Publix Opinion (Sep 26, 1930)

3 : Fe ae FASHION SHOW PROVES BIG DRAW Right on the trail of a long series of tie-ups, all of which were successful from the standpoint of free newspaper display space and publicity, Willard Moore, manager, and Irving Grossman, publicity director, promoted a $100,000 fur fashion show at the Paramount theatre in Des Moines which was the talk of the town. rking with Cownie’s, one of Pie cating manufacturing furriers of the city, the fur revue was presented in conjunction with the original musical stage presentation at the theatre, “Toeland Frolics.” Manager Moore has complete charge of production and the show was classed as a “knock-out.’’ One of the most beautiful stage settings of the year was constructed and the girls in the Paramount line did two special Iceland and Eskimo dances. Eskimo Musicians Al Morey, Master of Ceremonies, and Jacques Blumberg, violinist, were decked out in handsome fur coats for their entrance, and the orchestra was outfitted with white Eskimo suits. Morey invited a half dozen of the band members to skate with him as a surprise number which wound up in a group clog dance that stopped the show. For the finale, following the parade of fur fashions, the models were lined up on the bridge, as shown in the adjoining layout, while the chorus girls did another arctic dance number. A big feature of the show was the fact that the models were members of the Junior Social Servica League—the social “400” of the city. The society editor of the newspaper gave the revue an advance plug and devoted her lead story on the day after the opening to a review of the fashion show. Street Car Cards Cownie’s mailed 10,000 invitations to a list of women and pought cards for the front of street cars, in addition to liberal advertising space in the newspaper, with theatre attraction copy generously . represented. The theatre devoted a third of the space on its 90 three-sheets to tha fur show and sniped fur show strips on its twenty-four sheet boards. Following is the letter written called by the furriers after the show was} staged: “Since our Fur Fashion Show at your theatre our business has been very active, to such an extent, in fact, that I have just now found time to write to you and express our appreciation of your co-operation and courtesies extended in connection with the Fashion Revue. “The results of this show, as nearly as we can see, have been very beneficial to us and we are very much pleased with the reaction of the general public toward the display of fine fur coats. “In another season we hare to greatly improve on this—our first Fashion Show—in connection with the theatre and may this letter serve to confirni the conversation held between Mr. Moore, Mr. Cownie—our president and Mr. Wilderson—our manager — relative to such a show for next fall season.” Dummy Ballyhoo Plugs Marx Bros. Attraction | Two effective displays helped exploit “‘Animal Crackers” at the State, Sioux Falls, S. D. A dummy, lying in bed, was the eyecatcher in the shopping district, being displayed in window of furniture store, with appropriate copy. Manager Fred Larkin also placed: a dummy on a pole atop the marquee, copy underneath reading: ‘‘I refuse to come down until Ma says I can see———_..”’ PUBLIX OPINION, WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 26rn, 1930 ‘FEET FIRST’ IS|| Noverry cac eee 8 le ol eee 105+ 0+ 0+ OOe FIRST DOWN! : The first stunt effected for the 1930 Football season, t was accomplished by Bert ¢ W. Bickert, manager of the Tivoli, Chattanooga, Tenn. { Newspapers clippings show $ that he invited the members } of the University of Chatta nooga football team to a ; showing of ‘The Spoilers,’ t after which they were intro duced to the audience from { the stage of the Tivoli. Have ¢ you done anything yet to i benefit by football? Send ? stunts, etc., into Publix Op} inion if you ,have! O-D+ O--S+ O-O-O+-D+ O> O+O>+ O>O-O+D+ OS++ S-8-S+8+-S+8+S+S-O-G+ : ¢ 90-0 0+ 0-0-1 01-0 0-010 1-O+0+-O+ 01-01 8+ O10 O18 OO" OUTSELLS RIVAL HOUSE ON SAME ATTRACTION Another example of Paramount Publix perspicacity in site selection for its theatres and of the tremendous drawing power of the Publix trademark is furnished by the box office report of the Criterion Theatre where “Hells Angels” is daily packing ’em to the doors. The picture is being shown simultaneously at the Criterion, 44th St. and Broadway, and across the street at the Gaiety Theatre, Broadway at 46th St. Manager Goring of the Criterion reports nearly every day, the Criterion sells out all its own seats and then sells the turnaways more seats for the Gaiety than that theatre sells itself! In other words, with identically the same program, the Publix theatre does turn away business while the other theatre can’t fill the house. THEATRES CLOSED Theatres closed recently include the Savoy, Asbury Park, N. J., and the Strand and Orpheum, Grand Forks, N. D. BOX OFFICE GOLD MINE (Continued from Page One) advance selling medium ever issued on any picture. Rumors drifting in from the West Coast indicate that ‘Feet First” will out-Lloyd any former Lloyd comedy smash. Everything that could possibly be counted upon to sock the funny bones of prospective spectators is jammed into this film. Laughs by the millions! Breath-snatching thrills! Gags clicking one after the other like clock-work! Love! Romance! Action! And poor, winsome Harold, distraught, embarrassed, brow-beaten, harassed, pursued, tossed about in mail-bags, tottering perilously over window ledges, bouncing up and down painters’ scaffords—boys, it’ll be just too bad! This unusual box-office attraction requires unusual effort in selling. To facilitate this, Paramount is issuing a special Harold Lloyd press book which seasoned advertisers characterize as a press agent’s dream of paradise! Prepared after a circuit-wide prize contest which elicited the ideas of thousands in Paramount Publix, it represents the quintessence of showmanship crystallized from the combined brainpower of the choicest Paramount Publix showmen. It contains more workable ideas, gags, suggestions, ads, stories and other ticket-selling elements than have ever been assembled in a press book on any picture. The press book will be issued in about two weeks. “Weet First’ will probably open the latter part of October. You have four full weeks to plan on how to cash in on this box-office gold mine. START TODAY! EXCHANGE MOVES Paramount’s Chicago exchange has moved to new headquarters. Address now is 1300 S. Michigan Avenue. ——— The press department of the Saenger theatre in New Orleans put over this novelty stunt on “Anybody’s Woman” with good results. The printed marriage announcement, loaded with sell ing copy on the picture, was sent to an exclusive mailing list. Pull your magnifying glass on it! Mr. and Mes. John Grap Clive Brook At the Young Aterery Rasghty bet alcet Married ot Utes ia the morning this women of the world wonLf dere ta bwoads the stromghold of the site ‘What happens? 11 wri mabe you gasp! Suenger—Now! And to further entertain you~Ben Block in “Novelties of Senger 1930" on tha stage—Herdie—and the Orchestra in “Russian Fantary” Lobby Panel Mistake Prompts Error Contest When Manager Ross Glasmann of the Orpheum, Ogden, Utah, realized that it was too late to correct a misspelled name on a cut-out lobby display board, he conducted an ‘Mrror in Lobby’ contest. All persons weré invited to detect mistake in lobby of theatre, first 20 to receive guest tickets. More than 100 turned in answers, which is an idea of how many actually read every panel, etc., in the lobby. Division Manager Harry David cautioned his managers NOT to repeat this stunt even though it displayed Glasman’s ingenuity. DUPLICATION OF ACCOUNTING ELIMINATED (Continued from Page One) Metzler said, ‘‘will be prae tripled by these changes is roan Heretofore this report hag been utilized chiefly by the operating department, as a means of obtain. ing a quick picture of what is transpiring in each operation, The accounting department, in postin permanent records, duplicated aj. most wholly the effort already ex. pended by the individual mapnagers. “But under the new system. the weekly report is not only invyajuable to the operating department but becomes itself a part of the accounting department’s permanent records. This places a premium on the effort of the manager, who makes this tremendous step forward possible by accepting a comparatively small increase in his responsibiities. The indiyidual manager’becomes an integra] factor in the functioning of the accounting department, just as he is already all-important to management, advertising and other major departments. “This example of simplified accounting routine,’ Mr. Metzler concluded, “is but, one item in the progressive business procedure which is characteristic of Paramount Publix. While the tendency of the average corporation as it increases in size is toward more involved, elaborate and wasteful systems, Paramount Publix, in spite of its vast growth, is constantly working toward simpiification, elimination of duplicated effort. Consequent sayings, which are multiplied by their frequency, are enormous.” RENAMED “PARAMOUNT” Saenger Theatre, Texarkana, Texas, has been renamed the Paramount Theatre. Change was effective August 29th. DES MOINES SCORES WITH FASHION REVUE! One of the leading manufacturing furriers in Des Moines was induced to co-operate with the Paramount theatre in the presentation of a $100,000 fur fashion show which attracted the attention of the entire com munity. The sponsor of the revue was so pleased with results that he wrote a letter to District Manager Jack Roth, expressing his appreciation of benefits received and requesting an opportunity to repeat the stunt next COWNIES A better way to buy furs $100,000.00 FUR FASHION REVUE . Visit the Season's Premier Fur FASHION Event! RAREST fir from the wodd over hove been assembled ord lathoned into there wrqvate cosh .. thown for the Fit tiene during this conthy fur revue. : ogee. Each germent is artaticaly created in the authentic 19031 moda the AO. F. Prices wil be gladly quoted. The usual Parsmount> Cowrie coutery wl proved, < peda "ROMANCE" LEWES STONE Modeled By Members Of The Junior Social Service League... aatnted a the Haha Mis Azo 7 J Sromecsse Fie fon Aleda too. PARAMOUNT THEATRE AUGUST Eth to 8th 510 MARKET ST. . season on a more elaborate scale. The theatre received plenty of news paper advertising and news space, and did a whale ‘of a business with the current picture, Greta Garbo in “Romance.” Below are reproductions of clippings of advertisements and news stories, with a photograph of the revue itself, as it appeared on the stage. Additional details will be found in the.story in an adjoining column. ae Se Visit the Season's Premier Fur FASHION EVENT! COWNIE'S $100,000.00 FUR FASHION Lavish Showing of Gorgeous Fur Creations Charmingly Modeled by Young Matrons of The Junior Social Service League