Universal Weekly (1923-1925)

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14 Universal Weekly May 10, 1924 Hunchhack^^ Breaks Cleveland Record All Cleveland '0.) Public Libraries tied-up with "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" in this manner. DESPITE four weeks of Lent in a city generally regarded as the largest Catholic stronghold in the country, and despite a preponderance of bad weather, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," the big Universal production which is sweeping the country with hurricane velocity, again revealed itself as a box-office production whose drawing power is only equalled by the fidelity with which it has been produced. This time it broke, shattered, eclipsed and otherwise sent into the w. k. discard all box-office records ever established at the Stillman Theatre. And this for four weeks! Two weeks prior to the opening of the production the first gun in the big campaign, outlined and executed by Fred Desberg, manager of the Stillman, and Al Feinman, Universal exploiteer, was fired. The columns of the Cleveland papers were used in an effective teaser campaign which was instrumental in stimulating interest in the picture. A week before the opening the regular advertising and publicity campaign was launched with large ads and special stories in all the daily papers. Feature articles and special stories about the players also were placed in the dailies. The big stunt of the campaign was the tie-up with the Cleveland Public Library, operating twenty-seven public libraries and thirty school libraries. Attractive displays of special photographs from the production appeared in each of the libraries on special panels placed above tables on which were placed books dealing with that particular period of history. Twenty-five thousand "Hunchback" book-marks were also distributed in the books as they were taken from the libraries. A special tie-up was arranged with the Cleveland News at the time it was conducting its annual Mardi Gras. For each of the twenty-five best costumes at the affair two tickets to the Stillman showing of "The Hunchback" were awarded, resulting in a great deal of publicity which attended the awarding. The lobby of the theatre was a veritable art gallery with the special paintings impaneled in gilt frames. Sniping and general and special paper were distributed. As a result, business for four successive weeks was at its peak, and' on the opening day not only were records smashed, but they were topped by more than $400.00. Two Directors for Dempsey JACK DEMPSEY, worlds heavyweight champion and latest recruit of the screen, is to have two directors in his forthcoming series of comedies at Universal City. His first is being directed by Jesse Robbins, and the second will be handled by Earle Kenton, who directed the successful "Andy Gump Comedies." Robbins and Kenton will hereafter alter nate as Dempsey's director, one man preparing a script while the other shoots his picture. Both are well-known comedy directors, Robbins having made a number of successful comics, as well as Baby Peggy's Jewel, "The Law Forbids," one of the important releases of the season. Kenton was brought to Universal City, after a long career in comedies, to handle the Andy Gump comedies, with Joe Murphy and Fay Tincher, for Samuel Van Ronkel, who has "loaned" him for the forthcoming Dempsey pictures, adapted from stories specially written for the champion by Gerald Beaumont, well-known writer of sporting fiction, and put into continuity by Scott Darling.