What's New? (Sep 1955)

Page 3 —_—_ eee LL eee CHANGES IN B.C. MANAGEMENT M. JOINER NEW DIVISION CHIEF “I’M A NICE GUY!!” The Theatre Owners of America credits John Balaban of Balaban & Katz Theatre, with this item which should be of interest to all managers: I am one of those nice movie patrons who never complains about anything. . when I telephone the theatre to find out what’s playing... starts . . . I don’t get mad when I’m answered by a grouchy voice. For instance . . or when the feature If the cashier is surly . . . or accidentally gives me the wrong change . it doesn’t rile me, because I’m a nice patron. And when an usher doesn’t offer to show me a seat, I don’t mind. I just wait until my eyes become accustomed to the darkness and find my own seat. It’s the same way when I go to the concession stand. If the attendant takes her own sweet time, then serves me with an air of utter boredom . . . I always smile cheerfully, because I’m an _ easy-going patron. If there are some rowdy kids, or grown-ups, sitting near me... I don’t ssshhh them indignantly, I don’t like to complain about such things. I just sit and suffer. If the sound is not loud enough, or it’s too loud . . . I never raise a stink about it...I figure somebody’ll get around to adjusting it soon. If the show is not as colossal as it was advertised . . . I don’t mind, I like movies. When I go to the rest rooms and find dirt all over the place, lights burned out, no towels . . . I don’t say anything to the manager. I wouldn’t want to hurt his feelings, or create an unpleasant situation. That’s the way I am. No... I never complain about bad service in the theatres... I never argue or criticize. I’m just a “nice” patron. But J’ll tell you what else I am: ’'M THE PATRON WHO NEVER COMES BACK! In other words, I’m a dissatisfied patron. And I’m not alone. There’s a2 mob of us. Maybe we’re that “Jost audience!” Sometimes I wonder why theatres spend so much money trying to get patrons back, when they could have kept us, in the first place—with just a little courtesy! Mr. Fitzgibbons announced several important changes in British Columbia management at the close of a two-day meeting of managers and partners in Vancouver. MAYNARD S. JOINER Maynard S. Joiner was appointed Division Director in charge of all theatres in British Columbia . Frank Gow, for reasons of health, had asked to be relieved of his heavy duties and he was assigned to the job of supervising Famous Players’ real estate interests and will also be available in a consultant and advisory capacity to Head Office in Toronto and to Maynard S. Joiner. B. J. McCausland has assumed the office of District Manager of the group of theatres now listed as Suburban Vancouver and will supervise the group known as Up-Country theatres with the exception of the Broadway theatre in Vancouver in which Frank Gow is a partner with Famous Players. The Broadway theatre will continue to be operated under Mr. Gow’s direction. Douglas Gow, formerly Mr. McCausland’s assistant in the Purchasing and Maintenance department for British Columbia, will succeed him as manager of that department. In making the announcement Mr. Fitzgibbons warmly praised Mr. Gow’s great service to Famous Players through the years. “This is a re-arrangement of the splendid team you have out here,” he concluded. “Like a hockey, baseball or football team we are moving our star player into the position of coach so we can get the full benefit of his wisdom, judgment and experience.” OLGA’S HEART BELONGS TO FRANKIE! Although Olga Sharabura, manageress of the Orpheum Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., is headed down the wedding aisle, there is a suspicion that she may also have her heart on Frank Sinatra. Take a look at her campaign on “Young At Heart” with Sinatra and Doris Day. The campaign started with the posting of a 24-sheet on the main street a month before opening. She saturated the city with 28 window tieups, an attractive full page of cooperative ads, free coverage on both American and Canadian radio stations, decoration of the candycounter, lobby, box-office and a striking false front. A week before opening, 2,500 hearts were distributed to students in the Sault Technical and Commercial High School and the Sault Collegiate. These hearts had lucky numbers. They were paid for by a men’s wear store and a ladies’ wear store. Olga also covered the hairdressers. They featured Doris Day hair style stills with their cooperative ads. Contest A contest, ‘How To Stay Young At Heart” pulled in good prizes. These included a beginner’s set of stainless steel kitchenware, an album of Frank Sinatra and Doris Day in music from the picture, six pounds of chocolates and partypacks of nuts. A news distributor in the Sault cooperated with Olga in placing a banner on their trucks to sell “The Bridges at Toko-Ri.” A window display was obtained with the news distributor who also donated 10 copies of the book Olga used as heralds for the picture. Other window displays included a hobby shop using model planes to tie in with the picture, while a music store displayed record and sheet music of the love theme from the picture. “A super shocker” display was placed in the lobby of the Orpheum by Olga to sell “The Mad Magician.” She used a two-foot buzzsaw blade that she stood up with a display cut-out hat looked like a saw, using effective copy. DOUBLE BIRTHDAY FILLS NEWSPAGES The celebration of two birthdays — that of Famous Players and t Capitol theatre, St. Catharines — gave manager Vern Hudson a reason to obtain a full page in the local daily with pictures of the theatre as it was when originally built and as it is today. The theatre and the company were born the same year. Vern filled one of his front display frames with dozens of pictures dating back more than a quarter of a century, attracting the attention of a number of the public who stopped to reminisce. The old time theme was carried through the theatre. Four days in advance of the opening of “Blackboard Jungle,” heralds were distributed by the local boy scout organization, while all the outlets of a local news agency used the herald as a background for displays on the pocket book of the picture. Redheads All red heads in St. Kitts were admitted free to see “The Man Who Loved Redheads.” This provided Vern with an avenue of publicity in the newspapers, at his front and over the air. It created a lot of talk. The book from which “Desiree” was taken was the basis of Vern’s campaign with the picture. He put out 2,000 book marks to the library, two book stores and door-to-door. He also arranged for book windows in two book-stores, as well as one in a coffee shop. Then there was the usual standee in the Dominion Super Market, changed by Vern each week. A similar ticup was effected by Vern with “Battle Cry,” although he had five book store windows, as well as banners on three of the news agency trucks. Radio and window displays were used by Vern for “Hit The Deck,” while one dise-jockey spent the best part of his half-hour programme plugging the songs from the picture. Opening night saw a parade of the sea cadets with their trumpet band to the theatre. Windows were also set by Vern for “The Racers”. The opening of the picture saw 17 members of the St. Kitts Motor League banner their sports cars, zipping their way about the city, then head for the theatre as guests of Vern to see the picture. Vern admitted in an ad run in the local paper, that he hated “to blow our own horn, but . . .” he couldn't help it as announced the titles of some of the pictures which were to play at the theatre in the coming months. , ~~