Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1919)

EXHIBITORS HERALD Hb'IIW! AEROPLANE STUNT IS WINNER "Soldiers of Fortune Shatters Records At Canton, Ohio, Theatre Following Novel Exploitation Campaign By Theatre Owners It was her first flight in the air, but she chalked up a non-stop record at the boxoffice of her home town picture theatre. Messrs. Ney and Bernower, owners of the Alhambra Theatre, Canton, Ohio, are congratulating each other and also Miss Gretchen Groetzinger, Society Editor of the Canton Repository, Kir me success of one of the biggest publicity stunts in the history of the city. These live-wire Ohio exhibitors had signed up for "Soldiers of Fortune," an Allan Dwan production, and the unusual exploitation methods adopted included fullpage advertising in newspapers, and an aeroplane flight over the city and the surrounding countryside. Wire Realart Congratulations The result of the campaign is indicated in a telegram received by Realart Pictures Corporation. The message reads: "In face of snow and rain your 'Soldiers of Fortune' shattered records in our Alhambra Theatre yesterday. Accept our heartrest congratulations on such a magnificant production. The full-page advertising run in the Canton newspapers was rather unusual in that there was no attempt to laud "Soldiers of Fortune." Here is the argument used: "The new Capitol Theatre in New York is the largest theatre in the world. It opened October 29, 1919. It seats five thousand four hundred people. It cost three million dollars. It has Arthur Pryor's Band of seventy pieces. It has Ned Wayburn's Girl Review of seventy-nve people. It charges up to one dollar and fifty cents. It shows for the week commencing Sun day, November 23, Richard Harding Davis' "Soldiers of Fortune." Then in display type comes the punch of the advertisement. "SO DO WE ON THE SAME DATE FOR 25 AND 30 CENTS. "Note : A raise of price of only 5 cents as this is the most expensive picture ever brought in this city." Aeroplane Flight Climax But it was the aeropiane flight that capped the climax of the exploitation campaign. An aviator was engaged, and Miss Groetzinger, one of the most popular young women of the city, was induced to ride with the pilot and scatter "Soldiers of Fortune" handbills from the clouds. Miss Groetzinger was in the air for fifty minutes, and in that time covered territory around Canton, Oberlin, Louisville and East Canton, dropping more than ten thousand heralds of "Soldiers of Fortune." Not only did the flight occupy the interest and attention of the inhabitants along the route, but newspapers had representatives on the flying field. Many photographs were taken and these were run with feature stories in the papers. A motion picture camera was brought to the grounds, and about one hundred and seventy-five feet of negative were shot. By means of this unusual idea, the feature picture of the Alhambra Theatre got an unprecedented amount of publicity from many sources. Messrs. Ney and Bernower, at only slight cost, have made a name for themselves and their Alhambra Theatre in Canton and surrounding Ohio cities. In addition they showed what could be done with such excellent exploitation material as "Soldiers of Fortune" and in doing it they shattered all previous records at their house. Embargo on Films in New Orleans District W. F. Rodgers, general sales manager of Hallmark Pictures Corporation, is in receipt of a letter from Hallmark Office Manager, A. T. Weiss, New Orleans, informing him that the express companies at this point have placed an embargo on all film shipments, beingcompelled to do this by the federal government authorities to stop the Bubonic plague that has asserted itself again in this city. Mr. Weiss writes that the result of the embargo is, "The express companies have consented to make deliveries but will not do any picking up of films. Therefore, the exchanges are compelled to have someone deliver their films to the various day boats." Mr. Weiss says that the embargo is likely to remain for some little time. It. H. COCHUANE -pre* id en I of Universal, who Ik :i bin (actor in company's progress, Neilan Adds to Staff Marshall Neilan last week made two additions to his producing organization in the persons of Betty Bouton, who is rapidly coming to the front as an ingenue, and Dave Kison. cameraman. FELIX F. FK1ST Vice-president and sales manager of <ioldivyn Pictures Corporation, who has successfully placed into execution the company's merit sales plan. M. P. Directors Plan Club at Hollywood Grounds and Building to Cost Approximately $175,000 Will House Lodge Following the purchase of two lots on the west side of Highland avenue, between Hollywood boulevard and Franklin street, the Motion Picture Directors Association of Los Angeles, will soon begin the construction of a new club and lodge building. The deal for the ground on which the new building is to stand. was completed through the Mac Quarrie Realty Company and consists of two lots 100 by 150 feet. The lots cost over $10,000 and the building is expected to cost about $75,000. Plans are being prepared through competition between the architects of the prominent studios of the district. There is only one other association of the kind in the country which is in New York city. The Los Angeles association which is the mother lodge, has 110 members composed of the most prominent motion picture directors. Charles Giblynn is president. Other members of the board of directors are Joseph DeGrasse, Reginald Barker, Frank Beall, William Bradne, Thomas Heffron and M. MacOuarrie. Shurtleff At Coast To Study Production LOS ANGELES, Dec. 15— C. E. Shurtleff, formerly general sales manager of Select and Hodkinson, is in Los Angeles to study the production end of the motion picture industry. He is president of C. E. Shurtleff, Inc., for whom Metro will picturize and produce under Maxwell Karger's supervision three Jack London novels. 110