The Moving picture world (November 1923-December 1923)

702 MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 22, 1923 A Successful Fight Against Competition Frank H. Burns, exploitation man for the Beacham Theatre, Orlando, Fla., had a real fight on his hands when they came to play Jackie Coogan in Circus Days. There was a real circus booked in, for the tent shows are still able to play away down south, and the Shriners were going to hold a Ceremonial Session and a Shrine session is a two or three day circus, as a rule, in that section. Between the two it looked as though it would take a lot of fighting to get them in. It did, but they came, and held the business up. Without competition the chances are that all records would have been left so far behind they never could catch up. Manager of Theatres H. B. Vincent started in for press stories several weeks in advance and the week before the opening the two of them took off their vests and started in to fight. Three clowns were hired and cruised around town for ten days on a bannered truck. The banner was so loud that the horn could be dispensed with. One thousand small bags were printed up with circus talk, and these were thrown out around the schools and on the business streets. The bags were too small to hold many peanuts, but at that they were not much smaller than the circus variety. A candy store was landed on the idea that candy was needed to make circus days complete, and a toy store gave up a window large enough to contain a 24-sheet as a background for toys. They took extra large newspaper spaces to announce that all toy purchases of fifty cents or more would carry a tic et to the attraction. Christmas shopping was never before done so early in Orlando. The tickets were singles and most of them brought in one or more paid admissions. For ten days the toy department was crowded all day while others gaped at the window, the largest display ever gained in Orlando. The clowns of course worked the streets during the Shrine parade and a couple of days later they went up and down along the line of the circus parade, tossing out peanuts to the waiting crowds and then tailed the actual circus parade. Business was close to the top, but did not hit the hightst mark. Mr. Burns says that if any exhibitor will use the same energy without too great a competition he can hang up a marc that will show the capacity of the house to its limit. This is the cheapest big stunt that has been recorded on this picture. A Warner Brothers Relcas A REGULAR DOG SHOW IN AN ALTOONA IOBBY An effective design planned by the Strand Theatre, Altoona. Pa., for Where the North Begins, in which Rin-tin-tin, the police dog is featured. The combination of cutouts with real foliage for a banner is the chief point of interest in this display. Now It's Gang Club Utilizing the novelty hats supplied by Pathe on Our Gang comedies, the James Theatre, Columbus, Ohio, staged a parade of length and explosiveness to put over the showing of their first release of this series. Children attending the theatre the week before were given the hats and a card stating that if they would meet at a certain corner the following Saturday morning they would be conducted to the theatre to witness the first showing. The de Molay Boys' Band was hired to supply the music, and you could hear them some of the time, though for the greater part the whoops of the excited youngsters drowned out the band. The wearing of the hat was essential, but a man was stationed at the rendezvous to supply those who had come unprepared. itioncl Uele se THREE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE CAMPAIGN ON CIRCUS DAYS IN ORLANDO, FLA. H. B. Vncent, manager, and Frank H. Burns, publicity, fought a real circus and a Shrine Ceremonial with exploitation that held up business in the face of strong counter attractions. The three clowns were hired by the week and did more than any one feature to put it over. The window backed by a 24-sheet was in a toy »tore which gave a ticket to the show with each toy purchase.