Publix Opinion (Jun 27, 1930)

{ ag } x *» grams. PUBLIX OPINION 3 , WEEK OF JUNE 271u, 1930 CIRCUIT PROGRAM-PLOTTING IDEAS! CONSTRUCTION RANKS FIRST WITH B & K (Continued from Page One) spread out every unit of his proam before him and figure out how he can put them together so that he will derive the utmost efrect from each unit and from their combination as a whole. “Of course, there are certain pasic principles to be borne in mind, but they are so elemental and self-evident as to hardly require mentioning. For instance, if you were planning a dinner for your friends, and your piece de resistance or main dish were a porterhouse steak, you would hardly serve roast beef for dessert. Similarly, if you have a straight, dramatic feature, you would not think of spotting a short like ‘‘The Bishop’s Candlesticks” immediately after it. It’s just plain common sense—and showmanship. “The most important part of the whole problem, as I see it, is the realization of its importance as the very backbone of our business. Once that importance is seriously and sin-. cerely felt, then the proper amount of time and thought will be given to it. And if Publix showmen give enough time and thought to any problem, I don’t.care what it is, I am certain that it will be licked.” Suggestions and ideas on pro gram plotting from various divisions and districts follow. GO OVER THEM CAREFULLY! If any of these suggestions can be made applicable to your theatre, USE THEM! If they give you a tip which you can develop and improve so that it will fit your operation, DO SO BY ALL MEANS! The problem, as Mr. Katz points out, is a serious one. Mr. Katz is also the authority for the statement that several minds~-are alWays better than one in the solying of any problem. So READ EVERY WORD of these suggestions with PAD AND PENCIL at hand, in order that any good ideas you find can instantly go to work in bettering your presentations.. Publix Balaban & Katz By W.K. Hollander Director Of Advertising and Publicity Nothing in our operation is regarded as being more important than the construction of our proThis is true of every type of theatre in our operation, whether it be the Chicago Theatre where we strive for the utmost in DeLuxe programs of Stage shows, music and pictures, or whether it be an ordinary sound house devoted to three or more changes a week. We have the consciousness that frequently a good picture can be ruined by a carelessly constructed program, while on the other hand a mediocre picture can be given entertainment help with suitable subjects surrounding it. While comfort, attentiveness, ventilation, cooling and all other important details which come under the caption of “Service’’ are vital in theatre operation, if the merchandise offered the patron is served poorly, he or she leaves the theatre dissatisfied. Hence, the construction of programs is first in importance. In preparing our shows, we are not governed by minutes but rather by what we put into these minutes in the way of entertainment. We strive for variety, a proper balance, and at the same time a well rounded ensemble. Wherever possible we inject a surprise element into our programs which may take the form of the presentation of a trailer or, in a sound house, a voice in an organ solo either from the console or the organ grill, a Brenkert effect or one of a dozen or more tricks devised by the theatre manager or his associates. | | Must Have Variety | Sometimes a show of two hours and 10 minutes can be made burdensome and tediously long if it were to lack variety, while at other times a show running two hours and 45 minutes, well balanced with interesting subjects intelligently routined, will keep the patrons of the theatre interested and entertained throughout the performance, and then send him or her home, not only refreshed but amply repaid for the admission cost. There is a wealth of entertainment in the motion picture world in short subjects from which selections can be made for every requirement of program construction—travel talks, comedies, flash acts, cartoon novelties—there are name acts of great interest and value. Frequently a poor picture can be made part of a program of size by the selection of an imposing array of short subjects to augment it. The following are typical of our efforts rather than illustrations of what might be regarded as perfect programs. | Chicago Theatre | Orchestral Feature ‘‘The Con COLG crerettisiinte <cieie aelars telle c 14 Sound News .....-eccvcoeee 9 Sound Trailer ...........+.-. 8 UNIT “SUNNY DAYS’’—with MT Ary SEVOSO ale ste) sree ciel ola 37 “DEVOROGHH Yee. .dcevaces 81 GartoOniee se Gicloneolaiete.e tiacaiele 5 Silent Trailers ..........+. 2 Total 151 It wil be noted that the first number of the program is an orchestral feature entitled ‘‘The Concert.”’ This number was set in order to inject a classical touch to the program. It was made up of music by the modern masters and some of the lighter music of the old masters. In the course of the number the curtains of the stage parted and disclosed a picture frame which came to life. The figures revealed, sang and played solos and in ensemble. The sound trailer follows the Sound News as a separate unit, first,/because it has entertainment value and second, in order to advertise the next week’s attraction to the greatest number of people. This is the peak point of the show and very few patrons leave the theatre at this period. “Sunny Days’ was a fast unit with considerable comedy furnished, not only by Harry Rose but by the three gobs, rapid fire dancers. It is an excellent stage unit to precede a picture such as “The Divorcee.”’ The picture is modern and opens in a light vein, developing as it goes along heavier and dramatic to a gripping ending. Our idea is that a picture of this type requires some subject to provide comedy relief to complete the program. This particular program had time only for a brief cartoon. Following the cartoon came the silent trailers. These are institutional in part and concern themap ye with routine subjects as well. | _ Uptown Theatre | What might be considered as a typical program in our DeLuxe theatres surrounding a comedy feature is as follows: Orchestral Feature Parade” Paramount Sound News . “Melody 9 Sound Trailer ............. 3 ‘Rivers of Romance’—wUnit.. 42 MCBURNE SONG aie wyalatece oe esis 76 “Golden Pagoda” .......... 11 Slient Trailer’ .4 .i.s sc« eels ee ae. Total 153 The Orchestral Feature consists of a medley of popular and classic melodies with the popular numbers predominating. Song interpolation as well as a harp solo were part of this feature. The construction of the balance of the program is very much like the one preceding except that following the feature picture, which is comedy in nature, we set a Tom Terris scenic, . “Golden Pagoda,” which not only has beauty but is dramatic in spots. In-setting this show we regarded this subject as just the thing to complete a diversified, and at the same time, well rounded program. | Roosevelt Theatre | The Roosevelt, devoted to long run pictures, presented the following program with Gary Cooper in “The Texan:” Paramount Sound News..... 9 ITVALIOYS veraicse ale as bios ere: & stevens 3 SLOOP IAD Voi, sichelcislets tie ses 18 eho AROXan’! © ...0%a oaks occ ere eles 6 79 ARR CCG OI: coc sh anss ces bos 20 Total 129 ‘‘Hello Baby” was placed in No. 2 position because it is a flash act and is in technicolor—an excellent subject to precede a comedy drama of “The Texan” type. “All Teed Up” was chosen, first, because it was slapstick in nature and a fast moving comedy. Secondly, because the golfing public was just about beginning to get interested in this pastime. United Artist Theatre | SOUNGLNGWS cscs 20 cloves bs 9 Tey AG es As Gen Rea are 3 ‘And How’’—Ann Greenway. 7 SOPROLUS LAL DON? css o clerewis.c 90 “Knights Out’’—Clark & McCullon eyes cre tevere eves ee stoves 21 Total 1380 During the run of “‘Hell’s Harbor’ at the United Artist, where long runs prevail, we were confronted with a melodramatic production where cast, though important, was not made up of stellar timber. Such a feature requires not only a strong comedy but one with outstanding names. Clark & McCullough in ‘Knights Out” was selected to offset this deficiency. Preceding the feature we set a flash act in technicolor, which was light and novel and put the spectator in a receptive frame of mind for the heavy melodrama which followed. DeLuxe Sound Houses Our outlying sound houses come under two classifications, one where the DeLuxe type of entertainment prevails with organ solos and where frequently vocal soloists are part of the organ solos. In these theatres we may employ an occasional violinist for an effect in the organ solo, or a trumpet player. Brenkert effects play an important part in, and give color to, these programs. The DeLuxe type of operation is usually the theatre where one change a week prevails, sometimes two changes a week. The second class of theatres under this classification are ordinary sound where three changes a week occur. As an illustration of a DeLuxe sound program, we select at random one from the Tower Theatre and another from the Harding Theatre. | Tower Theatre | Sound News—Paramount & Graham McNamee ........ “Hello Baby'’—Wheeler Oakman & Ann Pennington... 18 EPA ENS ei cls ea eee eee 5 Organcsolo. ,ocuhaw cee een 8 “Light of Western Stars’’.... 69 ‘“Blotto”’—Laurel & Hardy... 28 SS Total 148 The picture is western in nature and although the principals in the drama are very prominent, they have not attained stellar importance in these environs and we regarded it advisable to add important names to the program in general. Hence, we booked the Laurel & Hardy comedy entitled “Blotto” to follow the feature and for the flash act following the Sound News, a subject in which Wheeler Oakman, a noted screen actor, and a famous name of the stage, Ann Pennington, participated. With Graham McNamee announcing in the Sound: News, we had what we might regard an all star program. Likewise we had a program that boasted variety, color, song, comedy and flash—altogether a well rounded ensemble of entertainment. In the organ solo we used the lobby act, giving a human element to the program. | Harding Theatre | Sound News ........... Cores! | “Getting a Ticket’’—Kddie CANTOR A tect eccitelducverleccseuetetere 10 PW RIULON ne sai io oisiw ie owellate wlocevers 6 OTPANUSONOR olessverevelerecsseoteyerene 8 “Ladies of Leisure” ........ 100 “Radio Riot’’—Talkartoon .. Total 142 “Ladies of Leisure,’’ an exceedingly long feature with no names of any consequence, required not only a good name act but a com edy with a punch and novelty. We} felt that Eddie Cantor provided all these elements, while, following the feature, ‘‘Radio Riot,’ a Talkartoon, furnished novelty, comedy and song. The feature being unusually heavy required considerable comedy relief. Hence, a comedy subject preceding it and a comedy cartoon following it. Belmont Theatre Under the DeLuxe type of sound operation, we cite another illustration, the Belmont Theatre, which, until quite recently, ran combination programs of vaudeville and pictures. The following is a typical program under our DeLuxe type of sound pictures operation. The Belmont has two changes a week. OUNG: SNOWS 0) < wits elcleierete cues 9 “Taking Ways’’ (Codee & QCTU) eieretcreisye loleicherele exeveve!s 9 Organ’Soloy ciciaieisscrsie che phere eres 9 “Contrary Mary” (Technicolor, singing and dancing flash ACH) acarcisvelalete sc ee arseiere ere 9 Talking trailer .....ccecces 4 SO UTUEIMMMNON oe Sols wicialvls wexecele 90 “All Steamed Up'’’—Clark & McCullough Wee ciciaic)s siaheters 23 Silent Trailers ............. 3 Total 156 This program consists of more than the ordinary number of short subjects, the reason being that the patrons of the theatre have been partial to vaudeville and we strive to give them as many acts as we consistently can. The program, likewise, is constructed with a vaudeville idea in mind. It will be noticed that subjects preceding the feature are so arranged that every other subject is accompanied or played entirely by the organ. Silent frames in the sound news, beginnings and ends, are played by the organ and all silent shots in combination news. Comedy act, (Codee & Orth) follows the news, then the organ solo and a singing and dancing flash act. Because “Lummox” is a heavy feature, we tried to get as much comedy into the program as possible to counterbalance the feature. Maryland Theatre (Ordinary Sound) “Afraid To Go Home In The Darke. ac ke des Sound News |‘‘Money, Money, Money” .... b= ao Sound Trailer 5 ...s<ss<se ‘*‘Redemption’—John Gilbert. 67 “Blotto’’—Laurel & Hardy... 28 Silent Trailers ............ 3 Total 138 Wherever it is possible in our ordinary sound houses to open program with a musical novelty, we.do so. This is the purpose of “Afraid To Go Home In The Dark,” a Talkartoon singing cartoon wherein the audience is invited to joinin. Thus, the patron is put into a receptive mood for what follows. In this case the sound news is always acceptable, and then comes the novelty act. The feature, John Gilbert in “Redemption,’’ being heavy in drama and weak in box-office lure required both novelty and a name act, as well as a good comedy. Laurel & Hardy in “‘Blotto’” furnished these requirements. The novelty on the program came from the Talkartoon subject and from ‘‘Money, Money, Money.”’ Publix Detroit Division By Walter Immerman Division Director The most important detail in the actual operation of the motion picture theatre is the program, the entertainment which we are asking the public to buy. Before its presentation to the public, every program offered in our theatres is approved by four individuals or departments, each thoroughly experienced in actual theatre operation and in judging audience reaction. The Theatre Manager, the Booking Department, the Supervising Manager, and the District Manager actively participate in the construction or the final approval of every program. Every Monday evening, beginning at 7:30 sharp, all short subjects which the various exchanges have received during the past week are screened for a committee consisting of Supervising Manager, the Theatre Managers, (excepting such individuals as are detained by urgent conditions in their theatre), all members of the Booking Department, and usually the District Manager. Descriptive notes are made on every subject screened and a discussion takes place at which time each subject is classified, first as to Merit, second, Classification, third, Suitability, for various types of programs. Note is also made of such subjects as contain special value for holiday programs, details which may be of value for advertising and exploitation, details which may be of value to the Production Department, etc., etc. Such subjects as do not have a general appeal, but which are desirable for certain localities are so designated. Wach Manager and Department, including Publicity Department, is furnished with a complete mimeograph copy of the screening report. | Arranging Programs | The actual arranging of each program is done by the Booking Department which has a thorough knowledge of the requirements of each individual theatre and the dislikes of each theatre’s clientele. A cut-off list, showing all especially good subjects, is maintained, assuring us that every one of our (residential) houses will play every act or short subject of unusual merit. This task is considered second in importance only to the act of setting the feature pictures, and a definite period is set aside each week when the de (Continued on Page Four)