Publix Opinion (Aug 22, 1930)

QUICK BALLYHOO EFFECTIVE. FOR STAR Confronted with an unexpected booking of a personal appearance of Richard Barthelmess, in conjunction with the showing of “Dawn Patrol” at the California Theatre, San Francisco, Manager Robert Hicks and Publicity Director George Fisher virtually assured a box-office stampede by preparing an effective exploitation campaign for the occasion, even: though given one day’s notice. Automobile parades, official welcomes, interviews, street banners, radio announcements.and a newspaper luncheon were all climaxed by a sky-writing stunt in the campaign arranged by these two resourceful showmen. Varied Exploitation Ten Chrysler automobiles, bearing banners and carrying a bevy of chorus girls from the Paramount, (neighboring Publix house) met Barthelmess at station, where chorines presented the star with flowers. Cars and flowers at no cost to theatre. The entourage, led by Barthelmess and the Paramhount’s master of ceremonies and escorted by a detail of motorcycle policemen, sirens sounding, paraded to city hall where an official welcome was extended to the celebrated visitor. Interviews with all local papers stressed the fact that it was Barthelmess’s first personal appearance and greatest picture. A news luncheon was arranged with the co-operation of leading hotel, for society and drama editors o the papers. Free Radio Plugs Special motion pictures of the arrival were taken and shown on the opening night, performed in Hollywood style. Announcements on two radio stations, at no cost to theatre, told of personal appearance of star. Barthelmess also entertained on Columbia broadcasting program. The climactic stroke was the startling appearance of ‘‘Welcome Richard Barthelmess’’ outlined in the sky. Expenditure to theatre for this stunt was cost of special smoke used by the airplane. Theatre Joins Drive to Keep Kids Off Street Tying in with a campaign of the city of Boston to keep children off the streets, Manager A. BE. Fowler, Jr., and Publicity Director] . J. S. Saef of the Uptown, Boston, entertained 500 pupils from the City’s Summer Vacation School at a showing of ‘‘The Dawn Patrol.” Kids were from the airplane manual training classes of the school. Real value of the stunt lay in the fact that Saef succeeded in planting a generous photo of the crowd of children in the Boston Record, with the caption plugging the theatre’s activity in the campaign, and telling about “Dawn Patrol” and how much the kids enjoyed it, as well. Marked increase in paid juvenile patronage Was noticed after publication of the picture and story, showing that Many parents had seen it. HORSES, ETC. Parade of all sorts and descriptions of horses ballyhooed ‘Way Out West,” new William Haines picture, for Manager J. H. McKoy of the Olympia, Miami. Parade was led by the Junior Chamber of Commerce Drum and Bugle Corps, and riders were boys in Western costumes. SCOUTS HELP Eighty troops of Boy Scouts in Birmingham, Ala., boosted business on “With Byrd at the South Pole” for Manager D. W. Merritt of the Strand. Merritt offered a portrait of Byrd to the troop with the best attendance record on seeing the picture—at regular admission prices! METRO “DOCTORS ORDERS," Boy-Friend Series, (21 min.) Story: : one has the boy-friends pretending they are hurt in a fake au : smash-up in order to be carried into their girls’ house. One oi the boys pretends to be a doctor and the scheme succeeds unti the girls’ uncle comes home. From then on the boy alternates between being a doctor and then a nurse with a hard time keeping in character. . Criticism: The material is handled nicely and depends upon situations rather than gags for its laughs. Boy-friend idea is fresh and novel and should be good pleaser. ; , Booking-Routining: Can be used with practically any feature, except possibly a farce comedy. Suggest it be used in program where youth is needed. Spot immediately preceding feature. Other shorts should include novelties or musical personalities. Exploitation: This is the first of a series of eight of these comedies. Handle them similar to the way you have handled the “our-gang” series. Plug their youth, freshness, speed and pep in any copy used. Suggest a line in the ads and a card in the lobby as during the season, if you have the series, they’ll probably build up to be a box-office help. tay “COLLEGE HOUNDS.” All Dog Series, (16 min.) Story: This is the second of these ‘‘all barkie’’ comedies. As the title suggests the dogs are pictured as students. Story begins just before the football game between ‘‘Airedale” and “‘Spitz.’’ The star player of ‘‘Airedale” is seduced by the college belle who is in league with the villain. But the star rallies at the third quarter, rushes to the game and is just in time to make the necessary touchdown to win for good old .‘‘Airedale.’””’ The game is pictured and is cleverly done. Miniature grand-stands on the sidelines are filled with hundreds of dogs and dressed appropriately. Some of them give a very humorous appearance. All of the dogs speak, of course. Criticism: No expense has been spared in the production of this one. Some good laughs and as novelty sure fire. However, do not consider it as effective as first one made. Booking-Routining: Use wherever novelty-comedy is desired. Avoid using cartoons or other novelty shorts in same program as they might tend to detract from novelty idea. Would play it number two on a three-act front show following it with a good fast musical. It can, however, be played immediately ahead of feature. Exploitation: This novelty, while new, should be a box-office aid. The idea of the dogs talking, if not seen before, packs quite a wallop. Suggest carrying mention of short in all copy and special card in lobby. Metro’s ‘‘all barkie’’ slogan is good. Put over idea that the dogs talk. “TEACHER’S PET,” Our Gang, (20 min.) Story: A new teacher is to arrive at the school house and the gang, anticipating that she will look like her name—‘Crabtree,’”’ plan to make the first day miserable for her. The teacher who turns out to be a beauty, driving to school picks up one of the boys and he not knowing who she is tells her all about it. Later when she walks into the class-room he realizes his error but it is too late and she forestalls their plans.The teacher gives the class an ice-cream party and bars the conspirators from attending it, but finally relents. Closing scene touches on pathos when the ringleader of the gang is sobbing, teacher tiptoes up to him with his ice-cream and cake. Criticism: Excellently done, with more of a story than most of this series, the building of which tends to slow up the action. Booking-Routining: Can be booked safely with anything except collegiate feature. Excellent for program aimed at children. Spot immediately preceding feature. For other shorts suggest fast musical act and novelty. Should be routined as; novelty, musical, Gang, Feature. Exploitation: Suggest a line in the ads and a card in the lobby with the Gang name, prominent. Line such as: “The Gang Goes To School—and How,” might be effective. “FLOWER GARDEN,” with Cliff Edwards, (18 min.) of the colortone revues. A miniature musical comedy done in a flower garden setting. Opens with four harmony girls calling the ensemble out of the set house, this of course, leads into an opening number. Entire subject is musical with no dialogue interspersed. Cliff Edwards does a song ‘Trailing Arbutus,” in the second chorus of which a girl helps him out with a “Strut” dance. This number is particularly good and is the fastest moving thing in the short. Music all seems to have been written especially for the subject. Criticism: Produced with care, color good, music tuneful, Cliff Edwards is excellent. Booking Routining: Excellent for number two spot on three-act front show. Ideal program would be: 1. News. 2. “Dialogue Act. 3. Flower Garden. 4, Cartoon. 5. Feature. Can be used to advantage to dress any program as it is a “class’ act. Subject will lend itself well for use with effect slide. If cartoon is used as above use one with action and not too much song, if possible. Exploitation: Cliff Edwards’ name should mean something. The song “Trailing Arbutus’’ is humorous and should provide good copy. WARNER BROS. “TAXYT TALKS," with Evelyn Knapp, Roger Pryor, Spencer Tracy. (15 min.) Story: The flashback idea is used here to good advantage. The story is dramatic in text and opens with a police sergeant questioning a taxi-cab driver. As the driver tells his story the scenes are re-enacted for us. They are in three episodes. First is a fellow (Pryor) who has picked up a girl (Knapp) and their conversation as they ride, Second is a golddigger who is trying to vamp a smart Southern Colonel. Third, is a gunman’s girl trying to win back the love of her man (Tracy). She grows crazy with jealousy and stabs him. Realizing what she has done she tells the driver to take her to the nearest police station. Fades out as cab pulls up at station. Oriticism: The story is good and it is well played. good laughs in the first two episodes. Booking-Routining: Keep away from anything with underworld background. Excellent for program using sophisticated feature of the comedy type. Musical short should precede this one and comedy one-reeler or good cartoon should follow it except if feature is farce comedy, follow it with feature. Iexploitation: Spencer Tracy was a sensation as “Killer Mears” in “The Last Mile” current prison break play on Broadway. If subject used in copy suggest line such as “What you would hear if a New York taxi-cab could talk about its adventures,” Story: One Several Production excellent. PUBLIX OPINION, WEEK OF AUGUST 22np, ee . C. Fields, (23 mi abe SPECIALIST,” with W. C nye This | "THE GOLF Stn “pHE FLIDDLER,’’ Toby-The-Pup Cartoon, (7 min.) “THE MUSEUM,’’ Toby-The-Pup Cartoon, (7 min.) “HUMANETTES,” with Benny Rubin, (9 min.) “MEN WITHOUT SKIRTS,” with Karl Dane, George K. Arthur, Yola 1930 . By BURT KELLY p General Director Short Subject Departmen R. K. O. 3 hotel lobby in Florida. Here some old Bags at oe 3 an fill out areel. : Then we ZO Oy on the golt cout? nd Fields does his old routine of showing a girl how to pit th ball. The caddy is the butt of his comedy which has to do iL tissue paper blowing in his way, his stepping on pies ang gett mse ; fi i te, At end as he is sho, ne f and the ball all stuck up, e é is sho the Spine lady how to hold the,club and is saying “keep von , ether” the sheriff arrives and snaps handey Mit suden Out as he is led out still saying “keeping then be together.” ‘ Criticism: Will appeal to golf fans but lacks speed and wij, tendency to retard show. ; Booking-Routining: Book with semi-comedy feature a comedy is not strong enough to relieve a heavy dramatic feature, Book ahead of feature and if possible follow with a Bod fast cartoon (such as Barnacle Bill, etc.) and then feature, Exploitation: W. C. Fields is well known and his name shoyq mean something. hare ( Synopsis: Toby is pictured as a lone fiddler in the wild West. He happens into a saloon and has the hardened inmates crying with his Plain. tive solo until the bartender puts him in the back-room ang makes him wash dishes. His breaking the dishes leads to g chase but at the finish he eludes the lion-bartender and goes on his way. Criticism: Amusing cartoon on the average of this series, Booking-Routining: Avoid booking with Western features, Suitable for spotting early in the program or to follow dra matic feature. Exploitation: Usual cartoon mention. Synopsis: Toby is the janitor in a museum and has a great time dusting the __ statues. After he plays on the bones of the skeleton of an ancient animal by using it as a xylophone, the statues come to life and engage in dancing. Simple little tune runs though it that is catching. Criticism: novel. ; Booking-Routining: Can be booked safely with anything. Would spot early in the program or to follow dramatic feature. Exploitation: Usual cartoon mention. Above average of this series of:cartoons. Idea is “A PEEP IN THE DEEP,” with Clark & McCullough, (21 ‘min.) *s Story: Mistaken identity is again used as the basis of a plot. A yacht is starting out to beat a record and is due to leave but the new captain is late in arriving. Clark and McCullough arrive Lz with Clark taken for the captain. The boys go through with it La he and the ship sails. After thirty-five days they run out of food. Clark obtains an egg and swallows it whole. The chicken is sup(* posed to hatch inside of him and each time he talks he “peeps.” _ The boat arrives back in New York having broken the aroundthe-world record. Closes as Clark, in speech at the landing, ras crows like a rooster. X Oriticism: Typical Clark and McCullough humor played with plenty of snap. Should be good pleaser. $54 Booking-Routining: Okay with almost any type feature except * sea story. Other shorts should be musical or novelties unless x elements contained in feature. Should be spotted so it immediately precedes feature.. Opening lends itself well for effect slides on Brinkert. If slides used close in when it cuts to the real captain being stopped for speeding. ia Exploitation: Clark and McCullough, musical comedy stars curc rently appearing in “Strike Up the Band,” are well known and their names should be of value. Synopsis: Subject is made up of several vaudeville gags and wise-cracking scenes The faces of the human players top marionette bodies which aré evidently worked with strings,, etc. ‘Rubin’ is seen in several Scenes, one a Western, one in which under a wig, he plays 4 Wayward Girl, etc. The scenes are all short and of the black out type. Some song and dance. Criticism: Subject depends more on its novelty appeal than on its comedy. Should prove fairly amusing. Booking-Routining: If booked use wherever novelty subject is desired. In routining keep away from cartoon subjects. Spot early in the program. Follow with a short that has good action. Exploitation: Benny Rubin’s name*can be used to advantage on this one. D'Avril, (20 min.) Story: Scene opens in canteen with the tw? boys entertaining the company. They are ordered up to the front and go to dress. Dane swipes Arthur’s pants and calls on the French girl who runs a shop. Arthur takes the kilts from # Scotchman and appears on the scene after the girl has sold Dame a kiss and a sausage. Arthur gets his kiss and sausage and theY both leave for the front. Up at the front a telephone needs to be placed and Dane and Arthur go out to place it. A lot of amus ing things happen to them but they get back okay. Finish come when back from the front they are trying to decide which ol shall have the girl, they see another ier y girl’s she with his arms full of sausages, * soldier 1eeyai aa Criticism: Plenty of plot for a short. Production excellent and quite a lot of laughs. Stuf durin vith tele” ohana particularly good. » g their struggles w Booking-Routining; Do not use with “The Man From Wyomins, or any war feature. If possible play with “dressed-up” featul , If used in this connection should immediately precede feature t &00d sure-fire single reeler (something musical), could be en between it and feature on account of its plot. Other on should contain music if not represented in feature picture. ing No Man’s Land scene darken house lights. Exploitation: Dane and Arthur are, of course, well-known nam : This is the first of a series of six of these two-reel comedl Suggest a line such as “KARL DANE and GEORGE K. AnTH in “MEN WITHOUT SKIRTS.” “All the fun of a full Je? feature boiled down and put into two side-splitting reels: ;