Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1918)

2012 Motion Picture News Big Pictures Surpass Vaudeville Business Says Levy After His Experiment in Seattle SOME nine years ago Eugene Levy, then a successful business man, surprised the business world of Seattle, Wash., by the announcement that he was going to devote his time and money to the " vaudeville game." He did, finally build one of the most beautiful theatres in the country, and made money. But this original announcement did not cause half the surprise that came a few months ago when the same Levy told the public that he was going into motion pictures with his theatre. Now it was not a case of Seattle needing motion picture theatres. It already had them, fine ones and successful houses. But Mr. Levy believed that there was a place for him in exhibiting and he decided to make it. According to reports from Seattle his success from the first has been remarkable. He declares that not for a single week has he regretted the step that he took and that the change in policy, at the Orpheum, his million dollar theatre, is permanent. The first picture that he showed was "The Kaiser, the Beast of Berlin." He went in for big advertising, but he was not sure that the business that was done with this production was an exception, but he continued in the field for unusual pictures and adhered to his policy of big advertising. He used and still uses pages, often on Sunday, and five and six full columns are the general rule. On " Hearts of the World " he used twelve full columns on a " double truck " — newspaper parlance for opposite pages. After this he played such pictures as "Over the Top," "The Crisis," "The Warrior," etc., and has just completed the run of Theda Bara in " Salome " for two weeks. " After seeing the returns these pictures brought me in, without all the trouble socalled actors and actresses gave me, I decided that the moving pictures are the important branch of the amusement busi snnuc TODAY * 1V*J lira t nmlm lar » **• N>lH sat P"(fc Bram* * **** mlLm* OK wm »wta« «rJ Into IMI" or*, lo Ch, iK pr^saiwiwkaj Is Evtr known SPtOJU. BY THIRTY 5ICJLLED MUSCUNS «J SUTS HSHVffl ObpheuM This is the way that Levy advertises, using seven full columns here ness to-day," says Mr. Levy. " While the Orpheum was a great success as a vaudeville house, the war has cut into the acts with such a wide sweep that good acts were becoming scarcer all the time. Realizing that with the overflowing of the large moving picture houses in this city and with the ever increasing flow of mechanics in here to enter the shipbuilding industry, it is by no means too early for one to open another first class motion-picture house. This same action before the war would have been folly." When Levy was featuring "The Yellow Ticket " the price was 10 cents for weekday afternoons and 20 cents for other times. Later he placed a straight 20 cent price for seats in his house. He finds that this is as satisfactory to the motion picture public as the lower price system, for they do not expect a satisfactory film for 10 cents. After showing " Over the Top " and the other pictures named above, Manager Levy remarked : " A man should never go back to vaudeville when he can show five shows a day and have them all crowded like I do." His pictures are not only advertised in the dailies but also on the sign-boards. He believes in good advertising as well as good pictures. He figures that when he obtains 2,100 to come to his house, for it seats that many people, five times a day, then if these 10,500 fans are satisfied they will tell that many more and he will be gaining right along. Up to a month ago he had a twelvepiece orchestra. But as he became satisfied with his new business venture he was convinced that a large orchestra of high quality is a great drawing power, consequently he increased it to thirty pieces. He increased it to this size when he ran " Hearts of the World " for a month. He believes in two big principles ; one is to get the right kind of goods and the other is to let the people know you have them through the right kind of advertising. The right kind of advertising does not mean simply attractive advertising, but continuity in advertising. He believes that an ad placed in the paper for one time only, is a loss of money. The people read the advertisement, they remember something about it, but not enough to make them remember all the three necessities, the time, the place, and the show house. While most picture men believe that the reader remembers these three essentials, they do not do so. Levy says he realizes this. He also realizes that while advertising sells the goods and brings the crowds, you will be able to sell no more goods, if you fool the people with unworthy productions. In regard to the new policy of his theatre, Mr. Levy says, "I am after the biggest productions on the market and will pay any price in order to secure the ones I want. I feel that Seattle is now willing to pay a nominal admission price to see the best motion picture offerings, as they have already shown in " Hearts of the Yorld." If the motion picture companies would turn out more big productions, there will be more picture houses throughout the Eugene Levy country adopt the same policy as I have, for really, when you stop to think, the motion picture business of the future will be along these lines. Although I am pioneering — I feel confident that I will blaze the trail clear enough so that there will be a number of other houses throughout the United States follow my example." Moeller Back as Manager of Motion Picture House A. J. Moeller, one of the best known motion picture men in the Middle West section, is back at theatre management after having made a vain effort to break into Uncle Sam's fighting forces. Several weeks ago it was announced that Mr. Moeller had quit his post to go into the army, but after he had done this there came a ruling that men in the draft age should not be taken for service overseas except with the fighting forces, and Mr. Moeller was unable to pass the examination, though he tried all branches of the service. Therefore he has returned to the syndicate operated by W. S. Butterfield through Michigan, and has been assigned for the present to the Majestic theatre, Ann Arbor. Gives W hole Program to Boosting Picture For probably the first time in the history of house programs an entire eighteen-page booklet has been devoted to a single attraction. This is the work of M. W. McGee, manager of the Majestic theatre, Detroit, and the production is Madge Kennedy in " Friend Husband." Beginning with the second page there are entire pages containing cuts from the production, photographs of the star, story of the picture and criticisms. This sort of ^ program is not only going to create interest in the particular production, but it will also build interest in the particular star and bring business for future pictures in which she appears.