Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1947)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, October 25, 1947 Campaign For New Customers Theatremen, generally, should recognize the fact that there are millions of people who never go to the movies and, undoubtedly, every community contains a substantial number of them. We doubt if these people have any particular grudge against screen entertainment, but rather just never developed the movie-going habit and stay that way. Motion picture theatres have graduated from nickelodeons years ago and during the last fifteen or twenty years they have moved forward and become attractive theatres embodying the last word in comfort, equipment, safety, projection and every other phase of efficient theatre operation. There is always a certain amount of film-fare that appeals to the most discriminating, and when a theatre plays such attractions, the theatreman should make a particular play for those in his community who do not go to the movies at all or who go very rarely. Reaching out for the patronage of these non-movie fans is an activity that should command a great deal of the average theatreman's thought and energy. A smart, institutional campaign designed to sell the comfort and attractiveness of the good movie houses would go a long way towards creating interest in those theatres and when they have the kind of attraction that would appeal to the newcomers at the box-office, an intelligent advertising and direct mail campaign, tied directly or indirectly to the institutional campaign, might do the trick and make for your theatre a lot of new and possibly steady patrons. Too many theatremen stay deep in the rut of oldfashioned advertising with rarely a thought about the many people right within easy distance of their theatres who might be attracted to come and "take a look." Smart showmen can do much to build such new patronage if they would only investigate its possibilities ind keep hammering away at them. Again the Spotlight Well, Hollywood's in the spotlight again. Or perhaps it's more accurate to say that the House UnAmerican Activities Committee is in the spotlight of Hollywood's glamor. In either case, the first three days of hearings failed to disclose whether the Committee is trying to find out if there has been Communistic propaganda in films produced in Hollywood or whether there are some people working in Hollywood who are Communists. Whatever the purpose — if there is any purpose other than headline-seeking — the witnesses called by the Committee thus far have said things which put Hollywood in a very good light in so far as resisting efforts by the alleged Communists in the writing and directorial and acting field to peddle the Party Line in films. Even the severest critics of the alleged Communists emphasized that point. We publish elsewhere the text of the statement read at the hearing Monday by Louis B. Mayer. We believe it to be a most forthright, intelligent, honest statement representative of the film industry's production chieftains' attitude in keeping the screen free from subversive propaganda. We believe exhibitors should keep that statement handy for reference and for citation in connection with any local misconceptions of what actually is coming to light in Washington. Harry Rubin In a special section of this issue, there is well-merited recognition of the thirtieth anniversary of Harry Rubin as a member of the Paramount organization. Harry is a great showman as well as a great technical man — a credit to the industry with which he has been identified so prominently and to which he has made many important contributions — technical and artistic. We are proud to join in a salute to the very able, modest and most likable Harry Rubin — distinguished Projectionist and Showman. Thank the SMPE The Society of Motion Picture Engineers has concluded its latest — and probably greatest — Fall Meeting in New York. The SMPE is the symbol of the whole theatre equipment branch of this industry. That organization has fostered activities which have accounted jfor practically all the progress accomplished in the field of theatre presentations of motion pictures. As the champion of improvement, of finer standards, of the ways and means wherewith the exhibitor can give a better show in a more comfortable, attractive, and safe theatre, the SMPE deserves the thanks and the support of the entire picture industry. —CHICK LEWIS