Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

October 11. 1Q SO Motion Picture News 73 MANAGER!' ROUND TABLE CLUB DAVE BORLAND TRANSFERRED! As a reward for the excellent work which he turned out while he managed the Metropolitan Theatre in Regina, Sas., Canada, Dave Borland has been appointed to the managership of the new Capitol Theatre in Rossland, B. C. He is succeeded at the Metropolitan by Ernie Petch, former stage actor and manager, who is well versed in the game. Borland is well known to the rest of the Club, his many activities having been often presented on our pages. We are sure that in his new position he is going to turn out some more of the showmanship that characterized his work in Regina. Some Showmanlike Work Is Displayed In Des Moines, la. Those two live-wire showmen, Moore and Crossman, manager and publicity director, respectively, of the Paramount Theatre in Des Moines, Iowa, certainly see to it that the house is represented in every way possible when they plug a picture. Recently the Duncan Sisters played an engagement at the theatre, and Grossman capitalized upon the black eye one of the girls received from Rex Lease, a motion picture actor. Benny Bass, junior light-weight champion of the world, was training in Des Moines, and so Grossman conceived the idea of putting the Duncan Sisters in the ring with Bass, and taking a picture of the trio, which broke in a three-column cut in the Register-Tribune, under a caption which explained that Vivian Duncan was getting some pointers on how to protect herself from the warring male. This manufactured news was so good that the Des Moines Register-Tribune received requests from several syndicates for the photo. FOUR SMART ADVTS Here is a group of four unusually attraticve newspaper ads, available in mat form to theatres playing this attraction. There is a decided trend among all live-wire showmen to improve their newspaper advertising and surround it with the same beauty and dignity which features the better class house advertising in the larger towns. These four ads. which we believe were created for use originally at the Warner Bros. Hollywood Theatre on the Coast, have a combination of attractive layouts as well as easy reading text. At any rate it doesn't cost you anything to make a study of them and possibly when you run this picture, you will be glad to use these mats. The Des Moines paper tipped Grossman off that an aunt of the Duncan Sisters lived in Stuart, Iowa, 45 miles from Des Moines. Grossman hopped in a car and with a newspaper photographer drove to Stuart and arranged for the aunt to invite the Duncan Sisters to a country midnight dinner. The photographer took pictures of the aunt, which broke in the papers the next morning. The press was declared in on the midnight dinner given in the country to the Duncan Sisters, and the result was a 600-word signed story. When Manager Willard Moore informed his publicity man that "A Non-stop Flight" would be the title of next week's stage show, Grossman started promoting things from the Yellow Cab Airways, who have an airport in Des Moines. Before he was through, he had 20 free airplane rides promoted, which were given away on four successive nights at the theatre. The Yellow Cab Airways assumed all responsibility in case of accident, thus protecting the theatre. The Airways company paid for 1,500 tickets which were distributed to patrons as they entered the theatre by two boys in flying togs. An air show was arranged on the mezzanine of the theatre, consisting of airplane motors, wings at various stages of development, airplane cameras, etc. As an advance advertising feature, the airways concern lent the theatre a 24-foot silk parachute, which was attached to the ceiling by wires. A dummy was suspended from the chute, carrying a compo board sign advertising next week's stage show and the free airplane rides to be given away at the theatre. Plenty of comment was reported all over the town and the theatre in this way came in for word-of-mouth publicity of the finest sort. We understand that some excellent showmanship is being displayed out at the Paramount. So when we receive their next contribution we hope that these two showmen will include their photos and some dope on themselves. Jacob Managed To Put Over One Stunt Anyway On His Show Due to a change of bookings. A. M. Jacob, manager of the Istrione Theatre, Jackson, Miss, was confronted with adequately advertising his new feature — "Those Who Dance." =—-^^^^^—^^^—————^^— Since the feature picture was to be shipped by aeroplane, he arranged with the staff photographer of the local newspaper to shoot the plane upon its arrival — the picture showing the can of film being delivered to the theatre manager. The caption of the picture in the newspaper was, "Here comes THOSE WHO DANCE" and underneath the picture was a detailed description of what it was all about. The plane arrived about the middle of the afternoon and the picture of the plane, film and theatre manager was in the evening edition of the paper, all of which helped to advertise the picture. The residents of the town had not seen such fast showmanship displayed in some time and they more than perked up their interest in the film at the local house — all of which meant good business during the playdates. And that was fast thinking showmanship. Many other managers have had this happen to them, too. And sometimes it happened that they weren't able to get much publicity, though what they did get was valuable. As this little account marks Mr. Jacob's introduction on our pages we hope to hear more from him soon, regarding what else he is doing to sell them. What do you say, A. M."? IRVING MACK Says: "/ want to tell you that although I am not an exhibitor I read every word of your ROUND TABLE section. In fact I read that part of the book first and I think that any exhibitor who passes up reading that section is passing up a good bet. President, Filmac Company, Chicago, Illinois.