Publix Opinion (Jan 3, 1930)

SALES BOOTHS DESIGNED FOR ~ LOBBIES~ Another activity which Publix Theatre managers will immediately take on in addition to their many present responsibilities, is that of a booth in the lobby, wherever it is physically practical, where sheet music, phonograph records and movie books may be sold. This is another Publix plan that has been successfully tested in a great many experimental situations. It has proved to be of great value not only as a source of revenue, but as a valuable means of advanced exploitation of coming attractions. : Frank Cambria) has designed several artistic music sales booths which are intended to fit various types of theatres. Photographs and ‘dimensions of these booths will be forwarded to every theatre, together with complete instructions about obtaining them. They will be made up in quantities, and ship ped in knocked-down fashion, to be fabricated in the theatre in which they are to be placed. Theatres which do not have sufficient lobby space to warrant the use of a phonograph will not be expected to follow up music sales in the intensive manner that is being employed in theatres that do have ample lobby space. Naurally, nothing will be permitted that would conflict with the Vitaphone equipment. As of January ist, all music sales activities will be centered under the direction of Boris Morros, General Music Director for Publix, and all instructions and advice will emanate from his office. PASSWORD USED IN BROADCAST A novel radio broadcast for the “Hollywood Revue’’ enabled man ager I. Wienshienk of the Majestic Theatre, La. Salle, Illinois, and manager Paul Witte of the Lin-eoln Theatre, Decatur, Illinois, to fill their theatres much earlier ‘than usual. Stunt was based on free admission to the first ten persons who reported the ‘‘password”’ announced over the radio. The fact that a ‘“‘password’’ would be broadeast was advertised together with the time of broadcasting. THREE LIVE GHOSTS Three live ghosts, dressed in white sheets and carrying placards on their backs served as a ballyhoo for the picture ‘“‘Three Live Ghosts” when played at the Majestic Theatre, East St. Louis, Tllinois, manager M. E. Remley. CONTRA-BOSS Another of those delight| ful Publix human interest stories that everyone likes to hear, came to light recently at a home office executive cabinet meeting. Walter Immerman, sional director for Publix Detroit operations, was present, and during the course of the meeting, Mr. Katz made this remark: “When I see Walter Immerman, it takes. me back many years to the time when I was conducting my own three piece symphony orchestra in my first nickelodeon. Walter Immerman was the violinist, and his father substituted for him frequently. I could never make up my mind which of the two of them was the worst fiddler.”’ To which Mr. Inmerman tactfully replied: ‘Well, boss, you've got to admit it was a swell orchestra!”’ divi nT = MNO 40 ® Weekly Drills In West Point 3 Manner Make Steps Snappy. | UNIFORMITY IS KEYNOTE By BURROUGHS PRINCE “Thank you—this way please— seats to your right—room for 1wo—” expressions of courtesy and actions of service that have familiarized themselves with the |. theater-goer through servants of a great public. A business executive has said that that competition has forced the element of service to the top in the business’ world in order to reap successful gains. The theater business may or may not be placed in that category. It all depends, perhaps, on the type of theatrical enterprises that a given city may afford. Certainly the two theaters in Spartanburg have everything in common. Being controlled by the Publix Theaters Corporation they are void of the so-called business poration. step. element of competition, still those -expressions of courtesy and those actions of service are familiar to {the Spartanburg theater-goer. , Hard Study one acknowledges the courtesy of a doorman or an usher in Spartanburg’s Publix theaters, fone invariably accepts such as fmere mechanical action without the slightest thought of those actions being results of hard study and systematic training. The Publix Theaters Corporai tion attributes its business success & Sto universal Publix service and in § the words of Sam Katz, its presijj dent, ‘in the creation of universal § j service uniformity is the keynote § toward that end.” . : Every doorman, usher or cashier of the Montgomery and Strand § theaters is not only a part of those institutions but is a part of one f of the greatest business organizaf tions in the world. When they§ & affiliated themselves with the s theaters they assured their employers that it was their purpose § & to enter the theater business for life with intentions of training for m promotion. 4 The young man who thanks you £ for your ticket at the door or who F politely ushers you down the aisle #| is In training for a better position. He may be the future manager of! ae fire break out. When eins “FOR BOYS ONLY” Envelopes markel in one case “Wor Boys Only” and in another “Wor Girls Only’? each containing heralds with selling copy were used by William Pine for the Oriental Theatre, Chicago, in ex-, ploiting ‘The 138th Chair.”’ YOU CAN DO THIS, TOO! This is the way to write and plant good, institutional stories that are remembered and that indirectly build steady patronage for your theatre. E. E. Whitaker, manager of the Publix Montgomery Theatre in Spartanburg, S. C., planted this interesting usher story in the Spartanburg Herald. You can do the same thing! ‘Courtesy And Ease Of Theater Usher Result Of Diligent Training Paramount theater in New York because he has cast his lot in the school of experience with promotion as his reward. Special Training Every young mian on the Montgomery and Strand theater staffs receives a special training prescribed by the directors of the corThe head doorman at the Montgomery or Strand receives the same training as doez the head doorman at the Paramount on Times Square—‘“uniformity is the keynote té the euccess of Publix.” At the end of the shows every Friday night these young men meet fom military drill similar to the same (drilling at West Point. These drills are not for militaristic purposes to make the doormen or ushers act like soldiers, but for the purpose of each man acquiring the same walk with the same snappy They are drilled in signals so that an usher on one side of the theater might signal an usher on the other side for vacant seats without the patrons being annoyed by unnecessary -words 0 Weekly fire driils are hel that every man may know exactly how to acquit himself should a Prep and Pep The organiaztion of the Prep and Pep club affords the entira working personnel of the two theaters closer contact with the executives and increases the knowledge of each member regarding theater work. Papers on subjects dealing with different problems that pre+ sent themselves in the daily rou-~ tine of work are prepared and -PUBLIX OPINION, WEEK OF JANUARY 3np, 1930 offered before the club for dis‘cussion. Speakers are invited to address the members on various phases of the success of a theater. Every member of the organization calls each other ‘Mister.’ The manager addresses the lowest man in the ranks aS Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith. According to the executives, this plan of appellation § was adopted to insure gentility and | evade inferiority. The young men are trained in the ranks and the manager of the theater gives promotion when promotion is due, They begin as ushers, are promoted to doorman, to assistant manager, and finally to the managership of a theater. The Publix Theaters Corporation has a school in New York city offering 12 months college train~ ing to the managers they select § for the school. E. E. Whittaker, manager of the Montgomery theater, attends the Publix school for managers. The Personnel The present personnel of the Montgomery theater follows: E. E. Whittaker, manager; Amos Mabry, @ who started as an usher in the old Rex’ theater, .assistant manager, James Bridges, head doorman; Grover Eaker, D. B. Austell, § Walter Taylor, and Ralph Foster, & ushers; Miss Kathryn Lands and Lille Mae ’O’Shields, cashiers. The present personnel of the Strand theater follows: M. S&S @. Phillips, manager; Gettys Bulling-@ ton, head doorman; Wilson Bridges, and Bernard Cooper, ushers; Mrav@ Kathryn Roberson and Mrsa.., Lign-’ dall Wilder, cashiers. ce } PARIS THEATRE OPERATES FOR “40 HOURS Nearly forty hours of continuous operation, with the house almost completely filled all the time, was the climax of the December Drive at the Paramount Theatre in Paris, according to a cable received by Mr.. Emil Shauer, Paramount’s General Director of Foreign Theatres. The news was sent by Mel Shauer, Jr., from Paris, as follows: “Paramount Paris kept doors actions. in order This Gag Works! Publix showmen, anxious to get free space in their local newspapers to sell their shows, would do well to seek out the Promotion “Man of that paper. He is the man who is always on the look-out for the eyecatching and attention holding stunts which the theatre, more than any other activity in his community, affords. Manager Karl Lindstaedt, of the Paramount, Austin, Minn., did just that in duplicating a stunt, originally pulled by Oscar Doob, then Director of Advertising and Publicity of Publix Kunsky Theatres, Detroit, and reprinted in PUBLIX OPINION, Vol. Ill, No. 10, page 7. Lindstaedt got a _ three column by 10 inches ad in the Austin Daily Herald free on the “‘A New Job For THE AUSTIN DAILY HERALD— Filling the seats at the o-@-2@+-B-2O°-OO-S Paramount” idea. The Austin showman, however, adroitly and effectively attached the “Shop Early and see a Matinee’’ idea of the stunt. _ Look this gag up and repeat it in your town! O+-@-0° Be eae bois os sews b> 0.o 026 Leh ah OES hs G0 505056 68D 00-0 OLE OOH OP SENS OTST” ses 0-+0+-0-+0+-0-+0+-020-00" 0-10+-9+0-010-6 +0+-61000+ ©1050 O10: 0-010 O+Or-O101-010"010+ O10" O10 O10" O10" O10 oe oe" e-@-2@o-@-O-G-2O*-S1Oe-S-2O+OS S-O Os SO: OO" SO 18: -S Candle-Guessing Contest During Anniversary Show A novel contest helped Manager H. Paul Shay of the Colonial Theatre, Haverhill, Mass., sell his 18th anniversary show. People were asked to guess how long it would take a candle 4 feet high and one and one half inches in diameter to burn. This candle was placed in a Western Union Office window which Shay had decorated himself in an appropriate manner. oo eee ee a opened continuously from eleven Tuesday morning, all Christmas Eve and Christmas Day until 1:30 Thursday morning. Tremendous efforts Ullman and staff were rewarded by house nearly full all night. Will break individual day record. Theatre open 39 hours consecutively.” ‘““Abie’s Irish Rose’? was the attraction for Christmas week at Paramount’s ace European house. a similar tie-up. These two three-quarter page ads in the Omaha World-Herald did no adime. The radio company paid for them as a result of the tie-up made how copy for the theatre and the attraction predominates. And get your share of space when THIS AD SPACE WAS GRATIS t cost the Publix Paramount Theaire by Manager Charles M. Pincus. Note PARAMOUNT=FFRE November 24th to November 3 and if you make D Rapnio WEEK th Inclusive—Plan to Attend FREED || § Radio Dealers Douglas // FAIR BAN! | WRIGHT & | WILHELMY COMPANY Omaha Exclusive 2 Distributors 1 We ask you to compare the Freed with any other set even costing twice as much, and see for yourself whether such value can be matched .: . Better have one in YOUR home ; for Thanksgiving. | Ho wei} Dealers invited to ‘write or wire for our attractive franchise preposition. dge Electric 119 North 18th Street—Oppesite Postoffice Have You Sean the Show? At the Paramount, of Course! Douglas Fairbanks—Mary Pickford and the Freed Radio Starring! Every model of the Freed is shown in the foyer—Sure it includes the famous Freed SCREEN-GRID CIRCUITS We invite you to look them over either at the Theatre or on our floor New Low Prices Prevailing , and Such Tasty Terms! Model 55 NR78—$119.50 pa 83 $997 ni a plea des & NR79—$145:00 Lous Tubes Ro. ‘Tubes for Phone ATlantic 4250 RADIO STATIONS — AID BOX-OFFICE RECEIPTS The following list of cities and radio stations comprise the Columbia Broadcasting System. Publix | cities are marked with an asterisk. — Fifty-six stations are usually used for the broadcast of the weekly, Saturday night Paramount-Publix Hour. Some stations alternate. Go to your local station, or nearest one, and effect some sort of tie-up that will produce ticket sales. BASIC: ‘ Akron, WADC; Baltimore, WCAO; *Boston, WNAC; *Buffalo, WMAK; *Buffalo, WKBW; *Chicago, WMAQ; *Chicago, WBBM; Cincinnati, WKRC; Cleveland, WHXK; *Detroit, WGHP; Fort Wayne, WOWO; *Kansas City, KMBC; *New York City, WABC; Oil City, Pa.,. W LBW; *Omaha, KOIL; Philadelphia, WCAU; Philadelphia, WFAN; Pittsburgh, WJAS; Providence, WEAN; St. Louis, KMOX; *Syracuse, WFBL; *Toledo, WSPD; Washington, WMAL; *Chicago, WJJD. SUPPLEMENTARY: Harrisburg, WH P; Columbus, WAIU; *Indianapolis, WFBM; * Rochester, WHEC; * Youngstown, WKBN; Toronto, CF RB; Montreal, CKAC; *Columbus, WCAH; *Sioux City, Iowa, KSCJ; *Waterloo, Iowa, WMT; *Hopkinsville, Ky., WFIW. GROUP 1: *Asheville, WWNC; Norfolk, WTAR; Roanoke, WDBJ. GROUP 2: *Birmingham, WBRC; *Chattanooga, WDOD; Memphis, WREC; Nashville, WLAC; *New Orleans, WDSU.. GROUP 3:. *Dallas, KRLD; Dallas, WRR; *Little Rock, KLRA; *Oklahoma City, KFJF; *San Antonio, KTSA; Topeka, WIBW; Wichita, KFH. GROUP 4: Milwaukee, WISN; *Minneapo lis, WCCO; *Minneapolis, WHRM. GROUP 5: *Denver, KLZ; *Los Angeles, KHJ-KNX; *Portland, KOIN; *Salt Lake City, KDYL; *San Francisco, KFRC; *Seattle, Tacoma, KVI; Spokane, KFPY. WRIGHT CITY MANAGER Announcement of the promotion of J. C. Wright, manager of — the Rivoli Theatre, New York, is — made by David J. Chatkin, General Director of Theatre Manage ment. Mr. Wright is promoted to be City Manager at Miami, Florida. RATT RT Ra A MT ‘BURNING. UP’ HOT MOVIE. taUdaenaa bite: Wee FARE The following telegram was received by Chas. H. McCarthy, Director of Publix Relations from Paramount and Publix from Arch Reeve, Director of Publicity for West Coast Studios: “Burning Up” Richard Arlen’s first starring picture, previewed last night at Westlake Theatre is one hour of first class entertainment. It is a good picture chiefly because dirt track auto race climax is best and most thrilling race ever filmed. Besides, it has fast action, a fresh and interesting love story well played by Arlen and Mary Brian, a_ splendid cast and lots of comedy both in lines and. gags. “Burning Up,’’ first auto racing picture with one hundred percent dialogue and sound, is sure to please and to prove excellent audience fare, ARCH REEVE. ASHOCSAMQUERTAUCUTHOCUETUCUOASNURLECAUCAESEAURNEAECUESEUCEREUAUEREMECESUOEGAEUECENRUICLURECEREAEELORECCEUERSUCEDECUSUCTLCAUCELU CEL CUCERUANEUT REECE UCA OLE ECL CULT OT DTCC EPL UEPULUO ECU LLU STUCCO ECAH E Ty