Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1921 - Mar 1922)

March 4, 1922 E X H I B I T O RS HERALD 49 ARGUMENTS AGAINST PROLOGUES do not apply to the presentation of "School Days." Warner Brothers production featuring Wesley Barry, in the theatre history of which to date stage reproduction of the nationally familiar vaudeville act of the same title has figured importantly. In this instance the prologue is less a prologue than an exploitation stunt. As such it is easily the best that has been or may be produced in the picture's interests. Photographs reproduced at the right of these lines show the manner in which E. J. Weisfeldt, manager of Saxe's Strand theatre at Milwaukee, utilized the stage history of Gus Edward's revue. The lobby was decorated with much the same setting as has been used for years on the stage. Local boys and girls enacted the vaudeville classic within prior to the beginning of the picture. Critics joined patrons in praising Mr. Weisfeldt's work, which followed a week of unique and extensive newspaper advertising. A nice distinction between presentation and exploitation must be made if a hard and fast rule regarding the former is to be formulated. None will question the wisdom of increasing patronage for the Warner Brothers production by the means outlined. Not even those who have gone on record as opposed to stage features of any kind will regard this as improper or unwise. They will set it down, perhaps, as an exception. The faction favoring strictly theatre productions as presentation will straightway advance to the position that 1 no hard and fast rule may be formulated, which is in our opinion the only satisfactory conclusion that can be arrived at in the discussion. "School Days" is undoubtedly benefitted by the type of presentationexploitation it has been given. This is easily obtainable in every ; c o in m unity, children young and old being as familiar with the stage performance as with any stage classic that might be mentioned. 'Local talent in this instance is wholly satisfactory, if not preferable to professional. Mr. Weisfeldt is not the first and should .not be the last to han dle the picture in this manner. His treatment of it serves admirably as a guide for other showmen who will exhibit the production. The lobby setting shown is entirely original with the Milwaukee manager and constitutes a valuable addition to the fund of exploitation data the picture has amassed. Required materials are available to every exhibitor. * i A GOOD SETTING sometimes saves many salaries. Such was the case when Joseph Plunkett presented "Hail The Woman" at the New York Mark-Strand. The setting is shown in the illustration at the "left. Only two performers were needed, a woman to sing the opening number, "Awake," and a man to enter and sing the reply, "Come Love Divine." Under proper lighting such a setting assumes impressiveness out of all proportion to the expense of its installation. Mr. Plunkett has contributed no better piece of work in many months. Nor has the First National attraction been presented more efficiently to date. STELLAR EXPLOITATION comes into theatre history with news of the stunt through which Lewis Sargent, one of the leads in the Cosmopolitan-Paramount production, "Just Around The Corner," stimulated business for that attraction at Grauman's Million Dollar theatre, Los Angeles. Sargent (you remember him as "Huckleberry Finn") is a messenger boy in the picture. At Los Angeles he worked a day for the Western Union company and made many friends who made the theatre money. Sid Grauman added to the forcefulness of the enterprise by offering a prize for the messenger boy most closely resembling Sargent. The illustration shows the star making the award to the winner. Wherever the picture is exhibited the messenger boy angle should not be overlooked in exploitation. Reference to the earlier picture in which Sargent appeared, and to Judge Ben Lindsey, whose name is popularly associated with the youngster, also should prove valuable in advertising the production.