Publix Opinion (Dec 13, 1929)

at A z 9 SHOTS OF POLE dia Sameb ac OS gt Sg elt ih A ASR AAA EE LN a a el SOT A AEC PUBLIX OPINION, WEEK OF DECEMBER 131m, 1929 FLIGHT, BIG B.0. LURE With the whole world acclaiming Commander Byrd’s sensational flight over the South Pole, Publix -showmen are secure in the thought that, through the cameras of Vanderveer and Rucker, Paramount’s intrepid newsreel photographers with the expedition, they will be assured the greatest box-office lure in the history of show-business, when pictures of the dramatic flight are shown in their theatres early next spring. This mammoth and authentic ‘drama is packed with intense au dience appeal that will back all “thrillers of the frozen . North” off the screen. Prepare for it now! SELL IT NOW! No expedition or news activity since the beginning of time has received such tremendous publicity as this one has— mostly of the front page streamer type, too! Tie into it! These stories havee whetted public curiosity. They have read all about it—now they want to SEH it! Tell them they can do so by coming to YOUR theatre, where every detail of this expedition, dramatically recorded in the stupendous Para mount feature-picture, will be shown upon the return of the Byrd party in the spring. BYRD CALLS PEAK AT SOUTH POLE “PARAMOUNT” Commander Richard Byrd has named a peak of a new mountain tange which he discovered at the South Pole ‘““PARAMOUNT,’’ according to a Radiogram received from the famous explorer at the Home Office last week. News of this distinguished honor conferred upon Mr. Zukor was hailed with great enthusiasm when ‘it was disclosed at the Paramount Convention held in New York City. g Paramount Mountain will now be carried on all maps of the world and will go down.in history as a tribute to the founder of Paramount Pictures. INFANTRY HELPS PUBLIX BALLYHOO Nothing like the army to help a Citizen in any circumstances! D. J. Dugan of the Paramount Theatre in Newport, R. I. was anticipating a visit from the Paramount entertainment special-—so he called on the troops of the 13th United States Infantry and they came to his help, band and all. Not only did they help him greet the sound train but they got the mayor, corps of marines, and hosts of local celebrities and business men to arrange a \Publix Amusement Special parade.\ MN Watching Wires Saves $200,000 Taking $200,000. out of annual overhead cost of the sircuit is accomplished by the cost-committee headed by Sam Dembow, Jr., thru the adoption of an idea presented by Circuit Comptroller Fred Metzler. A definite set of rules as to the use of ong-distance telephone, and telegraph, automatically reduces the annual cost figure nearly $50,000 worth. Plus this, elimination of some of the phoney politeness in most telegrams, such ; as the words ‘‘mister,”’ ‘‘reBeards “please,” ‘‘reply by letter or wire’’, will save ansother $10,000 or more. Hereiter, all telegrams and telehone calls will be charged (their point of origin, and ut finding will start there, Fl Ne ti ULUVIUUU00 000 UUOUEUCEOUUAE u) ! BRIGHTENING UP A PIP Carrying a banner “She laughed her head off at the Paramount Theatre while seeing ‘The Love Doctor’,’ two ushers paraded the downtown streets of Des Moines at the behest of Manager Jack Roth. The ushers toted a stretcher on which was a dummy, with the dummy’s head placed on top of the body. A concealed portable phonograph with the Okay “laugh” record made the ballyhoo. Eddie Cantor Makes Own Short—‘Speeding’ Eddie Cantor spent a day at the Paramount studios in Long Island recently and the result will be a talkie short entitled ‘‘Speeding.”’ Eddie, who took care of the gags and continuity himself, busts a couple of speed laws and finds himself in trouble. The occasion provides him with an opportunity to do a one-reel specialty. CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE AND RESEARCH DEPTS. JOINED — UNDER MR. EUGENE ZUKOR The complete re-organization of the Construction, Maintenance and Research Departments, whereby these three important branches of Publix activity are united into one department under the direction of Eugene J. Zukor, was announced at a general meeting of all the executives involved, recently held.in Chicago. THEATRE AIDED IN XMAS DRIVE Herbert Chatkin, manager of the Publix Paramount, Springfield, Mass., is successfully launching his Christmas campaign by tieing in with the local radio station, post-office and by getting the cooperation of the newsboys. A morning theatre party was given to 175 newsboys, who in return, will stuff their papers with 10,000 circulars, every week; mail trucks will carry banners on both ‘sides, with ‘‘shop-and-mail-early”’ copy and notice about the attrac; tion and prices prominently displayed; street cars will also have similar banners; station WBZ, during their daily broadcasts, will include a message regarding early mailing, mentioning theatre name, attraction and prices. » MEET THE BOYS: To promote acquaintance, respect and mutual understanding of the splendid individuals who comprise Publix, these one-minute biographies are offered. They’re not printed as vanity ticklers for the showmen here portrayed. We want the photo and biography of everyone in Publix. HERMAN R. CLAMAN Herman R. Claman, present manager of the Broadway, Chelsea, Mass., and a graduate of Boston University, has had a varied career in condueting numerous theatres in the east. Upon his graduation from the university, Claman entered the employ of the Bijou Amusement Co. of Fitchburg, Mass., assistant the general. manager of the Lyric, Cummings & Shea thea H. R. Claman tres, houses playing pictures, vaudeville and legitimate attractions. Later he was appointed manager of the Lyric and Sun. In 1926, he. left the theatrical profession to take charge of sales for the Union Coal Co. He remained there for two years and then returned to the theatre, as manager of the Universal, Fitchburg. Claman has also managed the Whalom Theatre, Fitchburg, a dramatic stock operation. BYRON J. McELLIGOTT Byron J. McElligott, present manager of the Orpheum, Sioux . Falls, S. Dakota started = jin the theatre — | business as elassistant manager of a downtown Minneapolis theatre in 1920. Three years later he received his first managerial assignment-ata suburban theatre and then, in 1926, to the Lyric, a downtown operation. From this theatre, McElligott was transferred to his present position. B. J. MeBlligott EUGENE F. GOSS Eugene F. Goss, a graduate of the fifth session of the Managers’ School, attended Tufts College, where he spent several years before he entered the theatre Goss’ theatre was as at the ropolitan, Boston, From there he was assigned to the manager’s school. Upon his graduation .from the school, Goss was assigned to his present location in Bangor, Me., as manager of the Park Theatre there. EK. F. Goss G. B. YOUNG George B. Young, who started in the theatrical business as usher in the obtained valuable experience in conducting road shows, vaudeville, musical comedies and motion plicit riers: Young is a 4] sraduate of the Gary || Business Colai lege. Soon after getting his eeifirst job: as usher, Young Alwas promoted to doorman and finally appointed manager of in the same Later he was associated with the Turner-Dahnken circuit in the capacity of manager, at their Berkeley Theatre in California. G. B. Young the Art Theatre, city. At present, Young is managing the Broadway in Gary. R. K. FULTON While attending high school in 1926, R. K. Fulton entered the theatre business as usher at the Princess, Sioux Giiy fla. A few months later he was assigned as chief of service and upon his graduation from school, was promoted to “be assistant of Capitol, win the same “town, as assistant manager. More than a year later he was K. given his first managerial assignment, at the theatre where he received, his first theatrical R. Fulton experience — the ‘Princess, present position. his BERT W. NIX Bert W. Nix entered the show business at the age of 10, traveling with his father’s concert company. Seventeen years ago, he went to the Twin Cities and got a job as an usher with the Finkelstein & Ruben organization at their Palace Theatre in St. Paul, Minn. A short time elapsed before he was promoted to the position of assistant manager. Later he was. assigned the manager; ship of the Bert W. Nix Empress. He has also managed various other KF. & R. theatres: He is at present assigned to. manage the Shubert in St. Paul, Minn. SS. EE The present line-up of the consolidated department is as follows: Eugene J. Zukor, General Director of Department of Construction, Maintenance and Research; Morris Greenberg, General Supervisor; B, B.Buc hanan, Director of Construction; C. M. Fox, Director of Decoration; J. H. Elder, Director of Maintenance; Dr. N. M. LaPorte, Director of General Research and Sound Maintenance; Harry Rubin, Director of Projection—Operation and Maintenance; C. C. Hamilton, Director of Foreign Construction. Problems Weighed The session, which lasted two days, was attended by more than forty-five persons, which included Messrs. Zukor, Greenberg, Buchanan, Elder and Dr. LaPorte of the Home Office, representatives of warehousing, maintenance, sound maintenance, projection maintenance, and a number of electrical research men. The rearrangement of the functions of the various departments as a re sult of the consolidation was outlined and fully discussed. Information and ideas were exchanged and the various problems in the field were carefully gone over. The new extension and building policy of Publix, it was brought out at the meeting, has created the necessity for a concentrated specialization and close co-ordination which the present consolidation and re-alignment assure. Department heads who, because of the wide scope included by the old departmental division, were formerly unable to concentrate upon the all-important keystone activity of their department—for ‘which they are particularly qualified— will now be able to do so. Experts in Charge The other phase of their work, not included in this specialization, will be directed by men who, in turn, are especially qualified for that particular type of work and they will concentrate on nothing but that. As a result, the entire three departments are broken up into individual units, each one of which is directed by a qualified expert who can devote all his specialized ability to that particular unit and nothing else. The consolidation of all these units under a single head assures that co-ordination which makes for efficiency. An example of this is the research department. Under the old order, there were two research departments, one for Paramount and one for Publix. In each of these departments, the work was done by different people: and there was no inter-relation between them. Now, Mr. Zukor has combined both these departments under the direction of Dr. LaPorte, who reports to a research committee composed of practically every branch of Paramount-Publix activity. Thus, Mr. Eugene Zukor represents the theatres on this committee; Walter Wanger and Harry Goetz, the studios; Frank Meyer, the film laboratory; Louis Swartz, the legal department. Morris Greenberg acts as supervisor of the committee. TUNSTILL MOVES Clayton Tunstill, formerly manager of the Rialto, Sugg & Kozy Theatres, Chickasha, has assumed the management:of the Lyric and Gem Theatres, Brownwood, Okla.