Exhibitors Herald (1927)

October 29, 1927 EXHIBITORS HERALD 25 The sketches on this page are the original rough drawings made by Mr. McDermott as the initial step in the planning and production of an anniversary show at the Oriental theatre, a Balaban & Katz house in Chicago. On the following page are photographs of the settings as they actually appeared. s/cercH ro/e o Pea/sm# — • The Fundamentals of Presentation An Authoritative Exposition on Stage Bandshow Construction By louis McDermott WITHIN the last half year the show business has witnessed the birth or coinage of a new expression which concisely defines one of the most outstanding developments of a single idea that has even taken place in the theatrical profession. Everywhere one hears “The Paul Ash Policy,” a certain something that has spread through the country from Coast to Coast, from Maine to Florida, from Seattle to San Diego. In all of the major type or de luxe picture theatres where stage entertainment supplement the film programs, it is used as a box office draw. The “Paul Ash Policy” has become the vogue. Box office receipts are jumping up with surprising results proving to smart managers that this type of entertainment is what the customers like. The writer would like to relate some of his personal experiences as a pioneer Louis McDermott, producer of the Paul Ash shows at the Chicago Oriental. in the creating of the “Paul Ash Policy” with the sincere hope and intention that some of the readers of the Herald who are experimenting with this type of entertainment might profit in some measure by this experience which I consider a most valuable asset. It was my good fortune to first work with Paul Ash in producing the shows which surrounded him and his orchestra in 1922 at the Granada theatre in San Francisco, where the now famous Rajah of Jazz first appeared in a de luxe picture theatre with his band on the stage. At that time J. A. Partington, as general manager of the San Francisco chain, was beginning to drift away from the stereotyped “Atmospheric-Prologue” and “Symphony Orchestra-and-Organ Solo” thing, which was beginning to tell on the customers after having had a continuous procession of this highbrow stuff for six years. Ash, from his previous two years in Oakland, Cal., had been accustomed to applause, and an intimacy between him and his audience which was an unheard of thing at the Granada theatre up to the time of his arrival there. Subsequently a mixing of ideas took place — Partington’s and Ash’s — with the result that the personal element of a band leader-master of ceremonies was born in Ash and from that time on shows were built around this personal element which immediately proved to be a heavy draw at the box office. As assistant to Partington in the mechanical end of these affairs, the writer had a fine vantage point to view the inception and growth of what is now known as the “Paul Ash Policy.” For three years at the Granada in San Francisco, I watched the development of the policy, during which time I was actively engaged in handling the mechanical details of the show which went in back of Ash. Week after week, I saw his genius coming to the front in picking obscure people and mediocre ideas, which, when presented to the public with his personality mixed into them, proved to be sensational. It was a very interesting study for one to make in my position and it became a most absorbing thing to witness. Finally Ash’s big opportunity came and news spread around the theatre that he was going to Chicago. Most important in this connection was the fact that Ash came to Chicago alone. Not with any organization, without the band (which he had built up to be the finest on the Coast), without even an arranger or anyone from his San Francisco surroundings. Upon his arrival in Chicago the production head of the Balaban & Katz organization put their entire staff at Paul’s disposal, and proceeded to launch the “Paul Ash Policy” at McVickers theatre with a tremendous advertising campaign and a general shaking up around the theatre which created an entirely new atmosphere there. Hardly had the applause died down from his first performance when Ash realized that his type of entertainment could only succeed as a unit in itself. In other words he wanted the production end of his show, his orchestra, arrangers, and other people responsible for the show, all concentrated under one roof. To do this it was necessary to break away from the regular B & K