Universal Weekly (1923-1926)

18 Universal Weekly May 30, 1925 Universal Complete Service Contract A REVOLUTIONARY sales plan, inaugurated by Carl Laemmle, president of the Universal Pictures Corporation, as a means of helping the small one-, two and three-night a week exhibitor to stay independent, is announced by Universal. It is a Complete Service Plan by which complete Universal service will be supplied to any exhibitor at a rate commensurate with what he can afford. The weekly service is offered primarily to the exhibitor who has the hardest time to make both ends meet. The plan has been gradually put into effect in various exchange territories during the past eight weeks and has met with extraordinary enthusiasm and success. Almost 1,000 exhibitors have applied for the service to date. The Universal statement concerning the new plan is as follows: “Carl Laemmle has taken another far-reaching step in the interests of the small exhibitor. It is the inauguration of a Complete Service Plan, by which any exhibitor may get complete film service at a heretofore unprecedented service fee. In the case of the small one-, two and three-nights-aweek houses, the service may be the means of keeping him alive and keeping his house open. It is a plan made to order for the small exhibitor. “The Complete Service Plan is Laemmle’s latest step in the continuation of his “live-andlet-live” policy. It is proof positive that he is on the level with the exhibitor and that Tie means to take every possible step necessary to keep the small theatre open and the small exhibitor independent. “The Universal chief recently proved his assertion that Universal’s theatre purchases were for outlet only, by offering to sell Universal product -over the head of any Universal house, and even to sell any Universal theatre itself, providing he were assured an outlet for Universal Pictures in the community involved. Another recent development of the Laemmle “white treatment’’ policy was the inauguration of a Cost Plus Ten Per Cent, basis for selling Universal pictures. The new Complete Service Plan marks a new phase of Laemmle’s willingness to make extraordinary concessions for the welfare of the exhibitors whose good will and success have been close to his heart during his entire picture career. “The Universal service under the new plan includes the Universal Jewels of “The Signal Tower” group and the first White List now being released. It includes the Western features in the 1924-25 productions made with Hoot Gibson, Jack Hoxie and William Desmond. It includes the six serials released during the past season down to “The Fighting Ranger” now being released. There also are 52 Century Comedies, among them Wanda Wiley comedies, Edna Marian comedies and two-reelers with other stars. The one-reel comedies in the service number 52 in all, including the “Hysterical History” comedies. There also are 52 two-reel Western featurettes, the five Baby Peggy Specials, six “Fast Stepper” two-reelers and the last two series, including twelve pictures of “The Leather Pushers.” The first public announcement of the plan, which has been under way eight weeks, was made by Mr. Laemmle in his talk before the M. P. T. 0. A. members in convention at Milwaukee last week. His speech dealt with Independence and he alluded to the Complete Service Plan as another evidence of his own independence, of his desire to keep exhibitors independent and as an assurance that the theatres he had been forced to buy would never be used as a weapon against his own customers. “The Universal sales innovation is regarded by film men and exhibitors as the most startling change in sales policies since the early days of the industry. Universal exchangemen and sales executives have been working on the plan since the middle of March. “About that time, Laemmle sent three representatives into the field to learn the attitude of exhibitors towards the idea. Lew Metzger, manager of Universal’s Kansas City office, traveled in the middle west territory; W. P. Truog, assistant sales director, traveled in another section of the Mississippi valley, and Jules Singer, Mr. Laemmle’s personal representative and a veteran Universal exchange manager, covered the East. “The enthusiasm on the part of the exhibitors approached by these men prompted Mr. Laemmle to formally inaugurate the plan in several exchanges late in April. Earl Johnson of the Strand Theatre, Brookfield, 111., was the first exhibitor to take the service. That was on April 24th. Ten days later, Laemmle flashed word to all Universal exchanges to inaugurate the new system. So eager has been the response of the theatre owner to the new plan that almost 1,000 have applied for the service to date. “A new department has been created in the Universal Home Office to handle the plan. Metzger has been relieved of the Kansas City office and brought to New York to be Supervisor of the new department. Mr. Laemmle is highly enthusiastic over the way the plan is working out. “Merchandising is the keystone of Universal’s new sales idea. It is applicable to all classes of theatres and is regarded as of inestimable value to the small theatre man — the man, for example, who runs the theatre as a sideline. Investigation has proved that many exhibitors desired to buy film on the merchandising plan. They have neither time nor opportunity to preview films. They want the guarantee of a company such as Universal, with Carl Laemmle’s thirteen years of ‘fair-play’ pictures and policy, behind their buying. “The majority of the small ( Continued on Page 34) “The Tornado ”, on first run in Marseilles, France, at the Odeon, was a tremendous success. The theatre uses a very attractive 24-inch frame over the entrance.