The Moving picture world (January 1924-February 1924)

January 19, 1924 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 211 Urged Bachelors to Explain Immunity Putting on Woman Proof at the Howard Theatre, Atlanta, Raymond B. Jones, publicity director for Howard Price Kingsmore, made the bachelors give him a big boost. He gave the Journal $50 to be used as prizes in a symposium in which bachelors told how they retained their freedom. The motivation was the fact that in spite of the title Tom Meighan was not woman proof in the play, and the Journal wanted to know how the local luckies had managed to escape the mantraps. The offer brought out some surprisingly good letters and gave four or five days of capital publicity. Another stunt was the milk bottle hanger, the card telling that the milk was germproof but that Meighan was not really woman proof. Additional matter told that for perfect health you had to drink the advertised milk and for perfect entertainment go to the Howard. Painted Landscapes with Cuban Motifs Tropical landscapes and foliage in cutout and water color on the panels and doors of the Royal Theatre, Victoria, B. C, did much to help over Barthlemess in The Bright Shawl. The management finds that a neat and artistic lobby dress such as this adds to its clientele a large number of discriminating who would pass with a shudder a garish display, and while this style of lobby is more expensive, it brings results well worth the cost. The doors, it will be noted, are draped with foliage cutouts while the panels in between show paintings of Cuban scenes, the side walls being latticed into additional panels. In the case of The Bright Shawl there was a further decoration of swords and sombrero. The painting at the top is permanent and not related to the picture, but it worked in well with most of these landscape displays. A Goldwyn Release A DUGOUT IS A RELIEF FROM THE CASTLE FRONT LOBBY This was planned by Thomas Nickelson, of the Crescent Theatre, Austin, Texas, and he says that it matched the idea of Six Days and dug out a lot of money that went into the box office. Mr. Nickelson seems to have a fund of good ideas. Watch him. A De Lux Showing Is Help to Ashes Putting "everything" into a pre-showing was one of the stunts of the Liberty Theatre, Kansas City. Amusement business has been poor in Kansas City lately and it was felt that if Ashes of Vengance was to bring in the rental it would be necessary to put it over with a kick. A special showing was given in the Peacock Hotel to the Writers' Guild, the Missouri Historical Society and the Women's City Club. The pupils of a local dancing teacher gave a minuet as a prologue to the filming and luncheon was served at the conclusion of the film. At each cover was a report card to which was attached a bright penny with the line "A penny for your thoughts." This brought a full return on the opinion cards, which was used to sell the idea to the general public. On the theatre front the usual electric sign was supplemented by a 30 foot cutout, which brought the display to the level of the sixth floor and made it visible for blocks up and down the street. Special Traffic Cop Special officers are not rare around theatres. Most large houses have a special, but Howard Price Kingsmore, of the Howard Theatre, Atlanta, worked a new idea. He persuaded the police officials that the Howard, which is in the middle of the block, needed a special traffic officer, and he got permission to put one on, selecting a man from the returned list of the Atlanta force. He pays the salary, but the man has the usual police powers. ■ He is on duty during show hours and not only directs traffic but guides pedestrians across the street and sees to it that the parked cars of patrons do not infringe the local ordinances. A First National Release A LITTLE BIT OF CUBA ON VANCOUVER ISLAND The Royal Theatre, Victoria, B. C, finds this style of lobby, changed to meet the locale of the current release, a decidedly good seller. It costs a little money, but they have a clever staff artist and the appeal to the better classes pays for itself. Made It Three When he was given a string of NormaOmar, etc., pearls to help advertise Ashes of Vengeance, Sid Lawrence, of the Regent Theatre, Grand Rapids, decided that a popularity contest would probably bring him the most interest. Apparently it did. The stunt got so much attention that it outgrew a single string and Lawrence bought two smaller strings for second and third prizes. He got the original string for helping a local store get rid of a purchase of one thousand strings for the Christmas trade. The many aliased pearls are almost a joke.