Boxoffice-May.03.1952

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94
Norman Meyers Puts Strong Opening
Campaign Behind Long-Run Stands
DETROIT—Indications that the specialized
audience for particular films may be the
economic .salvation of a .sicnificant segment
of the theatre busine.s.s
were increa.sed in this
area by the succes.s of
the Adams Theatre in
this type of exhibition
In this case particularly
strong attractions,
often approaching
roadsliow caliber.
are used rather than
foreign or art films or
documentaries.
The Adams is a
1,545-seat first run Harry Balaban
house, now the second
oldest motion picture theatre in downtown
Detroit. It has gone through a somewhat
checkered history, and was considered an oldtimer
during the depression years when it
was closed for a while. There was a general
feeling on the local rialto that the house had
seen its best days and would never be a first
class theatre again, being almost a decade
older than the de luxe first runs built in the
late '20s which then enjoyed the spotlight.
IN BALABAN HANDS 20 YEARS
The Balaban interests—Harry and Elmer
took over the house almost 20 years ago and
have built it into a theatre known for extended
first runs, frequently playing the top
pictures of the year, such as "The Jolson
Story," which played a record 13 weeks although
booked in almost casually to fill a
New Year's eve booking. Under the longtime
management of the late Charles C. Perry, the
Adams steadily gained in stature, coming to
concentrate in this specialized field.
Much attention has been given to
physical
appearance in this period. The house has
been re.seated twice, was the first to install
the original pushback chairs here shortly
before the war and has completely reseated
with a newer type since then, probably an
unparalleled record of high-grade housekeeping.
Other departments have received
equal attention. Despite its age, the Adams
is kept up as a thoroughly up-to-date theatre.
It is perhaps less imposing architecturally
than any other major first run house in the
city, having an entrance in a somewhat outdated
style of office building, leading through
an arcade that runs under and above an
alley, using separated levels for first floor
and balcony to the auditorium, which is really
on the next street.
STRESS FRONT DISPLAYS
The front has been made as impressive
and attractive as possible in a showmanlike
way, with marked emphasis upon front exploitation.
Located right on the 4-' i; -acre
Grand Circus park, it can draw plenty of attention
from shopping, automotive, bus and
streetcar and general pedestrian traffic, even
though it is in the middle of the block and
often hidden by trees from parts of the ten
heavily traveled streets which radiate from
this point.
The location has evidently been a determining
factor, since the Balabans al.so operated
the Downtown, a 3,000-seater built in
the '20s as the Oriental, until a year ago.
The Downtown seemed to be an ill-starred
hou.se under various matiagements for 25
years, and failed to do satisfactory business
under a variety of policies. In the past several
weeks it has been demolished, with the space
to be converted into a parking lot. The general
belief of laymen and showmen here
alike is that the Downtown, about a hundred
yards west of the Adams on the same street,
was less advantageous for display purposes
and apparently people would not walk that
slight extra distance. The sumptuous new
Downtown is gone, while the old Adams
prospers today.
BOOKING CARE IS VITAL
Selective care in booking is probably the
prime ingredient in the recipe for success
at the Adams. The house is admittedly small
for a first run in a major city. The maximum
that can be taken in at the boxoffice in a
week is limited for the most successful film
and attention is centered on buying pictures
that will last a while.
Currently, "Quo Vadis" is playing, going
into a ninth week, with probability of 12 or
more. This film was given the unprecedented
commitment for Detroit of eight weeks and
showed a nice pickup in business as Easter
succeeded Lent. All this has happened, incidentally,
while local show business appears
to be the worst of any in the country.
Relatively little product is needed for a
policy of this sort. Last year two films, "The
Great Caruso" and "An American in Paris,"
each ran nine weeks, accounting for over onethird
of the year's playing time. After "An
American in Paris," two shorter runs came in,
"I Want You" for two weeks and "Death
of a Salesman" for three. Runs of only one
week are very rare.
The difference in size of the house obviously
is an important factor. The Adams commitment
on "Quo Vadis" for eight weeks could
have been absorbed by the 5,500-seat Fox
in just over two weeks.
CONDUCT STRONG CA3IPAIGNS
A strong opening promotional campaign is
an important element in the success of every
film here at the Adams. Under the personal
charge of Managing Director Norman Meyers,
a heavy newspaper campaign, plus other incidental
exploitation, is set up. In succeeding
weeks, exploitation is naturally tapered off
but may run close to $1,000 in later weeks of a
run.
Incidentally, Meyers is a firm believer in
the value of theatre directory advertising in
newspapers. Even though the house uses
daily sizable display space, he keeps that
small space running ever day in the alphabetical
listings along with about 175 other
houses which range down to ultimate runs.
He experimented with eliminating this once
—only to find that he had would-be patrons
who didn't bother to look for the display ads
calling up to see if the house was closed.
Meyers has headed the Balaban operations
in Detroit since the death of Charles C.
Perry.
A former RKO man from Cleveland,
BOXOFFICE :: May 3, 1952
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