Publix Opinion (Nov 14, 1930)

6 THEATRES TURN! 10 RADIO FOR ADVERTISING Striving to get the utmost out of every dollar expended for advertising, managers in J. J. Friedl's division are turning to radio as an outlet for announcement advertising which is inexpensive but effective in the extreme. : Among the lucrative tie-ups 1n effect in the Southeast, George E. Planck points out the following as most noteworthy. In Montgomery, Alabama, City Manager Bolivar Hyde, Jr., has an arrangement with WSFA whereby he receives thirty minutes on the air every Thursday night from 7 to 7.30 P. M., plus two daily announcements of current attactions at the noon hour and supper hour. ; Hyde furnishes the station with 24 guest tickets weekly, for transmitter personnel and for use as prizes in contests. Relationships Cordial Relationships with radio station officials are most cordial, and Hyde is able to arrange practically anything he wishes in the matter of presentation and position of announcements over the air. Four Florida Theatre programs are broadcast weekly in Jacksonville, as the result of arrange PRODUCT Promotes Prosperity! ments made by Manager Al Weiss with municipally-owned WJAX, one of the most powerful stations in the Southeast. Organ concerts are broadcast each Tuesday and Thursday, and on Saturday morning the children’s matinee is put on the air. The Children’s Matinee broadcast is high-lighted by the singing of the kids and check-ups have shown that it has a powerful appeal for mothers, both as a unit of entertainment and as an inducement to send children to the weekly matinee. Sunday Concert On Sunday morning, the organist gives a semi-classical concert, | frequently with a guest violinist, | vocalist, ete., secured from local music schools at no cost to the theatre. While the Florida Theatre has no organist, the radio station’s organist presents the programs described here for $10 a week, a remarkably reasonable talent cost. Radio control service between the theatre and the station costs the theatre $7 a month in addition, making the total expense of these four programs weekly extremely low. In Birmingham, where Clint E. Lake is city manager, the Alabama and Strand Theatres sponsor a daily organ broadcast over WKBC, at 10 A. M. Announcements on current and coming attractions are made, and in plotting programs particular attention is paid to songs from coming pictures. Costs are trivial, amounting to little more than a $10 wire charge. Theatres in Tampa, under City Manager Harry Weiss, are also very active in radio advertising. Among other programs they feature a question hour, in which questions concerning movie stars and productions are answered. Proof of the hour’s appeal is found in the fact that it is never necessary to ‘‘manufacture’’ questions to be answered, listeners-in supplying this need in plentitude. Hour seems to have all of the appeal of the movie question columns which formerly appeared regularly in the newspapers, plus a great deal of the appeal of movie fan magazines. | MACON RIALTO CLOSE Rialto Theatre, Macon, Ga., has been closed. “OH TEDDY,” with Billie House (18 min.) Story: “HIS PRICK,” with Johnny Burke “TONGUP TIED,” with Lulu McConnell (7 min.) Story: PUBLIX OPINION, WEEK OF NOVEMBER 14ru, 1930 . me SHORT REVIEWS OF SHORT FEATURES ~ By BURT KELLY , General Director, Short Subject Department PARAMOUNT House, with his wife and daughter, calls at a modiste shop to pick out daughter's trousseau fon her wedding with an older man. In the establishment, House has various flirtations with the models and most of the comedy depends on his trying to avoid his wife catching him. Daughter in the meantime has fallen in loye with one of the salesmen. House helps her and sends her out to get married. When they return, married, Billie squares it with the wife by pretending he is angry. Ruse works and the mother blesses the children. Daughter has a dog named Teddy. This and the “teddies” the models are showing gives subject its name and furnishes some of the comedy. House does one slow ‘blues’? number ‘‘When The Sun Goes Down.” Criticism: House’s personality and his method of working pull this one through and make it good entertainment. Number is good. Booking-Routining: Avoid using with ‘Those Three French Girls” or “On Your Back.’’ Otherwise can be used with anything. Routine ahead of feature. Other shorts should be novelties. Exploitation Notes: House will be remembered for his vaudeville work and his former Paramount short, “Resolutions.’’ Title might be used by playing on its relations to lingerie. (8 min.) Story: Opens with Johnny counting: his money to see if he has the thousand dollars necessary to cover his stock in the morning. Meanwhile wifie is bemoaning the fact that he will not buy her a fur coat, a bargain at five hundred dollars. Johnny has the thousand and gives it to her to keep until morning. His next door neighbor enters and offers Johnny five hundred dollars if Johnny will kiss his wife and let him catch him at it, as he needs to get something on her. Later the two wives get together and discuss their husbands. Johnny’s wife is so sure of her husband she bets he won't kiss the attractive neighbor. But Johnny, of course, does kiss her when the opportunity presents itself. When the neighbors leave Johnny explains the situation to his wife and gives her the five hundred dollars with which to buy the coat. He is overwhelmed when wifie tells him of her bet and that she lost the thousand dollars entrusted to her. Criticism: Fairly amusing comedy skit. Punch at end is good. Booking-Routining: Can be used with anything except, perhaps, domestic type features. Would routine as opening act of front show, immediately after news. Follow with musical act, cartoon or novelty subject. Exploitation Notes: Burke will be remembered for his vaudeville work and his other Paramount short, ‘‘You’re In The Army Now.” “SEEING HELEN HOME,” with Helen Lynd (9 min.) Story: The boy friend is bringing Helen home. As it starts to rain, she invites him in. Looking at the album, they see a picture of Helen when she graduated from school. The memory of those times prompts Helen to sing a comedy number about school days. Returning to the album they see some photographs of her parents taken quite some time ago. Helen finds some costumes which they both don, and they do an old fashioned number. Mother and Father, hearing them, come downstairs and tell them that that’s not the way to sing it. They then proceed to show them how it should be done, and go into a modern boop-a-doop ver sion of it. Ends with the four of them joining in. an ie An amusing subject featuring the baby-voiced Helen ynd. Booking-Rountining: Would not use with any feature using Helen Kane, as Miss Lynd’s style of of work is very similar. Otherwise will make good opening act. Should be followed with comedy subject. Exploitation Notes: Helen Lynd is an exponent of the modern boop-a-doop school, has been appearing in vaudeville and was featured in one of the Publix revues. She was one of the principals in the first ‘Little Show.’’ This, the fifth Lulu McConnell, has Lulu cast again as the talkative wife. Returning home with her husband to their hunting lodge, Lulu unlooses her tongue and tells her husband what is wrong with him, his friends, and the world in general. During her continual babbling, hubby appears unconcerned and at regular intervals walks to the rear of the room and pours himself a drink. He then busies himself sharpening a knife, loading his revolver and his shot gun and inspecting an axe, all seemingly in preparation for use on his wife as soon as he has imbibed enough liquor to give him courage. At a high point in Lulu’s monologue he seizes her by the throat and choking her, leads her to a couch and deposits her on it. He then calmly returns to his chair and sits in peace. All is quiet. ns a McConnell again scores heavily and provides another hit. Booking Routng Would avoid using with domestic type feaures. Otherwise may be used for comedy act on any program. Account of the tremendous audience reaction the previous McConnell acts have received, would routine in prominent position in program, preferably just prior to feature. Preceding subject should be musical. Exploitation Notes: McConnell is no doubt by this time val ‘ uable at the box office and, accordingly, would mention subject in all copy, playing her name up prominently and recalling her past successes. By all means use lobby card. Press story might be obtained on discussion as to whether or not out-talk Floyd Gibbons. pope nuelecoula “PLASTERED,” with Willie, West and McGinty (11 min.) Synopsis: A slapstick one reeler that should prove a wow o nan g Using the vaudeville material that has made them a Unamebder the three boys as carpenters, bricklayers and plasterers go through their comedy routine that consists for the most part of fumbling bricks, boards, doors, ladders, etc., resulting in some apa eee! preuete Ends with a typical slapstick man r, with two o he i i i i f nets oys, whis dancing, falling in a tub of Criticism: Genuine slapsti¢k comedy addition to any program. Booking-Routining: The Pathe subj ; : ject ‘‘Neat an idy”’ two reeler that uses practically the same neetiae Tae is t mean, as effective. Avoid using both subjects as it would raeute in repetition. ‘‘Plastered"’ is excellent for a program that needs that will prove a welcome “MODEL WOMEN” (9 Min.) Synopsis: “THE BIG SPLASH,” is a|“WHY CONTINUE THE STRUGGLE,” a down-to-the-earth touch and a quantity of good hearty laughs, , Suggest using pro-— Would avoid using with two reel comedies. gram such as a good musical act, ‘‘Plastered,” and then the feature. Exploitation Notes: Willie, West and McGinty have been seen in vaudeville for years and were recently featured in a Publix unit. The act used in this subject was originated and perfecteq by them. : In a fashionable dressmak ing establishment's show window four seemingly wax models are displaying four different outfits, a fur coat, a sport outfit, 4 negligee, and an evening gown. Passersby stop and comment upon the gowns. After each spectator leaves, the models come to life and give their impressions of the on-lookers. Added to this, the models speculate upon what is to become of them. Criticism: Subject is interesting but is paced rather slow. Wij prove more entertaining for women than for men. The girls are very attractive. Booking-Routining: Should avoid using with subjects using modeling scenes. Best if used to dress up program of the outof-door type. Would routine as opening act of front show and follow with musical act or snappy comedy subject. Exploitation Notes: Should prove excellent means of obtaining window tie-ups. A line such as ‘‘what a wax figure thinks of,” might be used to attract interest. “OFFICE BLUES,” with Ginger Rogers (9 min.) Story: There haye been shorts before using the office as'a setting for a musical act, but this is the first to get away from the beaten track and to use the lyrics of the songs to further the idea. Miss Rogers is seen as a secretary secretly in love with her boss. In the outer office, one of the clerks asks her to lunch, but she declines and tells him (via a song) of her affection for the tenant of the private office. She then starts writing! a letter and begins it ‘Dear Sir.” This gives her an idea, so she composes it as a letter to her boss, and as she goes along, it| evolves into a song. At the end of the number the scene dissolves and the song is given a little production, the background being an immense steno-notebook with girls on the lines. Rogers repeats number in front and is joined in it by her boss. Scene returns to the office with the boss appearing and asking her into his office; he has heard the song. ‘Closes as she hangs a card, “Busy Taking Dictation,’’ on the door and closes it. Criticism: An excellent short. Miss Rogers exceptionally good, and the ‘‘Dear Sir’’ song especially recommended. Booking-Routining: Avoid using with ‘Office Wife,” etc., and with features using Ginger Rogers. Excellent for use with nonmusical feature. Suitable for second act of front show. Follow with fast comedy or cartoon. Exploitation Notes: Ginger Rogers has been well publicized in connection with' her leading roles in Paramount features. She is at present appearing on Broadway in “Girl Crazy,’’ a musical comedy. Her name should be given prominent mention. The lyrics of the ‘‘Dear Sir’’ song should offer many angles for exploitation ideas,jand a-:campaign with a music store tie-up could be arranged and aimed at the flapper and stenographer business. é The song is a natural and should be plugged. with Johnny Weismuller, Stubby Kruger (15 min.) Story: If you can allow for the fact tha tthey are supposed to be broadcasting a swimming and diving exhibition, this one is highly acceptable. Opens! at a charity benefit with Weismuller showing some swimming strokes and some fancy diving. Kruger, as a spectator, takes exception to his stunts and says he can do better. He is invited to try, and donning a misfit suit he goes through his comedy dives in comparison to Weismuller’s perfect ones, then gives an exhibition of some new (and funny) swimming strokes. Dialogue is maintained between Kruger and Weismuller, who feeds him for the laughs. At end they find Kruger is not the Baron they supposed him to be, and chase him from the grounas. Criticism: Entirely novel and highly entertaining. Kruger has been doing this stuff at the,better club meets and swimming exhibitions for some time, and his routine is out of the ordinary and highly humorous. Booking-Routining: A class comedy act that can be used to dress any program and still supply some good laughs. Will receive more appreciation in the better class houses than elsewhere. In routining would be best if spotted between a musical act and a cartoon. Or can be used after newsreel and followed by a musical cartoon, on shorter programs. Exploitation Notes: Johnny Weismuller is the world’s champion swimming and Stubby Kruger is also well known in the swimming world. Letters explaining the attraction would prove effective if sent to all local swimming and athletic clubs. Sport section of local paper might also be interested in giving subject mention. “PULLING A BONE,” with Burns and Allen (11 min.) Story: Similar in idea to this team’s previous short, ‘Fit To Be Tied,” and just as good. Scene this time is a drug store. Burns enters in search of someone to remove a bone that has become lodged in his throat. He is sent from one counter to another with the salespeople trying to sell him everything from a bottle of perfume to a bathing cap to keep the water out of his ears. He ends up at the soda counter where he gets involved in comedy dialogue with Miss Allen during the course of which he finds himself served, much io his surprise, with a piece of pie and a cup of coffee. Still trying to have Someone remove the bone from his throat he becomes om wrolleg In an argument with three college men who are all attempting to pay for the one coco-cola with three straws that mney, have had. Burns sinks, lost in the shuffle of the crowd that gathers. In the scene between Burns and Allen they use some of the material they have used in their vaudeville act. This stuff is sure fire for laughs. Criticism: Expert dialogue and clever idea. ye ouBUls re-action. ooking-Routining: Suitable for use on an rogr eat comedy act is required. If other short is miusioal, ce itieeae just preceding feature. If car i j anata cen toon is used spot between subject Exploitation Notes: larger towns for their vaudevill i wns ] e work. Their previ t “Fit To Be Tied”’ received excellent comment. Pre Sure to receive { ing off a dock is interrupted b i aC i y a gentleman in evening clothe: who asks if she minds having him join her. As she ase min Burns and Allen may be remembered in the : With Stuart Casey, Frances Mc-_ Hugh (10 min.) Story: A girl about to commit suicide by leat: “Fa Teer tS | ‘7 ‘ 4