Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

62 .1/ otion Picture N e w s O ctober 11 , 1930 MANAGERS' ROUND TABLE CLUB Charlei; E. Lewis Qhaibman. and fditot. Of cJvatioruil offfocicdion. of<Jnon>men. C^rfeetiruf, MOTION PICTURE NEWS t£>&ty QVeeA -"fat c\{utu.al Sene/it asu) ^Ptoarbeff/ ^Conducted By An Exhibitor For Exhibitors in a "Promises" IT'S bad enough that chains run races to see which can acquire the most theatres in the shortest space of time (and at the greatest possible outlay of money) ; but when the sellers, men who boasted independence for many years, start to "swing the axe" in order that they may add another thousand or two to their already fat bankrolls, then it becomes a calamity. The history of show business for the past few years is chockfull of instances where, immediately upon the "signing of the papers," the independent fires some of the best and most faithful emplovees in his outfit. Why? " Because he got his and will "get the balance" on the day the chain takes over complete control. So every dollar he can cut from the overhead is "just so much saved." But what of the faithful employees? Where do they come in ? What happens to them after their untiring efforts on behalf of these independents? Does the old boss take care of them? Does he make every possible effort to impress the buyers of his theatres that those men are fine showmen and would be a credit to any organization? Like hell he does. He gives them "the gate" and sits back until the "day of reckoning," then he'll probably go Table of Contents Mac Levey's Campaign Book Aces Powell Utilized Playground As Plug Himmelhoch Bowling 'Em Over "The Showman's Calendar" "Selling Your Patrons" Kuehn Has Alert Managers Burns' School Card a Good One "Theatre Maintenance" Thomas J. Simmons Joins! Dowling's Card Ballyhoo Saef Crashed for Free Space Xoble's Displays Pack Punch Archibald Opened the Strand Rose Secured Aid from Cops Charles F. Burns An Active B'klyn Showman "Kiddie Business" by Paul W. Kunze Simon Designed Special Lobby "John Matthews Back" Powell Used Covered Wagon "Football Season Is Here" Roy L. Smart Had a Corker McSwinnev Introduced Fall Trade Week More Displays from Laby "Real Club Spirit" Hands Engineered Theatre Opening "Dave Borland Transferred" Jacob Put One Over Successfully. What Is "Exploitation"? Robb Lawson An Active English Press Agent Holden's Havana Hop "Hallowe'en Hints" McKoy's Assistant Is Active Morgan Plugged Newsreel Plenty "Trailer Slants" Sidney Holland's Trailer Prologues Floyd L. Bell Knows His Stuff Miller's Street Plug Went Over "Torrid Ted Toddy" Irwin's Monkey Business Ponton Invited Teachers to Show Seward Dusted Off Old One Harry Marchand's Book Display Club Index for September "Perlberg in 'Chi'"! Burton Jones Ties Up Merchants Larkin's Display a Laugh Getter ODonnell Had a Good One Lorry Webb of Australia Active to Europe for a "much needed rest." Wow. What baloney. What about those faithful employees who plugged like Trojans? Didn't they tell these same faithful employees that if they ever sold their theatres, they would certainly be "taken care of?" The crime of this procedure is the many excellent men lost to the circuits acquiring the theatres. Those chains ought to use scouts to spot the good men who are let out as soon as the first papers are signed. They would have less manpower-hunting to do and besides they would be getting men who know the houses from beginning to end. We know all about this "savethe-dough" act. We've seen many a good man, deserving of consideration, listening to his boss tell how he is expecting to sell his houses and that he (the boss) will get a big job with the circuit, and will, of course, take care of the men who were with him so many years. We not only know it, but we've had it told right to us. Pardon our conceit. We were never impressed with the applesauce. We walked out on the guy that gave us that line and subsequent events proved that we were right. He sold. He got his "fat" job. And his "faithful" employees got : "The air." "Chick."