Publix Opinion (Nov 28, 1930)

2 B. 0. RETURNS SURPASS ALL EXPECTATIONS \ (Continued from Page One) LAUGHTER: Wowed ’em in Brooklyn like nobody’s business! Did terrific business at the New York Paramount. (AMOS ‘N’ ANDY: Still going strong! HELL’S ANGELS: Smash hit in Detroit! Business has never reached the peak attained by this picture throughout the entire month. MIN AND BILL: Created a terrific impression, upon Home Office executives at 2 preview last week. “A sure box-office hit!’ declared Mr. Dembow. Outstanding sensa tion of year in Detroit. This survey of just a few of the outstanding pictures is a clear indication that the studios of all companies, led by Paramount, as usual, are on their toes and are seriously getting down to the job of turning out pictures that sell at the boxoffice. Confirmation of this is seen in the numerous reports coming in from the Coast that all studios are alive to the important problem, according to Mr. Dembow. “The studios of all companies,’ Mr. Dembow said, “are finally conscious of the fact that the indifferent business of the past few months has been largely due to mediocre product. With this realization before them, they are now going ahead with all their efforts concentrated on one goal—the theatre box office. They are convinced that the burden of proof lies, in the last analysis, with them. They know that good product, irrespective of the condition of the times, can be sold for big profits. It is this knowledge which is spurring them on to greater efforts. “That this renewed activity is already begining to make itself felt is seen by the brilliant performance of the first forerunners of the new product. ‘Morocco,’ ‘Feet First,’ ‘Derelict,’ PUBLIX OPINION, WEEK OF NOVEMBER 287z, 1930 sOr-0-+ 0-0-0000 01-2401 +0 O40 S100 0-004 Novelties! Theatres are NOT to deal with National Screen Service for Christmas and New Year's novelties, but with the Publix Music Novelties Department, Mr. Chatkin has ordered. |The Music Novelties Department will distribute for the holidays this year the same subjects which were made and used last year, utilizing prints on hand to effect a reduction in booking cost to the theatres. O10 O10 0+ 0-0 0-0-1 0+-O-+ 0-0-0 OOO 18+ OO O10OG P 0-0 6-0-1 0+0-01-90 >0-0-0 0+ OO>-O+0>-O-+O'-O0 OG" 0+ > A102 0-20-20 10-10-02 0-10-20" O1 05 S209 O ‘Tom Sawyer,’ ‘Amos ‘n’ Andy,’ ‘Hell’s Angels’ and others have already started the ball rolling toward greater profits. They are only the beginning of the parade. Every indication points to the fact that there are even greater money pictures behind them. ‘Min and Bill,’ for instance, which was recently previewed at the Home Office, is a sure box-office attraction of major importance. There are others of equal magnitude. With such product as a basis to work upon, I can see nothing which can possibly prevent the coming season from being one of the most profitable periods of Publix box-office history.” From the office of Leon D. Netter, Associate Director of Film Buying and Booking, comes the outline of all product available for large and small houses during the month of December. The list, with Mr. Netter’s comments on the various pictures, is reproduced below. GO OVER THIS LIST CAREFULLY! — It represents the MERCHANDISE that YOU will have to SELL during that month. Start thinking NOW about how you are going to do it. Mr. Katz has asked for 10 per cent increases in grosses from every Publix theatre, between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Here is what you will have to work with in attaining that objective. Consult your bound volumes of Publix Opinion, tickler file and press books for effective sales ideas. Get busy on this list NOW! Start thinking Theatres playing serials would do well to profit by the excellent suggestion of Mr. John Balaban, to run both the last episode of a closing serial and the beginning episode of the next one on the same program. This idea, now successfully practiced in Chicago, definitely carries over the following of the old serial to the new, and assures, in addition, a num ber of new serial fans. “Wxperience has shown,’ Mr. Balaban said, ‘‘that there is a definite following of the serial in the new talking form. Not only children, but adults, too, have formed the habit of following serjals and make a regular weekly visit to the theatre to see every Show Serial Fans End of One, Start of Another episode. This regular business can be continued and augmented by playing the closing and beginning episodes of two serials on the same program. “The psychology underlying serials, whether it be in the form of motion pictures, cartoons, or printed stories, is that once one episode is seen or read, a natural desire arises to follow on to the next episode and see what happens then. With the closing episode of a serial, this natural desire is completely fulfilled. If, however, the first episode of a new serial is run at the same time, thé curiosity of the audience is again awakened as to what happens the next time on the new serial. As a result, the interest of the serial fans may be continued, to the box office benefit of the theatre, indefinitely.” and planning TODAY! The following pictures will be available for the large houses during the month of December: MOROCCO—Paramount, featuring Gary Cooper, Marlene Dietrich, Adolph Menjou and Francis McDonald. HELL'S ANGELS—United Artists, featuring Ben Lyon, James Hall and Jean Harlow. TOM SAWYER—Paramount, featuring Jackie Coogan, Junior Durkin and Mitzi Green. ADIOS—First National—featuring Richard Barthelmess. THE RIGHT TO LOVE—Paramount, featuring Ruth Chatter ton, Paul Lukas and David Manners. : MIN AND BILL—Metro, Marie Dressler and Wallace Beery. LIGHTNIN’—Fox—Will Rogers and Louise Dresser. DOORWAY TO HELL—Warner— Lewis Ayres and Dorothy Matthews. SIN TAKES A HOLIDAY—Pathe —Constance Bennett. JUST IMAGINE—Fox—HE]l Brendel and Maureen O’Sullivan. THE BAT -WHISPERS—United Artists—Chester Morris. HOOK, LINE AND SINKER — R.K.O.—Wheeler and Woolsey. BEAU IDEAL—R. K. O.—Herbert Brenon production, sequel to BEAU GESTE. FOLLOW THE LEADER—Para| P mount—Ed Wynn, Ginger Rog ers, Stanley Smith. PAID—Metro—Joan Crawford. In addition to the above, all of the key spots will not have played the Harold Lloyd picture, “Amos ‘n’ Andy,’ ‘Derelict,’ “War Nurse,” ‘Big Trail,” ‘Half Shot at Sunrise,’ and these will be used wherever possible. Pictures above mentioned, such as “Adios” and “Doorway to Hell,” will of course be available only to such situations as have a First National and Warner Brothers franchise, and a few other situations where we are using First National and Warner Brothers product. The other pictures mentioned, ‘‘Morocco,’’ ‘‘Hell’s Angels,” “Right to Love,” “Min and Bill,” “Lightnin’’’ and ‘Paid,’ are outstanding. possibilities. “Tom Sawyer’’ is likewise registering very well. In its first engagement at New Orleans last week, ‘‘Just Imagine”’ did much better than average business.“ El Brendel is featured in it, and since he has reached the height of his popularity, the picture has great sales value. “Sin Takes a Holiday” features Constance Bennett and capitalizes on her success in ‘‘Common Clay.’’ |The picture should get a lot of money, as it is an unusually appealing story which will please the masses. The title is a knockout. “Took, ‘Line and Sinker,” with Wheeler and Woolsey, should prove as good a bet, if not better, than “Half Shot at Sunrise.”’ The latter has proved a better than average box-office attraction. The following pictures will be available for the smaller houses during the month of December: ALONG CAME YOUTH—Para mount—Charles Rogers, Stuart Erwin, William Austin. ONLY SAPS WORK—Paramount —tLeon Errol, Richard Arlen, Mary Brian, Stuart Erwin. LIFE OF THE \PARTY—Warner —Winnie Lightner. RIVER’S END—Warner—Charles Bickford, Evelyn Knapp. PASSION FLOWER—M et ro— Charles Bickford, Kay Francis, Kay Johnson and Lewis Stone. THE CAT CREEPS—Universal— Helen Twelvetrees, Neil Hamilton, Raymond Hackett, Jean Hersholt, Lilyan Tashman. REMOTE CONTROL—M e t r o— William Haines, SEA LEGS — Paramount — Jack SUNNY. NY—First National— Miller. Man ed BRIDE—United Art sts—Jeanette MacDo Garrick. paaaaaoba HUMANNESS 18 BACKBONE OF PUBLIX, SAYS MR, CHATKIN With the spirit of Thanksgiving Day ushering in a festive season characterized particularly by a feeling of humanness and good will to all, David J. Chatkin believes that now is the ideal time to stress those essential human qualities which are the rock-ribbed bases of Publix operation. “One of the greatest mistakes which anyone can make,” declared Mr. Chatkin, “is to mistake organization and coordinated efficiency for machine-like heartlessness. It does not follow that the man who thinks in an orderly manner is, by that very fact, lacking in humanness. History proves that the greatest scientists—than whom no one is more mentally orderly, organized and efficient—have generally been the greatest humanitarians. What is true for an individual is also true for a group of individuals or a com any. ‘Those who have been with Publix any length of time know that our company is not a machine. It was built on enthusiasm—human enthusiasm. It was reared by human effort. Its success was attained by human devotion and loyalty. The elements which went into the very warp and woof of our company will never be eradicated from it. It will never become a machine. It will always remain human. “We have tried to make the Home Office in New York only a service station to the boys in the field and nothing else. We shall always try to keep it so. Once in a while, perhaps, a something creeps into our organization which may smack somewhat of mechanism. We try to avoid it but there are always limits to human aspirations and we are no exception to the rule. Whenever this occurs, it always happens inadvertently and against our most sincere wishes. As soon as it is discerned, however, it is immediately remedied. ‘This is still a business of individual effort and one in which that individual effort is inevitably rewarded somewhere along the line. PRINCESS AND PLUMBER—Fox —Charles Farrell, Maureen O'Sullivan. MEN ON CALI-—KFox—Edmund Lowe, Mae Clark. OH FOR A MAN—Fox—Jeanette MacDonald, Reginald Denny, Marjorie White. THIRD ALARM—Tiffany—Anita) Louise, James Hall, Paul Hurst, Hobart Bosworth, Jean Hersholt. SEE AMBRICA THIRST—Universal—Harry Langdon, Slim ‘Summerville, Bessie Love. er “*The Cat Creeps’ has already indicated box-office strength in quite a few situations,” Netter said. “William. Haines in ‘Remote Control’ will certainly add to strength of programs. The same applies to stars such as Jack Oakie, Charles Rogers, Charles Farrell, Leon Errol, Richard Arlen and Mary Brian, in ‘Only Saps Work,’ ‘Along Came Youth,’ ee, Princess and the Plumber,’ STAGE COMEDIAN CAST Charles Winnin er, vet stage comedian, has Foon nadedte the cast of “Fighting Caravans.” Winninger, who has appeared in numerous musical comedies, is best known for his notable hit in “No, No, Nanette,” . “We have recently passed through a cost reorganization program whose objective was to place our operation on a sounder, more economical basis. The operation of theatres in an economical manner is nothing new. The fact that we have economized in various directions should not be taken as a sign of unusual hardship inflicted upon our manpower. It’ was dictated by sound principles recognized as such by business men of all times, boom or otherwise. The exhibitor who operated economically during the past fifteen years is still operating successfully. It is not so much a matter of spending less money as of getting the maximum value for your’ money, ‘for getting the most out of what one does spend is the difference between a successful business man and an unsuccessful one. “4 man’s ingenuity is never measured by the amount of money he spends.. It is measured by the maximum benefit he can derive from the minimum expenditure. “The point to remember about the economical measures effected by the boys in the circuit is that it would have been a sound thing to do, and undoubtedly would have been done, if business were normal or even unusually good. ' “In adjusting ourselves to the tightened operating conditons required by economical efficiency, the greatest care should be exercised that the valuable attributes of patience, tolerance toward each other and a harmonious working together which counted for so much in our past success be not overlooked now. In the theatre, the district and the division, the exercise of these estimable qualities makes for a happier condition whose beneficial effects will be reflected upon the men as individuals and upon the company as a whole. This essentially human ideal should constantly be kept in front of:everyone in Publix in relation with his fellow workers. Without this touch of humanness to guide us, there is the ever present danger that a mechanistic tendency might creep into our organization. Publix operation has never been machine like and we don‘t want it to become that way. “It’s the human individual that counts in our organization. Individual effort and ingenuity are still the greatest assets of this or any other company.” OBITUARY The many friends in Paramount Publix of John Powers, popular Paramount New Haven exchange manager, were shocked at the news of his death last Monday at 1 o'clock. Mr. Powers had been ailing for the past two months. The funeral, held in New Haven on Wednesday, was attended by many Home Office executives from both Paramount and Publix. Mx. Powers had been with the company ten years. He was & member of the first salesman school started by Mr. Kent. For the past eight years, he had managed the Paramount exchange at New Haven. : carne, einseke solicitude and pathy of all Paramount Publix goes out to the be reaved family of Mr. Powers.