Press

The movie exhibition business is in my blood. I grew up in a family of movie industry pioneers. When I was young, my father passed away, so I went to live with my mother’s father, my grandfather, Mr. Ted Mann, who was then the sole owner of the Mann Theatre Circuit during the 1970’s and 1980’s, who built Mann Theatres into the eighth largest movie theatre chain in the nation. My grandmother is Hollywood Star, Mrs. Rhonda Fleming-Mann.

As a kid I used to go and tear tickets for him at a theater in Rochester, Minnesota. I used to have to step on a stool to be tall enough to go over the podium to rip the tickets. So, I really started at a young age. As a young teenager, while I went to school in Boston, every holiday and summer vacation I came home to work in my grandfather’s theaters as a cashier and usher and working World Film Premieres at the Mann’s Chinese Theatre and prestigious Westwood Theatres. It’s in the blood and I love doing it. So I grew up around the movie business most of my life.

Later I moved into the corporate side of the business in film buying and theatre operations. After my grandfather sold the Mann Theatre Circuit, in 1990, I had the opportunity to begin my dream of starting my own theatre company in Northern California in the City of Pittsburg, near Walnut Creek. Everything I saved from that one theatre, my grandfather tripled and put the money in investments. From that multi-screen theatre, I expanded, opening theatres in the California cities of Concord, Vacaville and Modesto and most recently Las Vegas and Laughlin, Nevada. Now there are a total of seven theatres including an IMAX® Theatre I own and operate.

I really believe in a participatory style of management. I surround myself with very capable, knowledgeable, experienced and competent executives who run the day-to-day operations of the company. I believe in them a great deal and trust them without question that they will look out for the best interests of the company and subsequently mine. As a sole proprietor I also have a very hands-on approach; however, and am involved with every major decision from operations to marketing to strategic development. I am personally involved with the design and construction of all the properties. On a daily basis, I look at box office reports and concession receipts and review all expenditures. I work with my management team to develop strategies that will maximize revenues and net profits. And, I do a lot of public relations meeting with studio representatives, media representatives and other individuals who can help further the company’s goals.

While profits are very important in measuring a company’s success, I also measure success in other ways. Providing a great movie going experience is extremely important to me. Customer service is most important, presentation, integrity, honesty and loyalty come next. It is also very important to me that our employees and management are happy. I want Brenden Theatres to be a place where people want to work. We take pride in offering a safe, pleasant, and enjoyable work environment for all our employees. And, we teach and encourage a Teamwork Ethic, value hard work, and appreciate excellence. Our employees do work hard, but most of all, they have FUN!

So, I believe that what makes our company successful is that we care deeply about the entertainment experience for our guests, we value and are committed to our staff members and at the end of the day we are able to pay all our bills and make some money as well.

I surround myself with very competent people and one of the best ways to motivate these type of people is to give them a job and let them do it. They take personal pride in what they do. At the same time, they need to be fairly compensated both with monetary and non-monetary consideration. They do need to be paid well, but money isn’t the only thing that motivates them. They are driven by a sense of accomplishment. So, I give them the tools they need to succeed plus the freedom and support to do what they are trained and experienced to do. For my executive staff, they don’t need much supervision. They need good direction and leadership that are motivation tools in and of themselves. They need to know what the company goals are and what part they play in achieving those goals. They don’t need constant praise, but like everyone they like being recognized and appreciated. For my general managers, I give them the chance to run their own business. I empower them to make important decisions and reward them with meaningful bonuses and recognition for meeting their budget goals. Plus I am very liberal in rewarding them with experiences that they individually enjoy such as attending industry events or recreational or entertainment events such as concerts, sporting events and so forth.

At the executive and general manager level, I love to hire people who are passionate about the business and what they do. Most of our executives and managers have been in the movie entertainment industry all their careers. While I allow individual general managers to hire staff on the theatre level, in general, we look to hire courteous, energetic, and efficient persons. We like people with a positive work ethnic and who are enthusiastic about working in the theatre environment. The work can be tough at times, but it can also be a lot of fun.

As a sole proprietorship of a small company, my business methods are not as formalized as more developed and larger corporations. I meet and talk frequently with my key executives and discuss strategies in all areas: film allocations, operations, finance, strategic development, expenditures, marketing, promotions and so forth.

In the movie exhibition business, we work on a quarterly basis and look ahead to the film product that will be forthcoming. While we do financial budgets on a yearly basis our business is really product driven and this will determine financial expenditures, staffing levels, marketing plans and so forth. Traditionally, the summer months are the busiest for the business with the late Winter and early Spring slower times. So, we look to do theatre maintenance and upgrades during the slower times and gear up with staffing, inventory, training and so forth for the busy summer months. Unlike some industries, because of the product driven nature of the industry, it is more difficult to create traditional marketing plans as an example. However, a lot of the operation can be standardized such as recruitment (we are constantly hiring as an example), training, daily operations, maintenance, and so forth. My key executives run the business on a daily basis, but I am in regular conversation with them discussing box office and concession receipts. We have a variety of documents such as a Daily Box Office Report which I see each day to see how we are performing. We have weekly and year-to-date reports that tell me at a glance exactly how we are doing compared to the overall industry and company wide. This lets me know if I need to make any adjustments (such as adding to our marketing efforts) or if there are any problems in a certain areas. These reports can help us identify strengths or weaknesses to our existing programs or procedures.

As a sole proprietorship, unlike public companies or even private companies with investors, I don’t have as much responsibilities to shareholders. Still, at the end of the day, it is important to me to make sure we generate enough revenue to pay the bills and be able to grow the company. But, I also regard our patrons as important stakeholders and to them my responsibility is to provide a memorable quality movie entertainment experience at a fair price. To our vendors, it is important to create positive and mutually beneficial relationships and to compensate them in a fair and timely manner. To those that provide valuable services to operate the company, a positive work environment where people enjoy to work and are rewarded accordingly. I don’t want to build the biggest company. Big is not always the best. I enjoy building about a theater a year. But, I’m not building for building’s sake. It has to be the right opportunity. I like the deal we did recently with our theater in Laughlin, Nevada, the Avi Casino Resort. The terms were great and it is the type of project I would like to do more of. We’re looking at other Indian projects like the Avi right now as well as a variety of other projects. We get approached to build theaters all the time, but I need to know it is something we can handle and manage considering the size of the company. Some of our properties are in mature markets and doing consistent business while our newer properties such as Las Vegas and Laughlin still need a little work in developing their markets. We can certainly do better in managing the whole company and I feel we are maturing and heading toward maximizing revenue potential at all our venues.

Choosing a theatre location is different for every project. For the Concord theatre for example it was a competition with a competitor and I wanted to put a theater there. It was a tough competition, but eventually I won. It was a great performing theatre in its early years, before more theatres were built in the area. For our Las Vegas location, George Maloof was looking to put a theater in his new Palms Casino Resort. He called me and within a couple months we had a deal. In Laughlin, we were approached to build a theatre in the Indian owned Avi Resort Casino. We don’t always know the locations will be successful and sometimes things don’t always work out exactly as planned. Las Vegas proved to be a bit more challenging then we originally thought for a couple of reasons. And, the Laughlin location is growing. It is a different market there and we thought it was going to be a little easier to attract people to a new venue. Our Pittsburg theatre is aging and the demographics of the area has changed over the years. So, we are trying some different marketing and promotional approaches. In Concord, we have increased competition. So, we are not performing there as well as we have in past years. The movie exhibition business is dynamic, so we have to be constantly reevaluating each market and work accordingly.

For a long time, we really didn’t feel we had a need to do much in the way of marketing and promotion. We have used traditional print media for our showtime listings and developed a website a few years ago. We would do in-theatre promotions such as lobby displays and some cross promotions with area businesses from time to time. And, we would even do radio station ticket giveaways. But, beyond these basic advertising and promotional methods we didn’t really do too much else. However, with increased competition and especially in our Las Vegas and Laughlin markets, we realized that marketing and promotion were becoming more important than ever before. And, while we continue to utilize traditional methods, we have become more aggressive and now utilize most all marketing methods in one form or another. Our print advertising now includes movie specific ads and promotional tie-ins in addition to movie time listings. Our website continues to expand to include promotional events and soon a method to capture e-mail addresses so we can send regular e-mails messages to our frequent moviegoers. We utilize radio promotions in many of our markets to include ticket giveaways, promotional tie-ins, radio remotes and promotional contests. We work closely with both the Palms Casino Resort and Avi Resort Casino and tie-in promotions whenever we can. We take advantage of whatever internal resources they might have such as in-room displays, signage, marquees, billboards, LED boards, newsletters, e-mails, advertisement tie-ins, and so forth. We do cross promotions with other business such as car dealers, game stores, book stores, retail outlets and so forth. We utilize direct mail, couponing, fliers, and rack cards. We are active in the community and participate in many social and charities programs and do some out of theatre promotions at community events, and sponsor haunted houses and holiday decorations. On occasion, we have utilized television advertising and on-air promotional giveaways. We also put out press releases and contact news sources to generate media coverage. We do many promotions and distribute concession coupons and certificates and giveaway prizes such as movie posters and other items supplied by movie studios and other promotional partners.

Our mission of the company is to provide a memorable quality movie entertainment experience at a fair price and our vision is to continue to grow the company in a planned and systematic manner by seeking and developing projects offering strong potential and opportunity.

I believe it is very important to contribute to the community and to society in general. My grandfather, Ted Mann, had a philanthropic spirit, creating the Ted Mann Foundation which contributed to a variety of charities. He was a founder of the Boy’s Club of Minneapolis and the Landmark West School for children with dyslexia and learning disabilities. I try very hard to follow his example and attempt to give as much to the community as possible. I think the corporation itself plays an important role in the communities in which we have theatres by providing jobs and training opportunities for young people, many for whom it is their very first job. Our theatres contribute movie passes and promotional items to hundreds of charities every year for raffles, silent auctions and other fund-raising activities. I especially enjoy supporting children’s charities such as the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and programs for disabled and disadvantaged children. In the Southern Nevada area, I enjoy supporting the Candlelighters for Childhood Cancer, Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada, and Variety – The Children’s Charity of Southern Nevada. I open the theatres up to many groups and provide free movies and refreshments often for children who have never been in a movie theatre before. It is such a joy to see their excitement when seeing a movie on a big screen for the very first time.

While seeing a movie might not change their lives or the world in general, I hope the experience will be memorable and life enriching to them.

December 2004
by William P. Johnson

Brenden Theatres at the Palms Hotel and Casino upgrades its projection system this holiday season as it exhibits The Polar Express: An IMAX 3D Experience® and becomes the only theater in the region to offer such technology.

“This is the first example of a major motion picture to be re-mastered in 3-D for IMAX, and only the second film to be released simultaneously on 35 mm,” says Johnny Brenden, president and CEO of Brenden Theatre Corporation. Brenden will show both versions of the film for this engagement.

To date, about six features have been digitally re-mastered for IMAX theatres, most notably Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones and The Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions.

Founded in 1967, the IMAX Corporation is one of the world’s leading entertainment technology companies. The IMAX Digital Re-Mastering or IMAX DMR ™is a revolutionary, proprietary technoloyg that makes it possible for virtually any 35-mm live action film to be digitally re-mastered in the unparalleled image and sound quality of the IMAX Experience.

Recently, IMAX has perfected a process by which a conventional two-dimensional, computer generated film is converted into 3-D. This breakthrough in filmmaking combines innovative Performance Capture technology, state of the art CGI and the magic of IMAX 3-D.

“It only costs a couple of million [dollars] to convert these films, therefore it is more cost effective for the studios,” says Joe Girouard, Brenden’s director of corporate events.

IMAX promotes itself as having the most advanced, powerful and precision-crafted projectors ever built. The key to their superior performance and reliability is the unique “rolling loop” film movement. The rolling loop advances the film horizontally from large platters to the projector in a smooth, wave-like motion.

IMAX technology uses the largest commercial film format in motion picture history 70-mm, 15 perforations to each frame three times the size of the conventional 35mm that is used in a normal movie theater.

Brenden Theatres already was equipped to show IMAX 3-D; however, adapting the existing IMAX system to accommodate the new full-length feature had its share of challenges.

“For the 3-D effect, we need to project two images at a time,” Brenden says. “And, we needed larger platters for a longer running time.”

Alan Ashworth, Brenden’s chief of staff and booth manager, explains the need for all the equipment. “The entire film is spooled onto a platter, threaded into the projector, then back to a second empty platter,” he says. “For 3-D we need two projectors, four platters and two copies of the film.

“Polar Express is comprised of 60 separate reels,” he says. “With this film the platter weighs about 600 pounds. It takes roughly 12 hours to load all these reels on the platters, compaired to about 45 minutes for a regular feature.
Brenden spent in the neighborhood of $25,000 on improvements for the upcoming event, and so fair, it’s been a good investment, Girouard syas. “We had the No. 1 gross in this market for our opening week 40 percent higher than our nearest competitor,” he adds. “We were also ranked No. 54 in the country.” As far as the future of IMAX films at Brenden Theatres, Brenden says he’d welcome it.

“[This industry] is revenue driven,” Brenden says. “We, as an industry and as exhibitors, are huring for product. If the distributors would [supply] more pictures in the IMAX format, I would definitely put more IMAX in my other theaters.”

by Scott Schulte

Step off the private elevator that rockets you up to Johnny Brenden’s Las Vegas digs, and there’s this sense of déjà vu. You’ve been there before – but not quite. That’s because Brenden, one of the most successful independent theater owners in the country, had his $1.8-million Turnberry Place condo done in a style reminiscent of his theaters: bright, colorful, inviting.

Brenden hails from Hollywood royalty. His grandmother, actress Rhonda Fleming, starred in dozens of films opposite such heavyweights as Gregory Peck, Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster, Bing Crosby, and Ronald Reagan — four times. Her husband, Ted Mann, carved out his own reputation in Tinseltown by building and operating the Mann Theatre Corporation.

“I love movies,” Brenden says in a phone interview from his Vegas office at the Palms Casino Resort. “I started at the bottom at my grandfather’s theaters when I was five.” His on-the-job training ranged from standing on a stool and tearing tickets to making popcorn and working as an usher.

Nowadays Brenden’s job title is somewhat different: president and CEO of a movie theater empire that numbers 78 screens and counting.

So when Brenden’s not making movie magic or jetting off to watch the Sacramento Kings with his pal George Maloof [PLAYER, Premiere 2004], the 40-year-old can be found enjoying the sleek lines of his new residence.

“I knew what I wanted, and I went out and found the right people to get it done,” Brenden says.

The right people included Francisco Behr of Behr Bowers Architects, a firm that had designed several of Brenden’s theater complexes, including the award-winning Brenden Theatres Modesto 18. Behr’s résumé also includes the revitalization of L.A.’s Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, a venue once owned by Ted Mann.

“Working with Johnny is very easy in that he has a certain vision. It’s different than what most home interiors are going to have,” Behr says.

Those differences include neon lights, granite columns, and the sort of high-grade metals more typically found in commercial structures.

“Johnny enjoys the excitement of the evening, and we created it so he could enjoy such a mood at any time of the day. He’s not afraid to use bright lights and colors,” Behr says, adding, “A lot of people are, but Johnny loves the lights and excitement they add to his home and theaters.”

As Brenden quickly points out, “Having grown up around the industry, the bright lights and look of a movie theater was a perfect theme for my home.”

JOHNNY BRENDEN
Owner, President and CEO,
Brenden Theatre Corporation
2003 Lamborghini Murciélago
Metallic yellow with black and yellow
leather interior

Lamborghini Murciélago
With a top speed of 210 mph, it’s the fastest production vehicle in the United States.
Engine info: 575 horsepower, 12 cylinder, 6.2 liter
Price: $282,000
Amenities: Handcrafted leather interior, GPS system, constant 4-wheel drive.

Whether he’s zooming off to Sacramento for a Kings game, or just taking a scenic drive down the Strip, 39-year-old Johnny Brenden always rides in his new wheels. “I take my Murciélago almost everywhere I go,” explains Brenden. “People would be surprised, but it is actually very user-friendly.”

When this Minnesota native is not on the road, he plays the role of owner, president and CEO of his California-based theatre corporation. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather Ted Mann (of the famous Mann’s Chinese Theatre) Brenden started the Brenden Theatre Corporation in 1990, and opened his first theatre in Pittsburg, California, that same year. Today, Brenden’s empire includes four theatres in northern California and three in Las Vegas, the newest of which is a 14-theatre megaplex located inside the ultra-hip Palms Casino Resort.

Why this car: “This new body style just came out in 2003. I had been planning on buying it for a while.”

Other cars: A 500S Mercedes. “I’m also looking to buy a Hummer.”

First car: “A rust colored 1976 Ford Maverick. My grandfather bought it for me for $350 when I went off to college. I had it for two years. It was definitely a beater.”

How do people react to it? “People always want to know what kind of car it is because it looks totally different from the other Lamborghinis. When it’s in valet, people are always gathering around it, so they have to rope it off. It’s kind of a pain in the ass sometimes: you have to be careful where you park it. But even with all that, it’s still an awesome car. I love it.”

Dream Car? “No longer need to dream, I have it!”

 Only in Las Vegas
By Jean Prenn
05/01/2003

It’s dawn, after closing the trendy Ghost Bar, Johnny Brenden hops in his metallic yellow 2002 Lamborghini Murcielago. He and his lady friend are headed home to the gleaming twin towers on Paradise Road off the Las Vegas strip where, indoors, the thick theatrical curtains in his townhouse will shut out daybreak.

Brenden, an intrepid 39-year-old movie theater owner, purchased a $1.8-million condo in a new, outrageously luxurious Las Vegas high-rise—Turnberry Place—about two years ago. And just as its name and coat of arms imply, the high-end condo is olde-world in its design, with formidable chandeliers, marble floors, elegantly sweeping staircases and other architectural splendors that are requisite to any upscale living environment.

Click here to see the Brenden home equipment list.

 Designer Francisco Behr used circular and elliptical shapes to alter the perception of rectangular rooms. (Click image to enlarge)
Brenden, however, is a modern man who pumps a lot of iron in his spare time, has a penchant for Versace clothing and thrives on “seeing things in a new way,” which is exactly why he bought into Turnberry Place. While the impeccable perks—the Sterling Club private club, which includes a 30,000-square-foot European spa and fitness center, lounge with piano bar, a nightclub, concierge and two restaurants—are a big draw, Turnberry’s floor plans seemed ordinary for Brenden’s fearless tastes. He saw his living space in complete contrast to everything else in the 40-story tower. He envisioned circles, not rectangles, something “cozy and fun and different” that would challenge people’s perception of everyday decor.

Brenden, who cites Phantom of the Opera as one of his all-time favorite music selections, has a flair for the dramatic, and when he says “different,” he means it. To accomplish his vision, he turned to Francisco Behr of Behr Browers Architects Inc., outside L.A., who helped him breathe life into his Brenden Theatres Modesto 18 east of San Francisco. An award-winning specialist in commercial cinema and entertainment center design, Behr accepted Brenden’s invitation. “It was John’s desire that we help him,” Behr says. “He felt a home architect might not take his ideas seriously.”

Behr did. A devotee of theater design and Art Deco, Behr has lent his talents to many historic renovations, including Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. As is the case throughout greater L.A., Behr understands the critical connection between style and entertainment. The moment you pass through the gold stainless-steel front door into a vestibule of solid black granite columns and a lavender sky above, encircled in a gold frame, you’re in for a real Las Vegas show.

The circular-patterned black-granite and gold-tile flooring ripples from the foyer into Brenden’s entertainment room. Walls are wrapped in shimmering holographic wallpaper with a gold and silver finish that changes color and pattern, depending upon the lighting. Metallic wallpaper dramatizes the unifying trompe l’oeil dome ceiling above.

 The lavender-lit dome in the entryway is a nod to the famed hand-painted ceilings of The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. (Click image to enlarge)
The boldly colored, elliptical-shaped furniture is Behr-designed, much of it red. To transform typical square rooms without bulldozing walls, Behr used circular and elliptical cove ceilings, soffits, mirrors and furniture throughout. Everything reflects something. And you have to use a magnifying glass to find a flat wall.

To create Brenden’s fantasy world, Behr conjured up every theatrical trick at his disposal. Neon fuchsia, lavender and gold lighting tucked behind frosted-glass walls, suspended from stainless-steel cables, adds luster to the entertainment area, master and guest bedrooms.

Tiny Tivoli lights are woven through the flooring and ceilings in the entertainment room, terraces and master bedroom. Recessed mirror alcoves create a sense of height. In his never-ending quest for sparkle, Behr pounded domed upholstery nails into the circular soffit above the bar, and onto the walls in the adjoining den, for a glittery diamond effect.

Then there’s the 500-gallon shark tank, an homage to The Four Seasons at Mandalay Bay, where Brenden lived for one year during the remodel. The aquarium, home to three leopard sharks and several trigger and angel fish, is supported by an aluminum base that doubles as a prism.

Three layers of theatrical curtains—velvet, a metallic center curtain and a sheer—in hues of deep purple lock out daytime the moment it awakens. Always, in Brenden’s Turnberry Place condominium, it is night.

“This could only be designed in Las Vegas,” says Behr, who admittedly turned to Sin City itself for inspiration. “It’s about the lifestyle and the place—nightlife and the desert at night. Colors are gold and black.”

 This bedroom—created by combining what was two bedrooms—features a large Panasonic plasma TV. (Click image to enlarge)
At control central, under a giant elliptical cove ceiling, stands the circular stainless-steel bar and 50-inch Pioneer plasma television. Internally lit, the bar radiates. Behind, the console compartmentalizes the Bang & Olufsen equipment, including a satellite receiver, DVD player, multidisc CD player and AM/FM radio. The bartender, remote in hand, can control draperies and lighting, and manage the light, sight and sound system while mixing a Cosmopolitan.

With that same remote, he can make individual changes, room by room. Liquid-crystal computer monitors in every bathroom, the hallway and kitchen allow Brenden to intermingle the DVD at hand throughout the condo. Or he might have Frank Sinatra or Moby emoting from every speaker.

Brenden, a devotee of all things high tech, turned to Art Elliott, owner of Bang & Olufsen’s Las Vegas store, to orchestrate the system design and installation. Brenden says among his favorite possessions are the candy-apple red tower speakers in his entertainment room, living room and den that allow him to watch any film with the luxury of surround sound.

 The lounge den features a Bang & Olufsen Avant 30-inch television that swivels so it can be seen from the breakfast nook. (Click image to enlarge)
The disparate lighting sources—neon, soffit lighting, low-voltage LEDs embedded in the floor, recessed lighting—are remote-controlled. “You can set a lighting scene like in a movie, using four color-coded buttons,” Elliott explains. A touch of one button turns off everything—lighting, picture and sound.

Brenden, the grandson of the late movie theater chain owner Ted Mann and actress Rhonda Fleming, says he essentially project-managed the construction of his four multiplex theaters, as well as his condo remodel. “It’s perfect,” he says. “I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Behr, meanwhile, wouldn’t mind taking on a few challenging personal home projects. “With clients like Johnny Brenden,” he quickly adds. “Clients who are interested in trying something different.”