Publix Opinion (Dec 26, 1930)

6 C.B.S. Effects Merger With 7 Concert Bureaus In its march toward radio supremacy, the Columbia Broadcasting System announces the merger of seven of the largest concert bureaus in America into the Columbia Concerts Corporation, with William S. Paley, president of the Columbia Chain, chairman of this new organization. “With the extensive broad casting facilities offered by the Columbia Chain,” declared Charles C. McCarthy, “supplemented by the concert managerial abilities of the bureaus involved, the musical situation in virtually every city will be perceptibly bettered.” The merger will place in the hands of the Columbia System, managerial jurisdiction over many of the foremost operatic stars, including Maria Jeritza, Rosa Pon selle, Galli-Curci, Lawrence Tib bett, Jascha Heifetz, Zimbalist, Mischa Elman and Toscha Seidel. Move Endorsed Otto H. Kahn, distinguished banker and patron of music, heartily endorsed this amalgamation, and at the same time commended the Columbia Broadcasting System for its progressiveness and fine judgment. Mr. Paley saw in the new alliance of the once highly competitive concert managements, an opportunity for a master stroke in assuring radio a closer relationship with the great artists in the world of fine music. His object was to insure ample resources of premier musical genius, not only for present needs, but for the approaching days of television when the radio audience will expect to come face to face with noted performers. Good. Music Demanded “As president of a great broadcasting chain,” said Paley, ‘‘I have been able to sense the onrush of a demand for fine music in America to a degree that would astonish observers less well situated to judge. How far this is going to carry us, no one yet knows, but I honestly believe that in a few years we will not have to bow our heads when we hear of Europeans as nations of music lovers.” The effect of the consolidation and of the affiliation which it makes between concert manage ment, musical artists and radio], broadcasting, will be to give new impetus to cultural entertainment by making available to the public more completely diversified recital and concert talent.. The Columbia Concerts Corporation will also be in a position to effect great econOmies in operation and a new efficiency in the distribution of concerts that will make more of the finest artists available to divers communities throughout the country. FOREIGN STUDIO IN FULL BLAST With the number of films completed since the beginning of activities last Spring well over the hundred mark, the Paramount studios in Joinville, just outside of Paris, are continuing their multi-lingual program on a 24 hour schedule. To date, pictures in fourteen different languages have been completed, constituting a record in the talking picture industry. Production on several more pictures are under way at present. 20+ D0+ O-+0+O-0-S0-2 +0-S-8+-S-+0-O-0: ROR NOT TO ERPI 4 Instructions for returning ; j sound equipment for credit, ¢ s given in Publix Opinion of { $ Dec. 12th, should have read $ j “All material, regardless of j i reason for return, shall be ? ¢ tagged and shipped to the } } Publix District Warehouse, ; ¢ and NOT to ERPI’S.” Ma} $ terial should be shipped to } 4 Publix District Warehouses ; i only. i 2 -©+0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-+0-0-+-0+-0+0-8+0+0+01-0+0-O00 Runs Ad Below Story After Editor’s Tip-off Enjoying amicable relations with the editorial staff of the Pensacola, Fla. Journal, City Manager J. A. Jones was able to cash in on an NEA release story that appeared in that paper, in regard to the successful debut of Amos ’n’ Andy in pictures. Although ‘Check and Double Check”’ was booked for the Saenger one week later, Jones placed an ad directly underneath the story which proved very ef Kuyow BARNET S. DOBRANS Law, a professorship at a lead ing university or the theatre? Such was the predicament facing Barnet 1S. Dobrans, ‘imanager of ‘lithe Dudley, Roxbury, Mass, in choosing aca‘}Treer upon the completion of his academic training at Harvard graduate {/school in 1929. NDobrans, iifamiliarly known as “Barney,” is a graduate of }Boston University, where he was accorded the high scholastic honor of a Phi Beta Kappa key. He was also a candidate for the Rhodes Scholarship in 1927. Another institute of which he is a graduate, is the Publix Managers School, eighth session. Show business was introduced to Dobrans in October, 1929, at which time he secured a job at the Washington Street Olympia, as student manager. His capacity for acclimating himself to certain undertakings supplemented by his flare for learning was productive of rapid advancement at the Olympia. Several months after his debut into show business, Dobrans was recommended to the Managers’ School. Upon the completion of the intensive training, he was assigned to his present position. B. S. Dobrans J. H. LUTER So interested was J. H. Luter in the theatre industry, that he quit a highly remunerative position with Gja furniture company, to enter show business as usher at the Fairfax The atre, Miami, Fla. in June, 1926, at less than half his -§|former salary. -4]] At present, he 11 i managing Rosetta, Little River, Fla., his first managerial 1] assignment. : His work was so profiecient that within a short time he was promoted _ to the position of chief usher. Continually finding ways and means of increasing his understanding of theatre management, it wasn’t long after this advancement that Luter received another promotion. With Publix acquiring complete control of nine theatres in Miami, in October, 1928, Luter was given his first executive position in the theatre. He was made assistant manager of the Hippodrome. When the remodeled Fairfax reopened in June, 1929, Luter was transferred to that theatre in a similar capacity. He received his present assignment in April, 1930. J. H. Luter PUBLIX OPINION, WEEK OF DECEMBER 26rx, 1930 “SAWYER” SOLD AT LITTLE COST Campaign on “Tom Sawyer” by Edward L. Reed, manager, and Miss Lea Duhamel, publicity director of the Paramount, Providence, was marked by widespread activity at little cost. Tie-up with largest department store on Tom Sawyer shirts netted special windows displays, ten daily announcements over store radio station, and daily 3 column ads. Libraries all had stills and cutouts on: the picture. (5,000) were distributed. Various librarians gave talks. ; In tie-up with boy and girl scouts, ten best were picked to see picture as result of a contest among the groups. Of course picture was plugged to all members of all troups. ‘ very single woman’s organization, of which there are over a dozen, was contacted on the picture and responded. In addition to recommendations given by chairmen at the meetings, the efforts in this direction netted two broadcast announcements. Bookmarks | —“MEET THE BOYS!”— YOUR ORGANIZATIO F. D. SOLOMONT Frank D. Solomont, manager of the Beacon Theatre Boston, Mass., has been associated with the. theatre + since Decem: 1924. to his entrance into tshow busiJness, Solo’% |mont assisted '|his father and ‘| brother in the running of a meat packing plant. He joined them after his gradyfjuation from 4] business college. lll health. coupled with his desire for a more interesting and colorful vocation led Solomont to “quit beef and pursue ballyhoo.” His first theatre job was at the Shawmut, a Netoco operation in Roxbury, Mass., in the capacity of assistant manager. Readily adapting himself to the new environs, Solomont soon mastered the various phases of theatre operation. Later, he was promoted to the Rialto, Roslindale, as manager. In 1926, he was transferred to the Modern Theatre, Boston, in a similar capacity. The year 1929, saw Solomont placed in charge of 4 theatres in Boston, a position he held until the Netoco chain was acquired by Publix, when he was assigned to his present post, W. J. COSGROVE William J. Cosgrove, manager of the Strand Theatre, Scranton, Pa., has been 5} actively en‘gaged in show business for more than 15 years, with the exception of a few years spent overseas during the world war. Cosgrove's first taste of theatre life j}Occurred in 1924 when he was employed by M. EB. Comerford to ushmujer at the "| Wonders Thejj atre, re-named the Regent at the close of the war, Prior to his enlistment in the U. S. Army, Cosgrove was assistant manager of the Wonders. He was assigned to the managerial berth of that operation when he returned from over Seas in 1918. He remained at this ¥F D. Solomont i t on W. J. Cosgrove t a theatre for several years, suc| publicity director. In this cacessfully handling the countless | pacity, he supervised the exand Merle Clark, may be theatre operating problems. In| ploitation and advertising in procured for use any 1927, he was transferred to the Strand in a similar capacity, a position he retained when Publix took over the Comerford chain. Pp EB. field. with the Comerford organization, Friedman was employed in various capacities. was projectionist and also stage manager at the Bijou, Scranton. Later he served as assistant to M. EB. Comerford. representative of the Comerford Amusement Company, Friedman. Wilkes Barre and Pittston operations, prior to his assignment at the Manhattan Theatre in Scran were at the Scranton Strand and his present position, an assign ment he retained when Publix acquired the Comerford chain. A. Starsmore, theatre, Starsmore was retained was promoted to the position of Pueblo, Colo.; Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Colorado Springs. was transferred to his present ANNIVERSARY AHEAD? the theatres listed below will i iversarie: r heatre among t] elebr: heir anniversaries. Is your t g them? it es ates thinking NOW how you can turn say event into money -at your box office. Exploitation stunts? Newspaper stories and tieups? Also, don’t forget the Home on special anniversary trailer you may get by writing to L. L. Edwards, OPENING DATE Within the next few weeks, _ THEATRE Paramount, Palm Beach, Fla...--++++++rse ees rate on pe Yuma, Yuma, Arizona.......0-+ eee e eer Vale Day .. dan. 14, 1929 . dan. 15, 1922 .dan. 15, 1907 Jan. 17,1915 Carolina, Winston-Salem, N. C.. Merrimack Sq., Lowell, Mass... . Rialto, Kankakee, Ill... . Century, Minneapolis, Minn... . ee LIVE MODELS IN LOBBY ‘Lady of Lake’ Excellent For Kid Matinees “Lady of the Lake,” the FitzPatrick Corporation’s five-reel film version of Scott’s poem, is recommended by both Leon D. Netter and Manager W. A. Mahoney of the Saenger, New Orleans, as suitable for special shows and children’s matinees. Exploitation possibilities are varied, the picture lending itself to extensive tie-ups with schools, churches, clubs and societies. Photographed in the highlands and lake country of Scotland, the setting of the poem, the picture is scenically beautiful, as well as skillfully directed and ably acted by a cast headed by Percy Marmont and Benita Hume. Reviews in trade papers and in “Screenland’ are unanimous in praising it. Copies of these reviews, in full, may be procured from FitzPatrick Pictures, Inc., 729 Seventh Avenue, New York City. PAPER VALUES MOVIE MATTER That the New Bedford, Mass., Sunday Standard is fully cognizant of .the news and reader-interest value of motion picture matter is evidenced by a recent double spread which gives local theatres, particularly the Publix Empire, Capitol and Olympia, an immense play. Half of one page was devoted to a life of Maurice Chevalier, currently at the Olympia in ‘Playboy of Paris.” The managing editor thanked Manager Morris Simms for the story, describing it as a corking feature particularly valuable to fhe paper because of New pees large French populaion. Two live models, one as an Indian and one as a cowgirl, in costumes approximating those used in the picture, made a lobby display on ‘‘Whoopee”’ at the Criterion, Oklahoma City, particularly effective. Bill Coleman director of publicity for Oklahoma City theatres arranged for the display. SAMUEL FRIEDMAN From usher to operator and then to managing director of one of the largest theatres in Pennsylvania, has been the theatrical career of Samuel jFriedman, 4imanager of ji] the Capitol in Pottsville. Friedman, a jj veteran show> >j/man, has been jiconnected with the theatre for more than 20 years, devoting the jjentire time to the Comerford 3| Circuit. | His first job in show business was as usher at the Penny Arcade, Scranton, the first project of M. Comerford in the amusement During his lengthy stay S. Friedman For a time he As traveling nducted many new managers in on. Subsequent managerial posts Paramount Pictures Appeal to Europeans a Reports emanating from London, reveal that European reaction to Paramount Pictures are highly favorable. One gives it that at an Oxford Street theatre, a woman patron informed the manager that she was paying her eleventh visit to “The Love Parade.” This picture had its London premiere at the Carlton Theatre, Haymarket, where it ran for three months. Similar reports of lengthy runs and record grosses being broken on this Picture have been received from London suburbs, Midlands and South Coast towns. L. A. STARSMORE Ten years have passed since L. manager of the Sterling, Greeley, Colorado, made his debut in show evidenced all the markings j/0f an efficient manager and a@ capable 4] showman. ] An usher’s job at the m|Burns Thea1 Colorado career of m.|Starsmore. He Sadvanced through the various stages of theatre rank and when Publix ook over the operation of that : ! ! ! i t t t : ! ! i L. A. Starsmore ORGAN SOLOS Organ novelties, including creations of Jesse Crawford, Stuart Barrie S assistant manager. Later, he where on the circuit from the Music Novelties De‘partment, home office. He osition in August of this year. “PO O+0--0-+0O-0+0-0 0-0-0 10+-0--0--0-.9--0-.9 ; 2O°-O+0+ O+0+-0+0+-0-0+ 010+ 010+ 0+8-0-0-0. 0.-@ OPO 028-01 0+ 010-0 0010+ ©-0-0+8--0-0-0-0-O+