Exhibitors Herald (1926)

EXHIBITORS HERALD 47 April 10, 1926 THE THEATRE Diifing the week preceding the showing of “Classified,” First National film, at Loew's State theatre, Los Angeles, the ushers wore sashes announcing "EKarainer Classified Ad Week January 2 to 8.” Shimon and Schapiro Lease Aurora House The Aurora theatre on Michigan avenue has been entirely remodeled. Redecoration, a new stage, new front and many other modern improvements, give the Aurora in Sheboygan a place in the sun, theatrically. The opening is set for Saturday, April 3, with “Merry Widow” as the feature attraction. Louis C. Shimon and William Schaptro of Milwaukee have leased the Aurora from J. O. Schmidt who is retiring from the show business. Shimon has for the past three years been assistant manager and director of advertising and exploitation of the Milwaukee theatre, Milwaukee, one of the most successful theatres in that city. V/illiam Schapiro has had many years of theatrical training and is also an accomplished musician. He has played cello in the Alhambra and Garden orchestras in two of Milwaukee’s largest theatres and is known as one of the most popular younger musicians in the city. Schapiro will introduce to Sheboygan many of the best Milwaukee musicians by establishing a series of guest artist recitals. The first to be announced Is Frank Werth, prominent Milwaukee violinist who will appear as an added attraction April 3 and 4. All About a Stagehand Who Ruined a Good Show When He Caressed a Two-By-Four with a Sledgehammer Phil Rand whose ideas of showman.ship have become familiar to readers of the Herald recently contributed a list of maxims for theatreowners. They were worded in the riianner of a jingle and were purported to provoke a smile. But v/ith all their humor there was a serious strain throughout. There was common sense of the show business behind Phil’s letter. One “don't” that impressed itself upon us recently did so during a performance at one of Chicago’s biggest motion picture theatres. There where the ushers cater and doorman brush the snow from the incoming patron’s garments and there where the music is de luxe and the picture is never bad — the carelessness or ignorance of one stage hand caused more than 4,C(X) people to become nervous and irritable with the result of an injured performance. The stage hand chose the time in the showing of “Memory Lane” when the orchestra stops playing and is supplemented by a faraway college quartet to apply a sledgehammer to a plank in the stage. The scene in the picture where “Joe Fisher” is walking through the school campus with the girl who is to be married to another young man on the following day. It is a scene that deserves perfect quiet in the house with faint music if music at all. To make it worse the scene is in the early part of the picture and with an audience upset by the loud hammering k became next to impossible to win back the audience’s good favor. # A Theatre Ties Up with a Government Exhibitors are sometimes surprised with the results that are possible to achieve when they put forth an effort to get business and realize profits. It is as much a part of the showman’s business to cut down the overhead as it is his business to exploit his product well. By its shrewd planning the management of the New National theatre at Winnipeg, Man., recently saved enough on one piece of advertising to finance another ad stunt. A Revival Week had been announced during which time the Fox picture “Over the Hill” was showed. On the front of the postcards was printed: “To the Householder — Important News.” The cards were put in the mail for safe delivery. Regular postage rates would have cost the theatre a few hundred dollars. An agreement was reached with the government officials by which the cards would be handled for one half cent each instead of one cent. If it can be done in Canada it is plausible that Uncle Sam will hear arguments on behalf of the plan. * * * Giving Your Patrons ^*The Theatre Habif* The Randolph theatre in Chicago is as good a study in the values of exploitation properly handled as any house in Chicago s loop. A recent stunt used there was a contest to select a young woman for a tryout in films at Universal City. The contest which ran eight days brought out 316 entnes all of whom had friends and relatives interested in their success. If the number were computed it would be found that there were far more than 2,000. The good that such a contest does is obviously that it brings out these 2,000 to the contest at the theatre but it is true also that when they have found their way to the theatre they come again. And if they like it they’ll make that theatre a habit.