Publix Opinion (Dec 6, 1929)

DOWLING TELLS HOW TO SELL -_GHRISTIES —By PAT DOWLING q (Director, Advertising and Publicity, i" Christie Comedies) There are so many ways in which the Paramount-Christie Talking Play can be used as}. an added box office builder that _ the managers who are not tak_ ing advantage of these various _ forms of advertising are missing some great bets. Particularly now, when the new talking short features have struck such a popular note with the public, is the time to strike out for extra dollars through sell EDITOR’S NOTE: So that you won't “sell © short on shorts,” as Sidney R. Kent once aptly expressed it, Your Editor asked Pat Dowling, Director of Advertismg and Publicity for Paramount-Christie Comedies to give you his views on how to make shorts dig paydirt. Mr. Dowling is known to the industry as one of the most expert and effective merchandisers in show busihess, so his thoughts may be accepted as final. We asked him particularly to show us successful examples, where possible, and he has complied. We hope you’ll benefit so much from what he says that you'll do what we did—write him a nice letter of thanks. ing the talking comedy. F Especially big stars are being ' used in the Christie series of talk_ing plays, stars who are often of equal name draw with the names _ in the current feature pictures. Diffetent concrete forms of ad yertising these short features are enumerated below, most of the _ examples of which as illustrated _ here have been used recently by ‘the various Publix theatres on the Pacific Coast. 1. Space in newspaper ads. The Ford Sterling spot in the United _ Artists Ads from Los Angeles with _ Eyangeline is particularly effective, likewise the Marie Dressler corner art in the current ad on the Swanson picture gets -yalue out of the comedy and at the same time does not interfere with the main sales talk on the feature. 2. Lobby frame for comedy. ‘The lobby frame is a good place to sell the extra added attraction. _ 38. Newspaper publicity. Paramount exchanges have _ press ‘sheets and star photos which are good for at least one shot in the papers on these talking two‘reelers. They are particularly yaluable to use as follow up ‘stories on a one week stand, and come in extra handy on long run engagements when the publicity stuffon the feature is running ow. _ 4, Twenty-four sheets used in Los Angeles have been sniped ‘with special copy on Christie Talking Plays. The phrase “Christie Talking Comedy’ or “Also Christie Laughie’’ are fairly short and adaptable to spotting ‘as a corner snipe on regular 24 sheet stands which cover the feature picture. 5. Six-sheets were used in Los Angeles for Marie Dressler in ‘Mangerous Females,’’ which was sed with the run of Swanson in he Trespasser.’”? Sixes were used for the Gleasons in et the Missus’ and for ‘‘The Incholy Dame” in San Fran i ) ines in electric lights. } ' \ \) if re full The| United Artists, Wwalue in these talking plays | passer’’ ints liberal use in marquee| Laugh hit, “Dangerous Females.”’ ‘ PUBLIX OPINION, WEEK OF DECEMBER 6rtzx, 1929 cusses short subjects and their exploitation in detail. plays are West Coast specimens. ‘NEVER SELL SHORT ON SHORTS! These specimen ads and marquee displays illustrate how wise Publix showmen.are cashing in on Christie talking comedies and other short subjects. In another column, Pat Dowling, Christie advertising expert, disThe five ads are from Pacific coast newspapers, as is the reprint of typical newspaper publicity which gets an extra shot on the short feature. The two marquee dis ROA a He MIRACLE PICTY 2 THE MIRACLE stan 1929 MARIE, DRESSLER POLLY MORAY | Paramount-Christe” All-Tali Comedy . baramotwr SOUND NEWS ~ OLIVER WALLACE STA GE PERFORMERS DESERVE CONSIDERATION, SAYS BALABAN The stage performer of today must be considered an artist de clared A. J. Balaban, head of Publix’ music and production depart ments. A proper consideration by every theatre manager of his responsibilities, handicaps and mode of living may result in more harmonious relations where harmony is badly needed. He elaborated his message with the following statement: “Nature’s flowers cannot bloom without sunshine. Encouragement to the majority of the artists of the stage is as important to them as the sunshine is to the flowers. They thrive on it — it enthuses them. And the same can be said of applause. . It serves. as a stimulant to the efforts of the artist. It builds up his spirit. It spurs him on, to give the best that’s in him. Let him or her, as the case might be, go on the stage in a disturbed state of mind and immediately the audience suffers the reaction. It is only human that one must be in a happy frame of mind in order to accomplish the most good. “Tike in all other walks of life, there are mentalities to be found among performers of the sort that never appreciate anything, be it encouragement, a kindly act or otherwise. But why penalize those who accept lights, as seen here .in Ford Sterling Christie Talkie. 7. Marquee hangers... The hanger is a good spot in which to advertise the extra added attraction of the talking two-reeler. 8. Trailer copy: Don’t overlook using a line about the comedy in trailer copy. For instance at the Paramount theatre in Los Angeles the trailer copy advertising the attraction at the other house, the sold “The Tresand also the Christie and respond to kindly words or treatment because of the shortcomings of their less forunately gifted brothers and sisters. “IT have learned during my various contacts with people of the stage, that as a whole they are at all times willing to cooperate, no matter how perplexing a situation might appear to be, providing they are approached and reasoned with in a spirit of friendliness—and I might add in this respect there are times when the reserve fund of one’s patience and endurance might be taxed to its fullest extent in order to bring about an amicable understanding. “Those of us who are foriunate enough to lay our heads on the pillows of our own beds, differ materially in our more fortunate lot from many artists of the stage, who in their particular field of endeavors are obliged to travel from pillar to post as a part of the requirements that are inevitable in the world of theatricals. “Take for instance those artists who are obliged to hurry through the last show of his or her engagement, in order that they may have time to pack a trunk and get to the depot in time to make a train to the next ‘‘jump.”’ Nerves unstrung, beads of perspiration dripping from their foreheads, and maybe half of the grease paint makeup on their faces yet unremoved.. Tired out -and exhausted they tumble into a berth, followed by a sleepness night over rumbling wheels. “Off color’ and out of sorts through lack of proper rest, it is natural to assume that there are times-when try as they might they are in anything but the sweetest frame of mind in the world. The train upon reaching its destination next finds the performer rushing to the theatre in order to be there in time for rehearsal. Maybe the train on which they were travelling arrived an hour past schedule time through some circumstance or _ other. Perhaps without ascertaining the cause of | the performer’s tardiness they are reproached by the manager of the theatre and thereby hangs a tale. One word leads to another and through lack of understanding and cooperation a clash ensues....All of this could have easily been avoided had both of. the parties concerned resorted to proper reasoning. “Acting on the public stage is not a manual labor.» Acting is an art. And as such it must be regarded from an entirely different point of view. In my varied experiences with happenings of this sort, and on occasions of similar occurrences, I have found it to be of mutual advantage to both house management and performer to resort to the use of reasoning powers. If this would be done a definite point of mutual understanding will eventually be reached as a result. “To the Manager I should like to paint this word picture:—Put yourself in the position of the artist—Imagine your coming into a city that you had never seen before — You don’t know anything about its hotels or its eating places—in fact there might be a lot of things you’d like to know about the’ place. Wouldn’t it be a grand and glorious feeling to learn that the manager of the theatre 2 Small Theater Operations Elevated A definite attempt to bring theatre management in smaller houses in the Atlanta district to as high a level as in de luxe operations is being made by EH. R. Rogers according to a report sent to Division Director J. J. Friedl. All managers received word to this effect. “Formerly the thought had been that because a town was small and the operations were not of the so-called ‘deluxe’ type, that the kind of — performance common to the larger theatres was not expected. This is entirely a wrong impression and one which is fast being disapproved. “You are possessed with the same facilities with which to manipulate with efficiency and effect the identical elements of the theatres which are at your command. | We can and must give in this district the same kind of painstaking performance which characterizes the operations in the larger cities.’’ The report stated that systematic improvements were being made in every department of theatre operation with emphasis at present on lobbies and fronts. Instructions regarding displays are as follows. “Inject into lobby work new effects, new ideas, styles and color schemes which are presented by progressive theatres elsewhere and which are given in PUBLIX OPINION from time to time. “For instance, the use of black oil cloth with colored cut out fig ures and silver metallic letters presents a flash which is in direct contrast to the usual style of painted poster. The use of illum |inated frames giving depth lends an atmospheric element. Illuminated posters are better than the other type.”’ : was a “regular fellow’ and was thoughtful enough to either meet you at the train or greet you upon your arrival at the theatre with a pleasant ‘Good Morning’’ salutation and a suggestion as to where to stop? . And for good measure, a few other expressions of good will, such as “If there is anything that I can do to help make your engagement at this house a happy as well as a successful one, you may rest assured that I shall be only too glad to work with and for you.” “And this is what I might term as “real dyed-in-the-wool” courtesy. After all, it costs nothing other than .an effort. It starts the day — off right, and with both artist. and manager working hand in hand, each willing to do his share, the ultimate results cannot help but round out favorably to the inter— ests of all concerned. “We are living in an age of modernism — old school tactics and hackneyed stone-age ideas are rapidly being tossed into the disecard. Big business of today is founded on a system made up of courtesy and cooperative thoughts. Co-SO G0-B-1 0 e-O-1 OeSO O-0 Oe-S-O-S-1 Oe SO OO SOOO S PRE-VIEW SHIPPING DATES — The following six pre-view prints will be shipped from the West Coast Laboratories on the dates specified: Behind The Make Up, Dec. 15; Dangerous Paradise, Dec. 18; Men Are Like That; Dec. 30; Burning Up, Jan. 6; Street of Chance, Jan. 13; Vagabond’ King, Feb. 15. 0-0-8 O20 0O08 +-O-O-O-1O2-O-8*O18 O-10'-O-8-8080-@ ¢ SO 2OO e-@ Oe O-2 Oe OO e-S-O2-O-0Oe-O-2O2OOO G+ OO SO S Oe BO 8OOo DOr OOo S$ Oe OO O-1Oe-B-° Oo Oe SOs SOs O9O* OO: S