Publix Opinion (Oct 4, 1929)

a 1 Now WANTAD GAG Aware Of New SCORES AGAIN Joseph M. Borenstein, manager of the Imperial at Pawtucket, R. 1, reports | astonishing success with the familiar want-ad tie-up which has been explained in back issues of PUBLIX OPINION. Referring to a group of tear sheets from the local paper, Man y Borenstein says: “The ,enclosed tear sheets from one issue of the Times call attenfion to an old tie-up that I resurrected and from which I receive an average Of 16 inches of free space jaily. If I had to pay for this space, it would cost me about $135 er week. As it is, it costs me about forty free tickets per day and‘I call that a fair exchange. “Have been using this tie-up the astitwo weeks and expect to conHnue using it indefinitely. Incilentally the newspaper is tickled with the results their Classified Ad Department is getting. “Without the newspaper being aware of it, I am going to cut jown my paid space accordingly: “The Pawtucket Times is not a small town newspaper. They sell more theatrical lineage than the Providence papers. The only newspaper in this town, modern and up to date in every respect, they are, therefore, independent and reluctant to giving the theatres any kind of free advertising. However, against the advice of many of the employees on the sheet fo whom I unfolded the above tieup, 1 Went-to the boss and sold him the idea. Proving to me that no matter how tough they .are reputed to be, they sooner or later fall for. something and fall with a bang.” PUBLIX IN SAN DIEGO Publix Theatres has been contemplating building a theatre in Sun Diego, with negotiations for an intended site now in progress. ‘immediately advised his Boston SOUND TRAIN TALKIE! During thé Boston engagement of the PUBLIX THEATRES EN TERTAINMENT SPECIAL, H. E. Tillotson, ererotction ee galt this bally-hoo extraordinary, made arrangements with Emanuel Cohen Hon tha Hiing aha PARAMOUNT SOUND NEWSREEL, Mr. Cohen Radio Hour The Publix Olympia, thr the efforts , of Eugene Gavan Publicity manager, has successfully brought the Paramount-Publix Radio hour to the attention of the people of New Haven, Conn. Every Week, for three weeks preceding the inaugural broadcast, the theatre programs carried Stories, copied from the first announcement of PUBLIX OPINION. A special three frame trailer was also run a week previous to the radio debut and will continue to run indefinitely. Mention was given in all theatre ads. Special stories were planted in the radio sections of all the local papers, By co-operating with the management of the New Haven Radio Show, they have obtained a very fine booth, at no cost. A display, advertising the Paramount-Publix hour was placed in front of the booth, together with a large sign, with stars stills attached, saying that these stars will soon broadeast. Tickets are given to those who identify the pictures. HIGH SCHOOL BAND BOOMS PICTURE Fred Putnam, manager of the Publix Strand, Port Arthur, Texas had a boy and girl phone telephone subscribers two days in advance of “The Rainbow Maun,” urging them to see the picture. A bannered truck ballyhoo, with the high school band, covered various parts of the town, attracting many of the townsfold. Passes were given to the students in return for their playing. PORTLAND SET-UP Mr. Bert Naus has been assigned as manager of the Rialto Theatre, Portland, Oregon -which opened September 27th. The setup in Portland will be as follows: Portland, John C. Smith, City Manager; Rialto, Bert Naus. office and this novel stunt was recorded and filmed then, and there with Mr. Nathan W. Hawkes, Pe oresident e the Boston and Maine Railroad, and Mr. Edward Zorn, Boston District Manager for PUBLIX THEATRES, partici pating, Of course, it broke in the newspapers. BOSTON TRAVELER, THI Bidding Farewell to Boston an automobile equipped lal, en ast to coast, visiting all The Publix, Theatres Entertainment tres are located, Pecilice in which Publix Mase From left to right are ‘Frank Joyce, vice ton and continued on its journey. President Boston & Maine railroa’ of Publix; Harold E. Tillotsen 0 Vice-president Boston & Maine, d; Edward Zorn, ¢ Publix Theatres; 5 a locomgtive, which fs making a tour pee Aa Eta Be e and Frank Selzer, Pu Boston district manager Nathan W. Hawkes, blix special engincer. ——_eer 58 OLD RELIABLE|New Haven 7 Too Brief! “Don’t Sell ‘Shorts’ Short!” Mr. Katz, Mr. Dembow, Mr. constantly telling it to you! _Mr. Saal, head of the buying and booking department, and an expert showman, repeats it with all of his force! Mr. Sidney Kent and his entire salesforce are pounding it in the industry! Yet every once in a while a showman will drop into a theatre and be startled by seeing a “short” that is causing 60% of the wordof-mouth advertising, yet it is forgotten in the advance-trailers, advance-posters, and newspaper-ads. Where it is not forgotten, it is passed over with a perfunctory announcement. It is seldom sold. The booking department,is making available a short called “St. Louis Blues,’ with most of the famous negro musical and vocal EXTRA! THIS WILL INCREASE GROSSES! Use the copy. shown if you play “St. Louis Blues.’ Write some that is just as compelling, for your exceptional shorts. Don’t Be Chatkin, and Mr. Botsford are stars of America, partictpating. It’s a sensation in New York. If you get it,—-sell it in advance to your audiences. PUBLIX . OPINION suggests some copy for it, as shown on this page, This ‘‘short”. is so good that it ought to be featured in every ad. When you get those Paramount Screen Song novelties, play them up big in your ads. They’re the spice of.the program, and audiences love ’em! Give at least a third of your selling effort and attention to your shorts, and you’ll get patrons that you'd never get otherwise! EXTRA! Special Added Attraction! NEW YORK’S INTELLIGENTSIA IS CHEERING IT! Be Among The First To. Enjoy And Talk About This Raging Sensation! ; ; Harlem nights, articulate on the Livin Screen! 20-Minute Interpretive Jazz-classic of the metropolitan white-collar black-belts! The heart pangs of a cheated woman, presented in song, music and authentic Harlem! “ST. LOUIS BLUES” The jazz-epic of American tragicomedy! Featuring BESSIE SMITH 200 Pounds of red-hot, ‘coal-black emotional song talent, with the stars of the stage hit “HARLEM!” and the most noted negro artists. Supported by the vocal and histrionic genius of those Carnegie Hall favorites J. ROSAMOND JOHNSON and the orchestral wizardry of W. C. HANDY A Gan Idea To Help Tie-In Schools An idea, suggested by Nate ¥Frudenfeld, district manager of Des Moines, Ia., to-tie-up with the local schools, is presenting a loving cup to the student who is graduated with the highest honors from the local high school. This cup is to be an annual award and suitably ehgraved, with signatures and explanations of its purpose. The purpose of the donation is to have it ‘before the gaze of the students during the entire term Jin a permanent conspicuous posi tion. To facilitate this, the award should be made early in the semester. Because of the _ service _to the community, the presentation should-be a great civic ceremony reported by all the papers. BUFFALO PAPERS AID THEATRES | The theatres in Buffalo are now vetting plenty of attention at the, hands of the local newspapers, All three of the dailies are printing theatrical columns with a special dramatic critic assigned to nduct each. ane the first time, also, the theatres are advertising excerpts from newspaper reviews, with the critics’ names attached. MLSRSEA I PESLALS aa aE Sse assaseh ep ei i ea letaoi wees tence rctntt ties temmn ond 5 “The Virginian’ Linen Tie-Up Growing Ten more big stores have been signed in the national tie-up for “The Virginian,’ a Paramount picture, with the Gribbon Company, Inc., of 59 White Street, New York City, manufacturers of linen damask tablecloths and napkins. These are: The Ellsworth Company, South Bend, Ind.; Rurode’s, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Kaufman-Wolf, Hammond, Ind.; Walker's Fifth Street Store, Los Angeles; W. Johnson, Ashland, Ky.; Livingston’s, Beverly Hills, Calif.; Lehman Bros., Oxnard, Cal.; Weil’s Department Store, Bakersfield, Cal.; Carson-Piece-Scott Co., Chicago; Weinman’s Department Store, Huntington Park, Cal. In connection with the big Stanley Theatre—Strawbridge & Clothier Company tie-up in Philadelphia, the theatre among other things will give a very gorgeous display of the “Virginian” damask set in the lobby of the theatre. This is one of the many tie-up items to be described in the press sheet. > Mr. Power, chairman of the As-. sociated Merchandising Corporation, the biggest group of retailers in America, addressed ‘fifteen buyers last week on the merits of this tie-up. General Manager James A. Clark, of the Ad Sales Department, will provide sample herald rotos bearing suggested, tié-up ad for distribution to the theatres. The Gribbon Company will send them out to all prospects among their dealers. AVOID THIS ERROR IN YOUR THEATRE Watch the details of all contests and tie-ups to avoid mistakes similar to the ridiculous error committed by the management of a New York theatre recently. A seven day voting contest was conducted, with a prize to be awarded on the final night. The announcement, however, contained a rule that unless the winner was present in the theatre at the time the prize was to be awarded, additional names would © be called until a winner was found in the audience. Under this theory, Madison Square Garden would be required to accommodate the past audiences for the entire week at the single final session. NEW MARION MANAGER On September 14th, Mr. Berton ——== W. Bickert assumed the manage Harold. Webster of Joliet has|ment of the Palace Theatre, succeeded W. J. Crowley as man-| Marion, Ohio, as well as City Man ager of the Publix Lyric and Grand] ager of the town, replacing Mr. Theatres in Blue Island, Ill. F. F. Huebner, resigned. DUPLICATE THIS TIE-UP! A most beneficial tie-up was accomplished by A. M. Roy, manager of the Publix Tampa in Florida, when he obtained several newspaper, ‘ads, paid for by the drug store that also displayed the window shown here. i f SUCCEEDS CROWLEY ; ' j {