Publix Opinion (Jan 31, 1930)

YOU HAVE THE MERCHANDISE SELL IT! ‘The Official Voice of Publix Pat pinian Publix Theatres Corporation, Paramount. Buiiding, New Fors Week of January 31st, 1930 YOU HAVE THE MERCHANDISE SELL IT! Primarily, our function is to sell entertainment in all of its phases and contributing factors. When we call a Publix showman a “merchant of entertainment,”’ we have said everything that can be said. The term is all-inclusive —SAM KATZ, President, Publix Theatres Corp. ||] and all-comprehensive. “Leave no stone unturned to help Publix maintain the high standing it holds in the world of theatres.” Publix S Opinion Published by and for the Press Representatives and Managers of PUBLIX THEATRES CORPORATION SAM KATZ, President A. M. Borsrorp, Dr. Advertising Benj. H. Serxowicu, Editor i Contents Strictly Confidential : ENTERTAINMENT VS. SERVICE Theatre management and merchandising entail so many details, all of them important in the aggregate yet having varying importance in relation to each other, that one is apt, at times, to lose a true sense of perspective. So it happens that occasionally a Publix showman will stress some secondary _ phase of his operation, such as Service, at the expense of the merchandise he is selling, which is Entertainment. It is true that both these factors are closely interwoven and are, in a sense, dependent upon each other. However, one should never lose sight of the fact that we are in the entertainment business, and that it is entertainment a patron seeks primarily when he enters a theatre. Consequently, we must sell Big Entertainment first. Then, as a supplementary measure, we can sell Service or anything else. : Why do people who can afford to eat in comparatively sumptuous Broadway restaurants often seek some dingy, dimlylit and even unclean eating house on the lower East Side for their evening meal? Evidently, because they like the food there. Food is the essential merchandise of restaurants, and a number of people voluntarily forego the comforts and conveniences of more pretentious hostelries to seek out the food they like. To do this, they will squirm on hard, rickety chairs, be jostled by corpulent housewives, stand abuse from temperamental waiters and try not to observe the playful antics of itinerant cock-roaches on the walls. If they could have the food they like and, at the same time enjoy the benefits of more comfortable surroundings, then, obviously, they would patronize the place offering the double, rather than the single, attraction. Publix owes its leadership in the industry because it has provided this double attraction to the public. It provides the finest entertainment in show business in the most luxuriant, comfortable and courteously-manned theatres in the world. However, as in the case of the restaurant, the merchandise it sells—Entertainment—constitutes the main drawing power. Therefore, common business sense dictates that the major portion of a theatre’s selling effort should be concentrated upon -its program rather than upon its auxiliary attractions. By this it is not meant to minimize the tremendous importance of Service in the operation of a theatre, but rather to indicate its position in relation to the main object of every business enterprise—selling its essential merchandise. Entertainment is the merchandise of the theatre, sold in the form of admission tickets. Any showman who permits his ticket selling to be overshadowed by Service-selling is not being fair either to himself or to his company. TOLEDO SHOWMANSHIP Recent experience with “The Love Parade” in Toledo is something for every Publix showman to consider seriously. The advance campaign on the picture, prepared along routine lines, did not produce results and the opening was below that which the attraction deserved. ee A complete “about-face” in advertising policy on the second day of the run corrected the error and business immediately mounted, steadily, during the remainder of the week. Advance campaigns, however carefully planned, do not always fit the picture to be sold. Alert study of reaction to advertising campaigns AFTER openings is good showmanship. Readiness to admit error in elaborately scheduled policies and theories is even more commendable. Flexibility of organization, which permits complete reversal of policy after a campaign is launched, represents just the type of showmanship which brings maximum grosses. SOUND TIPS From Publix Department of Sound and Projection. HARRY RUBIN, Director SOUND BULLETIN No. 44 Clean Screens Sound screens of the more modern, oilcloth type, are easily washed, and there is no reason for the dirty screens frequently reported on the Weekly Projection Room form. The cloth, or Transvox type screen, must be removed and sent to the cleaners when it is beyond aid of the vacuum cleaner. The newer, or Dayton-type screen, is cleaned with soap and water. This is easily done; there is no reason for dirty screens. : The first thing to do is to protect the masking, either by drawing it back, or covering it over a section at a time. The screen is washed a section at a time, and each section is rubbed dry before going on to wash the next. This prevents the screen from showing streaks due to uneven drying. The sections should be small, no larger than a man can reach easily without moving his ladder or changing his position on it. Ivory or similar mild soap should be used, never harsh, or gritty cleaners. Care should be taken that the dirt removed from the surface is not allowed to clog the perforations of the screen. SOU 00 NEW YORK PROGRAM f PLOTS e Week Beginning Jan. 31st New York Paramount . Prelude . Paramount Sound News and Sound Trailer on “Burning Up” = . Organ Concert—Mrs. Crawford Sound Trailer on bond King”’ . Dennis King—-In Person... ( . Publix Unit (81) . “New York Nights” United Artists Picture ... (81) . Trailers (2) @ 140 minutes lie (9) (6) (3) 8) Brooklyn-Paramount . Prelude . Paramount Sound News and Sound Trailer on ‘Burning . Up” . Organ Concert—West . “At The Gate’’—Paramount Comedy . Publix Unit—Vallee . “The Mighty’ — Paramount Picture . Trailers ANVIL 136 minutes ‘Rialto . Paramount Sound News.... (10) . Evelyn Hoey — Paramount Sound Act . ‘“Wanderlust’’ — ParamountBruce Scenic . “Getting a Ticket’ — Cantor—Paramount Comedy . “Street of Chance’—Paramount Picture (76) . “Radio Riots’? —P aramount Talkartoon (6) . Trailers (none opening (2) 118 minutes Rivoli “Condemned” — FirstWeek Criterion Criterion Theatre “The Love Parade” . Eleventh Week Slt AAU AUT ill li feo FILE THIS! IT WILL HELP PLAN PROGRAMS Watch Publix Opinion for this service in every issue! Watch the trade papers for it, tool LENGTH OF FEATURES Record No, Subject Street of Chance—9 reels (AT) Shanghai—8s reels Ship From (AT) $ Bishop Murder Case—9 reels (AT) Party Girl—-9 reels (AT ) Playing Around—7 reels (AT) Sky Hawk—8 reels (AT) (AT)—AI] Talking FootRunn’g Time 75 min Make Paramount MGM MGM Tiffany ‘Ist Nat'l 68 min. 88 min. 77 min. 65 min. 75 min. LENGTH OF TALKING SHORTS PARAMOUNT Bearded Lady 6 Actions Speak Louder Than Words 1 rf 10 min. News No. 5 20 min. | 8 min. WARNER Second Choice (Trailer) She Couldn’t Say No (Trailer) 4 min. 3 min. FIRST NATIONAL Son of the Gods (Trailer) 5 min. LENGTH OF NON-SYNCHRONOUS SHORTS PARAMOUNT News No. 51 PATHE Follow the Leader “Spotlight” Co-operative Page Is Used To Sell ‘It’s A Great Life’ A co-operative page wh.ch included a unique contest on ‘“‘It’s a Great Life’? was promoted in Jacksonville by the Florida Theatre. In each ad was placed a portion of a picture of the Duncan Sisters, who are featured in the photoplay, and those able to put the parts together to reproduce the whole received prizes from the merchants. CIGARETTE TIE-UP — Manager M. E. Remley of the Publix Majestic, East St. Louis, Ill., made a tie-up with the Liggett and Meyers Tobacco Company for the free distribution of ten thousand Chesterfields in the theatre lobby, during the run of ‘Rio Rita.’”’’ An attractive girl, attired in Spanish costume, passed the cigarettes to patrons as they entered the theatre. SCREAMS WITHIN — “LOCKED DOOR” A novel means of exploiting “The Locked Door’ was employed at the Publix Imperial, Pawtucket, R. I., by Manager Joseph S. Borenstein. A small compartment with a door, locked, was rigged up in the lobby of the Imperial. A dynamic speaker within the closed door burst forth the continued wailings of a woman, who, after two shots were fired, screamed: ‘Let me out —someone open this door. I am locked in with a dying man who was shot by my husband, etc. (giving the highlights of the picture, mentioning cast and playdate).”’ Five hundred keys with tags attached, bearing copy, were distributed in department stores, drug stores, etc. Those keys (a few) fitting the door were exchangeable for passes. Oo e-S-Oe-O 1 Oo-S-2 Oo-SO-SOe-SOr-O-0 O2-O-0H0-G-O°-O-O9-O-$ Oe SG" -O-+O-S-+GsOO" SOS O° S Oo S O° S9° SO SO | Page Col. MERCHANDISING Special Pictures Dangerous Paradise by Rus : sell Holman New York Nights by Bruce Gallup Reviews of ‘‘Shorts’” by by Louis Notarius The Vagabond King Burning Up Seven Days Leave The Love Parade Using Pipe Organ on Radio for Exploitation of Theatre February Holidays Phileo Radio Tie-ups...... ~ Checker-Chess Champs in Lobby New Metal Discs for Special Unit Girls Challenge Columnist Sixteen-page Magazine Telegraph-Radio Tie-up.... Record-of-the-Week Club. ?. “Know Your Stars’’ Contest Club Holds Theatre Party Bank _ Pays | Theatre Herald .../. SS Boston Effort Sets Record. . Foreign Holidays Ag oo an? ~ 4-5 é i i i i 1 t ; : i i } t t 7 Special Stunts i : : } i t : t i i INDEX Weekly Radio Program.... Review of Radio Hour Musie Sales Division Reorgani 4 1-2 PROJECTION ROOM ADVICE Sound Tips 12 GENEAL INFORMATION About the Reminder Calen Policies for Vagabond King 1 Sales Discretion 2 Lamp Ee Costly Thoughtlessness Extend Lobby Selling Over Circuit Publix ‘‘Bouquet” from Opposition Economy in Service Set-Up by Chester L. Stoddard.. List of Books of Value to Theatre Managers Meet the Boys A. M. Botsford’s Biography Staff Helps With Courtesy. Watch Your Good Will.... Publix Reminder Calendar Editorials 12 New York Program Plots.. 12 Length of Features 12 GENERAL Executives on Tour for Survey of Maintenance Mr. Katz Finds Phrase Fits Showmen Stiff is Made Manager of Arizona Alert Idaho Manager Shows Never-Say-Die Spirit.... Walter Immerman Takes Charge in Detroit €@0-D-0@ >-B-0Oe-S-0 GO 0-D-0 Oe -O-O-O-B e-SOG+ OSO eSO oSO 9-D-0B2-S-W 0G e-GOs-D-+ OsD9 Oe-H-+G9-S-+O9-G-G > G1 GS+9°-S+G°-D e ee ) -s