Showmen's Trade Review (1939)

July I, 1939 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW Page 11 Making Up a Time Schedule Requires No Special Magic But Is Vastly Important Majestic's Efficient Service Staff Here is the efficient staff of the Majestic Theatre, San Antonio, who recently celebrated their 10th Anniversary. In the foreground is seen Chief of Service A. Bailey and M. Coalson, who trained the 16 ushers. Built at a cost of one million dollars, the 4,000-seat Majestic is managed by Edward E. Collins, formerly Interstate city manager in Houston, Tex. Chakeres Theatres Using The "Treasure Hunt" Stunt "The Treasure Hunt" one of the biggest promotion stunts currently marketable is being used by the Regent-State Corporation, controllers of the five leading theatres in Springfield, Ohio. Charles Parker of New York City is the manager for the Treasure Hunt promotion, now in action in Springfield, and which is said to be one of the best counteractions now available against the customary summer slump in show business. Twenty-one of the leading merchants in Springfield including jewelry stores, furniture companies, banks, real estate concerns, motor agencies, groceries, beauty shops cleaners and a flying school were contacted by Mr. Parker and John Gordon, Publicity Director of the Regent-State Corporation. These Merchants joined the Regent-State Corporation in putting up $2,500.00 in prizes and two trips to the World's Fair in NewYork City. Attractive lobby displays and trailers advertising the Treasure Hunt, the theatres and merchants involved were put on display and run in advance in the Regent, State, Majestic, Ohio and Fairbanks theatres in Springfield. Each of the twenty-one merchants were given an attractive cedar chest 22"xl0" for display. June 21st to July 4th inclusive, every adult patron purchasing a ticket to the above mentioned theatres is given a key attached to a card advertising the twenty-one merchants. Among the forty thousand keys distributed there are ones cut to fit the various cedar chests on display in the stores and in the theatres. Whoever holds said keys which unlock the chests are entitled to the contents of the chests, which includes merchandise and cash. t Springfield reports that the Treasure Hunt is greatly increasing theatre attendance and at the same time attracting the public to the stores of the twenty-one merchants involved. " — Reserved for Passengers — " Ray O. Dunn, manager of the Orpheum Theatre, Hammond, Indiana, placed a bench in front of the theatre on which was painted this copy: "This bench reserved for passengers waiting for 'Stagecoach.' Arrives at this theatre Sunday, etc." "DECAUSE the problem is one that concerns every theatre operator, we are reprinting here an article which appeared in a recent issue of Contact, the house organ published for Wometco Theatres at Miami, Fla. Sonny Shepherd is editor-in-chief of Contact, and we hope he won't object to our passing on to other showmen the very fine discussion on "Making Up a Schedule." What applies in Florida can apply just as well to any other theatre. "One of the most important phases of theatre operation is that of making up a' schedule or time-table on each new show. Here in Miami, where the newspapers publish a daily time clock, the schedule must not only be made up in advance to meet the newspapers' deadlines, but it is essential that the schedule be accurate. "Scheduling a program is a matter of simple mathematics. We know, to begin1 with that 90 feet of film equals one minutej of time, or 9,000 feet of film is the equiva-! of 100 minutes — an hour and forty minutes of running time. In condensing hours of operation into minutes and dividing by the1 number of minutes in each complete show,! the result is the number of shows you qan run on your total scheduled time. "The Lincoln, Capitol and Miami thea-; tres are equipped with film measuring machines. Each subject is measured and timed by these theatres. The footage or running time of any subject is kept on file where theatres not having a measuring device may obtain advance information. "At times it may be necessary to juggle a subject in order to perfect a schedule. Whenever it becomes necessary to omit a short subject for one or two shows, this should always be done on the first shows, it being far better for an audience to see something they did not see on the previous show than for them to wait through an entire show for a subject only to find it has been taken off. "Since newsreels are next in importance to the feature, it is unwise to cut scenes from the newsreel to adjust schedule difficulties. While a fashion 'clip' may be unimportant in your eyes, to the ladies in the audience that particular sequence is both 'meat' and 'dessert.' "Each department should be furnished with a complete schedule, and each member of the staff should familiarize himself with the feature starting time. In addition to the time, the schedule should list in detail all attractions playing as well as coming attractions, "Of course, managers and their assistants are thoroughly familiar with all aspects of schedule-making, but the 150 or more Wometco employes who do not regularly make up a schedule should try it. Show the results to your manager or assistant who will be glad to help you work out your own sample schedule." Some theatres start the show, run through the day, and when the final comes just stop the show, whether it's in the middle of a love scene or newsreel "clip." This is haphazard operation. Work out your schedule as near to the minute as you can, and then if it is a trifle off, adjust the difference immediately after the first show. If you know the running time of the feature in advance, you can generally book short subjects to fill in the remaining time. If you have any views on making up schedules, let's hear from you. Goo-goo diddl google, glub SANDYgrhhh da-da glubbl!" (TransIationj'The Herald Tribune said "Sandy steals virtually every scene." I was just a beginner then. I'm camera-wise now, and I just bowl 'em over in my new picture.' Baby SANDY ° in' "UNEXPECTED FATHER" with Shirley Dennis Mischa ROSS O'KEEFE AUER For Release July 7th