Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1921 - Mar 1922)

34 EXHIBITORS HERALD January 21, 1922 New York Is City of Smiles, Says Harold Lloyd Popular Comedian, Visiting in East, Gives "Herald" His Impressions of the Metropolis By HAROLD LLOYD THE City of Smiles — that's what I always call New York. Why? Because every time I've been here, I've been particularly impressed by the thousands of cheery countenances I see when walking up Broadway, up Fifth Avenue, or up any of the thoroughfares — prominent, or otherwise. And that's why I always look forward to a vacation in the City of Smiles. I feel like a new recruit of the smilers in Bagdad on the Subway, as O. Henry so aptly dubbed New York City. I think that the Tired Movie Actor needs as much stimulating pleasure as the Tired Business Man. He needs recreation, he wants to visit the theatres, and where can one get all this sort of thing except in New York? IT'S been about a year and a half since I was in the Big Town, and yet, there are just as many thrills for me as before. Wall Street, with its hustle and bustle, Broadway with its hurly burly and Riverside Drive and Central Park, with their natural beauties, all present a certain newness, no matter how many times they are visited. * * * There's one thing I never miss every time I come to the City of Smiles. Don't laugh — it's going on top of the Woolworth Building. From that dizzy height one can see the greatest panorama in the world — the busy industry of a nation is represented, no matter which way you look. Ships with flags of every nation at their trucks enter the harbor and leave, while this towering beehive of offices stands majestic for their visual approval. To my mind it furnishes the greatest view in the world. And yet, I was told that only a small majority of New Yorkers have gazed downwards from that dizzy height. I wonder if these same New Yorkers really appreciate the work of the man that laid out Riverside Drive. It is a really remarkable bit of landscape work. To motor from Seventy-Second Street up the Drive to One Hundred and SixtySomething Street one finds huge chunks of beauty and interest all the way. But let's get back to Times Square, for Broadway and Forty-Second Street is the most interesting spot in the world for me. And" quite naturally, for that's Theatredom, Amusementland, and the Kingdom of the Hearty Laugh. If you have a real sense of humor you can get as many chuckles along Broadway as you can on the inside of a theatre. * * * The theatres are a delight to me. I'll never forget the first time I saw a regular, full-fledged Broadway revue. I came out of the theatre with "Beany" Walker and Hal Roach, and said to them, "Those comedians were a scream, weren't they?" "They sure were," agreed "Beany." "I wonder how I ever get by in the comedy business," I thought to myself as we pushed our way along the White Way, and I was almost relieved when we left New York, as I thought Hal Roach might suddenly come to the conclusion that, as a comedian, I was a good pitcher of ice water, and take one of the laugh provokers of the City of Smiles back to the Coast with him in my place. During the visit I guess I saw about MONEY MA Which Have Been Exhibitors to Build By C. H. SIMPSON (Princess Theatre, Millen, Ga.) The first suggestion I would make for the benefit of any exhibitor is : Subscribe to the Herald, if he has not already done so. Then, make regular reports on "What the Picture Did for Me." Watch all other reports in the Herald. This alone is worth more than anything else any exhibitor can do for the benefit of his theatre. By doing this, we will get rid of all the pictures that are not fit for the screen. Put the good pictures before the public and they will sure go to see them. I know, because 1 use good pictures and I have good business. Towns all around me '. I N G IDEAS sed Successfully by Up Th eir Patronage twice as big as Millen are showing three nights a week. 1 show six nights a week. By L. A. PILLIOD (Photoplay Theatre, Grand Rapids. Ohio) One of the best assets I find I have is running all slides for advertising free. In fact, I go to the merchants and solicit their advertising and run it free. This makes the merchant a booster and also gives me the use of his windows for any publicity I want. I also turn my press sheets over to the newspaper editor and let him pick out anything he cares to print. I only run the advertising on my weak night. JULIUS STERN, second vice-president of Universal, who is now in New York. everyone of the best shows in town, and I laughed until I cried. It so happened that my latest comedy, "A Sailor-Made Man," was being shown at the Capitol theatre, and I was actually afraid to go and see it and see how the New York audience would take it with so much other entertainment at its threshold. But they laughed! They laughed! And that made everything all right. I came out of the theatre with a grin on my face of such wide proportions that I guess 1 would have no trouble at all gaining citizenship in the City of Smiles. New York, you're a great old town, and I'm for you! Schulberg Goes East On Important Mission (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LOS ANGELES, Jan. 10.— B. P. Schulberg, president of Preferred Pictures, producer of Katherine MacDonald's First National features, has left for New York to consummate two important transactions. The new projects, it is said, will he of significance in Mr. Schulhcrg's motion picture activities. Definite announcement of his plans will be made later. Rex Ingram to Produce Hugo Story for Metro (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LOS ANGELES, Jan. 10— It became known this week that Rex Ingram will make the film version of Victor Hiiro's "Toilers of the Sea" for Metro. It is not known whether it will be produced here or abroad. Before launching it he again will produce "Black Orchids," a version of which he made for Universal. Lesser on Trip East (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LOS ANGELES, Jan. 10.— Irving Lesser of Western Pictures Exploitation Company leaves for the East this week.