Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1924-Mar 1925)

36 EXHIBITORS HERALD January 10, 1925 How Entertainment Affects the Three Principal Temperaments Theatregoers may be divided into three groups according to temperament, says Albert B. Coppock, these temperaments being the Mental, Motive and Vital. Illustrating his article, the producer shows here how the storm and the dance affect or appeal to theatregoers in each group. MENTAL A thunderstorm produces philosophical reflection . . . the idea of the wonder of nature . . . cause and effect . . . the beauty of lightning and the music that’s in thunder . . . the bigness and splendor of the sky. * A Diana dance appeals to this temperament . . . beauty and grace . . . the classic style . . . the expression of situations and styles. MOTIVE A thunderstorm prompts appreciation of force and powerful action, suggesting combat . . . great force of Nature . . . wind and rain present a situation for this temperament to overcome . . . characters in the storm. * The Spanish style of dancing, with castanets, is most appreciated . , . sensational and acrobatic balancing rather than beauty and expression of ideas. VITAL A thunderstorm produces anxiety and thoughts of danger and anticipation of destruction . . . this temperament sees a storm as a disturbance because it is opposite to this nature, which loves ease and luxury. * The Bachanal-Dionysian dances appeal most strongly . . . noisy music . . . wine and joyous folly . . . exaggerated steps and tempo expressing things of vital pleasure. 1. Mental — The Alental temperament indicates a superior intellectuality. There are two kinds of mental temperaments. One pertains to a memorizing brain and is good at detail work, with a love of art and music and the accumulation of knowledge. The other brain reasons, and discriminates in the storing of knowledge, retaining only the useful, works with principles rather than details, and reasons, composes and invents. This temperament predominating in a person will be indicated by delicacy and refinement and a lack of sufficient vitality and stamina to conquer the material things of the world and face opposition. 2. Motive — The Motive is decidedly an active working temperament. People with a predominance of this temperament are energetic and productive. They will choose out-door work and sports where great physical exertion is required. They are the machinery for carrying out the plans and directions originated by the Vital temperament. 3. Vital — The Vital is the temperament of the executive. Persons of the Vital temperament love wealth, luxury and an easy life, and while there is a certain amount of energy and good nature to be found in them, their work consists chiefly of planning and directing forces that will bring them the desired riches and comfort. Their engineering is done from the desk or easy chair. General Physical Proportions Indicating Temperament 1. Mental temperament is evidenced by large brain, small chest and abdomen. 2. Motive by large chest, small brain and abdomen. 3. Vital by large abdomen, small brain and chest. Temperament is merely the disposition of that great Infinite Mind, God, into channels that make man’s physical life efficient, joyous and successful. Mental, Motive and Vital are terms used to designate three types of native equipment to enable man to express his divine nature in the world he lives in. He loves the thoughts and ideas he is natively equipped to appreciate, and he will go to the theatre to witness the exposition of those thoughts and ideas and experience the change of mood they produce. “That mood into which a friend can bring us is his dominion over us.” — Emerson. That mood into which the producer can bring his audience is his dominion over them. At this point lies the right of way into the heart of the audience, for they will take such thoughts and ideas into their consciousness as a part of themselves. “The correspondence of reflective thought with material things.” This mood, to be correct we will call it emotion, is, as we learned in school, an elemental mental process. Many of the things we come in contact with in daily life have the possibility of being so represented that they become syrnbols that will call forth that elemental mental process and a thought analogous to each temperament. The table herewith shows three ways an audience will respond to an idea. By knowing the three ways an audience appreciates an idea, we are more capable of so selecting and interpreting that idea as to win universal applause. OWE of these days the man who started the first theatre paper is going to write some special articles for us on the subject and then we’ll tell you his name. If you like to guess, it may be said that George M. Cohan started the second one. * * * W HY not start the year right by joining the House Organ Exchange? Helps Producers A LBERT B. COPPOCK, producer of Coppock Presentations, whose counsel is available gratis to theatre men staging the productions offered in his series. Address: Albert B. Coppock, Coppock Presentations, 5712 Winthrop Ave., Chicago, 111. HAIL 1925 (The following is from Fred S. Meyer’s house organ for the Palace theatre, Hamilton, O., the Holiday Number of which runs 80 pages and cover.) STANDING on the threshold of the new year, we view in retrospect the year passed and look ahead to the year just unfolding before us. In spite of the criticism leveled at the motion picture industry, some of which has been well founded but much of which has been directed by well intentioned persons with mistaken ideas — this great industry has established a record of progress and achievement during the past year of which all of us may well be proud. We believe that the New Year will bring forth even greater and finer accomplishments. Radios and cross word puzzles may attract your attention for a while, dances and automobiles may hold a certain appeal for you, but in the ultimate we’re confident that you will come back to that semi-public institution which caters to your welfare, your comfort and your entertainment 365 days in the year. That institution is the Palace theatre. It is our earnest and sincere wish that the New Year may be a prosperous one for you ; that health and good cheer and happiness may be yours throughout all of 1925 and the years to come. And if this theatre can help you, be it in ever so small a measure, to bring this about, then we can feel proud of the fact that our efforts have not been in vain. 1925 RESOLUTIONS (The following is from E. A. Snyder’s house organ for the Virginia and Rialto theatres. Champaign, 111.) Wl E are going to try to present to the * * public only the best in photoplays. Naturally we would say that, but during the past season, as we look back, we find several pictures that were truly great — then we find some that were very good — some that were good — and then there were a few that were not so good but were the best available. It’s that variety we try to give and looking into our contracts for the coming season we find all good ones and several great pictures — and a very few bad ones — so when you make your New Year’s resolutions, resolve to attend them all, for we cannot tell the good from the bad. You are the judge. NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION (The following is from Charles H. Ryan’s house organ for the Milford theatre, Chicago.) T RESOLVE that during the year 1925 I A will take my family and enjoy at least one show each week (more if possible) at