The Moving picture world (July 1925-August 1925)

August 1, 1925 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 525 Strong Dog Story an Aid to Raffles Making a dog story the chief stunt for Raffles at the Isis Theatre, Grand Rapids, Mich., F. R. Cleaver, a Universalist, helped put over the stunt in a way that made for real advertising. Through the friendship of the general manager of the Consolidated Theatres, the Chief of Police was sold on the story and promised his help to put it over. He was the only outsider in the secret. Shortly before the showing of the House Peters picture at the Isis, a truckman drove up to Police Headquarters with a strong box which he said he had received from two men who were standing beside a broken down automobile some distance out of town. One of the men started to ride in with him, but was unaccountably missing when town was reached. This looked suspicious, so he brought the box direct to the police. Discovering the stencil of the U. S. Quartermaster's Department almost obliterated by dirt and age, the Chief called up Camp Custer, but was told that no such box was missing. The police reporters were given the story as more or less of a mystery, and they all carried stories the next morning. Through the forenoon efforts were made to claim the box and remove it, but at last the box was claimed by C. Hurd, of the Isis, who explained that it contained the film of Raffles, also 50 bottles of perfume, as many packages of toilet powder and other articles intended to be given out as souvenirs on the picture. He announced that the combination had been lost and that he would pay a reward to anyone who would, open the box before the picture was due to open, adding that the souvenirs would be distributed to those who might be in the lobby when the box was opened. For several days the box stood in the lobby where all who wished might try their luck with the combination. Saturday morning Mr. Hurd came out with the announcement that if the box were not opened by noon he would dynamite it, if necessarry, to get the films, but that he had sent for a safe expert. Naturally this crowded the lobby at noon when the expert went to work. He opened the box with little delay, since he had the combination and only worked on it long enough to make it look difficult. A Paramount Release A SPIRITED PAINTING SOLD THE SPANIARD IN BIRMINGHAM This is a two-plane setting used in the lobby of the Galax Theatre by Rodney Bush. The toreador and bull are set in advance of the background. On the backing the ornamental column not only saves detail work, but it permits the use of the space a* a mount for the stills of this production. The films were found to be intact and the souvenirs were handed out, as promised. But fearful of a real Raffles, Mr. Hurd had put the things in only that morning. He was taking no chancer. The stunt gave several good news stories and made for real interest so the picture went over to big business. Mr, Larmour's Idea On Cooling Appeal It's a little late for this season, but it will pay to remember next Spring that M. W. Larmour, of the National Theatre, Graham, Texas, cools his house with fans and psychology. He switches to "The Cool National" just before Texas warms up, and he starts his fans about a week before they really are needed, so that some people will complain that the house is too cold. That idea persists after the weather warms up, and the tradition of cold house is carried through the summer with a perceptible improvement in business. But Mr. Larmour says it is as bad to turn the fans on too soon as too late. You may be interested in his annual advertisement. This year it ran as two thirds of a three sevens. It runs : A Fox Release USING A TWENTY-FOUR SHEET TO REINTRODUCE TOM MIX Don Nichols, of the Paris and Savoy Theatres, Durham, N. C., had not run a Mix picture recently so he used the entire sheet for Riders of the Purple Sage when he played that title at the Paris. It worked better than any smaller display. WHY THE NATIONAL IS ALWAYS COOL : 1. Every Minute the Air Is Changing. As you enter, notice how pure, sweet and cool the used air remains. We draw it from the shady side of the building, from under the spreading limbs of a large oak and blow it through the theatre to the street. But first it passes through our cooling and cleaning plant. 2. All Air Entering the National, Is Washed, Cooled and Dried. In the right hand wall near the screen you can see an eight foot blow fan. The air from this fan is drawn from the shade, through sprays of cold, circulating water, dried, and delivered to you. 3. An Abundance of Ceiling Fans Keep this Pure, Cold Air Stirred Up, Blowing It to All Parts of the Theatre. You sit in a slow moving breeze of washed and cooled air, and also receive a direct breeze from the ceiling fans overhead. Note: To Those Who Find the National Too Cold. If you do not sit directly under the ceiling fans, you will still get the clean, cool air from our air washing plant without the direct draft from the ceiling fans overhead. Tried Prologues Newburgh, N. Y., got its first taste of the prologue idea on Code of the West, when Charles R. Hammerslough, of the Broadway Theatre, used two costumed singers offering West of the Great Divide in a scenic setting. The people liked the idea, and it helped to draw business. As a by-product cards were tied to automobiles reading that the recipient had violated the Code of the West, and summoning him to see the picture. It's a bit old, but it was new in Newburgh, where they are just waking up. The title writing contest did so well for Janice Meredith it has been shunted over to Zander the Great in towns where it was not worked on Janice. Giving a newspaper a set of tickets for prizes also enabled the Columbia Theatre, Sharon, Pa., to edge in the crossword puzzle. Digging still further back, an orphan's matinee was given, all of which helped Zander to pay the rent. II