Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1939)

Page 18 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW June 3, 1939 Gags, Games and Gadgets THIS much discussed controversy has been a bugaboo in the movie industry for about ten years. It first popped up when some smart guys conceived the idea that if the patron can get something for nothing he would be a more frequent customer. And the logic was not entirelj' wrong because from time immemorial the American public has done everything possible to live up to its reputation of being the world's greatest suckers. But just like double features, the craze spread like wildfire until for a time it threatened to engulf the entire theatre business and for a short time really did. During that short time we refer to, the high peak of bank nites, lotteries and similar gags that were functioning from the lowliest of dumps to the loftiest of movie palaces, was reached. Practise FalSing Off We really didn't know that the falling off process was as strong as it was until we started tabulating the returns from our LEADERS questionnaire last December. Then we discovered that while approximately fifty percent of all theatres were indulging in some form of money giveaways, only 12 percent were still employing the premium and gadget system of kidding themselves along. Since last December a further survey brought to light that more and miore theatres were dropping even the money giveaways and while some were dabbling or experimenting with premiums, the majority were taking their chances on selling their picture atractions and depending entirely on their screen as a magnet for the box office. At this point we would like to express our own opinion that there will never be a time when all gags and giveaways are eliminated. There will always be certain theatres using such so-called stimulants just as there will always be certain theatres that will play double features even though the time may come when sufficient product to keep them up will be at a premium. Cost Was Terrific It is interesting to observe that when premiums first made their appearance they cost the theatres a terrific price per item but they really did double and even treble the gross and pulled many a house out of deep red into satisfactory black figures. We have records showing that a theatre charging a 25c admission, paid 15c for each item in a dresser-ware, continuity giveaway and turned his white elephant into a veritable Santa Claus. But as time went on and the epidemic expanded a theatreman could pick from a wide range of items and an equally wide range of prices with the premiums selling anywhere from four cents up to fifteen. Circuits made "mass buys" and thereby secured special prices over smaller outfits that could not use as much. Kept Factory Going One factory representative told this writer that theatre premiums kept his company's factory operating during the depression. This we could easily believe after we found that close to 3200 theatres were distributing china made by this particular factory. They sold it cheap enough to keep the plant going until more legitimate business (the expression is his) started moving again. It was once estimated by sources within our own industry that over two million dollars worth of premiums — dishes, silverware, games, linens, etc., was being distributed through theatres in this country exclusive of bank or other money nites, which, you must confess, is a staggering total and simply serves to emphasize that the movie theatre business was selling everything but pictures. It was no uncommon sight to see theatre marquees featuring the dish or money night with far greater emphasis than their feature or features. And during a recent period, while passing through, of all places, Chicago, your observer was amazed to see the theatre page of the newspapers on which the dishes were given top billing along with double and even triple features, which, you must confess, v\'as carrying any gag too far. What Executives Think To determine whether gags, games and giveaways were dropping of?, holding their own or gaining strength, we made it a particular point to question every visiting theatre and circuit executive coming into NewYork or with whom we chatted on our various trips out into the field. The answers and reactions were most interesting because the sole, determining factor appeared to be general conditions. In EVERY instance where a theatreman or circuit executive said they were dropping or had dropped giveaways, business wzs pretty good and they thought there was no longer any necessity for such stimulants. And to show the other side of the story, in every instance where they said they were continuing or starting to use giveaways, business had taken a nose dive and they were grab BROTHER RAT! At West Point — IT'S "CADET" At Annapolis — It's 'MiDDIE" And at Virginia Military Institute (The West Point of the South) it's "BROTHER RAT" FREE guest tickets to BROTHER RAT if this number is on board in theatre lobby Saturday N9 203 It's the hilarious LOVE & LAUGH comedy success from the stage hit of the same name. And its stars are PRISCILLA lANE WAYNE MORRIS Johnny 'Scat* Davi= It's at the BABCOCK Sun Mon & Tues Lucky Numbers on Cards Wearing a VMI iiniforin. the drum major of the local high school paraded the streets of ll'cllsville, N. ¥., stopping people zvith the salutation, "Hi, Brother Rat." To each person he handed a card, like that reproduced above, zvhich the Jiolder zvas to bring to the theatre to see if the number on it corresponded with any of the numbers on the lobby board. If it did — ivell, you know. Chalk up another szvell stunt for C. L. Mollis ter, manager of the Babcock Theatre, in his exploitation on Warner's "Brother Rat." bing at any and every idea that might bring patrons to the theatres regardless of whether it would prove to be a Frankenstein or not. So it would appear that theatremen grow panicky at the slightest falling off in business and immediately start grasping at straws rather than take stock and see if they weren't amiss in the way they were operating their theatres or selling their screen attractions. But a theatreman is a strange creature. Let him hear that Joe Glutz over in Padoka has been "packing them in" with Chop Suey Nite and you can bet your last cent that he'll jump the next bus or train and institute an investigation to see if he isn't missing a good bet. And should he happen along when Chop Suey Nite was bringing business, you can bet that same cent that he'll be using the same gag as fast as he can get it started back in his town. And on such a basis you can easily understand why these things spread so rapidly. Products of Depression Whether it will eventually spell doom for the gags, gadget and giveaway firms or not, truth compels us to state that they have been tapering off consistently for the past few years and despite the current falling off in business at the box office with the added impetus to premiums and giveaways, they are going to continue to drop out until they will, one day, be relegated only to those theatres whose showmanship is a word that means selling dishes and not screen entertainment. Premiums and gags are definitely products of the depression and recession. They cannot survive general prosperous conditions and their life can be measured with fairly good accuracy by the span of bad economic business conditions throughout the country. As fast as box office receipts improve, so fast will the gags and giveaways pass out. And, if comes the time when real prosperity returns to the movie industry, they will gradually drop off until they will be the exception again rather than the rule. Look Before You Leap We won't go on record as stating that any exhibitors should NOT get into the giveaway racket. But we do say, "look twice before you leap and gauge the future possibilities before you make the leap." It's easy as Hell to start giving junk away because you think it will help business . . . and oft-times does . . . but it's awfully hard to get out of doing it without pains and aches from disgruntled patrons who once cultivated into the habit, asume that il must go on . . . and on . . . and on . . . All the Public Wants Is Good Features, Says Showman Tunick The public wants one thing in entertainment and one thing alone, good pictures, says L. Tunick, Maryland showman who was a guest this week at RKO Radio Pictures' lounge for visiting exhibitors. "I don't play double features because the public doesn't want them, and the same goes for bank nights and the like," Tunick says. Tunick is the owner of the Brooklyn Theatre, Baltimore, and the Hollywood Theatre, Halethorpe, Md., each seating five hundred persons. He has found his most effective exploitation to be that in newspapers and delivered programs. As for his preference for stars, he says it doesn't matter who the players are if the feature is good.