Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

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26 Jackson . . . (Continued from Page 24) pected to exhibit the finest available pictures and thereby make friends of all patrons for your theatre. Have yon ahmys been azvakc to the prospect of effecting contacts on a local basis that tie to the national advertising campaigns of the producer — distributor? Your local magazine dealer is usually amenable t& approach for the insertion of handbills or mimeographed memo giving theatre playdate in magazines carrying stories or advertisements of big pictures. There is also the possibility of getting notices on newsstands, signs on his delivery vehicles, etc. More important is the effecting of local cooperation on national tieups. When nationwide radio hookups are arranged, when the cooperation of large manufacturers is secured, when units of merchandise are named for some star or feature film, make sure that you get every atom of cooperation possible from local dealers handling the product. With the radio station, buy time immediately preceding and following the program to announce playdates at your theatre. Have you always been particularly careful in the makeup of your nezvspaper ads? So many theatre operators turn this important job over to the newspaper ad solicitor or to some unschooled member of the theatre staiT. If you check your advertising expenditure, you'll find that newspaper ads represent the largest portion of this outlay. As such, it evolves upon you to make sure that every word possesses the greatest possible magnetism to attract patronage. The same goes for radio announcements. Only through the use of extreme care can you make sure that your invitation to visit your theatre — and that's exactly what your news ads and radio announcements are — is couched in the kind of wordage you would use in extending an invitation to spend an evening at your family fireside. Attention to this department will also enable you to avoid instances where art or copy are not in keeping with the preferences of your patrons. 'Talk Shop' Have you made it a point to visit and "talk shop" with the religious, social and civic leaders and groups of your community? Setting aside several hours each week for seeking out the people at the heads of these groups and maneuvering the discussion around to the movies and what you have coming to your theatre — and depending on them to spread the news to others — has been the foundation on which many theatres have managed to build consistent patronage. It is always wise to check with the religious, social and civic leaders about activities being planned for their respective groups. Offering the services of your theatre to spearhead worthwhile movements, as a place of meeting, as a magnet to make their efforts successful, is a manifestation of unselfishness that will be rewarded times over in goodwill and patronage. It may even be possible for you to arrange the booking of some appropriate attraction that emphasizes or ties-in with the contemplated effort. And, it's certain that you can circumvent the inroads made by itinerants on the local amusement budget if you keep your theatre ever in the forefront of civic and social thinking. Have you always made it a practice to carefully check the work of your cleaners and maintenance personnel? Not only the "face" you show to the customers but the size of your bank balance is at stake here. Unchecked and unsupervised, the finest cleaning staff in the world becomes lax and neglectful. Your personal knowledge of your theatre, where the best work is needed and where extra care is essential, is the only way of guaranteeing the important factors of cleanliness, comfort and convenience to your patrons. It is also the only way of accurately gauging expenditures against accomplishment, and the number of dollars wasted in this department staggers the imagination. A schedule to guide the work is necessary for best results. See that each unit of service and accommodation is listed with instructions as to specified reriods f attention. Then make sure each job is thoroughly done via the personal supervision routine. Have you always lent your whole effort in assisting programs for the general good of the coiiiiiiimity or have you considered your share fulfilled when you've made some trifling contribution of cash or assistance? Whether you are Mr. Big or Mr. Little in your community depends entirely on the extent of your cooperation in these events. The reward you enjoy, big or small, is an exact and accurate reflection of the importance the community attaches to you and your theatre. 'Get in the very forefront of every movement for community good. It's the safest, surest and cheapest way of making your business a solid part of the lives of the people. And that, my friend, is what assures consistent profit. Have you ahmys manifested ultimate pride in your business? Have you ahvays explained its occasional sins and exploited its many virtues? You can do yourself and the industry a heap of good by being on the alert for scandalous Newsreel Synopses {Released 11' cdncsday, December 21) ALL AMERICAN (Vol. 8, No. 374)— Toy Repair; Columbia class Negro president; Airborne troops; Bergen College leaders; Louis KOs Valentino. MOVIETONE (Vol. 32, No. 101)— The Story of Christmas — observances round the world. NEWS OF THE DAY (Vol. 21, No. 231)— Gifts flown to Arctic; Atom scientist urges Atlantic union; Washington plane crash; Fur fashions (ex. Omaha, Des Moines); Kid gymnasts; New Year greetings from Washington kids. PARAMOUNT (No. 34)— Skiimg; UCLA "Great Lover" prom; Christmas round the world. TELENEWS (Vol. 3, No. 50B)— New York water shortage; Washington plane crash; Hoover on his Report; Lucas on Congress; Mansfield on Europe; Yugoslax Reds' anniversary; Rumania celebration; Tallest radio tower; J. Robinson honored; Shah on skis; Baking contest; Baseball meetings; RangersRed Wings hockey; Louis fights two. UNIVERSAL-INTERNATIONAL (Vol. , No. 309) — Atom scientist urges Atlantic union ; Washington plane crash; J. Robinson honored; Kid gymnasts; Gifts flown to Arctic: New Year greetings from Washington kids. WARNER PATHE (Vol. 21, No. 23)— Christmas around the world; Browns-49ers football; Washington plane crash. (Released Saturday. December 24) MOVIETONE (Vol. 32, No. 102)— Lindbergh honored; Greek Archbishop here; Peck, Baxter in Grauman cement; Haiti fair; Fashions; Dog racing; Australian rodeo. NEWS OF THE DAY (Vol. 21, No. 232)— Lindbergh honored; Haiti fair; Truman at Navy graduation; Aerobee rockets: Dog racing; BrownsAll Stars football (ex. Phila., L. A.). PARAMOUNT (No. 35)— Truman at Navy graduation ; Lindbergh honored : DeMille reunion with oldtimers; New York water shortage: Browns-All Stars football: Wrestling. TELENEWS (Vol. 3, No. 51A)— Korea hostage incident: New York water holiday; Lindbergh honored; GI publication in Europe: Sparkman on steel prices; Rent-free homes for disabled vets; Princess Beatrix of Netherlands; Northwestem-Notre Dame basketball. UNIVERSAL-INTERNATIONAL (Vol. 22, No. 310) — Lindbergh honored; Aerobee rocket; Truman at Navy graduation: Air Corps grads; Rams-Eagles football: Wrestling. WARNER PATHE (Vol. 21, No. 37)— Princess Elizabeth: New York water holiday; Lindbergh honored; Blessing dolls; New playground; Swim kids; Fashions: Dog racing; Rams-Eagles football. SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, December 24, 1949 comment and checking it— through reasonable explanation — before it begins flying rampant through the vicinity. This industry has an unusually fine record in every field of national and human relations, but the media of news dissemination all to frequently exploits the occasional sin rather than the multitude of virtue. A visit with the editor will correct such an attitude in your local journal, and occasional chats with business friends and others about the accomplishments of the industry will serve to build resistance to the infrequent lapses from accepted public standards. Remember, Mr. Theatreman, you are Hollywood on the Main Street of your town. Don't let them speak disparagingly of you or your business. Be quick to discourage scandal. It hurts at your boxoffice. How about your employe personnel? Have you taken the time to school them in the requisites of their respective jobs? A few years ago we had a dearth of available helps that put us on the spot where we had to grab anybody who could wear a uniform to meet demands of flooding patronage. We've become aware of the fact that the patronage flood has ended, but somehow or other we're still lax in correcting the help situation. That upgrading the help will upgrade business must be accepted as fact. Polite reception and service, from "how many?" to "good night," will do an awful lot to increase ticket sales. Take the time to select the proper new employes and spend the time to acquaint them with their job. Try to instill in them a pride in their association with this glamorous industry and make them feel that the responsibility for proper reception and service to every customer is a privilege as well as a duty. Remember that no organization is stronger than its weakest member. Eliminate those who are weak and replace them with efficient, courteous help. Selection of Shorts Do you always use the greatest possible care in the selection of shorts and their placement in building a balanced screen program? To many theatre operators this important exhibition duty is seriously neglected. Most build programs with the element of time, rather than audience enjoyment and entertainment, in mind. Shorts should be carefully selected to blend with and build the enjoyment quotient of the screen program. Occasional exceptions are permissable when all-comedy, all-terror, etc., shows are being presented, but the best normal program is one that includes a variety of entertainment and closes on a happy note. Now that the forcing of shorts is banned, it is possible for you to make a selective buy of the kind of reels that are best received by your audiences. From these — and if you find it necessary you can spot book — it is always possible to build a show of wide and varied entertainment appeal that will meet with majority approval. Using the short product to influence attendance of certain segments of patron potential has been practiced successfully by many theatre operators even to the extent of — on occasion — subordinating the feature attraction in appealing to the interest of the particular group for which the short holds appeal. I suppose I should include a few words about your "Human Relations." How you treat your employes and the extent of their remuneration as compared to your profit, but I've been doing that for years and possibly aggravating your digestive tracts. Aside from that, your own observations will provide better food for thought than any suggestion of mine. A_nyway, this year I just want to close with MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYBODY.