Motography (Jan-Jun 1918)

February 16, 1918. MOTOGRAPHY 335 Fills House by Use of "Telegrams' Manager King of Bijou in Brunswick, Ga., Uses Novel Publicity Scheme for "Baby Mine" <COABY MINE" registered a decided 1— ' hit last week at the Bijou Theater, Brunswick, Ga.; and for three good reasons: First, because it is "Baby has time and again enlivened motion picture circles in his city, had intended to send to all Brunswick playgoers telegrams signed Madge Kennedy asking Officers of the Associated Theaters, Inc., the new Chicago booking corporation. Center — President Joseph Hopp. Top — left, Treasurer William E. Heaney; right, Secretary W. D. Burford. Bottom — left, Auditor John Bobeng; right, Vice-president Harry C.Miller. Mine;" second, because of the charm of Madge Kennedy, and third — what proved to be an even more important factor — an enterprising showman's ingenious way of getting the prepossessing Goldwyn star in direct and swift touch with Brunswick's motion picture devotees via "wire." Manager H. M. King, Jr., whose penchant for original publicity stunts them to come and see her at the Bijou. But a conscientious Western Union official frustrated this plan. Nothing daunted, Mr. King got put his own "telegrams." Here's the telegram. It stirred all Brunswick and kept the Bijou thronged during the entire engagement: SOUTHEASTERN TELEGRAM BRUNSWICK, JANUARY 17 DON'T FAIL TO SEE ME AT MY BEST TODAY AT BIJOU IN BABY MINE. MOST AMUSING COMEDY. DRAMA EVER ARRANGED FOR THE SCREEN. MADGE KENNEDY On the morning before the opening, Mr. King assembled forty boys at the theater and after instructing them in detail sent them to distribute the "telegrams." Before nightfall the Bijou manager had 3,000 signed receipts. "It got by without being detected until read in almost every instance," said Mr. King. "It was therefore a direct appeal and the result was most gratifying." Ever on the alert, Mr. King is now paving the way for the engagement of "Thais," starring Mary Garden, by distributing little envelopes containing Mary Garden sachet at the theater and from several of Brunswick's big stores. "Intelligent advertising is the life of ■this business," declares Mr. King. Crandall Gets New House In addition to the Metropolitan Theater at Washington, D. C, Harry M. Crandall, B. and R. W. Bulkley and A. E. Beitzell have bought outright the new Knickerbocker at Eighteenth street and Columbia road, Tucker K. Sands, Fred S. Swindell and A. Muehleisen relinquishing their interests. The Knickerbocker will be conducted as one of the Crandall chain. "The addition of the Knickerbocker and Metropolitan theaters augments and properly cements the Crandall circuit," said Mr. Crandall, "and gives me one of the strongest chains of motion picture houses in the country. Each and every one of these theaters is a represenative house and is absolutely owned by myself and my associates. The Crandall Theater Company is not a mere booking organization ; it absolutely controls every house booked by it. "The Metropolitan, the Knickerbocker and Crandall's give me three fine first class first run theaters, enabling me to stage and play any motion picture production, no matter how mammoth it might be, and in the various neighborhoods of the city I control the largest and finest theaters in the Savoy, the Avenue Grand, the Apollo and the American." In addition to his duties as managing director and president of Crandall's circuit, Mr. Crandall finds time to take an active interest in film affairs generally. He is president of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of the District of Columbia, director of the American Exhibitors' Association of New York, district chairman of the National War Co-operation Commission recently established by President Wilson, president of the Exhibitors' Film Exchange of Washington, and is interested in the recently formed Allied Exhibitors' Circuit.