Associated First National franchise (Nov 1921-Apr 1922)

22 VICTORIA HIAWATHA KANSAS “ Penrod ” drew 37,000. Held over for a second week, the Neilan production totaled 60,000 admissions on the engagement. Guy reports that on W ashington’s Birthday, it required the strength of six policemen to keep the mob in order around the two box offices of the theatre. What a picture that would have made! Owing to the fact that others presented their campaigns in more convincing form, Guy did not land among the winners in the contest ; but he put forth an unusual amount of effort, nevertheless. He used 32 twenty-four sheets, 50 First National Week one-sheets, 100 window cards and the big anniversary banners, in addition to an abnormal amount of advertising. He sent in to the New York office a sheet of ad. clippings and newspaper publicity that was literally more than a yard long. * * * Activity in Ohio IOWA was conspicuously energetic during the week, but it is questionable if the activities of the Jayhawkers were more widespread than those of the Buckeyes, for reports are numerous from Ohio. In Toledo, the Temple Theatre conducted a masterful campaign on “Tol’able David,” and a summary o f clippings sent in shows that there were approximately 500 inches of paid advertising used on the picture, with almost an equal amount of free publicity. Much of the latter was gained through a Want Ad contest put on in conjunction with a local newspaper. 1 he scheme consisted simply of printing a name in the want ads. and telling the person to call at the office and get a cash prize and tickets to the Temple. In addition to this stunt, the Temple management passed out 10,000 cards with a penny pasted on each and a catch line: “I’d give my last (cent) to see Richard Barthelmess in ‘Tol’able David ’ at the Temple.” Another effective measure was the insertion of coupons in 33,000 bread wrappers for delivery into homes. This shines forth as one of the finest campaigns that has been conducted on the Barthelmess picture, and one of the most intelligent of all those put over during First National Week. * * * AMONG the outstanding results from the week among the Southern Ohio exhibitors, must be listed up near the top those achieved by C. 1. Johnson, manager of the Family Theatre, Milford, Ohio, and Nick McMahon, manager of t le Marlow, at Ironton, O. McMahon is a Franchise holder, but Johnson, who has been an exhibitor only a few months — less than a year, in fact. He does not own a First National franchise — yet. Johnson, who is an enterprising business man, took over the Family Theatre last June. Civic pride was really at the bottom of his decision to enter the ranks oft exhibitors. Milford is a town of about 1,600 population, situated on the Little Miami river, 20 miles from Cincinnati. Its business establishments draw patronage from smaller towns and rural communities within a radius of 10 or 15 miles. Only an occasional First National picture had been seen in Milford up to the time Johnson took hold of the theatre. He decided to establish a policy of showing only high class attractions as soon as possible after the first run houses in Cincinnati. He began to book the better pictures and his program contained two or three First National attractions each week. He called the attention of the public by using generous space in several country newspapers and sent out cards, heralds, posters and letters to surrounding towns. Then came First National Week, for which Johnson organized his forces weeks in advance Here is the program he booked: umiiuiiiuiiiiiMiiiiiiliiiMiiiiiHiuiiiiiiiliiiiiliMiiiiiiiliiuimiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii; I RANDOM glimpses of outdoor 1 advertising. Anyone who i I could see to hit the side of a barn 1 1 couldn’t miss that Kansas contri f | bution. 1 ES 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 It U 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ■ 1 1 ) M 1 1 1 1 It 1 1 II 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ■: 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 M 1 1 • I It) 1 1 1 1 1 1 •> M M 1 1 1 1 n 1 1 1 1 1 ) 1 1 1 1 1 ) M 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ) 1 1 1 1 • 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 • t tl 1 1 1 IT ISIS ft S PEN ~ COLORADO America Council of his town. These women sold tickets for “ The Sky Pilot ” and were allowed a small percentage. He has already booked his program for tile week of April 1, which he will designate as First National Week. Pictures selected are: ‘‘The Silent Call,” “ Scrambled Wives,” “ Tol’able David ” and “ Dinty.” In his First National Week exploitation Johnson used 500 special heralds and conducted the guessing contest as provided on the cover of the herald. Prizes were season passes. He also sent out special card invitations to a mailing list anar had window cards placed in the store windows of his own and surrounding towns. His lobby was decorated with the First National banner, streamers, posters and various paper on the individual features he used. In addition to this he used liberal space in the newspapers of Milford, Blanches! and Loveland. BN! PRESS -OWENSBORO — KEN TUCKET THE NATJONAJ U" LOUISVILLE — KENTUCKY' Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 16, 17 and 18 — “ Hail the Woman.” Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 20 and 21 — “ The Kid.” Wednesday, Feb. 22 — “The Sky Pilot.” Thursday, Feb. 23 — “ The Jack Knife Man.” Friday and Saturday, Feb. 24 and 25 — Peck’s Bad Boy.” The total result for seven days demonstrateu to Johnson so forcibly the quality and drawing power of First National Attractions that Le decided to have another First National Week, all his own, the first week in April. “ My average attendance for seven nights during the time I have operated this theatre, has not been over 1,000,” said Mr. Johnson, in reporting results to R. H. Haines, First National exchange manager at Cincinnati. “ My total attendance during First National Week was 2,391, an increase of nearly 1,400.” On Washington’s Birthday Johnson boosted attendance by a tie-up with the Daughters of McMahon’s Rotary Tie-up AT Ironton, Ohio, Nick McMahon, manager of the Marlow, a theatre of 700 seating capacity in a town of 13,000 population, is no less enthusiastic over the results of his First National Week. He booked the following: Monday — Constance Talmadge in “ Lessons in Love.” Tuesday — Charles Ray in “ Two Minutes To Go.” Wednesday — Katherine MacDonald in “ Trust Your Wife,” and Ben Turpin in “ Bright Eyes.” Thursday and Friday — Norma Talmadge in “ Love’s Redemption.” Saturday — “ Unseen Forces.” His exploitation was confined principally to newspaper advertising and publicity which he obtained in consideration of using large space. He used a total of 38,000 lines during and previous to First National Week. He obtained the cooperation of the editor of the Ironton Daily Register. An attractive lobby in which First National Week was announced by* a poster framed behind glass through which changing colored lights shone, and the various attractions were displayed alternately from day to day, McMahon exploited his pictures in fine style. A First National Week banner was stretched across his front and a special banner, containing large heads of stars, also was used. A week previous to the opening of the campaign he ran the special trailer, “ Seeing Stars ” and framed a First National Week one-sheet which he placed on the stage near the screen and kept illuminated at all times. His opening night, Monday, was very stormy. Nowhere did managers strive harder for First National than did W. E. and E. A. Keen, of the Oxford and Criterion , Oxford, O, Battling against strong school opposition in a college town, they used strong pictures and won out. Left — lobby of Criterion ; Right — front of the Oxford. Read E. A. Keen's letter. “ Smilin’ Through” — It’s All the Screen Can Give