Exhibitors' Times (May-Sep 1913)

EXHIBITORS' TIMES 13 ' ~ > \" jg£ \j J m o of v\\ \k » ^ >3£P?V Suggestions Invited, Questions Cheerfully Answered Address : Appearance Dept., Exhibitors' Times In previous issues of the "Exhibitors' Times" I have quoted passages from a booklet on "Courtesy'" issued by the Pennsylvania Railroad, passages from Mrs. E. Wheeler Wilcox and others to show that the question of good manners is spreading all over the world. To-day it is my privilege to quote some lines from a letter from the United Cigar Stores: "Tidiness in the care of the stores is never to be overlooked. Just as important is cleanliness in the personal appearance of the salesman. Xo one serving behind the counter will be permitted to remove his coat, wear his hat, or in any other way wait upon customers in a state of undress. "The reading of magazines and books is not allowed under any circumstances while salesmen are on duty. "Salesmen must not smoke while on duty in a store. The chewing of tobacco, gum, toothpicks, etc.. and singing or whistling, are also positively forbidden as practices objectionable during business hours. "Salesmen must never leave their personal effects on store accessories (cuffs, collars. clothing. towels, brushes, brooms, dust rags, etc.) on the counters or show cases, or anywhere else in sight of customers. "The foregoing rules are based on the supposition that in every relation to their duties our employees will keep within" the lines of gentlemanly deportment. Do not overlook the fact that almost every one likes to be waited upon by a neatly, not slovenly, dressed salesman. Just as you 'size up' your customer, so does he form his opinion of you, and an unshaven face, uncleaned finger nails and soiled linen are bound to impress unfavorably. We, therefore, exact of our employees observance of the ordinary usages of well-bred men. Every one on the roll ought to have pride in being numbered in what it is hoped to make the model selling force of the world." Most of the theatres are not very particular about the kind of help they employ, and many managers have an idea that as there is no real work attached to the position of the usher any man can fill the place. This is a great mistake. If the usher does not need the knowledge of tools, of machines, etc., he must be well bred, he must have some manners, and he must use some common sense. Any man can be taught how to use some tools or watch a machine, but very few can be taught good manners. Good manners are a gift and few young men have them, because good manners have been lost and it will take another generation before we can establish a new standard of good manners. In this great age of progress, parents have neglected their children and the young ones grow up with a lot of very vulgar expressions that should never have been tolerated. For instance, it is very common to hear a young man call his mother the "old woman," and when a young fellow has so little respect for his own mother he is not the man to work in a theatre. It is a great mistake to believe that any one can work in a motion picture theatre, as it takes a diplomat to make a good faithful usher. In a theatre you meet a lot of cranks of different colors and the usher must be well bred and enough of a diplomat to answer these cranks without offending them. Many patrons go to a certain theatre to see either G. M. Anderson, Arthur Johnson or Costello. while others go to an independent house to see King Baggot or Florence Lawrence and a great army go to certain theatres because they like the manners of the doorman or of the ushers. In other words, the attendants of a motion picture theatre are a better drawing card than the .posters and as the manager of the United Cigar Stores says: "Do not overlook the fact that almost everyone likes to be waited on by a neatly dressed salesman." There is a fact that cannot be denied. The most prosperous motion picture theatres have a clean set of attendants and they keep them, while other theatres are changing constantly. At the Hippodrome of Lancaster, the usher told me with a certain pride that he had been working two years, in fact from the opening of the Hippodrome. This young man mentioned his salary for six days (no Sunday work) and although a small salary, as Lancaster does not pay high wages, this salary would make many managers of New York, Chicago and Philadelphia faint. This young man if getting for six days of work more than the double of what certain motion picture ushers of Broadway receive for seven days of work. It is safe to say that the manager of the Hippodrome can absent himself in perfect safety, as he has good honest and faithful men in his employ and there is no wonder why the best element patronize the Hippodrome when thej' are assured the most courteous attention on the part of the attendants. I can name other successful theatres where I am sure to meet the same courteous, polite and smiling ushers and doormen. It pays to have good honest attendants on whom you can depend and do not tempt them to be dishonest by asking them to dress and keep themselves clean on a too-low salary. As I said, "appearances and manners" seems to be a generally universal topic. It seems that if we had a decay of good manners during the last generation we have recognized how good manners have an enormous commercial value in life and from every corner of the earth we can see a revival of good manners. I have made several quotations: they are still coming and in the next issue of the "Exhibitors' Times" I will be pleased to give the views of "Lord Rosebery," of England on "Appearance and Manners" in the address he made to the boys of the Royal Grammar School at Guildford. J. M. B. VITAGRAPH NOTES. The Paris Branch of the Vitagraph Company is following the example of the main branch in America, by erecting one of the largest plants in Europe. It will be up-to-date in every respect with every modern improvement and every department in full relationship to the other. Mr. R. A. Reader, Business Manager of the Vitagraph's interests in Europe, says the building of this factory will cost at least half a million — possibly more, before it is completed. His report of European conditions generally, and the extreme popularity of the Vitagraph Life Portrayals, has prompted the erection of larger facilities to meet the increasing demands for their productions. NEW YORK MOTION PICTURE CORPORATION. The third monthly dividend of one per cent, upon the capital stock of the New York Motion Picture Corporation was declared payable on August 15, 1013, to stockholders of record August 11, 1913.