Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1919)

EXHIBITORS HERALD "MORE DEADLY THAN THE MALE" Rudyard Kipling's famous poem has been drawn upon to furnish an appropriate title for Ethel Clayton's latest starring vehicle, a Paramount-Artcraft picture. "Eyes of Youth" Chicago Opening Sets New Record at Playhouse Harry Reichenbach Directs Advertising Campaign of Unusual Proportions — Uses Large Displays in the Leading Newspapers One of the most remarkable demonstrations of the susceptibility of the public to bigger and better motion picture productions was demonstrated at the Playhouse, Chicago, where Clara Kimball Young in "Eyes of Youth" played the first of a four weeks' engagement. Despite severe wind storms along Michigan Avenue, the boulevard fronting the lake, and in spite of rain and flurries of snow, "Eyes of Youth" attracted two hundred and ninety more paid admissions to the house than had ever been attracted before, and this also in the face of advanced prices of admission. Reichenbach Directs Drive Manager Smith and Director Spencer, following the third day which was the most inclement of the week, announced that "Eyes of Youth" would be kept on for at least a month and that it would be retained if the final week's business justified. An unusual campaign of advertising was conducted by the Playhouse under the direction of Harry Reichenbach of Equity Pictures. A consistent policy of large display advertisements, alternating in the larger circulation dailies, were used. Four column twelve inch ads, first in the Examiner, then the American, and then the Evening Post and Journal were used, and showing the excellent spirit of co-operation on the part of the Herald-Examiner and American of the Hearst chain and the Evening Post, each day, for fourteen days these three papers ran news stories on the forthcoming engagement and on the day following the opening ran full column reviews with layouts of photos. Anticipates Mae Tinee The policy of the Chicago Tribune of permitting its reviewer, Mae Tinee, to write her reviews in a facetious vein, and in a light, humorous manner, was antici pated by Reichenbach who sent a mailing list of five thousand club women and men, stating that ''Eyes of Youth" was not being advertised extensively in the Tribune because of the Tribune policy of taking films too lightly. A huge banner stretcned across State Street at the corner of Madison, the busiest section of the shopping district, attracted considerable attention, as did a display advertisement thrown on the side of the City Hall by means of a steriopticon machine erected in an office opposite. Chicago has not responded to a film production in any better fashion, in recent history and the booking on "Eyes of Youth" already total seventy thousand dollars in Illinois alone. Booked Big Circuits Asher Brothers, Lubliner and Trintz, Jones, Linick and Shaeffer, Balaban and Katz, Cooper and Wallace and all other circuits have already signed for larger runs than is their wont, while independent houses are stretching their engagements from one to two days more than usual. San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, Newark, New Jersey and Cleveland, Ohio, announce spectacular results from first run of the first Equity picture while Boston opens an indefinite engagement December 10 at dollar prices. Harry Reichenbach, general exploitation director for Equity, and Miss Young will spend the next two weeks in Boston and Louisville and later take charge of the first runs at Detroit, Kansas City and St. Louis. Vermont House Sold ST. ALBANS, VT.— F. W. Mitchell and G. H. Almon of Montpelier have bought the controlling interest in the Playhouse, Inc., of Montpelier, and have taken possession. They will make extensive improvements. 63 \ "Male and Female" Sets Rivoli Theatre Record A total of 54,665 paid admissions is the record established by Cecil B. DeMille's "Male and Female" during its engagement at the Rivoli theatre, New York. This, according to the Rivoli management, breaks all previous week's record by nearly ten thousand, and involves a new Sunday record of 9,172, a new week-day record of 7,354, established Monday, and a new evening's record, set up Thanksgiving night. No less sensational than the triumph scored in New York is the record-breaking success of "Male and Female" in first-run theatres in other cities throughout the country, according to Paramount. "The Sultan of Jazz" To Be Cuckoo Comedy Following the publication of "The Shimmy Gym," the next in the series of the Cuckoo Comedies to be offered by United Picture Theatres of America will be "The Sultan of Jazz." In this two-reeler, Bobby Burns is said to have an unusually humorous role, playing the part of a Sultan of color who presides over a harem of Cuckoo beauties. Jobyna Ralston plays opposite Burns and will display some exceptionally startling costumes. i "Let's Go" Slogan Adopted by Select | 1 "Let's Go!" | This simple expression — used | | unconsciously by every man, wo | 1 man and child at various intervals | 1 during the rounds of their daily | 1 activities — has been capitalized by | | Selznick Pictures Corporation as | | an exhibitor-slogan for the exploi | | tation of Selznick and Select Pic | | tures. | "Let's Go!" is not original as slo | | gans go, but it is original — and dis 1 | tinctive — so far as motion picture | | advertising is concerned. ^Illllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll