Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1944)

November 4, 1944 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW 69 Bomb Scare Points Need for House Inspection The Technical Side of Good Showmanship {Continued from Page 65) minutes attempting to get some continuity of the general theme. This is because the management has failed, in its advertising, to impress on its prospective patrons the starting time of the feature and make them realize it is important. Then the sound may be too loud or too low. So does the fact that changeovers are missed or that the operator has a poorly adjusted arc which makes the figures on the screen purple on one side and red on the other annoy them. If the rest rooms are not kept properly cleaned and are used by the patrons they may be nauseated by the odor, which is only the lack of use of soap, water and elbow grease. Use of these articles will eliminate the necessity for deodorants. In the properly conducted theatre the family will leave the house with a feeling of satisfaction of having had their money's worth and more. But it took work and thought on the part of the management to obtain the atmosphere which added to their evening':, enjoyment. The public is paying for entertainment and atmosphere and is entitled to get it without ever having thought how things got that way. If theatre managers will see to it that as many irritants as possible are removed they will find that their regular attendance will pick up; the manager's job actually will become easier; that sales resistance from the public will be decreased and that there will be more results from advertising efforts. Coast Equipment Co. to Expand Louis Wutke, head of the Projection Equipment and Maintenance Co., Los Angeles, upon his return from a business trip to the east, announced plans to enlarge his present quarters to take care of increased business in the post-war future. Mr. Wutke attended the conventions of the Theatre Equipment Dealers' Protective Association in Chicago and the Society of Motion Picture Engineers in New York. OPERATION 1. Cooperate with the various fire prevention agencies who work to keep insurance costs down by keeping fire losses at a minimum. 2. Cooperate with local fire departments and acquaint them with the necessity of exercising good judgment in the handling of a theatre emergency in the event they must be called so as not to incite panic by bursting into the auditorium in their uniforms with hose and hatchets. 3. Discuss fire prevention measures with your neighboring merchants and encourage their alertness to the dangers which might accrue to your patrons as a result of their carelessness. Fires which damage theatres often start in adjacent buildings. 4. Encourage frequent inspection of your property by fire department officials and insist upon similar inspection of adjacent property. A bomb scare recently experienced by the management of the Wicker Park Theatre, Chicago, emphasizes the value of frequent house inspection. A member of the staff discovered a home-made bomb burning in the theatre just before the beginning of the matinee show. Police authorities described the bomb as being made from crumpled newspaper,, sulphur powder, matches and two dry cell batteries. The "bomb" was burning when discovered but ofificials stated that it would have burned itself out rather than explode due to the crudeness of the construction. The "bomb" appears to have been the handiwork of local hoodlums but the very fact that it happened points up the importance of careful house inspection each day before opening and closing the theatre. The alertness of an employe in this case averted what may have turned out to be a serious fire. In checki! g a theatre before opening and after closing it is best to have all the seats turned up and each row inspected by flashlight. Rougher elements who pay little heed to the safety of the person or property of others often sneak a smoke during the show, particularly during the late hours just before closing when the house is lightly staffed. By checking the rows for smouldering cigarette stubs extensive damage may be prevented. Out of the way corners and recesses should be checked and all exit doors should be tried to make certain no one may have left an exit ajar with deliberate intent to return after the house is closed. Cleaners occasionally fail to close an exit door tightly which makes checking before the house opens essential. A regular check of exits should also be made at frequent intervals during the hours the theatre is operating as it is common practice among the gangs which like to sneak in to send in one of their group via the box-office and ticket taker to open an exit to provide free passage for the others. It is this type of nonpaying customer which is likely to engage in other forms of sabotage and incendarism. Alertness to the needs of careful inspection pay dividends in uninterrupted operation and reduced insurance premiums through reduced fire losses. The Wicker Park Theatre incident provides a caution signal for all showmen and their staffs. It has always been our aim to give theatremen every possible value in projection arc lamps when they bought the That we have succeeded is evidenced by the unparalleled service which they continue to render all those so fortunate in their choice. When restrictions on production are removed there will be a new and still greater projection arc bearing that highly respected trademark /ir> ^ ->^a lamp which will as always assure an extra measure of service. NATIONAL