Publix Opinion (Jan 31, 1930)

Staff Must Help Create Frame of Mind Patrons attending a Publix theatre are seeking a commodity which lies largely in the hands of the service staff. This, in brief, was the message imparied to the service staff of the Alabama Theatre, Birmingham, by Assistant-Manager Virgil Wadkins in a talk which emphasized the fact that a theatre PUBLIX OPINION, WEEK OF JANUARY 31st, 1930 sold a frame of mind and nothing more tangible. One of the functions of the service staff is to help build a happy frame of mind by the utmost courtesy and helpfulness. Any failure is thus a breach of faith to both the patron and Publix. The editorial entitled ‘‘Vandalism’’ in last week’s issue of PUBLIX OPINION stated just as emphactically that any act of rudeness was a form of destruction of company property. This is so beeause every patron today knows that he is buying Publix service as well as entertainment every time he enters one of the Publix Theatres. ————— GOOD WILL! Next to watching your box office, watch your good will! It is an asset that will pay dividends in larger gold nuggets than you realize. Of course if you are on your toes and know the true value of good will, then you already know how im portant it is! And this good will applies not only co the patruns who attend your theatre. you and with you. in your town. ; It applies to the people who work for And it applies especially to the newspapers Cultivate the good will of the newspaper people in your city. Work for it, it is worth it. Below is photographic proof of the value of good will. In Chicago, where the loop sometimes darkens until it looks like midnight at high noon, a newspaper photographer was sent out on a roving assignment to bring back a picture showing what the unusual darkened condition did to the loop. Because the Publix-Balaban and Katz gang in Chicago pos sess the goed will of every newspaper reporter and photogra pher in the city, the photographer did what others before him have done many times ovcr-—he shot the fronts of two PublixBalaben and K-tz theatres showing the lights on and the at traction signs bl zing. Cf eourse this picture was just what his editor wani:d---but thit photographer could have gotten it elsewhere. And the editer esuld have caused the attractions to be routed out—but he did not. That is good will! NIGHT DURING DAY. ie = ‘The darkness of night closed down on the loop at high noon today as heavy impenetrable clouds kept out | columbia, S. C., has been deferred the sun’s rays and held in the smoke in the atmosphere, This scene was made looking west on Randolph st, from State st. Photo bs. eas Evening American staff photographer, es PRINTED FREE! -A throwaway in the form of a two page fold over put out by the Publix Lyric Theatre of Blue Island, Illinois, but paid for by the bank. Easy to promote and can be used not only for Christmas Clubs but for Thrift Clubs at any time of the year. Distributed at theatre, bank, and other places. Note the calendar. °, eetee%e, Moot 0 04% e 2,” OOo ear eee eo aa RT "ott 0e tse OPPO 00 805% 68, arse? Enrol] Now b ate Club ang eae °, ‘o Sasa Scat e* PUBLIX LYRIC 04% eo teetoete Jeeta gt, 2 tet tete 58, 0: Ca : Mtetatetetatatae we te Rasa RCN os ae ei one , PUBLIx LYRIC ¢ oe | THEATRE -¢ « Starting The Greater Show Season of 1930 JANUARY PROGRAM Sun. Mon. Tues. Coming Soon: Wel|you have the right come Danger, Pointed Heels, Dynamite Rio Rita. to expect the best at ‘\a Publix Theatre By 6 7 Evelyn Brent Joan Crawford In In “Broadway” ‘Untamed’ Wed. Thurs. Fri. Sat. 1 2 3 4 Richard Barthelmess| McLaglen and Lowe In in “The Cockeyed “Young Nowbheres’’ | World” 8 a) 10 11 Norma Terris in “Married in In Geo. Bancroft Hollywood” “The Mighty” 12 Toe 4 15 gee ea ae rer ee Mary Brain Virginia Valli in “The Marriage In Playground” “Isle Of Lost Ships” Dolores Del Rio “Evangeline” 30 Stars In In : “Hollywood Revue” 19 PAB EO BA BB 23 24 25 Robt Armstrong: Ann Pennington In “Gold Diggers of “The Racketeer” Broadway” “So 26 27 28 29 30 31 Greta Garbo Janet Gaynor Will Rogers In “They Had to See “Christina” Paris” All Star Cast Buddy Rogers In In This ts College’’| “Halfway to Heaven” Feb. 1 Nancy Carroll In In “The Kiss” “Sweetie: Program Subject to change Walter Immerman Takes Charge in Detroit With the retirement of George| the Publix Royal, Kansas W. Trendle, General Manager of Kunsky Theatre enterprises, Walter Immerman has assumed active troit and vicinity. KIBITZER STUNT AIDS PATRONAGE “Letting the newspaper do the giving and take the credit, nearly always works out so that the theatre gets what counts—the results,” says E. S. C. Coppock, manager of City, BOSTON EFFORT SETS RECORD AT “MET Tremendous exploitation effort put forth by Manager Larry Bearg and Publicity Director MHarry Browning of the Metropolitan, Boston, on Paramount’s ‘The Kibitzer’’ and a personal appearance of Amos ’n’ Andy, resulted in a new house record. Tying up with the local radio station which broadcasts’ the nightly ‘‘Amos ’n’ Andy” programs, an announcement was interpolated before and after each program to the effect that they . would appear at the Metropolitan the week of January 9. Used for three weeks, this reached, directly, their entire New England radio following, at no cost to the theatre. The Pepsodent Company saw to it that window cards went into every drug store in Boston and suburbs, and these cards promised one hundred autographed photos of Amos ’n’ Andy to holders of corresponding-numbered ticket stubs on Monday night. The New York, New Haven and Hartford R. R. Co. and the Boston and Albany paid for and placed in all their stations throughout New England, one-sheets announcing the only New England appearance of the radio stars. A Postal Telegraph tie-up, featuring extensive display of a wire to Bearg from Amos ’n’ Andy, completed the effort expended on the stage attraction. “The Kibitzer’ was by no means neglected in the campaign, and the unusual angle of featuring it above Amos ’n’ Andy in all advertising and display enhanced its drawing power tremendously. Street banners gave the picture twice the flash the added attraction received, with the result that it was sold most convincingly. All paper sacks used for two weeks by the many branches of the United Markets bore copy on the program, with prizes in gold offered by the grocery chain to holders of imprinted coupons, provided they visited the ‘‘Met’”’ Monday, when winners were posted in the lobby. A ginger ale company ‘went’ for heralds and ‘‘Kibitzer Union” cards. One-sheets entirely in Jewish, even to the theatre name, were used in conjunction with advertising in the Jewish press. Finale of the campaign was posing of Amos ’n’ Andy with Governor Allen of Massachusetts, for Mo., in connection with planting|2e¢wspaper photographs. contests, etc., in local papers. J. H. Seidelman, assistant man This statement is the result of a/ acer of the Paramount foreign charge as General Manager of the| “Kibitzer” contest held in conjuncAcpartdcnt has gone to Cuba Fs Publix Theatres operation in De-| tion with the Journal-Post. Dollar|, pusiness trip which is to include terminated his theatre activities| tants giving the best definition of in order to devote his time to his|that word. One and two column| ing to patron popularity. radio broadcasting interests and|stories broke in the paper daily his duties as Fire Commissioner | during the run of the picture at| Loons, He was one of the or-| the Royal, which aided the sale of| worked this policy for 74 consecu of Detroit. ganizers and partners in the Kun-| tickets. sky .Theatres Corporation and after the chain was taken over by Publix last fall, he remained as head of the operation until Publix could make other arrangements. Mr. Immerman has been identified with the B. & K. and Publix Theatres of Chicago for the past four years. He opened the Michigan Theatre in Detroit and then took over the management of the Lubliner & Trinz circuit in Chicago, from which assignment he returned to Detroit to become General Manager of the Publix chain. With the recent acquisition of. the Munz Theatres the Publix interests in Detroit now include seven first run houses; the Michigan, Paramount, Fisher, United Artists, Adams, Madison and eight deluxe and sound houses in the neighborhood and adjoining communities; the Riviera, Annex, Redford, Birmingham, Royal Oak, La Salle Gardens, Tuxedo, and Alhambra. Opening of the Rex Theatre, until Friday, February ‘7th. Walter Hibge, present assistant manager at the Imperial, Columbia, will manage the Rex. POLICY CHANGED Mr. Trendle| prizes were given to those contes-| Jamaica and Panama. Louisville successfully Davidson’s have Walter who tive weeks in Kansas City and repeated this success in other towns, have been engaged for the first four weeks. Harlan Christie is AT PICCADILLY |the master of ceremonies of this band. Talent appearing in unit shows and laying off between The policy of the Piccadilly | Pittsburgh and Buffalo will be Theatre, Rochester, will be revised | used in connection with this to a form of band policy that will | policy. include two or three live acts pre John Loder, of the Paramount sented in front of a “name” band. | Toledo, has recently been, assigned The talent will be changed weekly|as Director of Advertising and and the band periodically accord-| Publicity for this theatre. by Publix theatres. ail S20 FOREIGN HOLIDAYS From Arch Reeve, publicist of the Paramount West Coast Studios, comes a clipping telling of a newspaper in a cosmopolitan city which takes notice of the natal day of each nation which contributed to the population of the town. days, the paper flies the flag of that nation over its building, thereby gaining much valuable comment and goodwill. Mr. Reeve suggests similar observance of national holidays Many such holidays are listed in the Publix Opinion ‘‘Reminder Calendar,” now in process of distribution. have probably been overlooked, however, and therefore, if everyone in Publix who knows or has and celebrates any holidays of foreign significance will send them in, as complete a list as possible will be printed. Sil : On such Many more