The Moving picture world (January 1925-February 1925)

February 21, 1925 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 779 A First National Release HERE'S ANOTHER GALLEASE WITH FOUR WHEEL BRAKES Thit perambulating pirate was made for the Empress* Theatre, Owensboro, Ky., and after a two days' cruise around the streets it was parked in the lobby for the days of the run. It helped to make unusual business for a three-day session Nice Appreciation Helps This Program D. M. Bain, who used to send in a weekly hint on hook-up pages when he was with the Wells houses in Wilmington, N. G, has moved over to Henderson, N. C, where he i is holding down a desk in the Capitol TheaI tre. He writes he is going to shoot some stuff presently. Meanwhile he sends in a program of the I sister house in Raleigh, for which he wrote the appreciation on the first anniversary. Perhaps the copy will help you on your next birthday. Here it is : One year ago we entered the theatrical field in Raleigh with a deep sense of the responsibility we thereupon incurred; a responsibility to the fathers, the mothers, the children; a responsibility to the educational and religious institutions of Raleigh; a responsibility to those sterling civic organizations who are daily evolving the process of creating the new and greater Raleigh; a responsibility to every citizen of this city. We realize that it is not customary to think of the theatre as an institution with a responsibility, but history shows that amusements without responsibility have passed, after brief popularity, into the discard. This theatre endures — and has prospered— because its directors realize and accept a definite responsibility to the citizens of Raleigh. Public service is usually considered a thankless undertaking, but we of the Capitol, from manager down to janitor, do not find it so. On the contrary, the reaction of Raleigh to our efforts to present clean, consistently high class entertainment at a low cost to patrons, has been a source of extreme gratification to us. We find great happiness in the many expressions of pleasure and good-will we have received here. We approached the task a year ago with a serene confidence that it would be thus, and we believe our patrons will be glad to learn that the financial success of our venture has been very satisfactory. We believe it is needless to mention the fact that we are today spending double the amount we did a year ago for our programs; the patronage of the Raleigh theatre-going public has encouraged us to do this, and we have even more ambitious plans in view for the coming year. We started here a year ago without advance promises beyond this : "YOUR MONEY'S WORTH OR YOUR MONEY BACK." By word and patronage Raleigh has told us that we have made good. And without any eulogistic or flowery language, we wish to say to you, in all sincerety from the bottom of our hearts — WE THANK YOU! East and West Just to show that the stunt is good on either ocean, Universal reports that the adaptation of the Raffles idea to K the Unknown, as suggested in the press book has cleaned up for the Columbia Theatre, Seattle, and the Capitol Theatre, New Bedford, Mass. The latter house got seven days' front page publicity for an investment of $50, and both houses cashed an unusually good business. The stunt is about thirty year's old, but it is still strong and willing where it is worked right. Masked Dancer Is an Aid to Sandra Although no prize was offered for identification, a masked dancer appearing in the prologue to Sandra at the Palace Theatre, San Antonio, Texas, was one of the best selling stunts on that First National. The girl really was an exceptional dancer, and as it was announced that she was a local society girl, everyone wondered who it might be. No one made a successful guess, however, and she retained her incognito until the end of the run when she gave her past performance unmasked before the largest crowd of the week. It's just another example of the pull of the local attraction. The dancer would not have gained half the attention had it not been announced that she was a resident of San Antonio, and this fact was played up in the newspaper work for all it was worth. Credits Payne Sending in an anniversary program for the Beacham Theatre, Orlando, Fla., Frank H. Burns, publicity director, writes : "The idea for this magazine and some of the copy was taken from a similar anniversary issue for the Kentucky Theatre, Lexington, Ky. Mr. Payne made such a nice issue that I decided to follow his lead." Burns got out a very attractive issue, offering "North of 36," the anniversary attraction, as evidence of bigger and better pictures, and the entire issue sold not only the anniversary program, but the general idea of going to the Beacham regularly. Plugging Peter Included in the accessories on Peter Pan at the Million Dollar Theatre, Los Angeles, were 45,000 rotos, 8,000 buttons and 20,000 whistles, not to mention 4,000 one sheets and 129 24-sheet stands, and 8,000 postcards. There were seventeen big window displays, most of them carrying merchant advertising, as well, and one store held a reception, giving out the whistles to possible wearers of Peter Pan clothes.