Exhibitor's Trade Review (May-Aug 1925)

Page 20 Exhibitors Trade Relieve UNIVERSAL EXPLAINS 'COMPLETE SERVICE' PLAN JUST LAUNCHED In view of the apprehension in certain quarters over the possible workings of Universal "Complete Service" selling plan inaugurated several weeks ago, considerable interest attaches to the following statement issued by Universal this week, amplifying Carl Laemmle's remarks at the Milwaukee convention of the M. P. T. O. A. \ revolutionary sales plan, inaugurated by Carl Laemmle, president of the Universal Pictures Corporation, as a means primarily of helping the small, one, two and threenight a week exhibitor to stay independent, is "announced by Universal. It is a complete service plan, by which complete Universal service will be supplied to any exhibitor at a rate commensurate with what he can afford. The weekly service is offered primarily to the exhibitor who has the hardest time to make both ends meet. The plan has been gradually put into effect in various exchange territories duing the past eight weeks and has met with extraordinary enthusiasm and success. Almost 1,000 exhibitors have applied for the service to date. Universal sales executives declare that the new plan is designed merely to provide better service to the small exhibitor and is in now way intended as an agressive move against independent distributors. The Universal statement concerning the new plan is as follows : "Carl Laemmle has taken another farreaching step in the interests of the small exhibitor. It is the inauguration of a Complete Service Plan, by which any exhibitor may get complete film service at a heretofore unprecedented service fee. In the case of the small, one, two and three-nights-a-week house, the service may be the means of keeping him alive and keeping his house open. It is a plan made to order for the small exhibitor. "The Complete Service Plan is Laemmle's latest step in the continuation of his "live and let live" policy. It is proof positive that he is on the level with the exhibitor and that he means to take every possible step necessary to keep the small theatre open and the small exhibitor independent. "The Universal Chief recently proved his assertion that Universal's theatre purchases were for outlet only, by offering to sell Universal product over the head of any Universal house, and even to sell any Universal theatre itself, providing he were assured an outlet for' Universal pictures in the community involved. Another recent development of the Laemmle "white treatment" policy was the inauguration of a Cost Plus Ten Per Cent basis for selling Universal pictures. The new Complete Service Plan marks a new phase of Laemmle's willingness to make extraordinary concessions for the welfare of the exhibitors whose good-will and success have been close to his heart during his entire picture career. "The Universal service under the new plan includes the Universal Jewels of "The Signal Tower" group and the first White List, now being released. It includes the Western features in the 1924-1925 productions made with Hoot Gibson, Jack Hoxie and William Desmond. It includes the six serials released during the past season, down to "The Fighting Ranger" now being released. There also are 52 Century Comedies, among them Wanda Wiley comedies, Edna Marion comedies and two-reelers with other stars. The one-reel comedies in the service number 52 in all, including the "Hysterical History" comedies. There also are 52 two-reel Western featurettes, the five Baby Peggy Specials, six "Fast Stepper" two reelers and the last two series, including twelve pictures, of "The Leather Pushers." "The first public announcement of the plan, which has been under way eight weeks, was made by Mr. Laemmle in his talk before the M. P. T. O. A. members in convention at Milwaukee last week. His speech dealt with independence, and he alluded to the Complete Service Plan as another evidence of his own independence, of his desire to keep exhibitors independent and as an assurance that the theatres he had been forced to buy would never be used as a weapon against his own customers. "The Universal sales innovation is regarded by film men and exhibitors as the most startling change in sales policies since the early days of the industry. Universal exchangemen and sales executives have been working on the plan since the middle of March. "About that time, Laemmle sent three representatives into the field to learn the attitude of exhibitors toward the idea. Lew Metzger, manager of Universal's Kansas City office, traveled in the middle west territory. W. P. Truog, assist^nlt sales director, traveled in another section of the Mississippi valley, and Julius Singer, Mr. Laemmle's personal representative and a veteran Universal exchange manager, covered the East. "The enthusiasm on the part of the exhibitors approached by these men prompted Mr. Laemmle to inaugurate the plan in several exchanges late in April. Earl Johnson of the Strand Theatre, Brookfield 111., was the first exhibitor to take the service. That was on April 24th. Ten days later, Laemmle flashed word to all Universal exchanges to inaugurate the new system. So eager has been the response of the theatre owner to the new plan, that almost 1000 have applied for the service to date. "A new department has been created in the Universal Home Office to handle the plan. Metzger has been relieved of the Kansas City office and brought to New York to beSupervisor of the new department. Mr. Laemmle is highly enthusiastic over the way the plan is working out. "Merchandising is the keystone of Universal's new sales idea. It is applicable to all classes of theatres and is regarded as of inestimable value to the small theatre man — the man, for example, who runs the theatre as a side-line. Investigation has proved that many exhibitors desired to buy film on the merchandising plan. They , have neither time nor opportunity to preview films. They want the guarantee of a company such as Universal, with Carl Laemmle's thirteen years of "fair-play" pictures and policy, behind their buying. "The majority of the small theatre men are exhibiting under much the same conditions of ten years ago, except that they have had to cut corners in order to meet increased film rentals. Some of them have cut down on their short product in order to make profits. Or perhaps, they use old film. They are finding themselves in a tighter place with each succeeding season. "The Complete Service Plan will save their shins. They will be able to get a complete service at a remarkable price and at the same time be able to improve their programs and increase their profits. "Mr. Laemmle wants to keep the good will of the small exhibitor. He wants to prove to them that he is fighting their fight. He is willing to gamble his film against the goodwill it will create and the actual part it will play in keeping small exhibitors independent. Carl Laemmle's success has been built upon the welfare and good-will of the exhibitor. He fought for them and at Determined ! One of Most Determined Fighters for Action by Independent Producers — John Lowell Russell. WARNERS COMPLETE 4 ON 1925-26 PROGRAM Work on Warner Brothers productions for release on the coming year's schedule is going forward rapidly. Four pictures have been finished, while four others are in work. Charles A. Logue's "Below The Line," is one of the two just completed this week. It is a Rin-Tin-Tin film. In the cast are June Marlowe, John Harron, Charles ("Heinie") Conklin, Victor Potel, Gijbert Clayton, Pat Hartigan and Taylor Duncan. Herman Raymaker directed the production. "The Wife Who Wasn't Wanted," from Gertie Wentworth James's novel was finished this week. Irene Rich has the support of Huntly Gordon, John harron, June Marlowe, George Pearce, Edward Peil, Gayne Whitman, George Kuwa, Wilfred Lucas, Gertrude Astor, Elinor Fair and Don Alvarado, James L. Flood, assisted by James Townsend, directed, with John Mescall as head cameraman. NEW INDEPENDENT EXCHANGE CHICAGO, May 22.— Capitol Film Exchange, Inc., is the latest exchange to enter the independent field. It will operate in Northern Illinois and Indiana. Henri Ellman is president and general manager of the company. Ellman has contracted for eighteen productions from Columbia Pictures Corporalion. * * =s= HATRICK OFF TO EUROPE E. B. Hatrick, general manager of International Newsreel and vice-president of Cosmopolitan Productions, sailed May 23 on the Leviathan for an extended trip through Europe in the interest of both the organizations of which he is the executive head. their head in the old days, and he is now ready to place the Universal corporation back of the fight to help the independent stay independent in an honest and independent way. He remembers die old days."