome back into the active fold. Bill; and remember, we want to hear a lot more about you when you get settled at the house, because the work you turned out last time you were in the show business warranted it. Keep us posted so that we can know how you are getting along.