Publix Opinion (Aug 1, 1930)

8 : ‘ PUBLIX OPINION, WEEK OF AUGUST 8rx, 1930 NEW SEASON COPY LURES : : | Pranunon | INSTITUTIONAL ¢ AMP AIGN Katz theatres. Coupled with these new season anBalaban & Katz FEL, trailers, canopies and lobbies. i nourtcements and the regular selling copy on attracf Below are shown specimen ads which carry the mestions is cooling copy, designed to convert potential Chicagoans with a yen meee ann days for beaches or parks are get4sage to readers daily, with a reproduction of a story © beach and park patrons into theatre patrons. See the ting food for a different sort of idea regarding their amusement, via from the Chicago American, quoting John Balaban adjoining columns. for further details of this effective every available agency. to the effect that the film season has been moved up new season campaign. Institutional copy in all ads, trailers, over the radio, on canopies two months and that great, new pictures of the 1930-31 and in lobbies, is putting over the message that something unusual is “ happening in picture entertainment—that the 1930-31 season of big Institutional copy; shouting news of the great new : : ! | | pictures is now on in Publix-Balaban & Katz wonder theatres. This institutional copy tells the fans that Publix-B. & K. has mov-| sizing the main angle of the sum ed the new season two months | mer campaign: ’ ahead and is showing all the new pictures now, that July and August are the banner months in our theatres and the great producers, knowing this, have released their most marvelous productions ahead of schedule to get them in our advanced 1930-31 season of big pictures, on now! All trailer copy tells fans the same thing, as do radio programs and incidental advertising. Canopy copy reiterates it, and a similar style of marquee and front-house decoration for all theatres drives home the fact that something special is going on. Cooling Copy, Too Coupled with this campaign is “cooling copy,” wherever it can be injected. Comfortable, refreshing hours that can be theirs at any Publix-B. & K. theatres are stressed to the public again and again. In the minds of the advertising heads of the Chicago office, each hot day means a fertile field for sowing thoughts of cool theatres. All this is so that the Chicagoan pondering on the question of amusement will not be able to overlook the fact that if he wants to see the -“‘biggest and best pictures’’ of the new season he’d better go to the nearest Publix-Balaban & Katz theatre now, because all the great producers have chosen July and August to spring their latest stuff. John Balaban interviewed movie critics on the forthcoming season’s product, and the story received a big play, particularly in the lLerald & Examiner and the Americap. Rob Reel’s story in the American is reproduced on this page. along with samples of the ads sélling lhc new and greater product to be seen at Publix B. & K. theatres. Institutional boxes topping the ads were chosen as the most forceful method of bringing heme the message to faus. Two Good Trailers Followirg are two of the trailers used in all theatres, empha 1930-31 Theatrical season begins next week in the Publix Balaban & Katz Theatres. The great picture producers know from previous experience. that July and August are the banner months in our thedtres and they are sending us the gem productions of their studios for these two months instead of holding them until later. We have pre-viewed everyone of these sensational pictures and they are marvelous. We can assure all Chicago that never before have we been able to present such dramatic hits consistently, every week, as we will during the next two months. And remember, our theatres are cool, delightful and refreshing! As far back as 1918, we made summer theatre-going a pleasure. Today, Publix-Balaban and Katz theatres are still pre-eminent for summer comfort. “BETTER NOT LEAVE TOWN OR YOU’LL MISS ALL THE NEW BIG PICTURES AT PUBLIX BALABAN & KATZ THEATRES—” says Rob Reel, in the Chicago Hyening American. And she further says: “Publix-Balaban & Katz have moved the new season two months ahead, and are now showing all the new pictures and they’re great!’’ The new season of big pictures which started last week has brought new crowds— tremendous audiences to all Publix-Balaban & Katz Theatres! LOOK AT THESE NEW SEASON SMASHES THAT ARE COMING. ... SPACE iE GRAB! A splendid example of a ee spread amusement section plugging the features coming to the Saenger Theatre, Pine Bluff, a couple of months in advance. It was put over by Manager Hall of the theatre, who made use of exchange material for most of his space filler. aoe New Stars and New Themes In New Shows Booked at Saenger Theater i May and June rot Bie a me a Cama I pais, He oe 4 why 4 pas si ries srensceg es RaiAr nee Wass irs > ~ : ieee Sie. ‘Gonder Secsont Ts:On—. $ OF Bi 5 PICTURES 15 ON oz EAComt ot Chicag: o~Fiemendous Audiences Crow 303 me BINGKATA*S L, | BuvleBALABAN GATE Secs | OLD TIME MOVIE IS HUGE SUCCESS An old time motion picture show, introduced as a unit of a program featuring ‘‘The Benson Murder Case,” scored a huge success for Manager Walter C. Benson of the Strand, Pawtucket, R. I. Unit was made up of news shots dating back to 1910, a comedy of much more ancient vintage, and several old time stereopticon slides. News shots showed Roosevelt in Africa, coronation of King George, native uprising in South Africa and early shots of the World War. Comedy, “The Runaway Horse,’ wound up the program. Benson opened his old time show with a slide of the American flag, then a welcome slide. Newsreel was next, and during its progress a pre-arranged break was followed by a “One Minute, Please” slide, then a series of advertising slides written in comedy vein. Local vocalist sang ‘The Curse of an Aching Heart,’’ accompanied by the Strand organist on a tinny piano, which was used! through the entire unit. Novelty throwaway was used as exploitation, with old-time films billed exactly as they would have been when first shown. Films were obtained from Pathe, slides made up locally. ‘Flashes of the! Past”? and Audio Review No. 46 were the subjects. USHERS SING Five of Manager H. S. Glover’s ushers at the Majestic, Shreveport, La., supplanted the trailer for “Mammy.” For a week in advance, they presented themselves on the stage on each program, in blackface, and sang songs from the picture, announcing the next week’s attraction at the same time. ‘DON’T GAMBLE’ Ingenuity of Harry Lyons, student manager at the Bardavon, Poughkeepsie, procured an excellent window on ‘Caught Short.’ Catchline was ‘‘Don’t Gamble— Let Grant’s Paint Your House.’’ Window had cutouts of Moran and Dressler, with appropriate copy, draped with ticker-tape. EE ee gee ee ey Eee ee ee ee ee oy ee ee {Entertainment Atop Marquee Effective With the playing of ‘‘Hallelujah” at the Strand, Birmingham, Ala., Manager D. Merritt chose appropriate means of heralding the feature and at the same time attracting people to the theatre by the use of marquee entertainment. Merritt erected a platform atop the marquee where a local negro tin-pan orchestra, composed of a home made drum contraption, har-| monica, ukelele and two dancers entertained the passing crowds. NOVEL PROLOGUE Taking advantage of the opening scene in ‘‘Paramount on Parade,” (ushers going through various maneuvers) Monte Hance, manager of the Saenger, Biloxi, Miss., enhanced the first scene by using two of his ushers as atmosphere. These ushers were at both sides of the stage, with traveler as background. On a cue, the boys stepped forward and saluted, as baby spots were focused uponthem. At fade-out of ushers scene, spots were extinguished and j the two ushers left the stage. | are probably at the coo’ bytic__ left the stage. Nancy Plays a Violin in Unique Lobby Display Unique lobby display was used by Manager Edward Reed of the Crown, Mobile, in advance of “Dangerous Paradise.” Reed took a 3-sheet cutout of Nancy Carroll, put a dress on it, and seated the figure on the edge of a table. Violin and bow placed in her hands contributed to the lifelike effect. STYLE SHOW A style show run by Manager Peter Levin of the Capitol Theatre, New Bedford, Mass., received an excellent break with the papers which devoted whole pages to the merchants co-operating in the show. Show ran three days. That this was done by a class B house, is worthy of credit. WHERE STORES CLOSE Merchants closing on Thursday afternoons in Jackson, Tenn., are displaying cards distributed by Manager John McKenna of the Lyric, advising patrons that staffs are probably at the cool Lyric. relative humidity. ing taken. as low as possible. Dry Bulb Outdoors, Dry Bulb, Degrees Indoors 95 80 90 78 85 76.5 80 75 75 73.5 70 72 Below 70 72 Correct aS IDEAL HOUSE G CONDITIONS Ideal house Reenter endive) and relative humidity for varying outdoor temperatures is given below. & psychrometer, which every theatre should have. of wet and dry bulb thermometers, mounted together with a chain or other means of whirling them rapidly. ment causes evaporation of water in saturated cloth of wet bulb, lowering the temperature registered. Rate of evaporation and hence degree of change in temperature depends on the Instrument should be whirled several Readings are made with Consists Rapid move times, half a minute each time, and minimum wet bulb readReadings should be made at a point which represents average conditions throughout the theatre, If outside dry bulb temperature exceeds 95 degrees, keep inside dry bulb temperature 15 degrees lower, and humidity ant Relative Humidity Indoors AT% 65 50% 52% G4 55% 8% 63 61% 58 10% Wet Bulb Indoors