Publix Opinion (Dec 27, 1929)

: : EB Maintain Profit Peak ' in January rCUAEDBERORRESARSRRRSCUREGERA TAG RORERGE Ef SL Oe Me ee TTT TTT TTT ‘Vagabond King’ to Set Records iv Se ee LLL eT UTUOUDUOGADELAUOAVIAENEDATNSEED The Official Voice of Publix PUERCO Ls (i piitian AUGHESHUAGRTAEGEUGUEREDUGHOUUOOEOEOEEQUSEEEQE Maintain Profit Peak in January! Vol. III Publix Theatres Corporation, Paramount Building, New York, Week of December 27th, 1929 SENSATIONAL SHORTS POINT TO NEW SHOWMANSHIP ERA No. 16 Because of the brilliant progress made by “short subjects” in the brief period that the talking-screen has been before the public, a sensational future of tremendous importance is in immediate store for these miniature entertainment-units, their importance,” declared Mr. Katz today at a meeting of his Executive Cabinet. ‘THE VAGABOND KING’ TO BREAK CIRCUIT RECORDS; ~ VIGOROUS DRIVE PLANNED What is the absolute maximum gross box-office-take for your theatres? For the attraction that is judged to be the most powerful attraction a theatre has ever had in the history of show busi ness? Think of “Singing Fool’, “Cockeyed World,” “Birth of a Nation”, or any and all attractions ! Think in terms of added capacity by using extra chairs! Of adding extra performances! Of adding to your morning, matinee, night and _ holiday Some time ago, Mr. Katz called for outstanding campaigns on average pictures rather than on comparatively _ self-selling super-hits. That order is still valid. However, inasmuch as this picture is one of the most stupendous’ film achievements in the history of the industry, and in order to indelibly stamp Paramount superiority in the picture business upon the consciousness of the public for all time, it was decided to make an exception in the case of “The Vagabond King’ and to concentrate the entire efforts of Paramount and Publix in selling this picture with every resource and ounce of energy that both these organizations afford. prices | in terms Of spectacular exploitation! Of crowdstampeding romance appeal! Then add fifty per cent to your expectation or add 100 per cent! Now you're in a mental attitude to merely start to appreciate what is in store for you when you get “The Vagabond King” to play. It is Paramount’s record (Cont. on Page 2) of the important material contained in this _ issue, properly classified, will be found on page 12. Beuaunmaaan Publix 100% Owners In Kankakee Theatres Publix has bought the remaining 50 per cent interest owned by the Kankakee Enterprises, Comerford and Cadoret, Kankakee, IIl. The theatres involved in this deal are the “Majestic,” ‘‘Luna’’ and “Rialto,” which Publix now owns 100 percent. t | |= ie FTAA MORE PRIZE WINNERS In accordance with the offer made by PUBLIX OPINION to award prizes to the showmen who made the best effort in getting the co-op pages during the December Drive, five checks were mailed out last week to the prize winners. Although only four prizes were originally offered, two of the contestants tied and it was decided to give a prize to each.. The prize winners are: .. Leonard Worley,| Fisher Theatre, Danville, I11.—$25 for the biggest series of co-op ads and $25 for the greatest amount of free space. Earl Payne, Kentucky Theatre, Lexington, Ky.— $25 for being first to send in a co-op page on the Decem ‘ber Drive. T. W. McKay, Grand Theatre, Rutland, Vt. and A. Brown Parkes, Saenger and Best Theatres, Pine Bluff, Ark.—$25 each for the best copy sent in on December Drive co-op pages. lit AIT. FUT TTT TU INL sil III SIMILIAR TT SOUND SCREEN TO SPREAD CULTURE, SAYS MR. KATZ “Theatre-goers in 1930 not only will take it for granted that the articulate-screen has been able to solve its own mechanical problems as well as that of adapting literary and dramatic material, but they will also be pleasantly surprised to find that the quality of entertainment itself is considerably elevated,’ according to President Sam Katz. “Perfection of the new medium has spurred authors, directors and producers into investigating many of the old, accepted principles of showmanship. So many of these have been found to be obsolete or fallacious in the present age, that 1930 will see a considerable elevation in the intellectual and spiritual thought that is behind entertainment,” Mr. Katz believes. “So rapid has been the advance in mental processes in every direction, since the world war, that even our entertainment .standards were rapidly being outgrown at the moment (Cont. on Page 2) Re-type this story and plant it in your local newspaper as a statement made by Mr. Katz in a letter to. you, which localizes it. al AA Publix Acquires Four Theatres In Detroit Four neighborhood houses in Detroit, known as the Munz theatres, which include two magnificent de luxe houses, joined the Publix chain last week. The two de luxe houses are the ‘Grand Riviera”? and the ‘‘Annex.’’ The other two theatres are the ‘“‘Tuxedo”? and the ‘‘La Salle Gardens.”’ Publix is now operating all four of these theatres. CONGRATULATE ALL PUBLIX — ON DECEMBER TRIUMPH With another bugaboo of show business decisively defeated by the combined effort of Publix during the December Drive and one more glorious chapter indelibly written in the history of the motion-picture industry, the entire circuit is receiving the heartiest congratulations of Messrs. Katz, Dembow, Chatkin, Botsford, Saal and other Home Office executives, as the huge profitearning campaign winds up in a victorious flourish. SSSI) SPE Sa SOT Ue MT Oe a ep ears “The perfect co-ordination between all Home Office departments, the intelligent and inspiring supervision of field executives, and the _ splendid fighting -spirit of theatre staffs have, been something: of which all Publix might be justly proud,” declared Mr. Katz. “These were the factors which contributed most to the success of the December Drive.”’ Seconding the sentiments of Mr. (Cont. on Page 2) LUVIN MUST!! “All theatre managers will start with No. 1 on all requisitions for supplies, equipment, etc., as of December = 30, 1929. J. H. Elder, Director, Maintenance Dept. LUI III FMLA UT HULU as well as for the theatres that properly appreciate “IT want to emphasize that short subjects are des‘tined to become the spice and variety of every theatre in America,’ Mr. Katz said. “Our managers must now learn to. exploit and properly place short subjects in their programs. : “Paramount has assembled a department for making ‘short subjects that offers the greatest entertainment ever produced in the history of the theatre. “I have pledged that our theatre circuit will use every short subject that Paramount will make next year, and I want every manager to understand clearly, to the fullest extent, the meaning of this obligation. “T made this pledge because of my firm conviction that the short subject is swiftly coming into its own, in constantly increasing importance. “I believe that just as we book live acts now, in some of our big theatres, for the purpose of adding strength to programs, the time is close at hand when we are going to book our short-subjects in the same manner. Thus, we will be enabled to give pow erful support to the drawing power of feature pictures that need help.” Paramount is so completely ‘conscious of the value and importance of the short subject that it has asked and received from Mr. Katz two important aids from Publix. The first is direct information from the public itself, by way of theatre — managers, as to the kind of short subjects that will find. greatest favor with the public. The second is actual making of a large part of the new Paramount short subject product, under the direction of Publix personnel. 3 A’) Balaban: outstanding creative showman of America, will supervise the making of (Cont. on Page 2)