Exhibitors Herald (Mar-Apr 1924)

46 EXHIBITORS HERALD March 29, 1924 LETTERS TO "THE THEATRE" to do with getting the people to see the picture than anything else. I took a one sheet on this subject, one of those with Wes Barry riding a calf, mounted it on compo board and then cut it out and for fifty cents, made a "bucking bull." I took the blades off a twelve-inch fan and put a spool on the shaft for a pulley and belted this to an eight-inch pulley made of a couple of pot lids fastened together with stove bolts. This pulley was fastened on a one-quarter-inch shaft by lock nuts. On the end of this shaft I fastened a small two-inch pulley which was belted to another eight-inch "pot lid pulley" which was on a crank shaft with the "bucking bull," on the crank end of the shaft. To keep the calf from turning with the shaft I used a band rubber on the front and hind foot of the calf. These were fastened to the base that the entire outfit was mounted on. If you can figure anything out of the enclosed drawing possibly you can get the idea of what I mean. — S. G. Ihde, Photoplay, Ashland, Kansas. Meyer's Ads Win Honorable Mention (Mr. Meyer's four-year campaign for reliability and truthfulness in advertising receives well earned recognition.) THE THEATRE, Exhibitors Herald. — For more than four years this theatre has endeavored to build up a reputation for utmost reliability, good-will and truthful advertising. Therefore it was most gratifying, indeed, when our local papers yesterday came out with the following news story: "at the annual award of the advertising TROPHY HONORABLE MENTION WAS GIVEN to the Palace theatre for truth in advertising." This is about the highest endorsement that it is possible for us to get from the local Advertising Club, which is associated with the Associated Advertising Clubs of the World. — F. S. Meyer, Palace theatre, Hamilton, Ohio. Stevens Boosts B. O. Receipts and Benefits THE THEATRE. Exhibitors Herald. — The most profitable stunt I have ever seen put over is to get clubs, lodges and societies, as the ladies of the churches, to sell tickets. Give them fifty per cent of all the tickets they sell. We put on the show and furnish the tickets ; they are not at any expense except their time. The only restrictions put on them is that they are not to sell after box office opens. They always sell to people who are not patrons and it brings us a very nice business.. Run the show two nights. — Ira Stevens, Whynot theatre, Greenfield, Ind. Falton Builds Weak Night THE THEATRE, Exhibitors Herald. — My Wednesday night was a complete failure until we started to run pictures more up to date. Now Wednesday is the best night in the week. I run quite a few benefits for different organizations in town and find that they create a nice atmosphere of friendship. Business, in my opinion, is only held up by giving them the best all the time.— J. G. Falton, Auditorium theatre, Barrington, 111. News of the Week In the Theatre (Concluded from preceding page.) progression from the complexity of the unique to the simplicity of the standard. More and more are theatre publications conforming to the style and method of operation in vogue among purely commercial publications and newspapers. Other house organs will be analyzed in similar manner in future issues. C. Sharpe Minor At McVickers C. Sharpe Minor, said to be the originator of the present day mode of theatre organ entertainment, is giving a four weeks' "season" at McVickers theatre, Chicago. On March 9th he gave the first Sunday noon concert offered by that playhouse. He also gives two of his specialties on each program. Write for This One For a well ordered and novel monthly program that will give an insight into printing possibilities, write to Harry Pace, Rialto theatre, Pocahontas, la. His is a four page folder, printed in gold on colored stock, not the most readily read combination but so well done as to compensate for effort involved. In writing for this and other house organs it is a good idea to enclose postage, not that request for a simple copy imposes hardship but that a thousand such does. Chain Space Popular In practice, chain space for the advertisement of attractions at chain theatres seems profitable. Balaban & Katz, always heretofore followers of the unit space system, have gone over to the more general custom. The copy for the Chicago, Tivoli, Riviera, Central Park and Roosevelt theatres now is appearing together under the firm signature. Offhand it would seem that a wider reading might be obtained from separate ads, but in view of the general adoption of the chain space method it is probably as well to follow suit forthwith and save the expense and inconvenience of experimentation. Interesting Comparison Interesting comparison of short subject and feature picture production, with bearing upon exhibition and exploitation, is made this week in the "Short Subjects" department. Practical showmen may find it interesting. Meyer Policy Proves Out Fred S. Meyer's advertising policy, the subject of frequent comment in this department, is best expressed, as has been noted previously, in the terms of the old adage, "Honesty is the' best policy.' While there never has been a question as to the soundness of this code, it is gratifying to learn that, as his letter this week states, he was honorably mentioned by the local branch of the Associated Advertising Clubs of America for truth in advertising. That this honor should come to a theatrical advertiser is significant of the progress made since the advent of the motion picture. These things didn't happen in the old days, when circus precedent made it seem the proper thing to promise always more than was given. The change from this condition is something about which the whole of the motion picture industry should rejoice. Checks Programs Over Radio H. Leopold Spitalny, McVickers theatre musical director, has installed in his dressing room, reports a scout, a radio receiver which enables him to listen in on the musical programs of such theatres over the radio as broadcast their performances. Thus he is enabled to know what is being done musically in other first grade theatres and to govern his musical programs accordingly. Pantomime Is Best Prologue For a number of reasons, pantomime is the obvious form for the picture prologue. Unhappily, it is the least popular among prologue producers. This condition is not in keeping with public preference as indicated in appreciation signified when pantomimic presentation is used. Last week McVickers theatre staged a silhouette pantomine with music that just about typifies the ideal. Two dancers and two musicians were seen in silhouette behind a yellow screen. "Lessons of the Minuet" was the title of the thing and as the musicians played the dancers performed the measures of that venerable exercise. It was simple, artistic, pleasant, and it was roundly applauded, its reception heavily outweighing that accorded Eva Shirley, of Orpheum time, and her jazz band, another stage feature. Somehow, the majority of prologue makers seem to forget that the picture audience is an eye audience, that it has come to see, primarily, and that whatever it may hear it has become accustomed to accept as supplemental. Naturally, in view of these facts, the pantomime, which is less unlike the motion picture than is any other form of entertainment, gives best results. In addition, it is, at present at least, the uncommon, and the uncommon always has its advantages. Very Bad Medicine A news dispatch tells of theatre men in the Albany territory cutting down the man power of their orchestras in anticipation of the approaching season. It is pretty early to adopt such methods, even were they advisable at any time, so it will not be long, probably, until the pruning knife begins to hack at the picture program itself. A very thin line divides, sometimes, the judicious and the foolhardy. Economy represents fear as often as it does good judgment, probably more often, and courage has always been and always will be a very necessary quality in business.