The Film Daily (1924)

THE 34 -Ptl^ DAILY How Exhibitors Show Short Subjects Sunday, September 14, 1924 CONNECTICUT Exhibitors of Connecticut, as a whole, are rapidly realizing the big value of short subjects as box office attractions. This recogn.ition of the short subject features is evidenced by the advertising space allotted to it in the local papers, theater lobbies, bill boards and the marques lights. Not in a few cases the short subject feature is exploited as the big attraction on the program. In this case the wise exhibitor is taking advantage of the best he has to offer. Exijiibitors are awakening to the fact that the short subject is often the feature of a show. Advertising the short subject feature of the program as well as the long feature is the answer to good showmanship. Exhibitors of Connecticut are bringing out this fact in a manner that is gratifying. Connecticut exhibitors are awakening to pubhe demand for good short subjects, with the result that short subject representation in Connecticut is well under way to a 100% increase during the forthcoming season. GIVE THE PUBLIC GOOD SHORT SUBJECTS!—A. P. ARCHER, New Haven Manager, Educational Films, Inc. GEORGIA The short subject situation in the entire southern states is that most of the exhibitors are using comedies, weeklies or novelties but they do not lay much strees upon short subjects, simply using them as fillers. The impression that I get from the patrons of theaters is that they are very fond of short subjects but for the reason that the patrons would not pay SO cents to go into a theater and see a news weekly or a tworeel comedy, the exhibitor is so short sighted that he fails to exploit his short subjects.— A. C. BROMBERG, Progress Pictures, Atlanta. INDIANA I want to call your attention to the W. C. Quimby Enter., operating the Palace, JefiEerson, and Strand at Ft. Wayne. In building their attractions, the management always surrounds the long feature with a variety of short subjects, thereby giving to their many patrons a well balanced program. In their newspaper advertising they always give prominence to their short subjects, especially the comedies. Exercising good judgment in the selection of their features and also giving particular attention to their short subjects has gained for this enterprise a profitable patronage, and also the reputation of being one of the foremost exhibitors in the middle west. — H. C. DRESSENDORFER, Manager Educational Exch., Indianapolis. INTER-MOUNTAIN W. A. Mendenhall of the Pinney, Boise, Idaho, is an exhibitor who takes advantages of the possibilities of quality short subjects advertising his complete show. Each Educational comedy is given considerable space with mats in each of his newspaper ads. Mendenhall believes that a good comedy is an asset to his program and never fails to make mention of the fact in his ads. He also illustrates this point on the marquee of his theater.—C. H. MESSENGER, Manager, Educational Exch., Salt Lake City. IOWA We have noticed articles in THE FILM DAILY showing the methods used by certain exhibitors in advertising short subjects and are taking this opportunity of giving you an idea as to how Educational short subjects are being advertised in some of the key cities in this territory. Take for example the Des Moines of this city. On "PIGSKIN" running this week they have the title of the comedy and the star featured in same in electric lights in the marquee with a nice newspaper advertisement together with a nice lobby display of two sets of 11x14 photographs. Occasionally when it is possible they take scenes from the comedy and make a trailer which they use the same as a trailer on a feature .from four to seven days before presentation of the short subject. I have just talked with the manager of the Des Moines and he advises that exploitation of this kind on short subjects are of real box office value. — A. W. KAHN, Manager, Educational Exch., Des Moines. There are a few exhibitors in this territory using very poor judgment in handling short subjects. Some of these exhibitors do not even purchase or post a one sheet poster. One of these particular exhibitors is the Rialto at Pocahontas which is now using newest releases and paying an adequate film rental. How he can afford to pay the rental he does for short subjects and ignore letting the public know what he is running is more than plain logic can conceive. KANSAS A good instance of a combination short subject program was that played at Lenora, Kansas. This consisted of "Timber Queen" ((Serial), "Range Rider" (2 reel Western), "Our Gang" and a Pathe Review. These combination programs are very common in this section of the country, — in fact, more so than the South. Almost invariably where we line up a serial, we are able to place a combination program of this picture. He played this program at Lenora, Edmond and Kirwin, Kansas. From what I can understand, it proved extremely satisfactory. Since that time, we have furnished thein with a number of our programs. C. C. VAUGHAN, Manager, Pathe Exch., Kansas City. KENTUCKY I am glad to say that our exhibitors, both large and small, are beginning to attach more importance to their short subjects. This is particularly true of the Keith Theaters in Louisville, the Kentucky. Lexing ton and the Famous Player houses in Memphis, Chattanooga and Knoxville. These first run houses generally use the ad mats supplied by Educational and they give a proper display to the short subjects. These same theaters are also beginning to feature Educational in their electric signs. During 1924 we increased our short subject accounts over 30 per cent, which the writer feels is due to two things: One, that the features have not been running in such extreme lengths and the second and most important reason is that the public itself has fairly demanded of the theaters that they supply a full program of entertainment by including diversified short subjects. — LEE L. GOLDBERG, Educational Exchange, Louisville. MICHIGAN There has been a very big improvement in the manner in which exhibitors in this territory have exploited our short subjects. The key cities in this territory generally realize that we are releasing the only nationally advertised short subjects, and a program of short subjects that has been consistently A-1 ever since our inception as a national organization, and they they have exploited and advertised Educational short subjects in a very capable manner, and we have noted that the smaller towns and smaller theaters in Detroit are gradually following the lead of the larger houses. As an illustration, a small house opened just a few doors from the Broadway-Strand, a firstrun house in Detroit, recently and on their opening bill had a Lloyd Hamilton Comedy, the title of which they placed in electric lights as prominently as the longer picture. There is still room for improvement in the advertising and exploiting done by the first run houses in Detroit, for unless it is some exceptional subject, such as our "PLASTIGRAMS" or "THE CHASE," the first run houses do not give the short subjects the publicity they deserve. Some of this neglect by the first run houses in advertising their short subject is possibly due to the fact that the majority of the first run houses do not select their short subjects until Friday and Saturday, and their newspaper ads are made out Wednesday and Thursday at the latest. We can however see where there has been a big improvement in the past season by the theaters in advertising Educational short subjects, and we close practically 100 per cent of our old customers year after year, and I feel safe in saying that at least 75 per cent of our accounts advertise our short subjects in some manner. As far as Michigan is concerned, the day has passed when exhibitors look upon short subjects as fillers, for the leading and successful theaters are devoting a great deal of time to giving their patrons a well balanced program.— M. HARLAN STARR, Educational Exchange, Detroit. MISSOURI Herschel Stuart at the Missoui; displays the name of his comedy or, his program board and uses aboulan inch in the Sunday spread whicl simply mentions the comedy and tbi; is practically the same method usec.| by all first run exhibitors in St! Louis. i'! Stuart, however, uses a very ef fective trailer calling the attention 0| his audience to the fact that he ha contracted for the Mack Senn. comedies exclusive first run in ^ Louis and the Harry Langdon is th biggest comedy find since Lloyd an Chaplin. None of our theaters with the e.\ ception of the Orpheum feature th name of the news reel. While there isn't a great deal c3 exploitation given short subjects i St. Louis territory it has shown cd siderable improvement over the pa; year.— H. D. GRAHAM, Pathe E; change, St. Louis. MISSOURI-KANSAS I find the exhibitors in this ten tory are beginning to realize the vahl of short subjects. They are devo| ing more space in advertising th« entire program, where heretofore ti mention was made of same. AlJ find that there are a great many tl aters in the key towns that do make any mention of their short jects, due to the fact as — they state' of the high newspaper rate and t! they have to use a limited spa which can only be used for their ture. t: Here is a list of theaters in the towns in this territory, with expl tion which is self illustrating: KEY TOWNS 10,000 AND UP K. C. TERRITORY Advertises entire program Newman, Royal, Liberty, Ka City. Mo. Miller, Palace, Wichita, Kans Do not advertise short subject Main St., Kansas City. Lyceum, Leavenworth, Kan. Orpheum, Novelt, Isis, Topeka Electric, Colonial, St. Joseph Electric, Kansas City, Kans. Electric, Joplin, Mo. Electric, Springfield, Mo. Midland, Hutchinson, Kans. Klock, Pittsburg, Kans. Orpheum,, Lyceum, Leavenwo Kans. Best, Parsons, Kans. Palace, Salina, Kans. Columbia, Tackett, Coflfeyville, Orpheum, Atchison, Kans. Varsity, Lawrence, Ks. Strand, Emporia, Kans. New Burford, Arkansas City, K New Lewis, Independence, Ks El Dorado, Eldorado, Kans. Empress, Ft. Scott, Ks. Peoples, Chanute, Ks. Crane, Carthage, Mo. Star, Newton, Kans. Klock, Ottawa, Kans. lin C. F. SENNING, Mgr., Educa* lihu al Exchange, Kansas City. ftj, ■ If I ' ai ilietl Irs m 31 low: ^Sf ini slioi >tlie at the Tf! owe 'nlnlil iince ejtp iyar