The Moving picture world (November 1926-December 1926)

December 18, 1926 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 507 Big Feature Syndicate In Laugh Month Further indication that Laugh Month — January, 1927, has become a big, national idea, is found in the fact that King Features Syndicate, Inc., the biggest newspaper syndicate in the country, has tied up with the National Laugh Month Committee and is behind Laugh Month 100 per cent. King Features Syndicate serves hundreds and hundreds of newspapers, and readers of their material mount up into many millions. King Features is the syndicate that issues such comic strips as "Bringing Up Father," "Katzenjanimer Kids," "Happy Hooligan," "Abie the Agent" and scores of other comic strips and pages, and humorous columns. The organization is circularizing every one of its accounts with special Laugh Month material— letters, broadsides, thumbnail mats, etc. This means that almost two thousand daily newspapers in the United States will receive special syndicated material on Laugh Month. Fox News Reel To Paramount Announcement from Short Subject Sales Manager Fred C. Quimby of Fox Films, contains the information that the first news reel contract signed by Paramount executives provides for the presentation of Fox News at the new Paramount Theatre, recently opened. Some months ago Samuel L. Rothafel placed his signature to a Fox News contract for his new Roxy Theatre, soon to be opened, and that contract, like the Paramount, was the first for news reel service. Christie Studios Are Busier Than 'Phone They are busier than ever «t the Christie studio. Bobby Vernon has just completed worls in his latest. "Sure Fire," set for release December 26. Frances Lee, William Irvingand Andy Clyde are In the east. Jlmmle Adams' "Shell Shocked," with Vera Stedman, Elddle Baker and Qreorgre Burton, l» another. We srnTe you the advance dope on all the others in the special Christie section of the last issue of Moving!; Picture World. Many Exhibitors Announce Plans for ^^Laugh Month^^ Participation The National "Laugh Month" Committee Offers Exploitation Sugg"estions for All Joining in Great Campaign SCORES OF EXHIBITORS are ^oing to try to capture prizes in the Laugh Month Exploitation contest this year, according to indications reacliing the headquarters of the National Laugh Month Committee. Attracted by the possibility of winning cash awards for themselves as well as increased business and prestige for their theatres, dozens of exhibitors already have signified their intention of putting on exploitation campaigns boosting Laugh Month irt general and short subjects in particular during January. Kathryn McGuire, who scintillates in Luoino Lane comedies. Joseph M. Seider Places His Okeh On "Laugh Month" Joseph M. Seider chairman of the Administrative Committee of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, has this to say of the Laugh Month campaign : "Anything that causes people to laugh ought to make them happier, and happy people are always good citizens. "Laughter is relaxation ; that means renewal of energy. Therefore National Laugh Month can be made really constructive as well as amusing. Moves of this kind can be made of advantage to our industry. Piquant Joan Renee of Leo Maloney Westerns for Pathe dons a sou'wester. An example of the tenor of the majority of letters and entries already received is the communication of Haring & Blumenthal, with offices at 1440 Broadway, New York, and controlling several first-run theatres in Northern New Jersey. David SchaefTer, of that organization, writes : "We want to state that not only do we endorse Laugh Month as a great box-oflfice attraction, but also as a great move to impress the importance of short subjects on the public. We participated 100% last year, through which efforts we captured one of the first prizes offered for the best exploitation campaign. We will try to double our efforts this year, if same Is possible." Make Plans Now The Committee points out that the exhibitor who intends to participate in Laugh Month should begin laying his plans now, if he has not already started. In connection with this thought, several exploitation ideas, most of which are elaborated upon in the Laugh Month presssheet, are suggested as requiring immediate attention by the showman. The exhibitor should plan to dress the inside of his house for Laugh Month. He can clothe his ushers or usherettes in clown costumes, and they can carry on their belts a small show-card placard announcing the big comedy carnival. He can have his sign painter make "HA" and "HO" compo boards cutout signs in various sizes, from a foot high to six or seven feet high, in assorted color's. These he can hang about the theatre anywhere he sees fit, spreading them around liberally, and standing the biggest ones in selected spots on the floor. These signs can be moved outside the theatre and around the front when the proper time comes. On his screen he should start running the Laugh Month trailer or slide. The trailer is not long enough to become tiresome even if run for two weeks or more. In itself it contains a good laugh. He can begin work on other exploitation. Suggested ideas are the use of "Laughing Records." They are known as the "Okey Laughing Records" and can be obtained at almost any phonograph store. The Columbia and Victor people also issue laughing records. These can be placed in a phonograph with a repeat attachment and the apparatus set up behind a cut-out poster of a laughing face. Both the one-sheet and the three-sheet Laugh Month posters are adaptable to this stunt. There are many angles to the idea of conducting laughing contests. One in particular is the stunt of offering an award to any man or woman who can sit through your show without laughing. This is a good gag for the atidience as well as for the exhibitor. Another angle is to conduct a laughing contest on your stage, offering awards to the folks having the most natural laugh. If you can put this over it will prove a "wow." Still another phase is to "plant" one of those high-pitched, shrieking laughers in your audience. This is really worth while in getting your audience worked up to laughing heartily. A "Clown Carnival" is productive— and funny. Get the kids of your town to dress in home-made clown costumes, or in any outlandish garb that suits th.eir fancy, and offer free tickets for the funniest get-ups. If possible, get the kids to parade through the main streets of your town to the theatre. The comedy "Amateur Night" is a "Natural" for Laugh Month. Merely allow anyone who wants to try three or five minutes in (Continued on page 508)