Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1924-Mar 1925)

February 28, 1925 EXHIBITORS HERALD 69 rtHE THEATRE jS^AJJDepartment of Practical Showmanship PICTURES Copy Service For Exhibitor House Organs House organ or newspaper publication rights to this copy is granted exhibitors by tbe “Herald” herewith. MARCH TyT arch is getting ready to come in like a lion or a lamb. You never know which it will be, but as it always goes out the other way it doesn’t matter. In either case the backbone of winter will undergo its annual breaking and that’s something. March is a good month, a promise of better ones, a better month than those that have gone just before, but it’s a month of raw winds and bad roads. Also, it’s a month of static. In short, it’s a good month to attend the theatre. That’s about the only thing it has in common with other seasons. WHAT IS ENOUGH? WHAT is enough entertainment? ^ * How many screen subjects do you want? How much additional entertainment do you want with them? How long do you want your show? When you get through answering these questions to your own satisfaction put yourself in our place and try to answer them to the satisfaction of everybody. Of course a majority is the best we can hope for, but you can help us to determine the majority demand by telling us your answer. IN THE THEATRE T N the theatre, things are different. -*• People act differently. The drug store cowboy drops his lariat. The street car pest leaves his cigar outside. People are, different, and better, in the theatre. Explain this as you wish. Say that it is the refining influence of the screen, or say that the rowdy knows he’ll be pitched out on his neck if he acts up. The fact remains that the theatre, next to the church, houses the most orderly human gathering. The reason is unimportant. The fact is sufficient. OUR REFERENCES T3USINESS institutions sometimes require references, just as individuals do, and we’d list ours if we had the space. As we haven’t, we’ll group them. They are: Every theatregoer in town. FOR PICTURE PEOPLE With Asides Referring to Many Things {NOTE: The real money news of the week begins in the column at the right of this one. — Ed.) A FTER you've examined Fred S. Meyer’s ads on "Broken Laws,” and the pages from his Fifth Anniversary house organ, you mustn’t fail to turn back to “What the Picture Did for Me” and read the glad news about the box office result of it all. The proof of the pudding is as it always is and in this case it’s positive. * * * CLIFF LEWIS and Thomas S. Daley are other veterans of these columns whose exhibits this week spread over portions of more than one page. And Daley sends that house organ we asked for when we admitted him to the House Organ Exchange. * * * A N important “add” to the interesting story of the Capitol theatre, Chicago, is that the mob continues to fight to get in, though everybody must have had a chance to see it by this time. And a still more interesting “add” is that there are many pictures of it in this number of “Better Theatres.” * * * TJ/E’VE been wondering if any of you folks who use so many crossword puzzles in your exploitation contrive them yourselves. The duties devolvent upon theatre executives are notoriously numerous and difficult, but surely this would be too much. * * * r HERE’S more than a single reason for sending your paper to Jack Tiller as requested in his letter this week. One other reason is that Mr. Tiller possesses in marked degree the qualities of a successful theatre publisher. If you’ve read his contributions to other departments of this paper you know that. Any paper he gets out will more than repay you for helping. WE do not tremble in contemplation of the dread developments threatened by H. A. McClure in his letter. We recall many McClure ads but no bad ones. We don’t think he uses them. * * * JOE PLUNKETT got half a column in a New York newspaper last week with a statement that New Yorkers shop for picture entertainment by looking at the lobby displays. Jay Weaver (No.) does these displays, the story says, and so of course they’re good. But what we started out to remark was anybody can put across a story like that, if it’s good, and Joe Plunkett isn’t one to object. What Showmen Are Doing to Get Business A phototype survey of current exhibitor business effort, with pictures upon the accompanying pages. Lend a Hand to Jack Tiller JACK TILLER, Temple-Electric theaters, McCook, Neb., writes: Help! I don’t believe that I am getting all out of my Herald that I could get, or all that some of those other boys are getting if their success with their hbuse organ is what I think it must be. I am interested in getting out a house organ for the Temple and would appreciate very much if you would have the boys listed in your House, Organ Exchange send me a sample of their latest issue, so that I will then have a guide for proceeding. Maybe, But We Doubt It H. A. McCLURE, Strcmd theatre, Emporia, Kansas, writes: Herewith another ad in answer to your criticism of our delinquency in forwarding specimens of our more or less indifferent advertising. Yon may yet live to regret your off hand remark. Craig Delayed by Change of Plans M. T. CRAIG, Majestic theatre, Dresden, Ont., Canada, writes: Have had a number of requests for copies of my house organ but unfortunately have not been able to get it started yet. I have had to change my original plans considerably, but expect to get out my first issue the last of this month. I would be glad if you would advise members of the Exchange through your department. Daley Sends House Organ and Ads THOMAS S. DALEY, Schine Theatrical Co., Inc., Gloversville, N. Y., writes; No doubt you will be surprised to hear from me after such a long silence and particularly from this section of the country. I am now supervising the