The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-31

i L7CJHERES a very interesting young
 man round at the Bijou who has
 had very little said about him
 since he assumed the management of
 the big theatre some 12 weeks ago, and
 there's an awful lot to be said about
 him, too and the only reason it hasn't
 giving his personal attention to detail
 work at the theatre to bother with inter-
 viewers and things of that sort.
 MT. Keene has many things in his
 favor; he is young, energetic, experienced
 and ambitious-all splendid attributes
 and he bends every one of these toward
 making success of his business which
 he has done in Birmingham, plus. 1 MT Keene dropped into Birmingham
 like big bomb from an airplane with
 out any fuss or feathers-unheralde
 unknown. and during the short time he l has been here he has established him self as young man of fine executive ability and very pleasing personality,
 making friends by the dozens, friends ! who appreciate his spirit of co-opera- tion in Birminghams affairs and his
 ideas of giving clean, wholesome enter tainment to the big theatre-going public. l When l dropped into see MT. Keene a l few days ago 1 was impressed with his ] fine spirit of enthusiasm and optimism. He in turn told me that he was impressed with Birminghams big possibilities and | the cordial spirit it snows toward any thing that Is worth while.
 Now that you've annexed our city to your already long line of successes I observed to MT. Keene, tell me what in your opinion is the secret of really good | management of popular vaudeville house."
 MT. Keene replied in his bright, straight-t -the-point manner:
 Personality. If manager injects any degree of personality into the business he eis more than apt to win out By per. sonality I mean this: Seeing to 1t that ones patrons are treated properly. For | instance, the girl at the window who 1 sells tickets; if she is patient and kind and waits for the ladies to get their l change (you know how long 1t takes most 1 of them to do it, and has a nice little 1 Thank you for them as she hands the
 ticket under the window, why that counts with the patrons If there are no desirable seats when couple of ladies go into the matinee and the usher says, l Take these seats and I'll see if can do
 better for you later It is appreciated. l In fact, in every way that personal touch l can be given 1t counts
 l You know, there is very old but | true saying to the effect that if you want anything well done yod must do it your | self, and this applies directly to theatri- | cal management The manager must give l his business his personal supervision and attention and not leave it to others. There are so many minute details that appeal to his experienced eye and so many minor matters which he by his close observation becomes cognizant of | that 1t is of vital importance that he does this constantly. It is true in many | instances that these affairs when taken up individually seem of small conse- quence but collectively .ney represent the difference between success and failure,
 and it is by giving them each and every | one the actual amounr of attention they deserve that the manager Is able to give | to his clientele refined and enjoyable en-