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RESTORING UFl TO CLOSED THEATRE
Joe Green Offers Potential Audience
What It Wants, and Friendliness
DOROTHY SHENSA MILLER
The problems of reopening a theatre
which has been shut down for any length
of time are as varied as the locations of
theatres in general. Last October 11, Joe
Green and Ted Reisfeld bought the Essex
Theatre in Newark, N. J., after it had been
closed for eight months. Besides the usual
task of redecorating throughout, going
over the heating system and repairing it,
and fixing broken display cases, and reseating
the entire house, the new owners
had to acquaint themselves very accurately
with the type of moviegoer who would
come to the Essex.
Rrst of all, the Essex is located less than
a half mile from the center of Newark, but
it is not in a residential area. The people
who do live in the vicinity, are in lowincome
brackets and about 80 to 90 per
cent of the patrons are colored. But Green
didn't feel that these facts were handicaps.
NOT A MATTER OF COLOR
"People are people," he said, "and it is
our busines to provide them with entertainment."
Before the actual reopening,
circulars were distributed throughout the
neighborhood, posters were displayed in
front of the closed theatre and in various
stores, and a great deal of advertising was
done in the Negro newspapers. The marquee
carried an announcement of the opening,
several weeks prior to the date. The
outside front was brightened up with paint
and given a new look and posters told
about the "new policy" of three changes
of features a week—with continuous daily
shows from 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.—admission,
adults—50 cents; children, 25
cents.
The Essex seats about 1,000 and it
wasn't easy to fill it to even near capacity
during those first few weeks after its reopening,
but trailers on the screen, explaining
the change in policy, as well as
the signs and ads, soon proved their worth.
After four weeks, Green and Reisfeld saw
Joe Green, manager of the reopened Essex
Theatre in Newark, N. J., points to a coming
attraction sign in the lobby.
signs of increasing business.
Green, however, was quick to see several
problems pertinent to the Essex, which
might never occur in other theatres. First
of all, a great many children came unattended.
He realized how order might get
out of hand, so a motherly type woman
was hired as a sort of baby sitter. All
unattended children are seated in the balcony
and the attendant, attired in a white
uniform, manages to keep them quiet, to
caution the trouble-makers or oust them,
and to comfort and care for those who
are frightened or get hurt. This one particular
feature has proven very successful
and the increased number of kiddies coming
to the shows offsets the cost of the
"specialized" sitter.
In a theatre of this kind. Green admits
that a manager must be completely unbiased,
and should treat the patrons with
respect and understanding. A reciprocal
attitude is created in the customers.
Green is aware of the type of films his
audience seeks. "No horror shows—or
spooky ones—or pictures ridiculing their
race. They love comedy and adventure and
my big problem is in getting enough movies
for them. They like coming to the movies
and know their stars and pictures—and
are a most appreciative audience."
Green also pointed out that advertising
must be geared to the interest of the
patrons; in this case, emphasizing adequate
heating during winter months and
comfortable cooling during the summer.
A small candy counter in the lobby has
been very successful, with hot dogs a very
popular item, as well as peanuts and dixie
cups. The people are permitted to take
their food to their seats and they are
quite careful about littering. A porter is
constantly going up and down the aisles
with a broom and dustpan, removing litter.
IN THEATRES 25 YEARS
Green, a 25-year veteran in the theatre
business, formerly owned many theatres
in the New York area. He has this to say
about closed theatres and their reopening:
"Any theatre that had a potential audience,
and lost it, must have some reason
for its decline. Find the reason—and you'll
be able to reopen with a successful operation."
In the case of the Essex Theatre, Green
the
gives his audience what they want in
way of pictures, he provides a friendly atmosphere,
and makes the people feel
wanted. He also believes that the man who
establishes personal contact with the theatregoers,
such as he has, can make a success
of it.
stress SOO-Car Parking
Morris Keppner and Barney Tarantul,
partners in the Burnside Theatre at East
Hartford, Conn., have redesigned the theatre
signature cut for their daily newspaper
ads to stress parking facilities.
Burnside's space for 500 cars is not equaled
by any area suburban theatre.
For 'Sinners' in Hartford
Ray McNamara, Allyn Theatres at
Hartford, Conn., and Harry Goldstein, exploiteer
for Allied Artists, joined forces
on "Blonde Slimer" as follows:
Distributed 3,000 teaser cards on downtown
streets, and offered guest tickets for
ten longest listings of attractions starring
Diana Dors via newspaper contest.
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Vital in promotion of a theatre reopening is impressing on the potential
customers the "new polices" which have been fixed as foundation of the
campaign to bring back the customers. Here signs are prominently displayed
over the door to the auditorium section in the lobby of the Essex in Newark,
N. J., constantly reminding the patrons about the policy of the reopened
house and its screen attractions.
40 BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: Feb. 16, 1957