Publix Opinion (Nov 8, 1929)

| SET BOOKINGS FIRST, THEN ADVERTISE The committee in charge of the DECEMBER DRIVE for 381-continuous days of profit that will |} make December the GREATEST | month in Publix GREATEST year, is composed of all Home Of_ fice Cabinet Members, with activi‘ ties radiating thru Publix Opinion | and each Division Director. ‘Among the things already agreed -} upon in connection with the effort, are the following: J. While it is a “Drive” within Publix organization, it is not to be sold to the public as a “drive” or “campaign,” or a “month.” Just yell about those four greatest attractions that you’re got for December for your theatre. Tell your public it’s ‘‘the Christmas Gift | Of Your Theatre—the four biggest attractions Publix could find! | You wanted the crowds downtown early in the month—to aid shoppers and workers.” 2. Your bookings MUST be set completely, early! Yell for it! It’s your first and most important } job. Then start advertising. 3. This issue is full of sale ideas, and more are coming. PUBLIX.TO JOIN “SHOP EARLY” CAMPAIGN . (Continued De deiin page 1) { holiday season, to spread the | shopping rush over four weeks ingtead of the customary hectic two ) weeks. Talkies of such compelling interest will lure the public into the shopping districts for two hour performances, thus making ‘it easy, for the shopping to be done with more leisure. With these’ super-attractions _ luring movie fans to the shopping district in the various cities and towns, and a screen announcement at each performance urging early Christmas shopping to avoid the last minute rush, it is hoped that ) the weight of the theatre campaign, augmented by the usual _ hewspaper drive, will bring about a long sought change in conditions. “Shop early and by degrees,”’ } will be the sense of the theatre screen campaign. ‘‘Don’t postpone everything until the last minute and make yourself a fatigued and worn-out victim of the eleventh hour panic. \Do part of your shopping and mailing now, the remainder next week and have leisure time between to enjoy a good ™ movie.” ~ m@ he big feature pictures to be ) released as part of the “shop f early’ campaign include: (Make up your own ee) WHY KES ee ee ee ee ee The following will give you an idea of the features that will be available to Publix Theatres during the December Drive period: PARAMOUNT GLORIFYING AMERICAN GIRL —Mary Eaton, Dan Healy (Revue: Eddie Cantor, Helen Morgan, Rudy Vallee). THE MIGHTY—George Bancroft, Esther Ralston, Raymond Hatton, Warner Oland, O. P. Heggie, Morgan Farley, Dorothy Revier. FOUR FEATHERS—Clive Brook, Richard Arlen, Fay Wray, Noah Beery, Wm. Powell, Noble Johnson, George Faweett. APPLAUSE—Helen Morgan, Joan Peers. HALF WAY TO HEAVEN— Charles Rogers, Jean Arthur. THE MARRIAGE PLAYGROUND Frederic March, Mary Brian, Kay Francis, Lilyan Tashman, Wm. Austin (Adapted from Edith Wharton’s novel THE CHILDREN). 24 SHEETING PUBLIX OPINION, WEEK OF NOVEMBER 8rn, 1929 DECEMBER PROFIT-DRIVE AMMUNITION ! Get Your Booker to Set Your Shows at Once! POINTED HEELS — Wailliath Powell, Helen Kane, Skeets Gallagher, Fay Wray. MEDALS — Gary Cooper, Beryl Mercer. ° WARNER SHOW OF SHOWS. SO LONG LETTY. SACRED FLAME. GENERAL CRACK. FIRST NATIONAL PARIS—Irene Bordoni — mostly technicolor. SALLY—Marilyn Miller—technicolor. LITTLE JOHNNY JONES—Eddie Buzzell. METRO DYNAMITE—Conrad Nagel, Kay Johnson—Ceceil B. DeMille special. THE KISS—Greta Garbo. NAVY BLUES — Wm. Haines, UNTAMED—Joan Crawford, R. Montgomery, E. Torrence, Ed. Nugent, Gwen Lee. FOX HOT FOR PARIS — Victor MacLaglen. © SUNNY SIDE UP—Charles Farrell, Janet Gaynor. UNITED ARTISTS TAMING. OF THE SHREW — Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks. THE LOCKED DOOR—Rod LaRocque, Barbara Stanwyck, William Boyd, Betty Bronson, ZaZu Pitts, Mack Swain. CONDEMNED—Ronald Colman, Ann Harding. R. K. O. RIO RITA—Bebe Daniels. JAZZ HEAVEN. VAGABOND LOVER. | PATHE Hes ae COMMAND—William A. Page. DEVIL MAY CARE—R. Novarro, Marion Harris. UNIVERSAL BROADWAY eee OF BROADWAY. THE TROLLEY A perambulating 24-sheet on “4 Devils” was achieved in Omaha by M. L. Elewitz, city manager, by utilizing a street car before and during The trolley was routed through down town and neighborhood sections, with a bugle horn attracting attention—if that were necessary. It looked like this. the run at the Paramount. LAUNCH YOUR CAMPAIGN AT ONCE (Continued from page 1) owners, and chamber of commerce officials, to launch a campaign IMMEDIATELY that sells the idea in the above ‘box. Tell the committee you'll run the foregoing. trailer announcement on your screens every day up to December 15, if STARTING NOW, the merchants will carry it as a counter and window sign and in their newspaper ads and direct mail. The postmaster will gladly banner every mailbox and truck with them. Newspapers will carry it as a daily front page box if the committee so requests. Ask your exchange to have their studio press agents get out some photos, cuts and mats showing the stars of the pictures you play in December doing a stunt with such a sign as an appeal for the “organization of the time of the public so that the great pictures in December may be viewed by theatregoers who are not tired out ‘VAGABOND. KING?’ MADE IN FULL TECHNICOLOR “The Vagabond King,’’ ever popular Broadway favorite, is Paramount’s first all-talking picture to be made with full technicolor. Dennis King, with his compelling © personality, golden voice and handsome appearance, that made him a reigning sensation in his many triumphal Ziegfeld operettas, will once more portray the title part, but this time in a story | that has been expanded, in an operetta that has become more inspiring and more glamorous. Jeannette MacDonald, who was such an overwhelming success in “The Love Parade,’ will also lend her presence in this picture. Lillian Roth will also be seen, An exploitation angle that should prove very advantageous is the one provided by an abundance of glorious songs, composed by Rudolph Frim1 in the original score, and an additional popular song, “If 1 Were King.”’ THANKSGIVING WEEK HINTS ! These suggestions to boost the box-office receipts during Thanksgiving Week are based on the instructions sent out by Miss Madeline Woods, Director of Publicity for Publix-Great States Theatres, to all theatres in that division. 1. DECORATION a. The entire theatre should have a fall festival appearance, and the interior of the theatre as well as the lobby should be decorated to create that impression. Autumn leaves and corn-stalks may be obtained in abundance free by sending your ushers into the country to gather this ‘material. Almost anyone can cut out,pumpkin heads and a number of these could be used, illuminated if possible, together with the usual canopy cut-outs. See to it that your theatre is the brightest spot in town on this festival occasion. b. Florist Tie-ups. This is the time to tie-up with your local florist for Thanksgiving Week Displays. In return for from shopping or too tired entirely to attend.”’ A letter, sent from Hollywood to the mayor, from the stars of the} four pictures you play in Decem| ber, appealing to him to help spread out the Christmas shopping from November 15. to December 15, so that no one will miss the great Deecember Fun, will be surefire newspaper art-news copy. Re-| quest Arch Reeves to get that letter sent! HOW TO MAKE DECEMBER GREATESTMONTH!! SHOULD YOU SELL “DECEMBER” BIG? To Conclude Publix’ Greatest Year With Its Greatest Month! ! SHOULD CO-OPERATE CESS? » Merchants—Their Trade Will Increase Tremendously! PROCEDURE SHOULD BE TAKEN TO INSURE BEST RESULTS? Plenty Of Stunts! Tie-ups! Displays! Posters! Trailers! SHOULD STEPS BE TAKEN TO PLAN AND CONTACT FOR THIS DRIVE? NOW! Go Back To Your Files For Repeatable Stunts! , Also Use All The Gags Suggested In This Issue Of PUBLIX OPINION! TATATATATAYATAYAYAYATAYAYAYAYAYAYAYATAVAYATAYAYAYAAVAYATAYATATAYATAYA’ATAY vavavava’a’a’ava’a’a’ava’ava’ava’ava’ava’a’ava’a’a’a’a’a’a’a’a’a’ava’ava’ava’a’a’a’A’a’Ava’Ava’A’ava’Ava’Aaa’A Aa’ a’Aa’Ava’Avara’a\a’a“a’a“a’a’a’a’a’a’a’a’a’a’a’a’a’a’a’a’Aa’a’a’ ————————————— TO MAKE IT A SUC WaTata’a"a’a’a’a’a’a’a’a’ara’a’aa’a’a’a’a’ a courtesy. trailer on your screen, one or more of your local florists should be eager to put on a chrysanthemum show in your lobby and furnish you with all. autumn leaves, corn-stalks, ete.,» for display purposes all over the theatre. Sell them on the idea that you are giving them a million dollar back-ground (varying with the size of the town) for this show. That your theatre occupies the key location in town and that they are assured a readymade and receptive audience for their exhibition which they would be unable to get in any other way. Steam them up to the point where they’ll want to pay for ads in the daily newspaper, advertising the event, being sure that your program dominates the ad, that being the main drawing point. NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING a. Something To Be Thankful For. Thanksgiving Week copy should be written | around that idea, keeping the thought in mind that everyone should be thankful for talking screen entertainment of the calibre your theatre presents at popular. prices. Stupendous productions, hitherto offered in less spectacular form for metropolitan audiences only — who paid from $3.50 to $10 a seat for the privilege of seeing them —are now HEARD and SEEN at your theatre at popular family prices. SPECIAL PERFORMANCES a. Charity performance. AS a good-will holiday measure, it might be appropriate at { this time to get your house — together—operators, ushers, cashiers, stage hands (if you . have any) and ask if they will donate their geryices for a free morning matinee on Friday or Saturday following Thanksgiving to which will be invited all the orphan children and other youngsters in hospitals and institutions in your community. If they agree, tie-up with the Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, Business Men’s Club, Elks or some other civic or fraternal organization for donation of cars to bring the children to the theatres. This should bring in reams of newspaper publicity, particularly if you appoint members of these various organizations as committees to look after the cars. Be sure that your regular show is suitable for children to. see. If not, by tieing in with Paramount, you should be able to obtain, free of charge, some suit able production for this mat| inee. b. Special Children’s Morning Performance on Thanksgiving Day. (Paid Admission) This show, for all children, will not interfere with the free matinees for charity youngsters on Friday and Saturday. Perhaps, by the union employees receiving extra pay for the children’s show on Thursday, they will be more agreeable to donate their services for the Friday show. FOOTBALL TIE-UPS a. Inasmuch as the Thanksgiving week-end is usually the period of most of the big football games in every community, this offers an excell~ ent opportunity to harness the football enthusiasm to your shows, as outlined in the last issue of PUBLIX OPINION. Take newsreel shots of your local team in training and in action during the big games and show them at your theatre. If there are several colleges or schools in your town, stagger these showings over several days before and after Thanksgiving Day, making each night. the ‘night’ of a particular school, with speeches, class singing, etc. The newspapers will be sure to play in such an event big. 3