Motion Picture News (Jul-Oct 1915)

July 31, 1915. MOTION PICTURE NEWS 57 f 3iHiiiiiiiiuiniuiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiliiitiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiililiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin i imftiiiniimmimlhiiiiiiiiiiftii iim EDITOR'S NOTE. — It is the desire of "Motion Picture News" to include under this heading novel advertising ideas, successful schemes in the management, decoration and equipment of the theatre— everything, in fact, done by the exhibitor to stimulate his trade. L ; We invite every exhibitor to write us about any new enterprise he has; also to come to us for advice or information along any line. Address: Editor, "Motion Picture News," 220 West Forty-second Street, New York City bourne. The bank charged nothing for the loan of the money and the merchant was glad to furnish a window that would attract such attention to his store. The only cost to the Melbourne theatre was the salary of a guard to protect the money. At Des Moines, Iowa, Mr. Hytower, manager of the Royal theatre, bolstered up his matinee business considerably by arranging with a large local bakery to wrap a coupon with every loaf of bread. This coupon was good for one free admission to the matinee performance of "The Diamond from the Sky." The coupons thus distributed brought hundreds of other people to the theatre to .see the photoplay. In many cases entire families came, using the coupon to ijdmit one member and buying tickets for the others. The Royal theatre opens at 10:30 a. m. At noon on the day this plan was put in use the house was full and all expenses for the day were paid. "DIAMOND FROM SKY" STIMULATES EXHIBITORS TO CREATION OF NOVEL PUBLICITY STUNTS IN all parts of the country exhibitors are demonstrating the value of unique advertising methods to increase box office receipts. From Lawton, Okla., comes word of a novel plan used by W. C. Wood, manager of the Met theatre. Every Wednesday, the day on which the Met theatre runs "The Diamond from the Sky," Mr. Wood parades a wagonload of school children through the streets of Lawton. The wagon is elaborately decorated with bunting and large banners announcing that "The Diamond from the Sky" is appearing that day at the Met theatre. The children are piled high up on a flight of stairs which were built onto the wagon and in each one of the urchins' hands is a large flag. The wagon is drawn by two horses that have been decorated with flags and bunting. The combined effect is that of a huge animated float and attracts considerable attention. The happy youngsters are glad to serve in order to get the ride, and, of course, Manager Woods accepts them as guests at the Met theatre after the day's ride. The five hundred seats at the Met are inadequate to handle the tremendous crowds which the float attracts and the Met box office shows the result at the end of the day. Another story of novel advertising comes from Tacoma, Wash. The manager of the Melbourne theatre there, on booking "The Diamond from the Sky" and knowing of the $10,000 cash prize which is being offered for a sequel to this photoplay, went to his bank and asked for the loan of $10,000 in gold pieces. The ioan was granted and an arrangement was made with a store on the main street to furnish a show window into which the $10,000 in gold was placed. The coins were spread thickly throughout the window and signs were displayed everywhere telling the public that any man, woman or child had a chance to earn this money by writing a simple suggestion in 1,000 words or less, which could be used as a sequel to "The Diamond from the Sky." The signs also explained that the Melbourne theatre was showing "The Diamond from the Sky" every Friday. The window full of gold pieces attracted considerable attention and resulted in packed houses for the Mel In Ottumwa, Iowa, Mr. Silvers, manager of the Strand theatre, has built a large electric flasher sign to advertise "The Diamond from the Sky" by using the regular twelve-foot cloth banner and building a flasher box to hold it. From another Iowa exhibitor comes the story of unique advertising. A float was built to carry large signs explaining that "The Diamond from the Sky" was being shown that day at the Princess and Royal theatres. The float was made especially top heavy and was driven down the principal thoroughfare. When a strategic point was reached the driver moved to one side of the float and the wind completely capsized it, causing a tremendous crowd to congregate. It took hours to right the float and during this time the busy corner accumulated enough humans to make the greatest movie mob scene seem small. The advertising value of this was further enhanced by distributing facsimile $10,000 checks throughout the crowd which urged everybody to see "The Diamond from the Sky." FLOWER DAY PROVES POPULAR IN CHATTANOOGA IN line with the progressive policy of the Alcazar motion picture theatre, Chattanooga, Tenn., whose motto is "Always in the Lead," Manager Frank H. Dowling, Jr., has inaugurated a novel advertising scheme. Monday has been set aside as "flower day" at the Alcazar and every Monday hereafter each lady attending the theatre will receive a beautiful rose, carnation, or other flower. A weekly entitled "Chattanooga's Motion Picture Review" is being published by the Lyric company, which controls the Alcazar. It is an attractive publication filled with live motion picture news and containing lists of future bookings of the theatre. Ruth D. Evans is the editor. little stage. Several of the ideas of the manager were gained by traveling about and seeing the best houses. The extensive lobby, the use of the back wall and the little stage were ideas Winn found in Motion Picture News. The little stage, he points out, is of great aid should a church or other community organization wish to give an entertainment. Mr. Winn believes it is to the advantage of the motion picture exhibitor to join with these community organizations in public entertainments, as it is a highly desirable form of advertisement. EXHIBITOR GETS SUGGESTION FROM "NEWS" WHEN C. B. Winn opened the New Hamilton theatre at Fortieth and Hamilton streets, Omaha, Neb., he gave to the public one of the best equipped and attractive houses in the city. The theatre has 514 seats, uses the Mutual service, has indirect lights, a lobby fifty feet wide and fifty feet deep, uses the back wall for a curtain and has a neat THE NEXT "REEL" TO "FOLLOW" (ALMOST) "IMMEDIATELY" MANAGER HARRY COWDROY, of Elite No. 2 in Omaha, Neb., aroused the curiosity of every passer by his place when a life-sized picture of a man's trousered leg was shown in front of his place. The next day the second leg appeared, the third day the body, the fourth day an arm, the fifth day another arm, and the sixth day the head of Charley Chaplin. By the sixth day everybody's curiosity was aroused, and the advertising scheme was a glorious success, a larger crowd than usual turning out to see the new Chaplin picture.