Publix Opinion (Aug 17, 1929)

Tribute To Publix PUBLIX OPINION, WEEK ) ‘Frank Cambria. VARIETY by Permission) nt as it has been, the Publix Circuit of | ion of theatre building as distinctively res, presentations and music. ments with glass screens, in which was used a translucent, milk glass. And, by the way, here’s an inter|; esting program, a typical one of | the year 1903, at which time I was art director for the Proctor} theatres. In that capacity, I first came jin | contact with motion pictures used | as a feature attraction, and began experimenting with the proper showing of motion pictures. The following is a program of the ; FIFTH AVENUE THEATRE, . NEW YORK Continuous Performance From 1:00 to 10:30 p. m. A BIG STOCK COMPANY “TRILBY” A play in four acts) by GEORGE DuMAURIER And the following acts ) Reappearance in New York of the Once Famous Boy Soprano CYRIL TYLER Now a high-class tenor TOM BROWN and NEVARRO Eccentric Character Change Artists, Introducing ‘“‘A CHINESE COURTSHIP” BUSH and GORDON Comedy Acrobats LIGNETTE SISTERS In a Singing Speciaity J. WARREN KEENE Card and Coin Manipulator BARRY SEEBACH Novelty Bag Puncher MARY MADDEN Monologist And Most Interesting of All THE KALATECHNOSCOPE Presenting Up-to-date Photogra wi phic Records of the World's Latest Events Special Seasonable Holiday Views for the Little Ones A Popular Orchestra—Conducted by George E. Collins I RE \ ii SUNN THE HOUSES MANAGER By DAVID J. CHATKIN (General Director. Theatre Management, Publix Theatres) (Reprinted from VARIETY by Permission) Helping the local theatre manager to take his place of prominence in local affairs, as befits the official representative of the local institution that daily touches the lives of countless local citizens, is one of the biggest advances I have noted in theatre management under Publix operation. Contrary to the witty ob: servations of some wags, the precise manner in which our theatres operate in even the most minute detail, is regarded by us as one matter, while the freedom, of personality of the men in charge is quite another. Publix wants its local managers to participate in civic affairs and share the responsibility. of community leadership. Out of the 1,100 or more Publix theatres we operate, I could point to many hundreds of men who as managers or assistant managers, are the most prominent, popular and influential figures in the community. They head lodges, charity committees, and scores of other activities. At the same time their theatres are operating at top efficiency and in a |= manner that the public best likes. it Hu TUNNEL if t : = = a = | = : = = TR TA i! |cial growth was conducjve to fur-| Kees OF AUGUST 171x, 1929 Publix Has Best Sound In Industry — Manager Ezra Levin of the Publix Tower Theatre in Chicago, Ill., was quick to tdke advantage of the recent aeroplane endurance flight of the St: Louis Robin by having a slide ready with the word “Landed” on it, as well as a space to fill in the number of hours of consecutive flying that the plane would complete. When the plane landed, he used the slide on his newsreel with shots of the men and the plane which reacted very favorably with the patrons, who responded with loud cheers. “Cn geet enone npnerennrereccnngenenneag eaten STATISTICS From a survey of the amusement industry, made by statisticians, indicating the gigantic operations of Publix Theatres: : »With population of 75,000,000. A seat for every 36 persons at every performance. (Reprinted from VARIETY by Permission) PUUUAUENAASOLASRDASAREEAANLEL EA NUCEUAEAL SH HURLIAAMUEEEAG LCL SNAGRODEL IAC HLAMUEL SAAN CUE aU Lea N ART HE EAAS BOUQUET FOR DALLAS MOM ee ea 2 UTEP UPENDEUACUNEATDEUEEREEUAUREETAUT EEUU ES EOAARTEEEE UTE ETA REARDAN ET ET The Dallas (Texas) Retail Merchants Association joint committee co-operating with the American | Institute of Architects, has awarded honorable mention to the reicently remodeled “‘Palace Theatre” 4 Tee i aad s an ‘outstandingly beautiful exPAT A TTPO ECU THe UR ea j AA }ample of a remodeling job. ther speculations in new, larger} craft about which he wished to be land more commodious theatres.|advised. He was then a young \In the larger towns theatres of all|man, very youthful looking and sizes and character sprang up. | with a reserved personality. He It has been often asked “just | talked to me about new theatres what progress of this industry?” one may answer, that the comforts and service connected wit the races ‘“‘neck and neck’ between | theatre constructing and film stu\dios for better production plus | suitable, able show houses, are respondibie. | Theatre Construction The art of theatre construction is ever changing, for the reason lthat as new construction methods |are devised, the design of the thea is it that forces the rapid | that older men were ill at ease tc And | prophesy or discuss. ship was inspiring. His generalIn discussing hijfuture construction of palatial up-to-date theatres and the/| theatres with architects, engineers craftsmen and artisans, his ideas an beautiful and comfort-/|to be correct. Visions of Years Ago |were clear, concise and idealistic. The matter of building large d adequate stages with all mod ern equipment was a vision of Sam Katz. I can recall when a presen According to Vice-president Executive Sam Dembow, Jr., there is no doubt but what the best sound in the industry is in Publix theatres, due to the herculean efforts everyone has made to systematize equipment and its handling. in every theatre. ; Besides the effort made by department heads and home offtce executives, many improvements have been made in equipment by Publix experts. Dr. N. M. LaPorte, in charge of the research division, and Harry Rubin, head of the ‘Department of Sound And Pro jection, have accomplished 80 much that equipment manufacturers are coming to them for advice, instead of the reverse, as heretofore. Mr. Rubin and his entire department, through the medium of “Sound Tips’ bulletins published in Publix Opinion, have educated projectionists everywhere in the up-to-the-minute developments. SOUND NEWS IN TAMPA BIG. EVENT To inaugurate the installation of Paramount Sound News at the Publix Tampa Theatre in Florida, Manager A. M. Roy had the Mayor of the town officially state the showing of this new short feature, by having. him turn the switch on in the projection booth of the theatre. This stunt was good for a two column picture in the local newspaper. The trolley cars of the town were plastered with “eyecatching’ posters heralding the introduction of Paramount Sound News to the city of Tampa. A huge colored canvass 30 ft. by 5 ft.,.with copy reading: ‘Here Now Paramount Sound News At The Tampa” was prominently displayed over the trolley wires on the maim street of the town. All ads and advance publicity gave foremost position to the new sound short, “RED SHADOW” ATTENTION tation consisted of a $40 painted G R A B B E R back drop and a $50 soprano. With a green light projected on one side A stunt that compl 2 pletely over and a pink light on the other. But| shadowed anything else in Man the ambitions of Mr. Katz were |acer Charles G. Branham’s cam ‘ . ; |for greater, larger and more’ im-| Se 2 x were placed within the theatre to 3 5 paign on “The Desert Song”’ play nieuoct the first and: eetond, ak: (et ee meant! ing at the Publix Alabama Theaseetes, Lacifes, alobel will Walt” Set ee sa La Birmingham; Ala., was a tieable to tell you the many blaspheeen for a stage—one, was for 4/ up with six different merchants in |mies that were directed at the areh stage, the other for a larger jhaving the mysterious “Red ) seating: All these requisites) Shadow’ lurk about their stores. itec he o or for the’ obhitect and the ownelaee As the }cnansed thé planning of theatres, |News of this stunt broke with a inécessitating steeper and larger full page co-operative ad three balconies and mezzanine to aid in| days prior to play date; copy on tre changes with them. For instance, there was a time, due to 'the fact that steel frame work had ‘not.yet been perfected, partjcularlly the cantilever system, columns His theories have since = | | Some program, even for that stores | Year, and I also note at the bottom s. of the program that the ills er thnag service department were even then ane a problem, as follows: with a | Warning to Patrons. Ushers red |and other employees are not permitted to accept fees. Under no leircumstances are ushers allowed to accept money for exchanges tojc reserved seats. structed view of the stage. |manufacture of steel was improved land perfected it influenced theatre eeer.” ie! Saturvith a violin a platform ht see the nay’ adjusting the seating problem. show, unlike rt ase with other in front at the left ective recogideal SILER COPY! > vecaeneetnee an erpnantne vray edd HEHEAARY savuuguvyaeanenceetnarvann tanner QUrUeeengeeeRRETEERHLONE | The film was projected from the irear, flickering on a thin muslin isheet. With each successive im|provement new apparatus was |j}made and experimentea with until | lenough light would be projected | ithrough the film to project from ithe front of the theatre. Steel | | portable booths were made wherelin to house the machines to pre| vent the fire hazard, and from this ithe present day, built-in-fireproof | booth became quite a perfect piece jof engineering and construction. During the War During the period of the World | War there came over the entire nation a hunger for amusements, | and a lightening of the heavy spir| it that in the beginning of the war gave foreboding of the misery and gorrow that were to be expected. There was an anxiety to see and know the true facts, and the news reels added considerable interest | to the motion picture public. brought fresh picture fans. Finan ee ‘ nnvnnnnnaneaeev Ua eenuee naga UPeTeR PEAR EERE APES RATEHE Mt upennath tveeuanurdaaunrdneeesasnaeaneepunnttvca aetna reatsatuteaaeeetereaannetagneer esr ae etd egerguencaeeauncr tanta essences tntanueenfzinnaenantboeniesoancatantetuttatateetnnrecncytanisagaancecescteetoasaneieieg If it’s made locally, have a paper-print made from the negative and send it to PUBLIX OPINION for reproduction for the circuit’s benefit! construction and design. Of the many theatre operators with whom I came in contact during the years.1910 to 1920, a per iod wherein a great many of the su were developing their enterprises on a solid footing (I mean to say} ithat the motion picture theatre | was growing from a “‘Nickleodeon” into a form of entertainment acceptable and patronized by the American public, who demanded larger and better theatres) Messrs. Balaban and Katz were to me the most impressive and enterprising. Theatre owners from all the parts of the world came to see their theatres, operation and service, and it is not amiss to state that many of them came and copied, and took with them those things which today are still patterns of good theatre construction and showmanship. It was in 1918 that I met, for It | the first time, Mr. Sam Katz, in re-| operations effective July 16th suc|gard to some matters of stage-|ceeding Mr. H. C. Sullivan. ema 1a ecessful motion picture owners | the page besides giving the thea| These things -our experience | Te prominence, listed the stores |has taught us, that as an educa-| Where the Red Shadow would tional medium, the motion picture visit, aswell as explaining how theatres have done more to en-| Deople. could win passes to see the lighten the people than some | Dicture and win $10.00 worth of ,schools have done. | merchandise. The old saying was ‘“‘make it any color so long as it is red.’’ And the science of color harmony has been put into practice in our modern movie palace and ‘“‘the trage-| dies of plain painting” no longer | exist. The fireside no longer holds the family gathering with its attractions of popping corn, and '‘ballads of thesday. It is the theatre that now attracts them, and the/| theatre must have the intimate, livable quality. PARAMOUNT STOCKHOLDERS There are nearly 10,000 stockholders of Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation. .Every state in the Union and 18 foreign countries are represented in the list. The greatest number reside in New York; 2nd, Pennsylvania; 3rd, Massachusetts; 4th, Illinois; 5th, California; 6th, New Jersey; 7th, Connecticut; 8th, Ohio; Qth, Michigan; 10th, Missouri; 11th, Minnesota. OOOO 8+ | : THATCHER TO MICHIGAN | | Mr, H. J. Thatcher was appointed manager of the Michigan sue-| AOD BO OO 181 BO O18 OHO 4 APN DET, oa ‘crema eee aati teoeaaatercane sang certs Mea unt tenn eepenat aes ce eceevaseebivan gta toeopetgrneceveneeapaneneaaeRNtAaS