Publix Opinion (Jan 19, 1929)

‘Watch Your Sound Presentations,” Warns Chatkin Aublix | lake Sure Your | Staff Reads ALL of \cassanotcuunsuuashuan=bee PUBLIX BOOKS “WOLF OF iS a Special tribute to “Paramount’s Greatest Year,” the olf of Wall Street,” the first of Paramount’s new alling pictures starring George Bancroft and Baclanova, will be shown simultaneously, day and date,:in every first-run The date blix theatre throughout the entire circuit. cided upon is February 9. This is the first time in the; > history of Publix that a con-| erted showing of the same ure will be effected and it an eloquent commentary upon the enthusiasm felt by all Publix in Paramount’s new rogram generally, and “The Wolf of Wall Street” partict is the consensus of opinamong all Paramount and lix heads that a more ausous picture could not possibe chosen to usher in the era of entertainment. It earned the unqualified se of all who have previewed it. “The Wolf of Wall Street’ nds out as the sure-fire boxpicture,” Mr. Sam Dembow, recently wired from the Coast, d I want to predict that, oute of the Jolson picture, it will S more money than any talking cture released to date. Bancroft d Baclanova give a performance like of which I have never seen heard from the screen and “I’d TOLEDO OPENING CHANGED; ONE WEEK LATER Due to the inability of certain manufactured materials to be completed in time, the opening date of the TOLEDOPARAMOUNT THEATRE has been changed to February 16. Please guide yourself accordingly in the radio salute asked for by Mr. Chatkin. P ‘SAVRETUOANELEA ELA HAEA VD NAEASEDSN SEEN TO TEAESUA TEAL UAPN TAO OEE EEE ee MR. KATZ PLEDGES AULA EEDELNGEDODEGNOASAUEODAaEOEDAGELAUEREOEEREaSGAGAINAINDE atter all previous records.” Wall Street has been consistently on the nation’s front pages for the ast year, perhaps more than in other period of American hisMore people are engaged in g the stock market now than before; Main: Street is Wall reet today. Paramount, always rt to build its stories around iliar topies, is the first motion ire concern to capitalize on this rest in producing a picture a Wall Street background. S$ picture gets behind the ed windows of Wall Street. Vall Street,” a lane of fortune 1 misfortune, mystery, secrecy, er and riches, is a phrase used 7 everyone and has a universal appeal heaped with drama. Theatre managers and publicity men Id do well to emphasize these ints in selling this picture. _ Another good selling point is the ve interest. Aside from money, | other interest plays so imporit a role in the lives of most man beings as love. In this picure, Baclanova gives a performce that surpasses even the most mous sereen vampires. croft, in the role of a ruthless stock broker, deliberately loses his fortune to keep Baclanova, his wife, and her lover—his partner—from getting it. That is the meat of the ice, and it is sure to mean = E : : = FIRE LOSS The following telegram sent from. Chicago by .President Sam Katz to Vice-Pres ident Sam Dembow, Jr., was received before Mr. Kent had even sent the telegram published in an adjoining column of this issue. PLEASE NOTIFY ALL DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT PARAMOUNT'S STUDIO FIRE MEANS THAT WE IN PUBLIX MUST BE PREPARED TO INSTANTLY RENDER EVERY POSSIBLE KIND OF AID IN HELPING THE FILM PRODUCING AND DISTRIBUTING DEPARTMENTS HOLD THE LEADERSHIP AeeE AUN EOL ENACU NOTED ETY LEND TO ENCOURAGEMENT WE OR THEY GAN CONCEIVE. >> for those theatres forQUESTIONABLY ONE gh to show it THE GREATEST. HELPS ‘and Bacl ’ | WILL BE FOR US TO ECONee a are. Sup: OMIZE IN OPERATING STS AS NEVER BEFORE AND TO ACHIEVE GROSSES FOR PARAMOUNT PICTURES THAT WILL GIVE THEM THE ADDED PROFITS NEEDED TO MEET THEIR NEW ENCY. > amie SAM KATZ. exceptional cast which Carrol, Paul Lucas, Brandon Hurst, and Crawford V. Lee directed the = = = z =: 2: = Sravvrraeveesnvtongnavertvasvutevenqgvesvasssweawuueencaqeenyuoageredadneerr inverter ENT TTEUH THRE EEL SEEDY = = FS suvesnvunsceenvnvesevunnyytsnsveseavqurvenaeangnUraQunpensnasv4UeTansetts4 CUEEUTREGOUEETERRLD ATURE EETA CEES Publix Opinion wv ek Ae sam — The Official Voice of Publix AID IN | pit Publix Theatres Corporation, Paramount Building, New York, Week of January 19th, 1929 IRST PARAMOUNT-PUBLIX DRIVE STUDIO FIRE IS TEST FOR PUBLIX POWER Despite the enormous setback caused by the fire which destroyed the new four-section sound-proof stage in the Paramount studio at. Hollywood, every picture scheduled for spring release plus the product for the fall with no diminishing in quality will be delivered, Messrs. Lasky, Schulberg, Kaufman and Kent solemnly pledged at a meeting held the morning after the fire. ; This stirring message was contained in a telegram sent by Mr. Kent to the Home Office, assuring the distribution department that, by virtue of the great sacrifices and almost superhuman efforts on the part of ‘every one, from Mr. Lasky all the way down the line, scheduled deliveries would be made on time. “Tt is another challenge to Paramount,” Mr. Kent wires. “Lasky has accepted it for Paramount and I have accepted it for every member of our department and I know that Sam Katz will be glad to accept his share of it for Publix.” ‘|}earned public confidence. Make Sure Your Staff Reads ALL of Publix Opinion — SOO ee ee eeebecence: No. 43 SURVEY SHOWS LAXITY IN PRESENTING SOUND EFFECTS A notice has been sent to all department heads, division and district managers, by. David J. Chatkin, General Director of Theatre Management, calling attention to the laxity which, after a survey of, the various houses in the circuit, was found to prevail in a good many ins NEW THEATRE LAUDED BY MR. KATZ The bright lights of Broadway as the street symbol of New York may no longer be visualized as of old. Instead, when you think of Broadway, think of it in terms, for instance, of Brooklyn, and possibly every other important borough in Greater New York. Sam Katz, president of Publix Theatres Corporation, in pointing out the phenomenal success of the newest de luxe Publix theatre, the Brooklyn-Paramount, which opened less than two months ago, at Flatbush and DeKalb Aves., is the authority for the analysis. In pointing to the numerous “white light” districts which vie with Broadway, the case of the Brooklyn-Paramount is particularly’ illuminating. “We have more than fulfilled our most optimistic hopes for the Brooklyn-Paramount Theatre,” declared Mr. Katz. “Brooklyn has placed its approval upon the theatre as an institution and upon Publix as an organization that has In addition, it has taken Paul Ash to its heart even more affectionately than he was held for three years in Chi That every one in Publix|cago. I attribute a great measure (Continued on page 3) (Continued on page 3) During the coming year, PUBLIX OPINION will attempt to QUAINTED NUMBER” eating each to a separate Publix division. issue a “LET’S GET ACevery few months, dediThe suggestion comes from Sam Dembow, Jr., VicePresident of Publix, and is warmly endorsed by everyone in Publix. The newspaper will be edited from the head quarters-city of each division. Furthermore, it will be the work of the men in that division. In these issues, all other news will be subordinated by publication on several inside special insert-pages. tances in the presentation of sound programs. “When we installed sound equipment in ou? houses,” Mr. Chatkin said, “we pointed out the necessity for someone in the theatre ing constantly charged with watching each and every show so that the volume ‘would at all times be perfect, and that we would at no time allow sound effects to drive people from our theatres and make them sick of singing and talking pictures. We felt that there would be no surer way of turning the old steady patroiage away from our theatres than to have them listen to a terrible performance of sound pictures. “Time and again we have cautioned each and every manager operating a sound theatre of the importance of this particular phase of his operation. The time has now come when we cannot take any more chances with carelessness. Our investment is too heavy and our properties too valuable to have sound mistreated. “We have the very finest equipment that money will buy in every. one of our-theatres. There is no excuse for it not being in perfect . order as this can quickly be adjusted. We have the right to demand a perfect performance as the public is entitled to same—and we mean to give it to them if it is humanly passible. “We have been making a survey in our various houses all over the country and it is with much regret that. we have to report a great laxity on the part of a number of your managers: in the presentation of sound in their theatres. In some instances no two shows are alike. In other instances, the subject is run entirely too low er loud enough to drive everybody out of the theatre. A difference of opinion exists among some managers as to just what is the right volume, and the result is they are generally pleas; ing themselves. They do not take the trouble to sit down during the show in various parts of their theatre and get the audience reaction as to whether it is too soft or too loud. Therefore, suggest that you again bring this to the attention of every one of your managers—that someone must be charged with the responsibility of watching every performance, and never allowing any subject to be presented EXCEPT IN THE MOST PERFECT MANNER. We are very serious about this as the entire future of sound is dependent upon proper presentation to the public. “To indicate to you just how disturbed we are about this situation, this letter is in the form of a notice, where you find carelessness still exists after you again call it to the managers’. attention, it will mean dismissal without any further reason. “Should like an immediate checkup made on every one of your sound. houses and even where you are satisfiled a good performance is now being given, see if it cannot be improved upon. Please send me a report on each and every one of your theatres as to just exactly what you find and what steps you may have taken as per the above. It is essential that this be given . immediate action and preference over any other work,”