Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1946)

^An international association of showmen meeting weekly in MOTION PICTURE HERALD for mutual aid and progress CHESTER FRIEDMAN, Editor QP Get 'em In, Out and Back Short Changed Business falling off in the Broadway cine'mas should remind house managers that there's more than one way of skinning a cat. The over-all picture shows that, while attendance has dipped, there are capacity, crowds .seeking , admissions at certain peak hours. '• ' ' During these peak periods, considerable loss of revenue results because service staffs and supervisory personnel have not yet recovered our pre-war efficiency in refilling vacant seats. One of the important theatres has long been noted for its street and lobby waits. Invariably, after the patron has Inched his way forward until he reaches the auditorium, he is able to discern numerous unoccupied seats scattered throughout the center area and in bulk quantity along the sides. A similar pattern of operation is apparent in other downtown theatres. The task of getting people to come to our theatres is becoming increasingly difficult. When they do come, let's make every effort to get them into seats as quickly as possible, lest we drive them across the street to the opposition or discourage them from coming downtown altogether. AAA A Reel Party Something new has been added to theatre tie-ups with local organizations in connection with theatre parties. Kenneth Elmore, manager of the hloward theatre, Monon, Ind., is the showman who is responsible and we predict that his ingenious idea will be carried out by other theatremen. When the Band Parents Organization wanted to raise funds recently, they approached Mr. Elmore and suggested a theatre party. Realizing that the group might not garner a sufficient amount from a percentage on the sale of advance tickets, he suggested that they solicit the businessmen for a cooperative newspaper ad. The theatre and the current attraction came in for top prominence in a two-page spread which merchants subscribed for. The Parents group collected enough on the advertisements to give them a tidy profit in excess of the amount collected from their share of the ticket sales. Unable to get newspaper advertising space in Memphis last week, manager Jim Barnes of the Warner theatre recruited a number of girls and put them to work with telephone directories, 'phoning subscribers. "hiello," was the stock message. "This is the Warner theatre. Due to the newspaper shortage, we are calling to inform you . . . We hope we shall have the pleasure of seeing you. ..." A patron with a sense of humor received the message and decided to acknowledge the call. "Hello, Warner theatre," said the cashier. "Hello," came the voice over the wire. "Due to a shortage of money, I'll be unable to attend your theatre. Good-bye." AAA Up in Smoke Something new also has been added to showmanship lore by the advertising and publicity department of Twentieth Century-Fox, headed by Charles Schlatter. When "Smoky" makes its world premiere in Denver and Salt Lake City during the coming week, residents of those two cities will get their first view of Technicolor sky writing. For the first time in connection with the exploitation of a film production, airplanes will weave their way through the blue skies, writing out the picture title in pink and white smoke. "Smoky", incidentally, is filmed in Technicolor. AAA Yo-Yo Climbing The increasing popularity of Yo-Yo is again established throughout the New England states, with alert theatre managers registering extra ticket sales by promoting contests for skilled manipulators. Some of the kids acquire an amazing dexterity, looping and barrel rolling the grooved doorknobs. Next time you're In New York, come up and we'll teach you the Immelman super de luxe rotor spin with a double under-the-leg pitch climb. —CHESTER FRIEDMAN MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JUNE 15. 1946