Publix Opinion (Dec 20, 1929)

—— ONLY ONE AD) FOR PRINTING EXPENSES A new ruling, to the effect that only one commercial advertiser may be solicited to defray the printing expenses of programs, heralds, etc. in order to facilitate bookkeeping records. of the transaction, was contained in a letter sent by A. M. Botsford, General Director of Publicity and Advertising, to all district managers. All theatres please note the following: “Is your theatre one of those which occasionally issues programs, heralds or other printed matter, in return for which you receive revenue from the solicitation of commercial advertisements published in this literature? “Tf so, the Home Office Accounting Department emphasizes the fact that the bookkeeping records in connection with such items are not, and probably cannot be, properly taken care of. “A certain theatre for example gets out a folder, herald or dodger on ‘The Virginian.’ Cuts are purchased, the printing is contracted for after a consideration of the estimated cost, in the neighborhood. of $50. But advertising space is sold to six or eight commercial advertisers, to the value of $100. Potential profit $50. How about the bookkeeping records of this transaction? The costs of printing and cuts are charged to the operation satisfactorily, but the amounts collected are rarely credited. And in this instance, which is ased merely for purposes of illustration, the $50. ‘‘profit’’? was used (without bookkeeping record) to defray other incidental advertising expenses. Wrong Course “This course is all wrong. In fact the whole theory of selling advertising to defray expenses of publishing folders or dodgers, is involved with trouble and possibilities of going wrong. In the first place, two or three, and sometimes six and eight different concerns participate as outside advertisers in connection with such a folder. But money is rarely collected from these concerns when the space is sold. You pay $50. for the cost of printing your folder, and you may sell eight ads for $100. But you are not able to collect the advertising revenue for many weeks after the transaction, and after the picture to which the transaction was originally related has played, thus throwing your accounting considerations and system into considerable confusion. “And so your Advertising Department has agreed with the Accounting Department upon the following general rule in relation to such transactions, which is to be in effect from now on: “It shall be permissible for the theatres and their advertising departments to publish heralds or roto heralds such as those distributed by the accessory departments of distributors, and to /sell the back page, or part of the back page to ONE advertiser, to defray costs. But such a sale must represent one complete transaction, and hence an. operation which can: be readily accounted for. The concern acceptable as an advertiser for a herald or roto herald must be one of the most representative firms in town, and you must get your revenue for the ad immediately, or at least make sure that the advertisement will be paid for during the run of the picture for which the herald is being distributed. Thus the proper entries can be made in a Manager’s Weekly Theatre Report, and the cost of the herald entered into the proper PUBLIX OPINION, WEEK OF DECEMBER 20ra, 192 MEET THE BOYS! To promoie acquainiarcée, 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. KARL E. LINDSTAEDT With a varied experience gained in the employ of numerous. theatre circuits, Karl EH. Lindstaedt brings to his position as manager of the Paramount, Austin, Minn. a wealth of showmanship. Lindstaedt, while attending the grade schools of Fafrmont, Minn., in 1913, showed his liking for the theatre game by doing odd jobs at the Haynic Theatre -there. Seven K. E. Lindstaedt years = jJater, after mastering the rudiments of theatre operation, he became assistant manager of the Strand in Fairmont. In 1924, Lindstaedt, joined the Clinton-Meyer Enterprises in Duluth, Minn., as manager of the Sunbeam Theatre, returning the next year to the Strand as manager. Realizing the more advantageous opportunities afforded by large operations, Lindstaedt entered the employ of Finkelstein and_ Ruben, where he was able to show his ability as an efficient_ manager at the Chateau-Dodge, Rochester, Minn., and the Park and State theatres in Austin. JAMES T. NEWMAN James T. Newman’s theatrical activities have been concentrated on numerous theatres in Florida. Entering the employ of the Southern Enterprises, Inec., as usher in the Arcade, Jacksonville, in 1922, Newman steadily advanced frrom the ranks and in 1926 was -promoted to assistant man ager. With the t Teas hy ince gained as a member of the service staff, coupled with the more advanced ex J. T. Newman perience acquired as assistant manager of the Florida, St. Petersburg; and the Victory, Tampa, he was soon ready to receive his first managerial assignment at the Franklin, Tampa, his present position. Newman has also assisted at the opening of the Polk in Lakeland. charge account, and the credit for the revenue entered into the proper credit account, the week | that the transaction occurred. “You are not to solicit two, three, or more advertisers, for in doing so you are running into the pitfalls of accounts and _ collections, and it has been definitely established that such revenue Publix gets is not worth the trouble it costs. Therefore the general rule:— “Managers may, in order to defray expenses solicit one advertiser, and only one. The revenue for this one ad to be collected immediatey or before the week is out, so that it can be credited to the current Weekly Theatre Report. “In no instances shall revenue from outside advertising be used to defray other incidental expenses of your operation. -Hach transaction of debit and credit must go on the Weekly Theatre Report, and if properly handled, there will be no effect in relation to the theatre’s advertising budget. HENDRY SHIFTED Ray Hendry, formerly manager of the Granada, Salt Lake, has assumed management of the Capitol, in the same city, replacing George Carpenter, resigned. ROBERT SLOTE A World War veteran, who has had wide experience as an efficient and successful film salesman, is Robert Slote, manager of the Hastman, Rochester, N. Y., who recently entered the ranks of Publix. Upon the terminas tion of the war, Slote entered the Metro Film Exchange in W ashington, D. C. remainws ing there for f a short period as salesman, booker and manager. Then he was R. Slote employed by the former Crandall Theatres Co., in the same city, first as salesman and then as assistant manager of the Exhibitors Film Exchange. The theatre management side of the industry appealed to Slote and when offered the managership of the Strand and Apollo theatres in Martinsburg, W. Va., he readily accepted it. In 1921, he took over the management of the Strand, Cumberland, Md., also part of the Crandall circuit; where he remained until he entered Publix, a few months ago. ASHER B. SHAW Asher B. Shaw got his theatrical experience in the employ of Kunsky Theatres, with ization he has been associated for more than six years. He is now manager of the Paramount, Detroit, Mich. Shaw managed the Capitol, Adams, State and Michigan theatres in Detroit; and the Uptown, Chi7 cago and Ori_ ental theatres in Chicago, for the Kunsky chain, prior to its affiliation with Publix. He was assistant general -manager of Kunsky theatres at the time that organization aligned itself with Publix. A. B. Shaw which organ |} | GEORGE E. HOFFMAN George E. Hoffman has had twenty years of film selling and theatre man2, aging expe# rience. The General Film Company § gave Hoffman # his first show ’ business job f— as lm » salesman. In Film Corp., Vitagraph, Fox Film and United Artists. Before managing thea tres, Hoffman conducted num‘esrous bands and orchestras in Indiana, Alabama, and Georgia. He has operated his own theatres and G. E. Hoffman before entering Publix, also managed theatres for the Universal Chain and Sparks Enterprises. At present he is manager of the Ritz, Anniston, Ala. and also city manager there. JOHN P. HASSETT John P. Hassett, a graduate of Bates College, Lewiston, Me., got his first theatre training while attending high school, as usher in the local Music Hall. During college vacation periods, Hassett improved upon his elementary theatre knowledge by acting as relief manager for various theatres in Maine and Vermont, Hassett’s present assignment at the Opera House in Bath, Me. is his second Upon J. managerial appointment. his graduation from college last P. Hassett June, Hassett’s theatre experience, gained while going to school, had prepared him for the management of the Temple, Houlton, Me., his first full managerial assignment. | _ PARAMOUNT NINO MARTINI, that delightful tenor Mr. Lasky brought from Paris, sings Victor Schertzinger’s tuneful waltz, ANOTHER KISS, in the new East Coast production, LAUGHING LADY. ANOTHER KISS is published by the Famous Music Corporation. FAIN, KAHAL, and NORMAN, the famous team of songwriters who are now located at the Long Studio, have delivered the musical score for Maurice Chevalier’s new picture, THE BIG POND. According to the studio officials, the score is a ‘‘knockout.”’ MAX MANNH, music supervisor at the Long Island Studio, set a new record last week by supervising the recording of two song cartoons, three short subjects, and two features. His only complaint was that the days are too short. SWEETER THAN SWEET from the picture SWEETIE is out to beat the sheet music sales record set by PRECIOUS LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE, the hit number in SHOPWORN ANGEL. SWEETIE is published by the Famous Musie Corporation and PRECIOUS LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE by Remick. MUSIC NOTES ‘jweeuc TION has secured the services of SAM BARON formerly director of the modernistic St. George Playhouse, Brooklyn, to exploit the song hits in Paramount pictures. The first thing Mr. Baron did was to get the Kolster Radio Corp. to broadcast the entire score of THE LOVE PARADE and to feature DREAM LOVER, the song hit from the picture, Talking of THE LOVE PARADE, the Brunswick phonograph company has recorded DREAM LOVER and MY LOVE PARADE in a most delightful manner. HELEN MORGAN scored with WHAT WOULDN’T I DO FOR THAT MAN, the song hit Jay Gorney and Yip Harburg wrote for the Paramount picture APPLAUSE, but wait till you hear her sing IT CAN’T GO ON LIKE THIS, which the same boys wrote for her next picture. RICHARD WHITING and GEORGE MARION, JR., the writers responsible for the words and music in SWEETIM, including the song hit SWEETER THAN SWHET, are at it again. They are doing the songs for LET’S GO NATIVE, the new West ‘VAGABOND KING T0 MAKE FILM HISTORY Paramount next year will release the epoch-marking entertainment-event that will make film history, according to Sam Dembow, Jr. and Jesse L. Lasky. It is “The Vagabond King,’ with Dennis King in the star role. Mr. King played the stage character in New York and Chicago for nearly three years, and is unquestionably the greatest of all stage-idols. The film version makes this musical masterpiece a hundredfold more _ sensational than it was during the three years that it held the record for being the most successful operetta ever staged in America, Mr. Dembow advises PUBLIX OPINION. “The music is the lilting, swinging, whistleable sort,’’ declared Mr. Dembow ‘‘with majestic movements and captivating fancies. The picture is in color, and has everything that any showman could imagine as desirable in an attraction. “If I were operating a theatre, I’d have an advance poster on ‘The Vagabond King’ in my lobby today, and I’d be loading my screen with teasers, and keeping the newspapermen supplied with pictures and stories about Dennis King and this attraction. Everyone who has seen the picture in the making is predicting a career for it that will give a new meaning to “record daily grosses.” LASKY PROMISES SHORT SUBJECTS vice-president of Paradeclared that as many Lasky, mount, partment of Paramount asked for. The assumption is that these shorts will be sold as thoroughly He mentioned the fact that the ban is mapping out an extensive program and that shorts to satisfy the men in the field will be produced. IN MEZZANINES Theatres that have been considering adoption of the policy of permitting patrons to smoke in mezzanine floors of theatres, swiftly abandoned the idea when national attention was again ard, due to the Pathe studio holocaust in New York. That fire suddenly _ brought down strict enforcement .of scores of obsolete regulations, not only upon the studios, but on theatres as well. N. Y. Paramount Given Free Display of Toys The Paramount Theatre in New York has been the Mecca for metropolitan children of all ages during the past few weeks because of the toy display installed in the lobby of that theatre, free of charge, by R. H. Macy. Harry L. Royster, publicity director of the Paramount, effected the tieup. The theatre name is mentioned in all the voluminous toy adveri tising by this great store from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Cards | and posters, prominently placed in the store and in toy window displays, also carry the name of the theatre. SSS eee Coast production with Jeanette MacDonald, Jack Oakie, Skeets Gallagher. GREGORI TIOMKIN, world-renowned concert pianist and husband of the famous ballerina ALBERTINA RASCH, has composed the music for the ballet in POINTED HEELS, the picture featuring William Powell and Helen Kane. would be made as the theatre de- Regarding short subjects, Jesse as shorts have been in the past. ~ short department under A. J. Bala SMOKING BANNED — focused upon theatrical fire-haz ) and — Uhteeaiditay atin sy Raph Rie Ye oo aah hal sea . |