Motion Picture Herald (Sep-Oct 1941)

September 27, 1941 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 55 MANAGERS* ROUND TABLE zAn international association of showmen meeting weekly in MOTION PICTURE HERALD for mutual aid and progress A-MIKE VOGEL, Chairman and Editor GERTRUDE MERRIAM, Associate Editor QP That Manpower Question, Again What is to happen when the war is over and defense dollars stop pouring through theatre ticket-windows? Grosses will drop alarmingly and the reason will be the lack of adequate manpower to carry on. The above is the theme of an interesting communication from Mr. D. Luce, of the El Cerrito theatre, in El Cerrito, Cal., who sounds the alarm that unless managerial staffs are remunerated in keeping with theatre revenues increased by defense spending, the showmen will take off "for better jobs, at better pay with less hours and more advancement in dozens of other industries." Further, writes Mr. Luce: "It is folly to suppose that any large part of the capable managerial manpower will remain at low-pay, high responsibility positions for the glory of it." The end will find the theatres in the hands of "well-meaning but inexperienced pups hopelessly incapable of coping with the situations into which they have been thrust," continues the writer. He calls upon the industry to do something about it now, "to establish standards for its managers commensurate with those of the men they supervise so that men in lesser capacities will be encouraged to stay with the business, learn and protect it against less prosperous days when they will be sorely needed." The reasonableness of Mr. Luce's contention is unquestioned. However, the condition is no overnight development. The boom to which he alludes just happens to be the most current of the factors which have long aggravated a deep-seated condition. That condition has principally to do with encouraging the more promising of the lesser personnel to withstand the temptation of better outside jobs available in lush times. * * * This department cannot speak for all managerial manpower. Among the active of the membership, comparatively few managers have left the business for defense or other jobs. A number of the younger theatremen are serving in the forces, but not in numbers enough, so far, to parallel the situation Mr. Luce describes. It may be that theatremen in showbusiness any length of time prefer to stay with it, for better or for worse. Those well paid have no reason for leaving. And the business being what it is, others do stay on somewhat "for the glory of it," while hoping for better. The problem becomes more serious as the difficulties of replacement among the lesser personnel throw extra duties upon the manager, interfering seriously with his main job of promoting the theatre. Mr. Luce strikes a red-hot note in calling for more consideration for the little feller on the job. That can be had by making the manager's lot more attractive, so that ambitious staff members will be given incentive to stay on. It all resolves itself to a matter of good business judgment among exhibitors concerned with manpower adjustments. Some see the need of such incentive. Others do not, or refuse to see. That the latter far outnumbers the former remains a major weakness. It will remain a weakness until that time — long overdue— when it is realized that lack of theatre manpower is as damaging as any other dangerous attack upon the industry — and dealt with accordingly. V V V THEY NEVER WILL CROW OLD In Indianapolis, Loewman Bill Elder had a dinner-tied, highhatted lad on the streets playing around with jig-saw pieces of a "When Ladies Meet" poster. When crowds gathered, the lad fitted together the pieces for a quick look to sell the picture and date. In Providence, the Morton-French duo promoted the "letters-to-editor" column for "Citizen Kane" at the RKO Albee. Well in advance, a letter was run asking "Whatever became of 'Citizen Kane' starring a Mr. Orson Welles?" Two days later, another reader obligingly replied, telling all about the attraction. Further letters were planned to praise the unusual photography and other boxoffice slants. These two stunts are among the hardy perennials to earn their spurs in the past for many and many a date. The point to be made is that the Round Tablers concerned were smart enough to streamline the venerables to make them sparkle all over again.