Publix Opinion (Sep 19, 1930)

8 STUNTS HERALD TEXAS NAME CHANGE Edgar Hands staged a complete and effective campaign in Texarkana, Texas, for the opening of the former Saenger theatre as the new Paramount theatre. The change of name was utilized as an occasion for wide-spread institutional advertising and exploitation. The most unusual feature was the construction of a platform on the marquee. The front of the theatre was decorated with flags and lights, of course, the high school band played on the marquee from 7 to 9 on the opening night, and the mayor and president of the Chamber of Commerce made speeches from that point, too. A parade of automobile dealers, headed by a local band, preceded the celebration. Red flare fusees, obtained from a railroad, attracted additional attention and helped draw crowds to the theatre. Four thousand souvenir booklets, paid for by ads sold to the merchants, were distributed. Dozens of windows in the business district were painted with water colors seven days in advance, at no cost. Congratulatory wires from stars and civic leaders were displayed in the lobby and Western Union windows, and special displays were spotted in all hotel lobbies. Telephone directory was used in a systematic series of personal ealls announcing the opening, local music dealers were tied-up on music hits from the opening attraction “Queen High,’ and a flower shop decorated the theatre with cut flowers and shrubs free of charge. Stage Wedding Triples Gross on Monday Night Monte Hance, manager of the Saenger theatre in Biloxi, Miss., tripled his normal gross on a Monday night recently by arranging a stage wedding. First he created interest in the stunt with, letters to the “love lorn’”’ column of the local newspaper, and with teaser want ads. The identity of the bridal couple was withheld from all advance publicity and advertising, too. Wedding clothes for both the bride and bridegroom were promoted, with flowers for the ceremony, a savings account at the bank, a bridal suite at the hotel, the wedding cake, a floor lamp, _baby carriage and other gifts. PUBLIX WELCOMED Writing letters to some 200 business men and firms of Ottumwa, Iowa, informing them that the: Square and Rialto theatres are now Publix operations and asking that bills be rendered weekly, City Manager Ted Emerson was surprised to receive replies, thanking him, from a majority of the addressees. PUBLIX OPINION, WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 1978, 1930 —-~0S0 Se ey —‘MEET THE BOYS!”— Kwow your HE BOYS! ATION CHARLES G. BRANHAM Charles G. Branham, district manager of the orth Florida territory, has enjoyed aon thea his in that industry. 'i}Previous to his entrance into show jbusiness, {Branham worked at the copy desk of _the St. Paul Dispatch. One month after resigning from his reportor| ial duties, he obtaineda job in the entertainment field as a publicity man. Three months later he was assigned to the Strand, Minneapolis, as manager and then to the Majestic in Detroit. Branham left that position to accept a more appealing one with the S, A. Lynch Enterprises, as city manager and exploitation representative. Later, he resigned from that organization and joined the Famous Players Canadian Corporation as an assistant to N. L. Nathanson. He returned to the States four years later and accepted an_assignment with the Universal Theatres in Florida, whence he was soon promoted to the post of division manager in Kansas City. Branham associated himself with Publix more than a year ago as city manager of Birmingham, Ala. He was promoted to his present position several months ago. Branham Cc. G. JOE KOEHLER A true showman and the son of an old trouper is now manthe few ing grand old men of show business has been’ associated with the the entertainment indusmitry since 111901, operating slough houses and ‘j/deluxe' thea‘jitres throughthe ada and Mexico, during that time. Prior to his debut into that branch of the amusement line, Koehler played various parts in minstrel shows, stock companies, circuses and concerts. Koehler settled in Twin Falls, in 1924, after having displayed his showmanship in the ‘States’ and in both bordering countries for more than two decades, Since that time Koehler has successfully operated the Idaho. Joe Koehler Ss ooaoaoaooaaaaoSo | Nathan Silver, formerly manager of the Merrimac Square, Lowell, has been transferred to the Colonial, Haverhill, which reopened August 3ist. PERMANENT AD A permanent display has been placed in Kresge’s department store plugging the Gloucester, Mass., Strand and North Shore theatres. Sign (12 ft. long, 5 ft. high) which is reproduced below, is seen by thousands weekly. Manager C. B. Craig of the Strand is responsible for the display, which is made up in attractive colors. JOHN B. CARROLL Prior to his entrance into the theatre business in 1919, John B. Carroll, district manager in New /ngland, was engaged in the insurance ijgame and h o t el busi Carroll, turning officer, joined the Ss. A. Lynch Enterprises at their Atlanta exchange, observing the various phases of operation for one month and then doing the same a t Spartanburg, S. C.,for a like period, before being assigned to the Savoy, Jacksonville, Fla, as manager. Two months later he was promoted to city managership of the Jefferson and Orpheum theatres in St. Augustine. In December, 1928, after having supervised theatres in Charlotte, Asheville and also as General Manager for the Consolidated Amusements, Inc. in Tampa, Carroll was appointed District Manager of the Florida West Coast, in charge of Lakeland, Tampa and St. Petersburg. One year later he was transferred to Miami, from where he was sent to the Ohio-Kentucky division as district manager. He received his present appointment in July, 1930. CHARLES A, ZINN Charles A. Zinn, manager of the Uptown, Minneapolis, Minn., has been in show business since his early grade school days jin Minneapoljjis, when he did posting, ‘lobby work and distributing for the o 1d Grand Theatre. : He pursued this avocation during his continued 4/schooling at | the University of Minnesota; ushering at the State, adver‘| tising for the Exelsior Amusement Co., floorman at the Capitol, 4 St. Paul, and chief of service for several Publix operations in St. Paul. He was promoted to assistant manager of the Paramount in St. Paul and was later transferred to the Granada, Minneapolis, in the’ same capacity. When he left the U. of M. he assumed management of the Granada, from where he was transferred to his present position. J. B. Carroll Cc. A. Zinn THEATRE STAFF SELLS PICTURE An air circus at the Augusta, Staff of the new Paramount Theatre, Providence, R. I., canvassed the entire city to herald the engagement of ‘‘Manslaughter,” first of the new season’s shows. Each employee carried a sheet of paper, headed by an ad for the picture, followed by a note to this effect and space for signature: “Constantly on the alert to create more interest among his staff of employees, the manager of the Paramount Theatre has offered a substantial prize to the two young men securing the greatest number of signatures in acknowledgment of having read the latest news of the Greater New Show World.” Names procured were edited by Publicity Director Lea Duhamel as a basis for the new theatre’s mailing list. Edward L. Reed is manager of the Providence Paramount. INDIANA OPENINGS Indiana Theatre, Kokomo, reopened on September 6th. The new Paramount Theatre, ft. areal Ind., will open on October A. E. ABLESON for years, 1914, A sO Excepting _ ble from 1911 t | actively |gaged in the atre inee since js on pany of Des Moines as advertising solicitor. Although making aon inauspicious debut into show business as candy boy at the Lyceum, Duluth, Ableson made rapid progress through the various stages of the theatre and finally emerged aS manager of that house a few years later. Ableson did the buying and booking and also press agenting for M. W. Abramson’s 3 Duluth theatres prior to managing the Garrick and Liberty theatres, St. Paul, in 1921. Later he was transferred to the Lyric, Minneapolis. Shortly afterward, he was assigned to the FP. & R. maintenance department, One year later he was made district manager of the F. & R. northern territory. He remained there for one year and was then placed in charge of the booking department. When Publix acquired that chain, Ableson, several months later, was assigned his present post. A. E. Ableson TRAILERS Trailers on “Fall Traq at the Jamaica and tres in Jamaica Plaing suburb of Boston, won a editorial in the local weer! paper for Harry Brown re iam Burns, managers of 4p With. houses. © thy “The public spirit 9 agement of the Tamaya ae Man. to theatres is well expros,dtlal the trailers they are sho bi Ih their screens,” says the edit on “These trailers are so fyl] ,.' 4h local community spirit that the should be an inspiration t local merchants to fall in jing tt boost also!” ® ang The text of the trailer “Let’s boost Jamaica Plaing Roslindale! Sept. 1 to sept, Fall Trade Week in New Engi Roslindale and Jamaica Plane join in this gala occasion and at their shoulders to the wheg| make a better and busier C munity. re “Wall Trade Week is hea endorsed by the Roslindale a ! Jamaica Plains Boards of Trade The Jamaica and Rialto theatre, are proud to lend their fy} pe port to this worthwhile movement and to urge their patrons to give Fall Trade Week the Seneroys support it so well merits, “The Jamaica and Rialto the. atres urge you to patronize the local stores, run by men you know personally, in whom you haye confidence. During Fall Trade Week PRESS PRAIgp TRADE WEEK one | they will offer you their speciaj sales with unusual values the order of the week. “There’ll be good times ahead if we all join to boost this splen PAUL BUCHHOLZ The present managerial asdid endeavor a ; nd make Fall Trade signment of Paul Buchholz at the tate, WillWeek, Sept 1 to Sept. 6, @ great mar, Minn, is success: first in hat, capacity. He entered theatre Organ Conditioned by Daily Student Practice The organ at the Paramount, Greenville, Miss., has been kept in perfect condition through an ac tivity of Manager Dan Burgum. A young man, a resident of the town, and an accomplished pianist, was permitted to continue his musical training on the organ, during the early morning hours, prior to house opening. After considerable practice, the youth reciprocated by giving two organ recitals, as an added attraction to the feature picture. Considerable favorable comment and good-will re sulted from Burgum’s obliging act. studied that phase of theatre operation, later acting as projectionist fortwo years, After that period he was promoted to assistant manager. Besides acting in that position, Buchholz lent his presence to the theatre orchestra as drummer. He received his present assignment in August of this year. Paul Buchholz Tandem ’Cycle Is Bally For “The Florodora Girl” An effective outdoor ballyhoo was used by Manager J. L. Mitchell for the ‘Florodora Girl,’ when it’ played at the Genesee, Waukegan, III. A boy and girl, attired in the dress of the late nineties rode through town in an old-time tandem bicycle. They were followed by a boy on a high wheeled bicycle who carried a sign reading: “This is how they make Whoopee HAS AIR CIRCUS Ga., aviation field, on the Sunday before the Monday opening of ‘Dawn Patrol” at the Modjeska, publicized the picture for Manager H. C. Brown. Field was bannered, field attaches ballyhooed the picture, and numbered cards corresponding to numbers in the Modjeska lobby were drop-| in ‘The Florodora Girl’ at the Genped by planes. esee today.” a ae EO eee todays ANNIVERSARY AHEAD? ——___. Within the next few weeks the theatres listed below will cel : 1 Cs cbeate their anniversaries. Is your theatre among them? money at your box office. Expl stories and tieups? Also, Proceed nanan anniversary trailer you Newspaper — don’t forget the Home Office special may get by writing to L. L. Edwards. 4 THEATRE OPENING DATE Carolina Chapel Hill, N. O. fs Sept. 1927 Sipe Kokomo, Ind. Sept. 1899 Imperial Pawtucket, R. I. Sept. 1926 Stadium Woonsocket, R. I. Sept. 7 Old Mill Dallas, Tex. Sept. 1929 Harem amny Speine nels Mass. Sept. 1929 tte, Neb. 2: Lincoln Decatur, Il. Eo ioae Queen Tyler, Tex. Sept. 1929