Publix Opinion (Jan 3, 1930)

Saturday after a week made short by the Christmas holidays. _PUBLIX OPINION, WEEK OF JANUARY 4 1930 SIXTH SCHOOL COURSE COMPLETERS VARIETY OF SUBJECTS COVERED IN LAST WEEK The sixth Manager’s Pomme School course came to end last At the present writing, the men are at their posts and preparations for the next course are actively going Early in the week, the students listened to a lecture on program building given by Milton H. Feld, director of division A. “There are no definite rules to follow in program building,” he declared at the beginning of his talk, ‘and the moment we are definitely bound by convention, and rules we will find that we are no longer showmen.” None the less, Feld continued, every manager must realize that his future success depends on his knowledge of feature pictures and: his appreciation of them. The proper presentation of the feature and the selling of it is the heart of every operation. Consequently, it is up to the manager to utilize every source of information on pictures that is available. In addition, he stated, the successful manager is the one who has trained himself to analyze in advance the selling values of his pictures. In the elaboration. of his subject, Feld discussed the theory of program building and presented several typical programs, explaining the reasons that prompted the choice of each item in the list. He closed his talk with the following. injunction. ‘It is more important to get your show right than to consider the feelings of those who built the show. Bea good enough business man to kill a stunt on the stage or screen if it does not register with the audience. If you must, work on your program until the very last showing and make improvements wherever you can.” Lawrence and Kleinert Later in the day, Messrs. Lawr ence and Kleinert of the music department discussed the work under their immediate control and elaborated on the talk given at an earlier date by the director of the department, Boris Morros. The functions of the real estate department, which was represented in the class room by Fred Green and Michael Hughes, were next considered. The question of making surveys before acquiring a theatre, and the matter of financing were discussed in detail. Before starting their Christmas holiday, the men listened to a talk by Ben Serkowich, the editor of PUBLIX OPINION. Realizing that Christmas would be a lonely time in New York for most of the men, Serkowich gave a peppy talk that tickled their funny bones and caused them to leave the building in high spirits. Hawkes on Stagecraft During the remainder of the week, the student managers listened to a talk on stage-craft given by Mr. Hawkes, veteran stage manager of the Rialto Theatre, paid a visit to the showrooms of the Kliegle Lighting Company to observe the operation of effect machines, and paid a visit to the Publix scenic department where a talk on stage shows and the construction of stage scenery was given. On Saturday the men received their assignments and most of them left New York that afternoon. Executives who had followed the work of this class expressed their satisfaction at the showing made by the men. The fact that all of the students came from. theatrical ranks accounted for their ready grasp of the highly technical material taught them, and proved the wisdom of recruiting students in this manner. Credit for the course goes to director Elmer Levine, formerly asgistant to Jack Barry, .and to _ Henry Schwartzberg, assistant, to Levine. Wopncecatongancatansanennesgtyestavagoceetvaaytaseeaasoeeeg ease eeee ea a Unses eat aes ae TAH ece gaa aceasta secatoaacesgegeneanaoesuonuegtsqausegnasssseuggsavocesesngnoosceseasaoscocugesvscascacenssouceacsessossucegesssouecengossndsscentssvasuersenneaonieennnen SUESTUCOGOOOSULOEAOOSOUOSORDUASUAUANGNGADNGNSBooeseagaTOAOND FAA on. SVL GRADUATES ASSIGNED The present assignments of the graduates of the sixth manager’s training school are as follows:— Paramount Theatre, Atlanta, Ga. ce Fritz May Joseph Cronin Wilfred Tully Fred EH. Johnson Norman Kohn Harry Botwick Ralph Phillips I New New Alfred Baudais B& A. P. Conroy BE& A. Leonard Herbert Brenon, Jr Clarence Kramer R. St. Anthony Thom. F. Whyte il NL Strand Theatre, Pawtucket, R. I. Strand Theatre, Portland, Me. Foreign Dept. (Brazil) Egyptian Theatre, Greenville, S. C. Thomas Read............ Modjeska, Augusta, Ga. Strand Theatre, Yonkers . Brooklyn Paramount Rivoli, N. Y. B & K, Chicago Saenger Office, New Orleans Saenger Office, New Orleans Dallas, Texas Denver, Colo. Crawfordsville, Indiana Minneapolis, Minnesota Dallas, Texas MICKEY FINN To settle any quarrels about it, Mickey Finn wants everybody to know that King Vidor’s great MGM drama of the American negro, ‘Hallelujah’, is not in Technicolor. Just natural color, says Mickey—and as usual, Mickey E right—or wrong England Division England Division K, Chicago / K, Chicago =o ne Manager in Haverhill Makes Tie-Up Series ~ A series of tie-ups with store | keepers enabled Manager H. Paul Shay of the Colonial Theatre, Haverhill, Mass. to obtain a lot of publicity during the showing of “‘Sweetie.’”” Music shop windows were dressed by Shay, who made sure that large compo-board cutouts were installed to sell the picture. A number of counters in stores about town were also dressed by Shay. Stills and printed cards did the work for the theatre in those cases. In addition to What You’d the music arrangements, Shay inaugurated two candy guessing contests with the co-operation of the confectionery shop owners. Not content with all this, Shay ran two half page co-operative ads in the newspaper, one in a daily paper and one in a Sunday paper. These were sponsored by the candy merchants. Playing up the school element of the picture, Shay had a collegiate Ford tour the town, and had one night designated as football night with the teams and coaching staffs of both local high schools as guests. The picture played to tremendous business throughout its run. SEATTLE UNE ONdOOOUGUOEOOOEOOOUAONEENEONGNEGOCONGEONORNOREERUGRUGARGRUORCONUEOEGNUOUASEEUEEDAAEEUUNHHATINUUNUTHTATTUAMTMATIMTTATATAIAATTTTTAe A Showman Be If If You Could Only Remember The Things You Know, At The Moment When You NEED To Remember! You can have a memory-tickler a you'll save your copies of PUBLIX OPINION, uncut, and unmutilated. WHEN A NEWCOMER TO PUBLIX JOINS THE ORGANIZATION — LET HIM SPEND A FEW HOURS READING THE BACK FILES! It will give him a background upon which you can build your direct instructions! DON’T CUT OR MUTILATE YOUR PAPER!! memo-pad and jot down notes on what you want to use or pass on, and you'll always have your file ready to refresh your memory when you NEED an idea. Pioneer Coach Is Salt Lake Bally | Hoo An old stage-coach helped Mr. Porter, manager of the Paramount. Theatre in Salt Lake City, Utah, in his campaign on ‘The Virginian.’’ The coach was used as a ballyhoo in advance of the opening and, during the run, traversed the streets of the city picking up. passengers when hailed and taking them to the theatre. Its novelty created comment while a good many people rode in it for a lark. ‘The arrival of the Publix Entertainment Special before the opening created an gpportunity for further exploitation. A parade of Buick automobiles arranged with the aid of local sales concern helped introduce the limousine to the public. Later it was used to call upon schools, factories, and shops or was on display near the theatres. Here, just as in the other towns at which it stopped, the Entertainment Special created a furore of excitement and admiration. According to W. J. Murphy, of the divisional publicity department, it brought home the Publix idea and Publix Theatres. Lady Canvasser Issues Christmas Invitations Employing a woman to go from house to house distributing Christmas invitations to children under ten, Manager S. S. Solomon of the Paramount Theatre, Youngstown, Ohio, not only got a heavy attendance of children coming for gifts and parents accompanying them, but had an opportunity to learn some unusual facts of commmendation and criticism as a result of conversations between the canvasser and adult patrons. ! FILE IT! Take a a ee WOsLtaeaaLUenosedsconcaneetecssceetaceestaroncecauactsuacasaucnvtcancenassunsnuzesouennennnnunsnnsednoueususveuuqastacsoueasusunsngunnseansesssseggngvatcestsnssdevsnscanacanscunscesscsenstdaauetusscosgnssatessten Hi MMMM de WOMEN’S CLUBS, IF PRACTICAL, GOOD ALLIES Despite the ‘feat ih that most show4 men are inclined to steer clear of women’s clubs because of their — fanciful ideas as to what con— stitutes the proper kind of pictures — for their children to see, Publix— Balaban & Katz, in Chicago are finding that, for certain angles, a cordial relation with women’s clubs is a help and not a bother. Theatres want children’s busi— ness. With serials and prizes — and what not they try to work up an afternoon business among the 4 youngsters, especially during > school periods. a This is particularly true in ~ neighborhood theatres. About a , year ago Mrs. Willis Graham came ~ to Harry Lustgarten (now in De— troit) asking his co-operation. © Mrs. Graham is an officer of the — Illinous Federation of Women’s — Clubs. 4 Kid Klub Started She was sane on the matter of movies for children, realizing that 1 youngsters want exciting entertainment as much as their elders. So with Ezra Levin, then managing the Tower, a Kid Klub wa started at that theatre. j care was taken to select a week ~ for the start when the picture was 4 right for children. It happened — to be Richard Dix in “Red Skin”. ~ A comedy was added at the cost 3 of $15 and a series of Kid Klub © celluloid buttons, costing about — $25, was made up. Each button had a Kid Klub trade mark and — a a letter of the word T-O-W-E-R. When the children (by coming each Saturday to the theatre) nada received all the letters they were given a huge celluloid button ; making them full-fledged mem— bers. a Mrs. Graham turned over her — mailing list to John Joseph of the advertising department. At q small cost special post cards, sign— ed by Mrs. Graham went to 5,000. mothers on the south side urging — them to send their children to the — Kid Club. This was repeated from — time to time. a Today the Kid Klub is well ] established. It fills seats for the _ early Saturday show—at a house ~ like the Tower, a show previously — sparsely attended. Builds Good Will ‘ The cost is small, the good-will — great — and the mailing list of value because the women’s clubs do not give out these lists for com mercial use. It is well to use special boxes in the advertising on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. Nor does it hurt to circularize the schools with a cheap but lively circular planned for the eye of the young boy and girl. The button or prize soe is also a help. Mrs. Graham was. so° well pleased that from time to time Publix B & K theatres have oppor tunities of getting publicity thru the Illinois Federation of Women’s — Clubs. Mr. Levin talked to 2,000 © Chicago women on censorship, put| ting our ideas on censoring films — to them. So well was the talk — received that Mrs. Graham mailed — 100 copies of the talk to surrounding towns to be read-at federated club meetings. Lobby Singers Entertain From time to time the lobby singers from south side theatres attend big group meetings and entertain for 5 or 10 minutes. Mrs. — Graham understands that the theatres want sectional groups—from — the south, north or west sides. Thus the theatres near their homes are brought to their attention. This kind of thing can’t be a ballyhoo—and much of its success depends, of course, upon the type of woman with which a contact is made. Hunt for the sane and prac~ tical women’s-club official and — you'll have success. ig