Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1945)

CID CLOVE ON THE IRON FIST tEMEDY FOR THE ROWDIES inhibitors Discuss Ways pf Handling Problem Aggravated by War BILL FORMBY tfi all theatre operational problems aggraid by the war, one of the most serious is dyism. It damages that which is most diffij to retrieve, impossible to replace. By at:ing good will, it reduces income, which still I Is the spotlight as the sole practicable aveto profits. It causes concern because it al's carries the threat of companion ills, such jersonal injury and damage to property, "heatre showmen, however, are not without mse. They are applying to this problem the le ingenuity that is solving so many others this era of wartime shortages and restricts. Motion Picture Herald has asked for jrmation, and exhibitors are relating their eriences with this and other problems. This cle deals with some suggestions for remeaction. Y MEANS A Park Theatre tsas City, Mo. | The cooperation of both the staff and the ience is essential if good results are to be incoming in any approach to rowdyism, re patrons compliment us on the quietness 1 order of our audiences than on any one Vse of our operation. Our good order, I am sure, comes from conit and careful supervision. For 20 years we •e been keeping down rowdyism, loud talking 1 such annoyances that are quite common in Teat majority of houses. When noisy boys girls come in we tell them this isn't the place visit and hold conversations; that they are 'come to a refund if they persist; that they t have trouble if they want it, and that now is time to make up their minds. This approach has been found effective. It absolutely useless to send a young boy or :erette down to warn such people to be quiet :ause the management disapproves.' It can handled only by someone who can talk concingly and then back up the talk. We are : reluctant to call the police if anything ap.rs to be getting out of hand, but the above •cedure has been so successful that the police not called more often than once a month on average. inagement Must Always pport Employee 'When an employee starts in to correct a sition, the management must back him up. In ny instances I have seen the employer dou-cross his own employee and thereby lose ir further cooperation from him. Of course, s assumed that the employee is in the right. I When groups of people come to the ticket |ndow the cashier is instructed to call the nager before selling them tickets. If they ' not seem desirable we just tell them we I't v/ant them in tonight, giving no other ison than that we don't want them. : 'Sometimes an exhibitor is reluctant to give ormation of this kind, feeling that he has an vantage over his competitors. In this partic HELP OTHER SHOWMEN AND HELP YOURSELF Showmen are invited to discuss problems and the solution of problems through the pages of MOTION PICTURE HERALD. The wartime emergency has increased their number and intensity, and many are the methods of approach to practical solutions. Send in your questions and answers as freely and as frequently as you desire. As space permits, they will be cleared through these pages. Your efforts in helping a fellow showman find his way through a vexing situation will be rewarded by answers to questions that trouble you. Send your communications to MOTION PICTURE HERALD, 1270 Sixth Ave., New York 20, N. Y. Specific questions this week needing answer from the field are: VANDALISM: How to reduce danger of property damage. GATE CRASHERS: How to deal with them. IMPERTINENT EMPLOYEES: How to correct them and soothe ruffled feelings of customers. QUEUE FATIGUE: How to keep the customers waiting in line without losing them as customers. ular instance I would really like to see all the suburban theatres adapt what they can of the foregoing. It creates more respect for the business, and those who are of the rowdy type will find other places to go, and in that way we can dignify our calling. "Again, there are locations where demanding strict deportment would not be advisable, as there are places where rowdyism prevails and yet the theatre is successful. "I think, however, that there is room for our type of operation everywhere. I know personally that that is the kind of theatre I would select were I in search of entertainment." EDWARD HARRISON E. M. Loew Theatres Springfield, Mass. "We use a regular uniformed policeman on busy nights, when we have vaudeville, and immediately eject rowdies. On other nights we call the police if it is necessary and they send around a cruiser. In other words, we do not tolerate rowdyism. We have also found from past experience that rowdies have no respect for a 'special cop.' That is why we use the regular police." R. M. KENNEDY Alabama Theatres, Inc. , Birmingham, Ala. "As in the last war, even more so this time, many patrons prefer putting on the show rather than seeing it. They cause as much disturbance as they possibly can and then go about their nasty work of destroying the theatre prop erty. We won't go into their vandalism, however, for the rowdy part entails enough copy for this time. "An appeal has been made from the screen ' to the audience in many of our theatres where the disorder has been worst. The copy reads about like this : " 'Boys, this isn't the kind of a show where you come to visit, hold conversations and enjoy each other's company. If you came here under that impression you are welcome now to have a refund and to go elsewhere, where you may follow your own desires, but we expect order. If you are looking for trouble here you can get it — and fast. So now is the time for you to make up your minds.' " 'Should you be annoyed by anyone seated near you who is acting disorderly, please report this to the nearest usher and the guilty patron will be removed. Your cooperation to help us maintain order in this theatre will be appreciated.' Some managers feel that this trailer encourages more disorder and they don't use it, but the majority approve and are confident that it helps. "A uniformed policeman is employed in some of our theatres over the weekend, particularly in the vaudeville houses. It seems that many teen-age youngsters get a terrific kick out of heckling the actors, and they must be removed. The policeman has a quieting influence and is worth his wages in the houses where he is employed. Occasionally he works in plain clothes to catch some of the foxy ones who outsmart him while he is in uniform. Out of some 50odd theatres in this territory, it is only necessary that some five or six employ policemen over the weekend. "We have run into 'planned disorder' of two kinds. First, there are those who see the picture through and then become disorderly, so that they will be asked to leave and be given their money back. These aren't the tough customers, and we have little trouble with them. Second, there are the boys who are either too young for the Army or who have been rejected as 4-F's. They enter the theatre as rowdies and continue that way until they have finally had a showdown with the manager and are put out. They want to make a spectacle of themselves and to show how tough they are. Many of them have threatened the policeman who remove them. Some are arrested and convicted, but we only do this in extreme cases. No Refunds Where Patrons' Action Brings Removal "The refunds which we made as objectionable patrons were removed from the theatre seemed to encourage further disorder. After' discussing the matter with our attorney, we are of the opinion that these refunds aren't necessary when the patron, by his own actions, is responsible for his removal. We have, therefore,«adopted a policy of not making refunds in cases of this kind and are sure that such a policy will be helpful in curbing this trouble. We have also come to the conclusion that we may have a blacklist without legal entanglements. Therefore, certain people are not permitted to purchase tickets to certain theatres — people who have given too much trouble in the past. "Some women with crying babies refuse to leave, and stern measures have to be taken.'' DTION PICTURE HERALD, MARCH 10. 1945 31