Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1946)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, February 9, 1946 17 Hawaii 'Youth' Policy May Answer Problem An innovation in theatre operation that may be one of the answers to criticism regarding the story content of films shown to children has been established by Albert Galston of the Hawaii Theatre in Hollywood through the inauguration of a special 16-mm. film show for youngsters up to 12 years of age who see the performance in a newly arranged balcony theatre, within the main theatre itself, while the parents are enjoying more sophisticated film entertainment on the main floor. The idea for the new policy was originated locally by John Dumbrille who, finding Galston enthusiastically receptive, then won the approval of the Parent-Teachers Association and the Board of Education. Arrangements were made to feature "Jeep Herders," an all color production, supplemented by suitable shorts. Pat Michaels, star of "Jeep Herders," was secured for a personal appearance. Michaels, wounded six times during the war, was idolized by the children. Both adult and kid's shows are timed so that "breaks" occur simultaneously. Showings arc given regularly Friday nights and Saturday afternoons. Tri-States Setting Up School for Veterans A training school for veterans of World War n which will afford the students financial assistance while training for qualified positions in the industry, is being set up by Tri-States Theatres Corp., Des Moines, under the GI Bill of Rights. The Iowa State Department of Public Instruction has already approved the school under the Veterans' Administration Program. Under the contemplated setup, students will be trained for one year in such phases of theatre operation as personnel, advertising, buying, booking, projection, programs, accounting and maintenance, both in the classroom and in the theatre under qualified company personnel. Former employes of Tri-States who served in the war will be also eligible for the training. Hold Staff Meetings Regular staff meetings will improve service in any theatre. Some executives hold these meetings weekly, some semi-monthly. Suit the intervals to the individual situation, but by all means hold the meetings ! Sticker Avoids Stick-up To combat the current wave of theatre burglaries and hold-ups, H. J. Cleary, chief accountant of Loew's Theatres, has supplied the circuit's houses with quantities of small stickers, boldly imprinted in red, to be pasted on doors of theatre safes and on the inside of office doors. The stickers are potent reminders and read, respectively: "Is your SAFE locked?" and "Is your DOOR locked?" Simple but potently effective. The Brass Tacks of Efficient Picture Theatre Management SERVE THEM AND THEY'LL SERVE YOU By Jack Jackson Whether the theatreman operates in a big city or a small town, his opportunities are limitless for public relations work of the kind that insures hint a buhvark of goodwill to serve him when there are threats of unfair taxation or discrimitiatory regulation. That is the content tion {and there is marshalled impressive evidence to support the claim) in this stitntilating and idea-provoking article in a continuing series written exclusively for this publication by one of the film industry's outstanding theatremen. Here's food for thought as well as practical suggestion. I've been focusing the high-intensity spotlight on PubUc Relations so relentlessly for the past couple of weeks, that I am a trifle hesitant about taking you for another ride in my cry-buggy to show you the glaring signals of "trouble a'brewing." These signs are as plain as Durante's proboscis. Even a casual glance through the columns of the daily press and periodical trade publications will convince you that my "wolf" cry is not only justified but deserves four-alarm rating. Theatremen, for entirely too long, have been content to be known as "good fellows" and have not extended themselves to strengthen acquaintances into friendships and cement the friendships into binding inutual affections. Now the time is at hand when the activities we have indulged in passively under the headings of contacts, good will, etc., etc., must be merged into a conglomerate whole that can be broadened and multiplied into a satisfactory Public Relations department. Remember, it's not enough just to do a good deed. You have to make a lot of noise about it and let everybody know — in every possible way — that you and your theatre figured prominently in the "this and that" of the progress or development of your community and its institutions. You have to get away from that old "hide your light under a bucket" idea, because modern public relations consist of : FIRST, doing a good job ; SECOND, telling everybody about it If you happen to be one of those hard-to-convince guys who feel that the old system is good enough for you and that your "good fellow" raincoat will keep you dry when the gale starts blowing, let me give you just two facts about how the really great and imposing American institutions feel about healthy and adequate Public Relations. Public Relations Activities Found Most Important Uncle Sam used a public relations corps of 48,000 men from the Army and Navy alone to "sell" his war activities to a people whose very lives and homes depended on the outcome. The railroads bought themselves back into public favor after years of disrepute with a million-dollar-a-year institutional advertising campaign that made the public conscious of the great public service strides being made in improved equipment, safety signals, etc. General Motors, American Tel and Tel, the American Red Cross and literally thousands of other tremendous organizations are finding Public Relations one of the most important of their activities. If you happen to be in doubt as to what you may have done that merits a little self back-patting just take a peek in your memory book at what the Texas Company did a few years ago when they had everybody squirming and wriggling for miles looking for the filling stations with the red (Texaco) star in order to be assured of nice clean toilets. Just in case the above facts fail to make you conscious of the vital necessity of leak-proof public relations, let me cite a few instances where theatre owners have profited by holding the key to the affections of the people of their vicinity. (Names are withheld for obvious reasons but the incidents related ai'e true in every detail.) Some years ago a now prominent theatre operator had over-extended himself and (Continued on Page 18)