Publix Opinion (Oct 3, 1930)

YOU HAVE THE MERCHANDISE SELL IT ! Vol. III P tions. 99 assessments. “eave no stone unturned to help Publix maintain the high standing it holds in the world of theatres.” Publix > Opinion Published by and for the Press Representatives and Managers of PUBLIX THEATRES CORPORATION SAM KATZ, President A. M. Borsrorp, Dr. Advertising Benj. H. Serxowicu, Editor QOontents Strictly Confidential A ee COMMON SENSE TIE-UPS: It has often been said that to err from over-zealousness is not a great fault. However, when the error is characterized by a total absence of common sense—a quality, more than any other, demanded of a Publix showman—then the fault becomes somewhat more grave. Errors of this nature are particularly encountered in advertising tie-ups. The most recent example of this kind of tie-up is furnished by the straw hat stunt whereby on September 15, a straw hat 1s accepted from men instead of a ticket. One theatre, playing the strongest box-office picture Paramount has released this year, reports on this tie-up that “the stunt was put over at no cost to the theatre other than 300 free admissions.” Another theatre, on an equally strong picture, submits a tearsheet from the local newspaper showing a stack of straw hats—each one representing one free admission—which rears up like a mountain. Not only did the caption underneath the picture fail to mention the attraction, but the full page merchant tie-up ad was dominated by the free ticket idea—a practice expressly forbidden by the Home Office. Of course, the stunts netted some newspaper publicity and merchant tie-up ads. The question is, was this publicity proportionate in ticket-selling results to the great loss in free admissions and in prestige to the theatre by dominantly advertising free tickets? Obviously, a tie-up of this nature is not dictated by common sense. Aside from tie-ups which are unprofitable financially, a number of tie-ups are staged which common sense would ban from any theatre, not to speak of a Publix house. Reference has already been made editorially to the rat tie-up wherein one rat tail was good for admission in connection with a city wide campaign to stamp out the rodents. Another theatre reports a tin can matinee wherein 20,000 old tin cans were turned in by children and apparently deposited in the theatre’s lobby. In other words, utterly disregarding the millions of dollars spent in selling the public the idea that a Publix theatre is the ultimate in luxury, beauty, artistry and comfort, these romantic palaces of entertainment were calmly being turned into garbage pails for dead rat tails and rusty tin-cans! Still another thoughtless showman on a Mothers’ Day tie-up presented each mother that entered his theatre with a flower to which an attached card read: “Courtesy of Blank & Blank, Undertakers !”’ It is true that gathering all these ill advised tie-ups together might accentuate their importance. As a matter of fact, they happen only once in-a great while and have been assembled from Publix Opinion’s back files of “Errors” extending over several years. However, the mere fact that they have happened indicate that they can happen again if one is not constantly on guard. The best way ‘ to stop them is to carefully square every proposed tie-up by that one, unfailing standard—Common Sense. : A TIP IN ‘TIME! Among the duties of a theatre manager who fulfills all expectations, is included an arrangement whereby any proposed legislation of local, county, or state import, comes to his immediate attention. This is so that he can pass the information on to the home office for consideration by the legal department. According to “Variety,” the owners of 400 theatres in Chicago discovered recently that a city ordinance, quietly slipped through, provides for complete re-seating and re-arrangement of all seats in any theatre. Had the proper representation been made to the law makers, more equitable arrangements could have been made. In almost every case, public officials are on the pass-list of theatres so that they may learn as easily as possible of the endeavors of Publix showmen to serve the public lawfully and properly. It is not too much for those officials to return the courtesy by apprising the theatre manager of any legislation being planned that might prove inequitable to the theatre. Most Publix showmen already have contacts that guarantee such forewarning. Those who have not already done so, should profit by news of the Chicago situation. The Official Voice of Publix Awhlix Publix Theatres Corporation, “I want to add emphasis to the requests made by ertain to the remodelling of a theatre, the construction o Not only do such figures mean nothing at the box office, © Paramount | ASSIGNMENTS | Harry Hardy, formery District Manager in Tennessee, has asumed the management of the Paramount Theatre, Salt Lake City, as well as the duties of city manager. He replaces Carl Porter, who is no longer connected with the organization. G. D. Bickford, formerly assistant manager of the Fort Theatre, Rock Island, Ill., has assumed the management of the Garden Theatre, Davenport, Iowa. E. J. Bresendine, formerly publicity director of the Eastman, Rochester, has been appointed manager of the Princess, Toledo. Irving Cohen, formerly manager of the Capitol, Grand Island, Nebr., has been appointed manager of the Fremont and Hmpress Theatres, Fremont, succeeding W. H. Bergman, resigned. J. Hesse, student manager at the Strand Theatre, Holyoke, Mass., has been appointed manager of the York Theatre, Athol, which opened as a Publix operation on September 12th. Hesse will also manage the Capitol, Athol, which will operate on Saturdays and Sundays only. Leo Flannagan, formerly manager of the Elm Theatre, Chicopee, Mass., has been transferred to the Plaza, Northampton, succeeding Fred Belmont, resigned. Louis Levine, formerly manager of the Capitol, Athol, will replace Flannagan in Chicopee. Lawrence Lasky, of the last Managers’ School, has been appointed manager of the Strand Theatre, Holyoke, Mass., succeed-' ing Joseph Raymond. Carlos Frias, formerly manager sof the Ellanay Theatre, El Paso, Texas, has been appointed manager of the new Plaza, El Paso, which opened September 12th. C. W. Stewart, formerly manager of the Rialto, San Antonio, which is no longer a Publix operation, has assumed management of the Majestic Theatre, Abilene. n +--+. AINA NEW YORK PROGRAM PLOTS ) Week Beginning Oct. 3rd New York Paramount . Prelude . Paramount News and Trailer on “Heads Up’’...s.eseeseee Organ Concert—Crawford... . Publix Unit . “A Lady Surrenders”. versal Q ome wr 140 minute: Brooklyn Paramount . Prelude i . Paramount News and Trailer Chel SCs Wp oa ao agnndqone (10) . Organ Concert—Earl & Elsie (5) . Publix Unit—Rudy Vallee... (40) ‘Monte Carlo’”—Paramount. . (90) . Trailers 2 OMne rere 147 minutes Rivoli (1st) . Paramount News .........-. (9) . “Red, Green and Yellow”— 00+ 0-0 0+ 0-0 O10 0-0 O00 0-8-0 BO 0-1 B+ 00-189 B+ O12 811 OF 04-1 BHO Or 2 O11 OF + 01-01 OF OO OOO OO 0+ Or 109 O10" OO) Paramount) Voveeeav sissies « (10) . “Swing You Sinners’’—ParaMOU Gis caea cine amu riers siivetate (8) . ‘Whoopee’—United Artists..(93) Po Lrallersiciraly eeierepine ne sista sere 2 122 minutes Rialto } . Paramount News ........... (10) “You’re in the Army Now” —Paramount .......eceeeess . ‘Grand Uproar’—Paramount (6) “What A Widow’ — United ATtStsy WV oipcanestctennis © celts (88) MmUNALIONA ithe wa siemens seein) (2) 125 minutes rN UT As CATT Building, New York, Week of October 3rd, 1930 a number of department heads, t f a new theatre, or an attraction, be ! but they have caused inequitable and inflated tax selling message across.to the residents of Mobile, Ala., was used by Manager Harry Marchand in advertising ‘‘Animal Crackers,’’ playing at the Saenger Theatre. Hight laundry trucks, appropriately ban atre and playdate. that cost figures, whether they be kept out of all publica —SAM KATZ, President, Publix Theatres Corp. FILE THIS! IT WILL HELP PLAN PROGRAMS Watch Publix Opinion for this service in every issue! Watch the trade papers for it, too! LENGTH OF FEATURES Record FootRunn’z No. Subject Character Make age Time Doorway To Hell—S8 reels (AT) Warners 6969 77 min. Men of the North—7 reels (AT) MGM 5445 61min. Madam Satan—13 reels (AT) MGM 10350 115 min. Rogue of the Rio Grande— 7 yeels (AD) sa0 cae ar oes Educational 4848 54min. Liliom—11 reels (AT)........ Wop 4 8275 92min. Shadow Ranch—7 reels (AT) Columbia 5528 61min. Half Shot at Sunrise—10 reels GAIT) ioe icon olereveterslensea eleven wevianat ae RKO 7090 79min. Atlantic—10 reels (AT)....... British Int. 7900 88 min. Yellow Mask—9 reels (AT).... British Int. 8277 92min. (AT)—AIl Talking LENGTH OF TALKING SHORTS PARAMOUNT News No, 17 cecsleance vive bee nnn es eens 840 9min. EDUCATIONAL Don't Bite The Dentist (Sennett Comedy).... 1913 21min. COLUMBIA Jewel of Asia (Traveling Reporter)........+935 10 min, Hot And Bothered ..-seeeeeeeececesvevevcecs 978 Il my LENGTH OF SYNCHRONOUS SHORTS PARAMOUNT Grand Uproar (Talkartoon) RIO Toby The Miner (Cartoon) ALFRED WEISS .Down In Jungle Town (Inkwell Studios) BANNERED CARS TEACHERS’ With a convention of Utah school teachers scheduled for three days in October in Salt Lake City, efforts of Division Publicity Director Fred EH. Hamlin and local managers are being bent toward steering the teachers to Publix theatres during periods open for amuse ment. Campaign will center in hotels. An effective idea in getting a ered, played up the picture, the DO OO 100 0+ 00-1 0 + 01100 O18 OO OFS 100-1 Or 0-1 OF 0-1 0+ 1 Or 0+ Or 0-105 O10 © 10+ O-+0-0-0. ole Page Col. Page Col. GENERAL MERCHANDISING School Starts with Kid Show 8 5 : : Merchants’ Bills Plug Hire Warning on December “Crackers” ......... 8 5 UMP cercescvcceeeveeers 1 4 Live Bill fed in There Parade for Meimiod re ee a 9 1 Slump Fight ............. 1 1 Marathoner, Provide Act, Tie-Up to Plug Tom Sawyer 2 5 Ballyhoo AL z ee ce eg 9 4 Get After Kid Customers!... 3 4 Tie-Up Utilizes Unused Organ 9 ‘5 Exploitation Introduced in An Intelligent Co-Op Ad.... 4 Jersey “Ki cincd cme ecm nen 8 1 Kiddie Club Is Aid to A. M. Ballyhoo Records! .......... 3 1 Business ...... ; 9 3 SAH Slant for Institutional Copping the Ad...... SAGE ae 9 1 AMPAIENS 2. csseesseseeee 3 5 UO ion Show Gets Re. C Capitalize on Phileo Ads.:.. 3 4 Malte eo Coes 1 ae eavy Selling in Comerford Club Regrets “Manager's Shift Circuit .......... se eeeeees 5 3 Vaude Act Nets" Publicity = ‘ Cultivation of Trading Area OUD sus hee one 11 2 Emphasized .............. 11 5 posal easel Duncans. . 11 4 rosperity Contest Proc SPECIFIC MERCHANDISING Space ....... weiner 11 2 Eooulee Tunes for Oct. 7th GENERAL INFORMATION ORGCARE 72/50 cofacle salvionidisie i Miniature Mountain Is Show ‘ Renee eine 1 2 Ba eat SO ale ies ge 2 6 Patrons Go for Self Record ing School Tie-Up on Byrd Film. 4 5 eames Sok Rell Reecranagg a aby Coan Aeris 5 1 o Wows! .......c nec 5 ‘ive 0o-Op Bvessiacseccane, Oy (Bl) Om iMattunlMiTaan steer acme rr amet Ticket Selling Publicity....., E t es ape Uae on tices Airport Ceremony TieManager Weds to ‘Help Asso* ; aisteipietictels Se eeceesesenee 6 1 ciate ........ Revlon Tass pice Space 6 2 vogue Copied ‘om Saraaa’’ 9} Appropriate Deora pe Chiciee Press Increases Free 2 Eton troRperity: Sug1) hg Spaces een ns Dosis ceneseresuasuace 6 4 Four Marxes Get 3 chs Pe eae Cans Double anes Spare Machine Pert, re _ Endorsed by Flier. . Be eae 7 1, Doe Sa Meant hae i Baking Tie Ope fos Rae WW Laveen, strata cinta Crm sace 7 4 CATES «eee cece eeeeeeee q 3 PICT Terese Onening Proves Big Selling Whoopee aoa 5 1 RR eE esac 1. 6 Selling Hend Sean en Mocane . & Hends Up........... 4 as are a and. Pane , i hort Reviews of Shorts..... H 2 eatre Gets Free Ad FEATURES Ae ens Nawareel:: Spa cringe, 7 #8 Projection Glossary 1 ia apitalizes on Prison Riot 8 3 Anniversary Ahead? ..... : sory Gansisient Aid from Meet the pavaice Chg aan ; 3 Dero eciinostcat ay eee 8 itortalacennee ene aaah Signe: Doorman Gets Fan z ieee oe eee ie is 3 BIR) asit/susbe aac egies SA 8 Length of Features......... 12 4 OOOO 10 O10 010s O20 O10 *Or-O+O+-O+8+ 0+ 0+-0+ 0+ O-8O+8+ ©-8-O100-0-6008 . 9+ 09-91 0+-O-8-OG OO" ’ CONVENTION | os |e incense elimi OOO 101 Oe OPO OO +O 0-1 O+-S$O9-DO+ O10 O10 OO O18 SD 4