Publix Opinion (April 1927 to May 1928)

[TALKING | | Publix Theatr 0 THEATRES TO BE _ EQUIPPED AT ONCE _ FOR NEW PRODUCT After nearly two. two years of eximental effort in the numerous ases Of developing talking-film, fe industry has finally accepted 2 idea aS @ Successiul one and preparing to take spectacular. ps in further refinements and jits presentation to the public. Contracts were signed: WE GET BYRD SCOOP Paramount has contracted with Commander Byrd for the exclusive Pictures of Byrd’s Antarctic expedition. Two Paramount cameramen will accompany Byrd and make a motion picture record of these pictures will be released, has the expedition. Just in what form last week whereby Publix will immediately begin installatiédns of necessary equipment in at least 200 theas, With more to follow.» It is ected that talking-movies will seen in most of these theatres, ore the end of the present year. a number of Publix theatres, aphone is already operative, or has been in the course of instalition for the last few weeks. | Use Film or Disk Under the new contracts, the lipment will be of the kind that Mluse both disk and film-soundmck projectors, and the houses ‘WW equipped with Vitaphone may 0be furnished with additional ‘lipment so that the sound-ac one disk arrangement. The film producing leaders of ‘eindustry in accepting the talk‘film, decided to adopt a unital tradename, and for. this itpose “Movietone” has been acited. This name heretofore has lenses contracted for, it will apHito movies made by Paramount, 3 ‘st_National, United Artists, ‘tto-Goldwyn, and FBO as well. the word “Vitaphone” will reaan exclusively the trade-word he Warner Brothers product, 7 ig Said, 300 in 6 Months ; Roy Pomeroy, head of the Para‘ont research sounds and ef“ts division predicts that within pont nearly all of the 20,000 ‘tion picture theatres in Amer“Will be equipped for sound‘vies, “At least 1000° will be “ned in six months,” he says. ways such as railroad train &, airplanes, etc., will be one. 188 ‘Vill also be used’as “spots” es Wie pictures. Dialog and *$ will also follow. Studio Problem %Ugh the mechanical eleS of the problem have been &ssfully worked out by scie and engineers, the idea ea 4 ae imperfections from the ie int of film production, only audience reaction will _ Authorities declare that ‘Drobléing are presented. S$ for dialog or song have a? proved failures in cases it ae desired to have an ub Cy Us f , ere k, or play an instru y be used as well aS the Vita , Screen favorite seem. u Wee star could ee not yet been determined. "EM UP CATCHLINES! JAZZ Expect Everything from the Minnesota Theatret We won't disappoint you!! Publix brings you entertainment that only the resources of ' an internationally organized institution could make possible! NEXT WEEK! A stage show so huge and ‘splendid it will stagger your imagination! ! EXACTLY as presented in the best theatres in New York, Chicago, Boston, Detroit, St. Louis! Cast, scenery, costumes intact! A host of beauties, singers, dancers, comics and stars!! And ALL at POPULAR Prices! ALL OF THIS GENIUS WORKS FOR YOU! In the production of Publix stage shows for the Olympia Theatre, the genius Bde of the rld is commande wOJOHN MURRAY ANDERSON,, producer of “Greenwich Village Follies,” “Music Box Revue” and many other Broad‘way hits, gives you a show a h! mn NK CAMBRIA, who brought the world of funseekers to the theatres of Chicago for eight years with his magical beauties at the Chicago, Tivoli and Uptown Theatres; gives you one show a month!! BORIS PETROFF, creator of jazz, Cpersnie musical and ballet spectacles for rane: Berlin, London, Petrograd, a New York, creates shows for my N, who CK PARTINGTO UAGK Paul Ash rand launched the eyes ee stages” ae you his genius! R. BURNSIDE, whose Be harine spectacle shore and laugh-riots| § hoo roduces shows exee ton you thru Publix! © CE IGGEMEYER, CHARLES y and dramatic — famous musica oe ee ete r an show produce and stage stars produces shows for ae aes WILL J. ARR. at writing stage Pu ie 2 a great genius ivi World f s Publis OT shows Beer on, lent and | wit Public, Thea | YOU-AND TALKING FILMS! The Talking Picture is here! It’s the new and sensational development in the theatre. | It affects the future of everyone! Bs) ; Very little is generally known about it as jyet, except by the scientists and engineers who “developed it, and the few showmen who have : shad opportunity to closely observe tests of “various kinds. me pal 4 Now it is accepted as a definite, EMO Sive element in showmanship. ie ie, e The next twelve months will doubtless ‘fall forth new technique in authorship, actang, music, distribution—and presentation to fhe public. M A new epoch in the Neier: of the industry us commencing. % Mere job-holders will wait until someone Sommands them to know something about talking pictures. i Ambitious seekers of personal advancement will voraciously look for every scrap d morsel of information as it develops and obtainable. It is hoped that no mere job-holders are on the blix roll. It is taken for granted that we are all g¢eking personal advancement in Publix in the only anner possible—earning recognition by acquiring 1owledge and ability above the requirements of Publix offers countless opportunities for pernal advancement, but these opportunities will be ultiplied many times by the possibilities in talking ™, “Publix Opinion” will endeavor to keep abreast 6 : the development. ogy nie w Watch your “Publix Opinion” careralie Read ait thoroly. File it for future reference. _ Read the trade papers carefully. “Variety” anounces that it has instructed its army of correspondnts and reporters to get all of the news of the y talkers,” and is maine a specialty of it. Doubtless terprise. When the ay arrives for you to contact “talkingIm,” be prepared by being abreast of the times. Just as the talking films will undoubtedly de®@ velop a new kind of authorship, directors and screen mystars, so will it develop a new kind of theatre operaor. A Alert and wise projectionists, stage technicians, i electricians, actors, and musicians will win advancey ment, nod who try to” ; n vid v leac od \ a rt ae, i) Corporation, Paramount Building, York, Week of May 21st, 1928. BLIX SIGNS TALKING FIL e present job. The progress of Publix indicates }/opening, and base it on 7 | Hear your favorite stars of screen r}and stage’—and it is important credit see “TALKING FILMS” No. 25 MS | WALSH TIPS MANAGERS ON“TALKIES” “Eternal vigilance is the price of increased grosses due to the talking movie,” declares George Walsh, successful owner-manayser of the “Strand” Theatre in Yonkers, N..Y., which has consistently been registering successfully as a hox office winner. : Mr. Walsh is one Publix executive who has had valuable experience with the new form of entertainment, and what he has to say on the subject is therefore of keen interest to those who will soon be facing the same problems he has already solved. “In the first place, the success of talking pictures is not so much in the advertising and publicity as in its actual presentation to the public,” said Mr. Walsh to Publix Opinion. “Of course it is important that you intensively campaign your ‘See And to keep it up. Needs Close Watch “However, once the ‘talkies’ start in the theatre, the manager and all of his assistants have a brand new and difficult job cut ,out for them. “They must attend EVERY performance, and with signal-buzzer in hand warn the projectionists when sound-volume is too loud or soft. “Bad sound projection, which invariably means either poor synchronization or error in sound volume, will chase your patrons right out of the theatre. They’ll yell ‘Fake,’ and keep hundreds of other patrons away. “Tt is not possible to plot out a chart for the projectionist and tell ‘him to follow it, because the variation of crowds in the theatre affects the sound-volume. When the theatre is half empty, the sound has to ‘be reduced. When it fills up, it has to be increased. The projectionist cannot watch everything, so he must get proper signals. Smart Operators “Another thing is to assure yourself that you have projectionists of high intelligence. If your projectionists are not enthusiastically in favor of their jobs,— either because they’re regular fel-~ lows, or because you are—then you must get projectionists who will feel that way. Responsibility for success or failure rests upon the projection booth more than anywhere else.” The “Strand” has only 1844 ‘seats, with a split-week policy. Recently Loews opened a big new de luxe theatre, close by, and this divided the first run _ product. However, Mr. Walsh had his “talkies” on the way, and when the opposition came, even when lie played Ciass ‘B’ and ‘C' pictures, — his grosses remained above the — figure established in the days pre= . ceding the opening of the new house, Even during Holy Week, the theatre maintained its oy lax satisfactory box-office tue e es Divides Credit “T don’t a Oe take all