Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1930)

40 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD October 11, 1930 J. C. Jenkins — His Colyum DENVER, COLO. DEAR HERALD-WORLD: It may be interesting to the readers to know that Denver serves the smallest number of theatres in the largest territory of any exchange center in the United States. She serves Cody, Wyo., on the northwest, a distance of 601 miles, and the towns along the Mexican border on the south, a distance of more than 800 miles. Within the territory served by Denver there are 485 theatres, 320 of them in operation and the balance closed. Fox Mid-West and Publix own and control 55 of this number, situated in towns of 2,500 and over. The balance are located in towns of 2,500 and down to as small as 500. Many of the theatres in the smaller towns, and that includes the greater bulk of them, are having a hard time to exist, with chances that many of them will be forced to close. In one respect, Denver and Colorado Springs are very much like Los Angeles, in that they are more or less dependent on the tourist trade. Colorado Springs especially, is reported to have suffered a tremendous decline in business on this account. This is true of all the resort towns along the eastern slope of the Rockies. It goes to prove that when any section of the country is affected by a radical financial depression, it is bound to be felt to a more or less degree by all other localities. For some time Denver has been overseated, but in spite of that fact, Publix has recently built and opened another beautiful theatre, and Fox has under construction, soon to be opened, the second deluxe house, which will add a total of something like 3,500 more seats to what the city already has. Yet Denver is complaining of having too many empty seats. We can't understand it. In other lines of business profits furnish the motive for expansion, but in the theatre business they seem to expand better on deficits. Study the situation as we may, we are able to arrive at but one conclusion, that the producer-owned chains will eventually drive all independents out of the business and will ultimately own and control the exhibition of motion pictures. They call it "the survival of the fittest." That sounds good and is probably a good theory, but that's what Mike Maloney called it when he knocked his wife out with a kitchen chair. In 1776, we kicked up quite a rumpus in this country over a pet theory that all men should be free and equal. Every recurring Fourth of July we get out and make a lot of noise in support of this theory and we take a lot of credit to ourselves that Independence is the foundation rock upon which this country has builded the greatest nation on earth, and we have to a right to. But — We have a law in this country against the formation of monopolies and it is less effective than the Eighteenth Amendment, if that could be possible, yet we have steel mergers, railroad mergers, bank mergers, harvester mergers, chain store mergers and theatre mergers, all thriving under the law against monopoly. To destroy the spirit of independence and individuality in the people is to lay the foundation of unrest and discontent in the minds of those who believe in "Equality before the law," and it is upon unrest and discontent that Communism and the "red" doctrines thrive best. Are we drifting in that direction? It is of but little moment what we think about it. The important thing is that you give the matter careful consideration. * * * Will Rogers suggests that we each contribute a buck for the pur pose of buying a loving cup for Sir Thomas Lipton and that the funds be sent to Mayor Jimmy Walker of New York for that purpose. We are in favor of this and are stronger for it than horseradish, because we all love Sir Thomas and think he is the finest sportsman England ever produced, and she has produced a lot of 'em, and personally we think that Mayor Jimmy is a square-shooter and a mighty fine guy. But the trouble is that the public won't dig up because they haven't any confidence in a New York politician, and outside of Jimmy, we haven't either. * * * About the hardest working man we have found here in Denver is J. J. Morgan of the National Theatre Supply Company. J. J. showed us all over the establishment and treated us as one of the boys. We understand that this company has secured the contract for the complete furnishings for the new Fox theatre, which contract will run into several thousands of dollars. There seems no good reason why this company should not have secured the contract, since they are on the ground and have the goods, and besides that, who could refuse a contract to as square a shooter as J. J. Echo answers "Who?" We also had the pleasure of meeting B. P. McCormick, field representative for this same company. B. P. used to operate a theatre at Florence, Colo., and we recall that some years back we had a very pleasant correspondence with B. P. relative to some of the abuses of the industry. We are still agreed on some of these abuses. * * * Denver is in truth a city of homes. It is said that more people here own their homes than in any city of like size in the United States. She has 57 parks scattered throughout her residential district, all of which are decked out in gorgeous flowers of every color and shape. Portland, with all her gardens of roses, has nothing on Denver i when measured by floral beauty. * * * We heard some more of that New Jersey henhouse music over the radio tonight. It's no wonder that Morrow is a pronounced wet. Liquor is the only thing that can bring us relief. * * * The exchange managers here in Denver are about the nicest bunch of fellows we have ever met. There isn't a horse thief among them, not one, and we trust that Omaha will take notice of this. (Not that the Omaha boys are a bad lot, but you know how 'tis, Mable. With Ted Mendenhall of Paramount, and Sherm Fitch of R K O out on parole, one can never tell what will happen. It's always best to keep the stable door locked. * * * This cool, snappy mountain air this morning is suggestive of what is soon to follow. Right now we can see the mallards, canvas-backs and redheads migrating southward to the lakes in Cherry county, Nebraska, and this suggests what is apt to happen should our triggerfinger not become incapacitated from pounding this durned old typewriter. Were it not liable to throw the office force in confusion and disrupt the organization, we would try and send the HERALDWORLD force a couple of dozen nice, fat mallards just to remind them that there is something in this life better than sowbelly and prunes. With some nice roasted mallards on their dinner table, we can imagine just what would happen. Ernie Rovelstad would throw a fit, George Schutz would write a verse of moonlight poetry, Edwin Clifford would order a dozen American Beauty roses for his wife, Bill Weaver would give his polo pony an extra quart of oats, Denny Shea would check and double check our account, and Prendergast would forget about those Hollywood bathing beauties. And now, since we have to leave room for that Abe Martin picture, we will say, auf wiedersehn, or something like that. J. C. JENKINS, The HERALD-WORLD man. P. S.— The HERALD-WORLD COVERS the field LIKE an April shower.