Publix Opinion (Aug 1, 1930)

fas CULTIVATE GOOD WILL! Vol. III a) NN (PUBLIX AY. Theatres / yy The Official Voice of Publix Publix Theatres Corporation, Paramount Building, New York, Week of August 1st, 1930 ‘SHdUemortnetatatintensensnnoczervaneriaiy veges ctv yap ep acme adeeeha me GET SCREEN AD PROFITS! TUM ee eaten TL net etytsnecinenniet?: OTUAYEUOA PENNA UU ACE UN NHaTEnEREaEH No. 47 NEW PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT WILL COORDINATE ALL PUBLIX MANPOWER PUBLIC GOOD WILL NECESSARY AS SHOW BUSINESS SPREADS IN ITS APPEAL, SAYS KEOUGH Speaking from his vantage point as head of the Publix Legal Department, where every irregularity in the relationship between the theatre and its community is eventually reflected, Austin Keough calls attention to the necessity of acutely considering the feelings of the public in every phase of theatre operation. This is particularly imperative | — at the present time, according to Mr. Keough, because of the changing methods in picture exhibition as well as the changes brought about by the talking screen. “Many of the problems of the legal department,” said Mr. Keough, “have to do with cases where the complete good will of the community has not been earned. This is essential to every form of business that caters to the public. tre, it is imperative. “The law books tell us that show business is a private business, but in another sense it is a 0 +-D— B+ + B+ B+ OO B+ OO O+ B+ + 0+ O0+ D+ B+ D 18+ O-85S-O 0+ O+0+OB+ O-O+S+ OO B+-O+ 0+ G+ 0+ O0+ 0-05 +010 0+ OO 4 OO + 0101-010 010-010-0100 81-01 01-8 O10 O18 (Continued on Page Two) 10+ O-+B+ O-O+ OO O8+ 0+ 0+ 0-0 O0+ 0-0 O08 OO" RE-CHECK YOUR PASS LIST! How long is it since you have re-checked your pass list? ‘Do it to-day. It’s important!’’ urge Messrs. Chatkin and Botsford. A large metropolitan theatre recently found that some of its courtesy cards were being used as much as five times in one day. Guard against this also! Courtesy privileges of the theatre are extended only to thoSe people who can do the theatre some good. As soon as the recipients cease to be in a position where they can benefit the theatre, their names no longer belong on the pass list. A hewspaperman for instance, who is no longer with a paper is deadwood on a theatre’s pass list. If this deadwood is not removed, it will crowd off the names of those persons who CAN ac‘tually do you some good and who belong on your list. Re-check your pass list today! In the case of a thea t ¢ t 4 3 PROFIT ADS IN NEW Uo ‘OF OGREEN A three-fold benefit to every theatre and advertising manager in the circuit is seen by all shrewd showmen in the detailed and extremely readable manual on “The New Use of the Screen” sent out Jast week to all Publix Theatres. This manual on commercial films from the Theatre Service Corporation, W. Johnson, president, was compiled by the Home Office Advertising Department. The three-fold benefits from the service, as explained in the manual are: 1. An opportunity to substantially increase the theatre’s revenue. 2. A means of enhancing the theatre’s program by the addition of a sure-fire pure entertainment feature at no cost whatsoever. A rich and fertile field for exploitation and tie-ups af-forded by the intimate association between merchants and the theatre furnished by the commercial ' film. With these benefits in mind, it behooves every Publix showman to carefully read every word of the manual. In the event anything is not clear, or he wants any additional information on any subject, he should write to Theatre cee Corporation, 420 Lexing (Continued on Page Three) 8 2O+-SOF 0-1 O91 0+ OBO 0+ O10 018+ 010+ O10+ 0+ 8+ 010m RADIO SALUTE FOR DENVER PARAMOUNT Messrs. Jatz, Dembow, Chatkin, Botsford and all Division Directors want a nation-wide radio salute to the new Paramount Theatre, Denver, Colorado, which opens on August 29th. You've done it before. You can do it now. Remember the Brooklyn Paramount? Remember the Toledo-Paramount? On each of these occasions, Publix’ mass selling power manifested itself so effectively as to earn a gratified acknowledgment from Mr. Katz. For the exact details of the salute, see Bound Volume of Publix Opinion, Vol. II, the following issues: No. 12, page 1; No. 38, page 1; No. 42, page 2. You have 29 days to prepare for this event. START TODAY! Prepare your plans. Begin making your contacts. Start thinking about talent. PREPARE NOW! Remember, the last minute showman is also last in the regards of his seniors when he makes himself conspicuous by failing to come through when everyone else does. ¢ OOO 04 OF OO OOO OF O10 OO O01 0-1 0 8 1 OO O91 0+ OF O10 OOF D104 10+ O 0109-01 0-0-1 09-01 0+-O-+ 0+ 0-0 0-0 D104 00-90 01 0 0-10 90-01 18-01 0-1 09-0 +1 0+ 0-10-01 0+ OBO 0-01 0-1 O91 0-01 OS G+ 0+-O18+O+01-O+ 8+ OO O+O> 0 -B-1 0+ 0+ 0+-O+ 0-0 0-0 0+ 0+ 0+ O+0+O+0++0" 0-0-0 MR. KATZ CALLS STAGE-WAIT INEXCUSABLE At a recent performance in a Publix theatre in New York attended by Mr. Katz, a stagewait of several minutes in the middle of the program due to faulty planning, left a large audience uneasy and disgruntled. “The one unpardonable sin of any showman,’ declared Mr. Katz, “is to permit his audience to view a naked stage or a blank .screen. A stage wait of thirty seconds will ruin a two hour show. It will leave with 1,000 or more people an impression of amateurishness, carelessness, and slip-shod management that no amount of care in future programs will dispel. It must never happen!”’ Every conceivable effort of program fixing and planning, re (Continued on Page Two) AUGMENTED DEPARTMENT TO BE DIRECTED BY JACK BARRY A completely reorganized Personnel Department, with jurisdiction over all personnel in the Home Office and the field, was announced by Mr. Katz last week. John F. Barry, present personnel director, will head the new department with its much PRIZE CONTEST ON ‘FEET FIRST ENDS AUG. 11TH In order to allow Publix showmen of the West Coast and other remote spots ample time to submit their contributions to the Harold Lloyd $500 cash prize contest on “Feet First,” the deadline on the contest has been extended from August 4th to August 11th. The new deadline, will give Publix theatre and advertising managers 11 more days to submit their advertising, exploitation and publicity ideas and campaigns on Mr. Lloyd’s latest Paramount release for the one $100 and eight $50 prizes offered to the winners. As stressed in former issues, not only will this contest put money in the individual winner’s pocket, and present him in a favorable light in the eyes of his immediate and Home Office seniors, but his efforts will be permanently incorporated in the _ special Harold Lloyd press book on this picture. These press books are always kept and the prize winner has a chance of perpetuating his efforts to posterity. The time is short, boys! Most of you, no doubt, have already sent in your contributions. Those who havyen’t, DO IT NOW! Your Editor can think of a hundred and one things to do with that extra $100 or $50 if it were in his pockets. Real money, boys! Real glory where it will do you. the most good! The prizes are offered only to Publix theatre managers and advertising men. ‘The field is limited. You have a great chance to win! The. contributions must be in the mails by August 1ith. For complete details of the contest, as well as for a synopsis of the story and actual scene stills from the picture, see Publix Opinion, Week of July 18. ' BOUND VOLUMES ON THEIR WAY! Mr. Katz called them “a compendium of the company’s brain| years’ company effort at your finger tips. Guard them carefully! power!” They’re going out to you this week. A complete index, including matter contained in both Vo Consult them daily! If you don’t receive ]. I and II, crystallizes two | L. L. Edwards at the Home Office for it. larger scope. Heretofore, the personnel department had jurisdiction only over the members of the Theatre Management department. The new department, however, will have jurisdiction over the Publix Advertising, Buying, and Booking, Maintenance and Construction, Real Estate, Insurance. and Accounting Departments, as well as the Theatre Management Department. It will exercise functional control over all changes in an employee’s status, including selection, placement, training, transfer, promotion, salary adjustment and separation. “Hitherto,’? declared Mr. Katz, “pecause many problems of personnel have been handled separately within each department, the company has been deprived of the benefits of a general Personnel Department. One Personnel Department, acting for all departments, will result in decreased personnel costs and added efficiency. “With a complicated organization setup, responsibility and accountability of the individual might not have been as clearly defined as it should have been. Besides, there might not have been a close scrutiny of each individual’s real contribution as it might be balanced against his expense in travel and salary. There might have been a duplication of effort and repetition of routine that can now be eliminated. “Accordingly, I want a job analysis made by the Personnel Department of each position and each individual’s work. Hereafter, the Personnel Department is to keep track of each individual’s performance by a system of re-_ ports similar to that now functioning for members of the Theaatre Management Department. “No action is to be taken on questions of Personnel by any department» without first referring same to the Personnel Department. This applies to the selection, assignment, transfer, dismissal, promotion and salary increase of each individual. “The Personnel Department will be directly accountable to me.” your copy, write to