Exhibitors Herald (Jun-Sep 1924)

August 16, 1924 EXHIBITORS HERALD 41 r THE THEAT RE Q^yjJDepartment of Practical Showmanship PROGRAM Honesty the Best Policy At Any Time “Honesty is the best policy” goes down the runway of time as the exceptional adage proving the fallacy of adages generally, and it applies particularly to the house organ during the season when business may not be at the peak. In days gone by, for the most part, it was customary to shout most loudly about capacity houses when vacant seats yawned in greatest profusion, and to groan about losses when business was at its best. Whatever it was that the old time showman sought to accomplish by this deceit, the effort failed of its own absurdity. Today it has become the general custom to tell the truth, even when it hurts, and it doesn’t hurt. Indeed, it helps. The good house organ of the present day maintains a standard of honesty on a par with the good newspaper of today. Very frequently theatre publications come to this desk containing press stories from clip sheets from which the superlatives have been deleted, and the original matter relative to individual pictures is written with an evident high regard for facts. It is for this type of house organ that the copy furnished in this series is written. COME NOW This theatre makes no secret of the fact that the call of the road, the lure of the beach and similar Summer forces have largely eliminated the necessity of standing in line awaiting admittance to the auditorium. Neither does this theatre bemoan the circumstance, which is a normal event in the theatre year. The condition is mentioned here and at this time so that you will know, when returning tired and weary from healthy out-of-door pastimes, that you will not be delayed in finding cool comfort and mental refreshment in a (theatre name) seat. NO POLITICS IN a personal way, the management of this theatre is as interested in the present political situation as any other public spirited American citizen. This interest will continue to the election and thereafter, however, as a purely personal one. You will not be “electioneered to” while within this theatre, from the screen or stage or otherwise. We will not sell the privilege of addressing you as gathered here to anyone for any amount of money. At election time we will give you the {Concluded on fage 44) BILLING Type Display Of Film Bill Vital Factor Type display of the performance program is one of the most vital factors in house organ composition. A good type display makes a moderate bill look big, whereas a poor display does injustice to a great performance. A good readable style that permits of expansion or contraction without markedly evident variation is most satisfactory the year around. For purposes of study in this connection, eight house organs are reproduced upon the opposite page in such manner as to show clearly the type display accorded programs at the various theatres. Beginning at the upper left corner of the page and reading clockwise, we have the house organs of McVickers theatre, Chicago; the Kentucky theatre, Lexington; the Fenway, Boston; the Tivoli, Newark; the Beacham, Orlando, Fla.; the Leroy, Pawtucket, R. I.; the Stratford, Chicago, and the Eastman, Rochester, N. Y. All reproductions are upon a readable scale. Before reading any of the programs in detail, however, it is a good idea to glance hastily over the eight displays given and check upon the first impression as to which looks like the bigger, better or more interesting performance. In this way, undoubtedly, showmen whose programs are represented will find hints for future guidance and others may evolve a combination which will serve their purposes more satisfactorily than the display in present use. McVickers always runs a big program. The display here shown is rather regularly adhered to, the reading of the week’s bill leading directly into an easily read announcement of the bill to follow. The Kentucky avoids the chart style of set-up and works in a stock cut to the {Concluded on page 44) THE THEATRE, Exhibitors Herald. — I suggest as a subject for ad or editorial treatment in your theatre copy series. (Signed) (Theatre) (City) ANALYZED Week’s News Survey Shows Upward Urge Items included in this week’s survey of current theatre activity, indicating an upward urge at variance with the human tendency at this season, are illustrated upon the following page. IThe Putnam Building, New York, • where Famous Players-Lasky plans to erect a huge office building and theatre, is making a very good billboard for “The Ten Commandments,” showing at the George M. Cohan theatre. The sign is a block long. The main wording is in 18 foot letters and the end pieces are 28 feet. Windows of two floors are covered. The cost of the sign is given as $45,000 and its weekly maintenance amounts to $1,500. An odd feature, which does not show up well in the reproduction, is a block long quotation from the Christian Science Monitor which reads, “A motion picture has shown Broadway and the world that the ten commandments are still in force. What better platform for any political party?” For the Aldine theatre run of “The • Sea Hawk” in Philadelphia enough paper was displayed to satisfy the glee of those individuals who like to concoct statistics as to the number of times the sheets would girdle the earth if cut in strips and placed end to end, etc., etc., etc. The photograph carries the idea of volume so well, however, that the statistics may be dispensed with. Krieghbaum Brothers, Char-Bell the• atre, Rochester, Ind., whose consistent reports to “What the Picture Did for Me” long ago won them place in the front rank of progressive showmen, make their initial contribution to this department this week in the form of a photograph showing exploitation of “Black Oxen” and “Flaming Youth.” The Theatre invites them to make themselves as much at home in these pages as in the report columns. 4 A. G. Stolte, Captitol theatre, Des • Moines, la., used a dance prologue to “The White Moth” which, according to the camera testimony at hand, was something worth seeing on its own account. Prologues these days fall rather generally into one of two classes, that which is good on its own account but has nothing to do with the picture and that which concerns the picture but is not much good when adjudged other(Conclnded on page 44)