Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1928)

February 11, 1928 EXHIBITORS HERALD and M<>\ ING PICK RE WORLD 45 THE THEATRE Incorporated in this department of practical shoivmanship of Exhibitors Herald are the Moving Picture World departments, "Selling the Picture to the Public," which was established September 23, 1911, by Epes Winthrop Sargent, and "Better Business Builders." Patrons' Goodwill Pays Big Dividends By Will Whitmore LOUIS XVI, King of France, lost his head under a guillotine because he did not have the goodwill of his people. And many a theatreman has lost his business for the same reason. Just the other day I heard that an exhibitor in a small town, and an acquaintance of mine, had sold his theatre to his competitor. He was forced to sell. He had operated his house at a loss for the last two years. But why? Good Tieups Made for U. A 9s "Ramona 99 Book stores, music stores, drug stores, stationery stores and special theatre lobbies will be made available to exhibitors playing Dolores del Rio in "Ramona," an Inspiration-Carewe production which United Artsists is releasing. Tie-ups already set by Inspiration Pictures ensure direct hookups with current exhibitions of the picture, which is now selling. Simply because he had ceased to cultivate the goodwill of his patrons. He had come to the town a number of years ago and opened the first theatre. For years he made himself the center of community life. He took part in all community enterprises. He gave benefits for many civic clubs and other organizations. He was a keen supporter of anything connected with the upbuilding of his city. As a result, his theatre's success grew by leaps and bounds, and he in turn had the support of the public. But as he grew older he gradually let his community work slip, and perhaps he became just a bit cranky. Then a young man opened a competing theatre in the town. For several years he had a tough fight. It wasn't easy for him to gain the prestige of the older exhibitor. But he was a hustler, and gradually began to usurp the place of the older exhibitor. He did the things that the older exhibitor had once done, and should have kept on doing. As the older man felt his business slipping from him, he became disgruntled and discouraged. He blamed his retrograde on the radio, the automobile and the producers, yet there was only one reason: he had lost the goodwill of his public. And now he has sold out to the "young upstart." I have just been looking over the scrap books of two livewire exhibitors, and that's the reason for this harangue on goodwill. The exhibitors are A. J. Lukachie of the Hauber theatre, Camden, Arkansas, and R. L. Nellis, manager of the Liberty theatre, Washington, Indiana. Looking over their scrap books, the two big impressions I get are the value they put on the goodwill of their public and the reaction of their towns to the things these men do to create goodwill. The scrap books of both men are crammed with newspaper stories about benefit shows and many other things the men have done for their respective cities, and every story reflects the goodwill that the papers and the people hold for the men. When the local high school basket ball squad at Washington needed modern equipment, Nellis held a benefit show. At Christmas time Nellis holds a special matinee for the poor in connection with the Salvation Army, and donates the entire receipts. And there are many other things that Nellis has done to cement the goodwill of his patrons. Nellis is also successful in using the talent of his community in putting on amateur Baldban 6 Kaf z %atres QHJCAQO SABREIM® •RAINBOWS" NQR9HORE ALKVALE'S TIVOLI ffroad^ay Qevuo CLARKE M^CUILOUGH GORILLA" ORIENTAL' ,rocop*fon h*. Wi5 LEW BRICE. Bate Carter. Dvbcv Gofer iad Paul'i — cam. she laW-d at Lire JgljaPS w9A ESTFLLE TAYLOR. r UTOXIO VOREVO «d I « LOWELL bHERMAN ' « MpVICKERS ■hfc EVELYN BRENT *»d WILLIAM POWELL 'o Fmtmmt's pm^™" COMMAND / CENTRAL UPTOWN GORILLA' FRANKIE MA/TCR/ and Orcfaeura m "MARCHING ON" RUDY \VI EDOEFTJi s* GILLIE DOVftSEB ThrilLnc Dnnu «{ SUrcBeacty •<TH£ LOVE MAK1V ROOSEVELT Balaban & Katz, Chicago, do a right about face, and swing from black type and jazy makeup to a dignified layout; beautiful, slender lettering and readable composition. Anyone can read their ads now without eye-strain and the netc ads do much to improve the tone of the entire theatre advertising pages of Chicago newspapers. The ads show such an improvement further comment is unnecessary. Do you remember "The Theatre's" criticism of Chicago advertising in the December 24 "Exhibitors Herald"? "Jazz Singer99 Has Jolson Exploitation Brunswick phonograph dealers in every city of the LTnited States will soon have on display specially lithographed one-sheets of Al Jolson in "The Jazz Singer" which they will use in connection with sale of Brunswick Record "Mother, I Still Have You." This is the popular number written especially for Jolson and introduced by him for the first time in Warner Bros, picture in which he sings it on the Vitaphone. nights. He has held Charleston contests, old fiddlers' contests, title contests and many others. Not only do such contests pack the theatre and bring new business, but they make people take an interest in the theatre. A. J. Lukachie is just as successful as Nellis. When a tent show comes to town and pulls a shady trick, and puts the theatre at a disadvantage, the local paper rises up and defends the theatre editorially. When the local baseball team is face to face with the stiffest game of the season, Lukachie offers them complimentary tickets if they come through victorious. When he plays "The Country Doctor," he makes the members of the county medical society guests of the theatre. He puts over "Laugh Week," and "Take A Chance" week and many other fine exploitations, and in every case gets the support of the paper and the public. Create the goodwill of your public, and if you are any kind of a theatreman, you will be successful. Without your community's goodwill, you'll have to go some to be a success.