The Moving picture world (November 1926-December 1926)

J28 MOVING PICTURE WORLD November 27, 1926 Gave Accessory Cap to Uniformed Attendants Offered a Suit for the Best Ship Model Several good stunts were worked by Manager Carpenter, of the Madison theatre, Detroit, on Mare Nostrum, but the most attractive was a contest in model ship building. Browning, King & Co. devoted a window to the display and offered a $25 suit for the best model submitted, with a ticket to each entrant. As ship models are a juvenile fad at present, there was no lack of interesting entries, and parents and friends were interested in the picture through the contest. IS^ovelty Caps Used as A Semi Uniform Most managers who use novelty caps to put over a picture merely hand them out to the small boys ^d let them do the rest. Rodney Bush, of the Galax theatre, Bitmingham, Ala., made a more thoughtful use of his supply on The Cat's Pajamas. He made them a semi-uniform. A supply of 300 was distributed to bovs selling peanuts and pop in the ball lield, news carriers, drug store and soda bar attendants and similar lines. The caps were printed with the title on the front and the house and date on the rear elevation This gave a better ordered appeal than their promiscuous wearing, particularly £s the four leading "drug stores were lined up, their soda clerks and table boys adding the cap to their white jacket uniforms. The lobby novelty was a caricature cat dressed in a suit of pajamas loud en 5Ugh to abolish sleep. People thought The Cat's Pajamas must be funny when they saw the pajamas A SHIP MODEL CONTEST HELPED MARE NOSTRUM IN DETROIT A prominent girl offered $25 for the l>««t model and a free ticket to the Madison Theatre to all entrants. As ship models are a juvenile craze right now, there were plenty of entries and a wealth of interest. Scanlon Tells How to Make the Magic Light John H. Scanlon, of the -\lhambra theatre, Torrington, Ct., writes that they have had the lobby all dolled up and that hereafter most of the stunt work will be pulled away from the house In other words, he will use the store windows for his lobby displays. For Men of Steel he used a familiar device, but he sends in a drawing that gives a clear description. With this diagram you can make one yourself. The eflfect shows a light burning brightly at the top of a sheet of plate glass, apparently drawing current from a pair of mag VTEE-L. nets suspended just above the bared ends of insulated wires. The glass is supported at the bottom by two blocks of wood. In reality the "current is supplied from a light socket run under the drapery covering the floor of the window. The right hand block is drilled and two No. 36 wires come up through the fabric and into the block. These wires are shellacked to the glass so closely that they are invisible, though in some instances tinfoil has been used to cover the wire. Mr. Scanlon writes that the bare wire is just as good. The trick lies in getting the wire to lie flat, and a drop of shellack on the finger tip is the best way to get the wire around the corners of the glass. A ticket was offered to everyone who could tell how it was done, and out of more than 300 answers only 25 were even reasonably correct. Most persons figured that the current came through the magnets. It is not to be assumed that only 300 persons were interested. The display had them lined up all day, but 300 took the trouble to enter the store and record their ideas. The rest just "gave it up." The glass was lettered for Men of Steel, but that detail has been omitted in the sketch. A FINE WINDOW STUNT FOR MEN OF STEEL FROM SCANLON The idea is not new, but Mr. Scanlon'g sketch gives you the work details. The dotted lines show the course of the fine wire, which is shellacked to the quarter-inch plate of glass. It maJces real interest. Original Mantrap E. R. Rogers, of the Tivoli theatre, Chattanooga, used apple cutouts lettered to ".'^dam, from Eve," on the face and back printed with text for the play and the announcement that this was the original Mantrap. He also revived the book perambulator, getting much attention, and capitalized the outdoor locales writh a display of camping goods in a sporting goods store window.