Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1929)

48 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD October 5, 1929 Electrical Displays Are Only One Feature In B&K "Radio Revue" Campaign T N developing their recent "Radio Revue of 1929" at the Chicago theatre, Balaban & Katz employed a wider range of exploitation than for any other one week's show in their history. A daily newspaper contest, a special 16 page Sunday supplement, a week's use of two radio stations, the cooperation of 24 manufacturers of radio machines, and the largest electrical signs the loop ever saw, were used to attract business to the theatre. For the first time the Chicago theatre's lobby was given over to a tieup with the stasje, the entire mezzanine floor of the main lobby being devoted to a display of radios, each of the 24 interested manufacturers having a specially decorated booth. Advance Lobby Display For a week previous to the showing this lobby was dominated by a gigantic sign, artistically constructed of two radio towers with lightning strokes playing from towertip to tower-tip, while across these beams in brighter lights and flashing alternately with the lightning was placed a large sign "Radio Revue" and over it "Friday." Two weeks before the event the Chicago Herald and Examiner began advertising in its columns and over the air from its two stations KYW and KFKX a contest by which the listeners of the stations could vote on which radio artists they most wanted to see on the stage. Some 120,000 votes were sent in due to the daily plug in the paper and the 36 daily announcements over the air. Ted Fio-Rito, Nubs Allen and Wynken, Blynken & Nod were the station' artists selected and began at once rehearsing in the theatre's production. Tieups and Marquee Display Meanwhile all the song publishers in town were advertising the event in their windows on song shops and in all department stores where sheet music is sold. Windows were obtained in some 65 radio shops advertising the records of songs that were to be used in the "Revue." On the day that the "Revue" began on the stage, the lobby was opened for the exhibition of new radio models, the immense "Radio Revue" electrical display was changed as to its lettering but maintained as to its display. Meanwhile on the canopy commanding State Street both ways, was erected a larger duplicate of the lobby sign, while under the canopy was displayed a series of transparencies in the form of lightning strokes, each bearing the name of some one of the stage acts, and all striking into a central transparency which flashed "Radio Revue" like lightning strokes. Atmosphere Stage Show The result of the whole was more color, movement and light than probably any Chicago theatre had shown before, both inside and out. Psychologically the effect was interesting in that from the moment that a patron saw the signs, several blocks away from the theatre up to the moment that he took his seat he was in the atmosphere, of radio and of entertainment. While buying his ticket he was surrounded by the jumping, flashing lights, and as he entered the lobby this same effect continued. Three special stage settings, one of which showed the mythical television apparatus by which Mars and the Earth exchange programs, was ingenious in the extreme, the stage being filled with machinery upon which strange human beings moving like so many "robots" or mechanical men, kept time to the movement of gigantic wheels and drivers. Canadian Exhibitors Active in Community Benefit Fund Drives Joe Franklin, manager of B. F. Keith's theatre, Ottawa, gave evidence of his community spirit no less than three times during one week. First he staged a benefit for the Palestine Relief Fund; then assisted in the organization of a financial drive for the Ottawa Humane Society, of which he is a director, and, thirdly, performed co-operative work for the Rotary Club. Manager Ray Tubman of the Regent also presented a Palestine Relief performance, as well as a community show in aid of the Kiwanis Club boys work fund. P. J. Nolan, proprietor of the Avalon, gave a similar benefit performance for the Kiwanis Club. No less than 32 recording companies will record these songs for release to their dealers and it is assured that they will receive the widest possible distribution. All of the new productions such as "Footlights and Fools," starring Colleen Moore, "Paris," starring Irene Bordoni, and "Sally," starring Marilyn Miller are well supplied with musical numbers certain to attract the public. These numbers have been adapted to all types of presentation, orchestra, dance, vocal or organ. The Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company has recorded "My Song of the Nile," the "Drag" theme number; "Smiling Irish Eyes" from the picture of the same title starring Colleen Moore and "Wishing and Waiting for Love" from "Broadway Babies." The Cameo Record Corporation and the Columbia Phonograph Company, Inc., are also handling these numbers. The Compo Company, Ltd., of Canada is issuing "Song of the Nile," "Wishing and Waiting for Love" from "Broadway Babies." The Cameo Record Corporation and the Columbia Phonograph Company, Inc., are also handling these numbers. The Compo Company, Ltd. of Canada issuing "Song of the Nile," "Wishing and Waiting for Love," "Broadway Baby Dolls," "Smiling Irish Eyes," "Lady Divine" from "The Divine Lady," "Gypsy Charmer," from "The Squall" and "I Love You, I Hate You" from "Careers." BIG CHICAGO THEATER 1929 RADIO REVUE PACKS HOUSE The front page of a 16 page Sunday mpplement in the Chicago Herald-Examiner in which 24 radio manufacturers, cooperated in putting over B & K's "Radio Revue" and radio show, staged on the mezzanine floor of the Chicago theatre. Radio station tieups, electrical displays and a stage sliow with radio artists put over one of the biggest weeks in the history of the theatre. The New York Recording Laboratory, the Okeh Phonograph Company, the Plaza Music Company, the Velvetone Record Corporation, and the Victor Talking Machine Company are among the other big record manufacturers plugging the First National song hits. Another source of wide publicity is found in the recording of songs by the piano player roll companies. The Atlas Player Roll, the Aeolian Company, the Ampico Corp., the Capitol Roll and Record Company, the International Player Roll Company, the Paramount Music Roll Company, the Pianostyle Music Company, the Mills Novelty Company, the Rolmonica Music Company and the Wurlitzer Manufacturing Company are featuring theme songs from the new First National pictures in their Fall and Winter catalogues. Colored Balloon Shower Makes Broadway Look Up Broadway got a drenching of colored balloons that caused considerable attention to be paid the Warner Brothers' "Gold Diggers of Broadway," playing at the Winter Garden theatre To exploit this picture, thousands of colored balloons were dropped from the top of the theatre. Each balloon carried this message : "Hear 'Painting the Clouds with Sunshine' in the 'Gold Diggers of Broadway' at the Winter Garden." When Receipts Are Not B. O. Receipts? Here's one method of making certain that money invested in printing bills is utilized. The management of the Mission theatre, Shawnee, Kan., advertises that it will admit all persons free at the end of the month who save each printed program that is printed during the month. The program changes three times weekly. FN Will Exploit Theme Songs With Records and Piano Rolls First National has arranged a tieup whereby the theme songs of each of their pictures will be exploited by leading record and piano roll manufacturers. Close working arrangements have been made and the release of the song3 will be made at a time when this publicity will be most helpful to exhibitors.