Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

78 Motion Picture News October 11. 1930 MANAGE!?!' ROUND TABLE CLUB ^ It's too bad that we have to Klovd L Bell IS introduce him to you without __ _ ,,." t-. his picture, but we hope that NOW Telling DOStOn he will remedy this with his About Metropolitan g* aSf-fed "l^bS =^ publicity director for the Metropolitan Theatre in Boston, Mass. Bell is handling the job held by Harry Browning and he is sure stepping on the gas and getting out some good work. Like his predecessor, there is nothing going on around Boston in which he doesn't have a hand. If a new store opens, and it is of sufficient interest to tie in the Met, he is right on hand. He proved this in the case of the opening of the New Manger Hotel. He arranged to have a number of the artists appearing in the current stage show register at the hotel on the opening day. Among those registering were Senator Murphy and Alice Weaver, featured in the revue, in addition to Esther Newcombe, one of the organists at the house. The picture which we are showing here crashed all of the Boston Sunday papers. The Manger Hotel displayed a special sign in the lobby calling the attention of the guests and the sightseers to the attraction playing at the theatre. One of the many reasons for the continued good business at the Met may be seen in the other photo we are reproducing which shows the crowd of patrons taking advantage of the free dancing which the theatre offers. This angle has caught on like wildfire in Boston and has proven to be one of the best good-will builders that the theatre has ever had. You will notice, in the background, that they have a rather large orchestra, too. How about you getting set and offering free dancing? If you have the space, all you need is a victrola, and a usher to wind it. Or maybe you can promote a local band to supply the music. There are possibilities. Look 'em over. We want to thank Mr. Bell for the interest he is showing in the Club and we hope that the photo will be forthcoming with his future efforts. What do you say, Floyd? A stunt that had his town Peelino Potatoes On talking was that utilized by .reeling r-or.ar.oes> \ji\ Frank j Miller manager of Sidewalk A Plug For the Imperial Theatre in Au «a i. j > tit »> gusta, Ga., to plug his show Anybody S War fng 'of "Anybody's War," when he hired a man to sit on the sidewalk and peel potatoes. In order to use this stunt Miller found it necessary to secure permission from the city official to use a certain portion of the sidewalk in a busy downtown section, and, since the moguls Torrid Ted Toddy! His many friends will no doubt be glad to know that the whirlwind exploiter, Ted Toddy, now exploiting pictures for Columbia is all set to open with a new picture, in Pittsburgh, Pa. It seems to us that the "Smoky City" will have to go some to keep up with the smoke Ted makes when he starts to sell his goods, because with the background of theatrical training that he has had, he knows his stuff. For a number of years he was connected with theatre operation, so he is well informed on the managerial end of the racket too. Good luck, Ted. BACKGAMMON -! The present craze for the good old-fashioned game of Backgammon offers many interesting possibilities for live-wire showmen. You, no doubt, recall the many fine angles which propped up during the Mah Jongg era, not so many years ago, so why not cash in on this one? Besides sponsoring Backgammon on your mezzanine or foyer, where you can set up a dozen tables and games, furnished by a local toy shop, you can promote contests with all sorts of donations from the various merchants in town. Then again, you might try giving some of the sets away. Fine co-operation is being offered by the manufacturers of this popular pastime and a talk with the toy department in the stores will reveal dozens of ways to capitalize on what they are all talking about right now. As a timely suggestion it is worth looking into. readily agreed it may be seen that something must be thought of Miller in the town. A restaurant was tied in on the stunt and they agreed to buy all the potatoes, that the man peeled. The colored man was actually surrounded with heaps of potatoes similar to the scene from the picture. To make the stunt more effective, the negro had a lazy way about him when peeling the potatoes — much to the delight of his many on-lookers — wondering if he ever hoped to complete the job. Stationed here and there among the huge pile of potatoes were stills from the picture and neatly-lettered cards giving >ales copy about picture, stars, theatre and playdates. The stunt was one of the biggest pulled in the city in so far as interest was concerned. As evidence that the stunt pulled, the three-day run of the picture was extended for two days longer to permit all the people to see the picture that wanted to. And when extended runs are the order of the day, we know that Miller is a showman who knows his business. We want to hear more of your work. Frank, so keep in touch with us. A lobby display that caused Monkey Business no end of comment was used x _ . j .IT, by used by George B. Irwin, In iLVldenCe When at the Paramount Theatre in Trwin PiiIIpH Oa? St. Cloud recently to sell "Ani irwin runea uag mal Crackers to the resi. dents. Foremost among the lobby display exhibits was a monkey in a gilded cage. A card was on the cage, reading "This is one of the man-killing animals that Groucho Marx hunted in Africa. See these nuts, that made lunacy a pleasure in ANIMAL CRACKERS, Sept. 9-10-11." This monkey kept a throng about him every afternoon and evening during the week. During run of picture, a very small leopard cub was obtained and this animal was also put on exhibition in a cage in the lobby to attract more attention. The lobby also showed a number of chairs suspended from the ceiling — hung in zigzag shape to give the impression that the picture was as dizzy and nutty as it was advertised to be. And in another part of the lobby was a palm tree with a cutout of one of the Marx Bros, underneath. Copy on a card alongside this cut-out read, "The nuts of COCOANUTS— The wise-crackers of ANIMAL CRACKERS, etc." The entire lobby exhibit was obtained at no cost to the theatre and certainly proved an excellent medium in popularizing the picture. Listen, George, we understand from a friend of yours that you are turning out some great work at the Paramount. Why not pass some more of it along to us. Let's have some photos of your lobby displays, and when you send them in, include one of yourself, together with a little note telling of your career. Oke? The monkey, incidentally, was promoted from a local dealer, who willingly agreed to let him cavort about the theatre lobby during the run of the picture, in return for a credit line. Plenty of hilarity was occasioned by the antics of the African anthropoid with the theatre box-office getting the last laugh.