THEATRE CROWDS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 862, 4 January 1930, Page 21

THEATRE CROWDS

Audience Psychology at Roxy Of New York City’s 320-odd motion picture theatres, the Roxy, capable of accommodating 6,200 persons, is second in size but admittedly first in modern luxury of appointments and facilities. The following article, written by the

Roxy’s manager, Mr. Griswold, tells of the pains taken to please patrons in every walk of life from the trim business girl who slips in for her luncheon interval to the wealthy evening parties. NO EBB AND FLOW “The principal feature of our business is that patronage is

distributed without definite ebbs or flows throughout the afternoons and evenings. The only noticeable change in patronage on those days is one of age. School children predominate at the matinees. "The mood of the individual is almost identical -with the mood of the crowd. He wants to be where everyone else is. A waiting line outside the theatre will attract more patrons than box offices that are readily accessible. The announcements of ’seats In all parts of the house will make people suddenly fastidious, with a great insistence on places in the centre sections. With ‘seats in the balcony only’ available, those who usually do go to the balcony are inclined to favour the orchestra. The ‘standing room only’ situation attracts large crowds to the theatre. “A waiting line of patrons is one of the most interesting features of house management. No matter how large it is or how long people have waited,, order is predominant. There is little conversation between patrons and attendants. A mere gesture is sufficient in most cases to direct people in the proper direction.”

The management of the Roxy has found that theatregoers do not like to be told to do things, or to be ordered about. They are in an amusementseeking mood, and the element of policing would be found entirely inconsistent. The attendant is trained to convey whatever he has to say in as few words as possible. People will always be willing to wait if only they are not constantly spoken to by the uniformed man.

Mr. Griswold finds it a good policy to offer an explanation of things to those few who insist on knowing why they are asked to go to certain places in the theatre. Thus, when a patron is asked to go to one of the side aisles and wants to know the reason, he is told that the wait for seats in the sidesections of the auditorium will be much shorter than that for the centre seats. The rule has been found to operate uniformly well. ACTORS’ LOSSES STARS CRASHED WITH WALL STREET The recent ’Wall Street crash, 3ays a correspondent, was a severe blow to several well-known movie stars. Ernest Torrance, the Australian character actor, is said to have lost almost the whole of his savings. John Gilbert is reputed to have lost half a million dollars. There might be some compensation in the fact, however, that his new wife, Dolores Costello, has presented him with a child. Another birth that is interesting Hollywood at the moment Is that of an Infant to Vilma Banky and Rod la Rocque. “I can’t think of a single scandal," adds Bunny Lauri, “and the only marriage I have heard of lately Is that of Patsy Ruth Miller to Tay Garnett, who is directing ‘Officer O’Brien,’ the picture I mentioned.” The star of the- musical comedy talkie in which the clever little daughter of May Beatty and the late Edward Lauri will appear is Nancy Welford.