Publix Opinion (Oct 31, 1930)

0 INAUGURAL SHOW CLIMAXES MONTH OF INTENSE ACTIVITY Inaugural performance of the new Paramount Theatre in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, on October 3rd, was a typical Hollywood opening. An elaborate campaign which firmly established Pub lix and the Paramount not only in Indiana’s second city, but also in surrounding communities within a radius of over 30 miles, was conducted for four weeks prior to the opening by Madeline Woods, _ Divisional Director of Publicity for Pub ance. Other features of the premier included a local newsreel, showing Harvey Cocks, manager of the theatre, being taken on a tour of the city. Entire city is still talking about the opening. Newspapers carried stories for two days afterward, including columns on society pages accompanied by sketches of gowns lix-Great States theatres. Cooperation of Division Manager Henry Stickelmaier, District Manager R. M. Sternburg, City Manager Harvey Cocks, House Manager Louis Nye, and Ted Morris, Illinois-Indiana representative of the Department of Front House Operation, made it possible for the opening to.eclipse the most sanguine expectations. Invitational opening on Friday night, October 3rd, was strictly formal and in the Hollywood tradition. Station WOWO of Ft. Wayne installed a microphone in the lobby, later broadcasting the ceremony within the theatre and the opening organ solo as well. Local florists without exception agreed to furnish flowers for the theatre in return for wires from Hollywood stars, arranged by Arch Reeve. Florist, Western Union and Postal windows were devoted to jumbo wires. Oakie Appears In addition to local notables, Jack Oakie appeared at the premier performance, making a speolal trip from Toledo, where he had just closed a personal appear worn by prominent women, photos of Publix executives and notables at the opening, and front page stories on the inaugural event itself. Both dailies are metropolitan in tone, with wide circulation, making this publicity priceless. Opening gun of Miss Woods’ campaign was a series of newspaper stories in both dailies, telling about the Paramount Publix or sought, and pledges of support obtained. Chamber of Commerce instructed all merchants to put out flags and other decorations for Friday and Saturday, opening days. It was also instrumental in helping to fill the sixteen and twelve page editions published by the two dailies, with welcome ads from the city’s leading business houses. Both editions were among the finest ever put out for a theatre opening. Orange, black and white caps obtained at a price of 10 cents each were worn by newsboys of Ft. Wayne for weeks in advance, carrying the theatre’s opening date. Several hundred inexpensive tire covers were used by taxis and other cars for a similar period. Newspaper society editors and others supplied the theatre with names of city officials, society leaders and other prominent citizens. From this number more than one thousand were selected and sent invitations with which were enclosed a pair of “gold” tickets. These were returned to the holders as souvenirs. For the balcony, silver tickets were provided and sold at the box-office a ganization, institutional details of| day prior to the Friday pre-open the new theatre, and publicity material on coming product. Extensive Ballyhoo Teaser ads were utilized for a period of two weeks before the opening. Entire countryside was billed and arrows used on all highways. Economical tie-up made with WOWO, Columbia station, in return for broadcasting the opening, netted three ten-minute announcements weekly. Personal calls were made on Chamber of Commerce officials, heads of the Business Men’s Association, leading merchants, club officers, city officials and other civic leaders. Their personal assistance and cooperation were FULL PAGE, FREE Prosperity Week proved very Bend, Indiana operations. bring the folks to the theatres, One of profitable for the Publix South the many incentives that helped was the full page ad reproduced be low. Total cost to the theatres for this advertisement was NOTHING. By reason of the fact that ‘Good Times’ was to be stressed, City Manager H. L. Davidson, through his amicable relations with the South Bend Tribune Editors, promoted this shows at the State and Colfax. full page ad, plugging current b THE SOUTH AFND [RIBUNE. FRIDAY EVENING. OCTOSER 3 10. 9 Vacations pre ever, Brink Fall days are here! We'can't blame things om the yeathet axy longer, the Unit’ LET S od States, a4 rich, bountifal and feedasentally sound as ever, has been marking tires, prices are lowes, valoes ef PARA WE beats toe i \ whch it mamta ie irety redected yy, 9 the 1930 artestines ef the Mo STRONG MEN! ba thew gina serge bar gubtt” ) WOMEN! of eo Lind wr asacher, The Immartal Asherican Stor}, Twice Mads as @ Silent Pictare, 18 Nowe a Digger Sensation la Paramount's New, All-Talhing Production of is “THE SPOILERS” THE HEMAN STORY THAT NEEDED SPEECH FOR ITS SUPREME THRILLS ~BY A GREAT CAST THAT INCLUDES, GARY COOPER BETTY COMPSON -HARRY GREEN orlees Aare greater than they hare been im years, it's time we made things haypen and the Stale and Calfax theatres” start the ball rolling by ealebration Oct. 4-10uh as PROSPERITY WEEK, » Tey celebration signifying”. the retere of goed time Ye the city of South Bend. (O exectrves from 0 he te TO The sclection ad the MP. Gow, has weleried, “Al Quiet xt AAS inee a the Wester Prone” “The Deg onl Hawt.” “Dirseti* “The De the Scata and Callas thentr LAN fc fa ~ EVERY PICTURE MENTIONED IN THE 199 List. WAS SHOWN IN SOUTH SEND'S THO PUBLIX THEATRES. LOVE AND HATE! Conti los lend wary a woah ng c—-— Tt sane peocee oe while Oakie, the Mayor, head of the Chamber of Commerce, manufacturers, city officials and several ing. Co-op Ads Town was agog with the “Hollywood opening’ idea. Several stores sent announcements to their entire mailing lists, calling attention to the fact that formal attire would be required for the inaugural performance. Many ran newspaper ads to the same effect. Advance ads used in the newspapers were prepared by Don Hoobler, home office. advertising contact man for the Indiana-Illinois division. Huge displays in seven windows| on the main street were devoted to the Paramount. Better stores featured formal wear and Paramount art. In one window, an attractively dressed girl turned the pages of a large book which revealed interesting information about the Paramount and stills from opening attractions. Another window had groups of girls telephoning the news of the opening, with a loudspeaker making the conversation audible. Scores of people congregated before the window for ten days. Department store showed a replica of the sports dress worn by Nancy Carroll in “Follow Thru,” opening picture, together with a negligee worn by the same star in “Laughter.” Other windows contained equally attractive displays, and merchants were invariably pleased with their tie-ups, since they actually derived a huge volume of business as a result of the formal opening. Sound Train Sound train was used a week in advance, going into all small towns as well as Ft. Wayne proper, distributing inexpensive photos of Nancy Carroll and Charles Rogers with an ad on the backs. These were also placed in all hotel rooms in the city. Every restaurant in town had window and mirror strips advertising ‘‘Paramount Sandwiches.” Drug store opening day and date in the Paramount Building furnished cold drinks which were served by attractively costumed girls in the theatre foyer on Friday and Saturday. Three high school bands participated in the opening, one appearing in front of the theatre for 45 minutes on Friday night, the others Saturday morning Saturday night. Police roped off the entire block on Friday night. Huge flood lights obtained from a local concern at small cost were placed on roofs opposite the theatre. Two dozen aerial bombs and a gross of red flares were used from the roof of the theatre. Score or more of officers kept the crowds in check PUBLIX OPINION, WEEK OF OCTOBER 3isr, 1930 FT. WAYNE HAS HOLLYWOOD OPENIN Through a second microphone in the foyer other leading citizens and Publix executives were heard. Organ solo by Percy Robbins, popular WOWO organist engaged for the theatre, was broadcast, as was an address from the stage by a prominent attorney. Street Car Cards Street car company and bus lines cooperated in every possible way, using cards printed on front and back in car and bus windows. Merchants decorated store fronts and flags were used on sidewalks for six blocks. Block in front of the theatre was hung with flags and banners. Friendly relations immediately established in Ft. Wayne made it possible to get this done for $200. The great flash which resulted was kept intact for a week. ISTEADY PARAD a OF FREE SPAC Constant cooperation of Ma ger Monte Hance of the Sap, Theatre with the Biloxi, yy Herald, has placed the theat; the profitable position of }, represented in editorial colymy of virtually every edition of 4 paper. ie Publicity breaks within < space of one week recently ine}y, ed stories on announcement 9g World Series results at 4, Saenger, on the fact that the loo, high school’s football team woyj be guests of the theatre and }, introduced from the stage, on ¢ local football coach’s reaction the Knute Rockne short, Flyj; Feet; on presentation of a gu, and | { clergymen spoke over the radio. Motion pictures made of this scene were shown the following day. The Beigaret Saas trees Hallpemed ned Breadwsy Are Rag? whee Foams Agrectione st South Bante Publis Theewre ticket to the local football playe making the most important play in each game, and on a Plane model contest conducted in eon. nection with “The Dawn Patrol], CAMEO RE-OPENS Cameo Theatre, Youngstown, Ohio, re-opened Oct. 3rd. Policy of the house is second run, three changes weekly. S. S. Solomon, — City Manager, will manage the — theatre, At no cost to the theatre, announcements were made at all public gatherings for ten days in advance of the opening. Papers covered the opening with publicity from start to finish, rural newspapers cooperating as well. Complete success of the campaign was indicated on Saturday morning, Oct. 4th, when the general opening was scheduled. Theatre filled almost immediately, and has been consistently enjoying capacity audiences since. DID YOU DO THIS? When Acting Publicity Director E. S. C. Coppock of the Eastman, Rochester, set about cashing in on Publix Opinion’s tip to plant a photo of a theatre personality turning back the clock at the close of the Daylight Saving period, he wasn’t bothered by the fact that his theatre doesn’t play units. Miss Betty Walker, attractive Eastman cashier, provided the necessary pulchritude, and the theatre benefited to the tune of a three-column cut atop the Rochester Amertcan’s page one feature story on the end of Daylight Saving. Were you as ingenious? » di a = od ee “ee ‘Tum Back in Thy Flight, Oh Time’ Sa ee enone ESE ROSS, —S ; F MORE SLEEP-—miss Walker, who started as one of the Eastman Theater's first usherettes and now is the theater cashier, drew the honor of turning back the forty electrically controlled clocks in the theater to mark the end » of daylight saving. She threwa single switch that changed the master clock and the others at the same time. As a reward she received an hour more sleep last night. Clocks Turned Back Gains City One Hour Saturday night rovelers ast night gained the hour that wag stolen from them on May 18, when Daylight saying went into effect do Rochester, and turned thelr clocks back one hour before starting on thelr evoning’s round of amusement, It they didn’t, thero's ay puch confusion thia mor setful citisens keep’ pnts om now tim goed ¥ Yshione: pits | punday 7, be y a for Syracuse and New York will leave at 2:20 p. m, On the Rochester diyiatou, local, leaving Rochester at 4:45 a, m. for Lockport will leave at 5:25 a. m,_ Locals now Jeaving Rochester 2 at 5:12 p. m., for Lockport leave at 6:12 p.m. Local, now arriving at! SS 7:35 p.m. from Buffalo, wil} arrive at 8:35 p. m, a5 Changeyon the Aubw d and Wost SY will be m: Ato bo with Point. ors \ ry Ir BETTY WALKER