Motion Picture News (Oct 1913 - Jan 1914)

Suggestions Invited, Questions Cheerfully Answered Address: Exhibitors' Department, The Motion Picture News IN the Advertising department of this issue I say that the Bijou Theatre, of Springfield, Mass., draws the best attendance because the manager does not deface the front of the theatre with a lot of sensational posters. While it is my strong belief that sensational posters keep away the cultured class, I must state that other features in the management of a theatre must be taken into consideration. For instance, a clean and inviting lobby will not draw if the attendants are dirty and uncourteous. The success of the Bijou Theatre is then due to the able management of Mr. E. L. Knight, who is particular on all the details and wants everything to work in perfect harmony. Mr. Knight believes in little things . that often work better results than the big displays. The cut flowers at the Bijou Theatre do not only please the eye, but give an appearance of refinement to the place and at the same time are an attention greatly appreciated by the ladies. Because flowers are cheerful, they are found a little everywhere, in the reception rooms, on the dining tables and even in the automobiles. Mr. Knight has not only potted plants on and near the stage of his Bijou Theatre, but he has each day * fresh-cut flowers placed in glass holders around the lobby. These cut flowers, with courteous ushers in attendance to take up the tickets and show seats, create such a favorable impression on the patrons as to predispose them in favor of the show. Everything is in perfect harmony at the Bijou Theatre, from the sidewalk to the back of the stage. No sensational posters to mar the good appearance of the theatre, no tough, unkempt and uncourteous attendants to offset the effects of the cut flowers. The same atmosphere of refinement reigns all over the place, even in the private office. The attendants at the Bijou Theatre, of Springfield, Mass., are uniformed, but instead of wearing the military style, they are dressed in black trousers and tuxedo coat, spotless white stiff-bosom shirt, clean collar, black necktie, well-polished shoes, etc. They are clean-cut fellows of natural good appearance and manners, and very courteous. It is this great attention to all the small details that makes of the Bijou the most refined and most successful motion picture theatre of Springfield. We know that cheap vaudeville has a tendency to cheapen motion pictures, and for the sake of the industry I have fought the cheap vaudeville until few theatres use it. I am, then, pleased to repeat the words of Mr. Knight: "Discontinued vaudeville and singers over a year ago and business increased at once." Good manners are not taught; they are a gift; they are born with the man. You can educate a man to be polite and courteous, as we can silver a brass spoon, but as the brass will show as soon as the spoon is rubbed, so will the bad manners, ugly temper, vulgar talk of the man who is called down or when he gets excited. A man can keep clean even working in a factory, while another man cannot keep clean in the best equipped office. A man can wear old clothes and look still a gentleman, while another man can wear the finest clothes and remain a bum. Mr. Knight is a born gentleman of manners, and everything around him inspires confidence. Mr. E. W. Lynch, of the Pleasant Theatre, of Worcester, Mass., is a gentleman of the same type. The attendants of the Pleasant Theatre are neatly uniformed, are very attentive to the work and courteous — a great item in the success of the place. Mr. Lynch, like Mr. Knight, believes in plants and flowers, he has a number of potted small trees around the ticket office and at the foot of the elegant marble staircase. The uniform is getting popular. The managers seem to believe that the uniform is as important as the picture or the posters, in other words, that they cannot open a theatre without having uniforms for the attend SCENE FROM "THE LOVE LUTE OF ROMANY" (Essanay 2-reel Dramatic Subject)