Publix Opinion (Dec 6, 1929)

* “. PUBLIX OPINION, WEEK OF DECEMBER 6TH, 1929 TURNING me RECORD HAILED BY ENTIRE "INDUSTRY With spectacular success crowning his efforts in the first year and a half of his administration as General Director of Theatre Management for Publix, and congratulations showering high in the industry, PUBLIX OPINION regards this as a most auspicious occasion to turn the spotlight upon David J. Chatin. Shortly before Christmas last year, Mr. Chatkin assumed managerial command of the biggest and greatest chain of theatres in the world, under the direction of Mr. Katzand Mr. Dembow. Since then, one of the most complicated jobs of re-organization imaginable has ' been quietly and effectively ac complished. In all that time, exeept for his signature at the. bottom of brief inter-office memos, or an occasional word of congratulation publicly uttered by Mr. Katz, the circuit and industry has heard put little of Mr. Chatkin. The circuit and the industry, } however, has heard plenty about’ the smoothly running Publix organigation that seemingly has no sl OO --_ ss > 2 ——— . eee down upon him from everyone | THE SPOTLIGHT ON DAVID J. CHATKIN breaking point under stress of expansion, nor any saturation. point for assimilation of noted specimens of showmanship brain-power. Silent as Coolidge Mr. Chatkin has outrivalled ExPresident Coolidge for reticence in the past year, and probably will continue to do so in the future. ' PUBLIX OPINION, however, tak' ing fullest advantage of all the license and liberty it possesses as the functionary-extraordinary for the circuit, feels that in its policy of publishing the photos and biographies of all Publix showmen, a most comprehensive word picture is needed to acquaint everyone with this silent man whose big job has been so quietly effected. Mr. Chatkin’s biography should | really start with a remark: Your ' ditor recently heard from A. H. Blank, founder of the noted Publix-Blank circuit. It was made one ' day in the corridor of the Home ‘Office as Mr. Blank, on his way from somewhere to some other place, encountered Mr. Chatkin going likewise. “Say, Dave,’ exclaimed Mr. Blank, “Here’s a laugh for you! Do you remember when I first started in show business, back in 1910—over nineteen years ago ee “Sure,” answered Mr. Chatkin, “7 ought to. I sold you the first projection machine and equipment you ever owned.”’ ‘That’s the Laugh’ ; ‘Well, that’s the laugh!’’ grinned Mr. Blank. .““That equipment is still doing duty, though it’s been ‘written off? my books a ' dozen times. I finally sold that ' machine a few weeks ago to a fra ternal organization, and I got as much money for the entire equip> ment as I paid for it in the first ' place.” Which speaks worlds for. Mr. Blank’s business acumen, and also for the value of merchandise\ Mr. Chatkin has always made it a point to be associated with. How> ever, we tell it to you principally to register the fact that nineteen years ago your General Director of Theatre Management was 4a showman of such calibre that his advice and activities helped to build the foundations for the for tunes and careers of some of _ America’s foremost theatre’ mag‘nates of today. Which also indiYates, to any of his subordinates with the least bit of imagination, hiow valuable it is for them to be sarolled in the ranks commanded iy such a leader. From this, and Mr. Chatkin’s ematurely gray hair, you might David J. General Director of think he’s an old man. Actually he’s 41 years old. Reticence, composure and premature gray hair, are among his inherited characteristics, but development of the art of perfect poise and the science of being a “‘perfect’’ listener, are strictly his own accomplishments. Trimmed Windows Mr. Chatkin ran ‘away from home and college in Pittsburgh in 1908 in order to take up his share of parental support, and landed in Chicago. His first job, ten minutes before starvation, was as a window trimmer for the famous “Tom Murray” stores for one day. He got fired for lack of the specialized knowledge that he was supposed to have, but his next job in a similar capacity for the Spiegel, May & Stern mail-order house lasted long enough for him to become expert at answering ‘complaints. While on this job, he became acquainted with Albert Fuller, cousin and business associate of Aaron Jones, who was. then Chicago’s most outstanding theatrical and movie magnate. Mr. Chatkin got a supplementary job at the Fuller-Jones nickelodeon at 39th and Cottage Grove, acting as singer of illustrated songs. In the day time,’ he continued in his “regular’ job as a mail order correspondent, fearing that his new found income wouldn’t last. However, his college glee club and musical education, received at the Western University of Pennsylvania, stood him in good stead and whether you believe it or not, (it makes no difference to Mr. Chatkin)—-your general director of theatre management was in 1909, to Chicago’s patrons of those nickelodeons ‘called ‘‘Arcade,” “Rex,” and Sig Fuller’s “Bijou Dream,” what Rudy Vallee, Paul Ash and Jesse Crawford of the multi-million dollar cinema cathedrals are today. First ‘It-Man’ Mr. Chatkin shyly denies it, but Aaron Jones, A. J. Balaban, and other noted showmen who recall those halcyon nickelodeon days, will insist that you believe them when they tell you that he was Chatkin : Theatre Management dustry’s—first cinema-theatre ‘‘IT| man.’ As a matter of fact, A. J. Balaban, who also sang for ‘‘illustrated songs,’’ and Sam Katz, who played piano accompaniment for A. J. Balaban, were among the loudest hissers of Mr. Chatkin’s histrionic ability—for they were his opposition in the “profession” at that time. They ‘‘knew him when! And How!” The infant cinema industry erew rapidly, and lustily, and Mr. Chatkin, along with Messrs. Katz, and Balaban, found himself growing with it and helping to guide its infantile career. It would not be untrue to say that Mr. Chatkin, as well as Messrs. Katz and Balaban, often nursed fingers pricked on safety pins of the industrial infant’s diaperhood. In the passing years Mr.‘ Chat kin is seen swiftly progressing from such jobs as a ‘‘lecturer”’ with the first filmed ‘‘Passion Play,’ to general assistant of the noted ‘Old Man Baker’’ of the pioneer “Globe Film Company,’’ which sold and rented film and theatre equipment. It was here that his first training as a showman and executive in show business was obtained. Sales Executive Gradually, “Old Man Baker” came to depend entirely upon Dave Chatkin, and the business grew and prospered. The General Film Company then loomed upon the horizon, backed by mighty capitalists, and Dave Chatkin was one of their first man power seizures. He became an exchange manager and later a branch manager for this organization—and in 1913 was known as one of the first dozen high-pressure expert film sales executives. His success was due not only to selling the right kind of film to the right kind of exhibitors, but in most cases, also teaching them how to merchandise the film to the public. Demand for his services grew. He served in the capacity of sales executive, district manager, and various other titles for numerous companies which loomed . large upon the horizons of that era, but have since passed inté the limbo of forgotten film history. We Chicago’s—and probably the in-see him selling the first projection machine to A. H. Blank, which started that present day multimillionaire showman on his way toward fame and leadership in this business. We see him buying and selling and operating his own theatres. One night is particularly remembered when he startled all Chicago showmen by taking in $70 in nickels for ‘‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin” first film version, during its “‘Southside Premiere” at his little 300 camp-chair theatre at Fifty-fifth and Woodlawn where an imposing hall of learning now stands, a part of the University of Chicago. Eddying Fortunes We see him operating several more little nickelodeons; rich man, poor man, up and down with the eddying fortunes of the film business itself; again as the astounding chance-taker who, took over the management of Chicago’s then noted ‘‘LaSalle Opera House,’’ where he gave Chicago’s society its first de luxe film thrill by. charging a dollar to see Sarah Bernhardt in ‘‘Camille’ and other productions. Adolph Zukor’s first productions with noted players like Bernhardt, Wilton Lackaye, and others, got their first ‘‘big’’ money from Mr. Chatkin’s theatres. Ushers in uniforms who said ‘‘t’ank yez,’’ and such creative literary geniuses of newspaperdom as Jack Lait and Ben Hecht, were among the influences at his command that brought patrons to his opera house to enjoy these attractions. s ‘Additional high lights of his career reveal him as the district exchange manager in Chicago for | Warner Brothers; as Pal Power’s representative in Universal City; as the owner of state-rights distribution of ‘“‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’’; as the seller of same to Fitzpatrick and McElroy, (now Publix partners) in their early days of theatre operation and film distribution; as seller of the first Alan Dwan and J. Warren Kerrigan one-reelers; as the writer of several scenarios which were promptly stolen from him and produced for big profits in which he didn’t participate; as the successor to Joe Schnitzer (now president of Radio Pictures) in the management of a Toledo film exchange; as associate receiver for the United Film Service, finally buying seven western branches; building them up and selling them. Starts Exchange : He then started association, with Marion Kohn, the first short subject exchange in the United States, at San Francisco and Los Angeles. He aided E. W. Hammonds in the formation of Hducational, and later became General Sales Manager of Educational. SUT OQUDATUDNAATALEA ETAT AT = SELLING TRAILER! Publix-Balaban & Katz merchandisers, quick to turn any newspaper or magazine “break”? to the task of selling tickets, got out this timely trailer from the Liberty Magazine: READ THIS _ STRIKING TRIBUTE TO THE TALKING SCREEN! Liberty Magazine, in last week’s issue says: “We think talking pictures are the greatest advance in dramatic art since the time of Shakespeare. They are spreading a knowledge of good acting as the radio is spreading good speech.”’ We know. that you will agree with Liberty Magazine when you see our forthcoming series of talking pictures. (List of coming attractions here) PUBLIX-BALABAN & KATZ THEATRES BRING YOU THE BEST TALKING PROD UCTIONS — AND BRING THEM TO YOU FIRST. HUAN UUUUueTUUeuuaneeuuenauurnenengendqayansueeguqeceneseQeusn1e0uett0UUUtUC0C0AUAAOT ANAT LEREUECERUCELECLLLLCLULe A MTT ccc = UUURIVAULOROUELELELUGUUCACANNUOECUEEEECU SEU E LEE UCE EEUU a Interspersed in these panoramic flashes are the making and losing of two fortunes; exciting salesduels with exhibitors who had to be sold unwanted pictures for their own good-pictures that made big profits for those exhibitors who afterwards became theatremagnates. ; The Katzes, and Balabans, and Blanks, and Skourases, and Finkélsteins and Rubens and scores of other great showmen who have since become the _ present-day names-to-conjure-with in show business, knew Dave Chatkin as a quiet and sympathetic, but determined man who exemplified. that definition of a gentleman which says “a gentleman is one who hever wilfully causes pain.’ They knew him also as a showman from the standpoint of theatre operation as well as film production and distribution. It was in 1924, during one of those : conferences where Dave Chatkin had to sell Educational Film at the highest prices obtainable, and Messrs. Katz and Balaban had to buy at the lowest prices possible, that Mr. Chatkin finally closed his deal, and in conclusion remarked that some day film business would again find him in the exhibition side, instead of in distribution. Publix Acquires Him One month later, Sam Katz came to New York as president of Publix, and a month later, Dave Chatkin resigned as general sales manager of Educational. He joined Publix as associate to Sam Dembow, Jr., who was then head of Publix buying and booking department, buying short subjects. Then, as Publix expanded to tremendous size, the wide experience and unusual abilities that he had acquired since 1908 in all branches of show business brought him supervision of the eastern division, when Mr. Crabill went to the coast, and then into the job of general director of theatre management. How the management department quickly became organized into divisions and districts, how it systematically assimilated countless new circuits and activities, is well known to everyone in Publix. Credit for this, Mr. Chatkin will tell you, belongs to the advice he got from those to whom he is accountable, and to the loyal and intelligent support and activity of those who are accountable to him. : Quietly Efficient He asks for no part of the credit for himself, and does not mention that the Publix policy of “promotion from within the ranks for meritorious service,’ is his chief personal hobby. Also, if you go to him and, ask questions about his career, with a biographical object in mind, you’ll be firmly told that there isn’t enough information to be worth while repeating. If you ever try it, you’ll find that the only way you’ll ever get it, will be to do as your present writ er did—-know second-hand all about Dave Chatkin for the past ten years, then know him casually for a year or two, and then know and observe him intimately for another year or two. In that way, piecemeal, by a camouflaged question every now and then, you’ll get to know something about this. effective showman-executive who admits that he “didn’t write the book” on show business. Like Adolph Zukor, he goes about his business so unobtrusively that an uninitiated visitor in the home office might easily mistake him for one of the unimportant help, and pass him by in favor of some bassvoiced office boy. Newton Residents See Masked Cashier Stunt Free admissions were offered to _ persons in Newton, Ia., who identifled the masked cashier at the Publix Capitol. The attraction was ‘“‘The Girl In The Glass Cage.” Manager G. P. Hundling engaged a local girl to replace the regular cashier during the showing of the picture, between 7 and 9. eerie Se Ne SS