Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1921 - Mar 1922)

March 11, 1922 EXHIBITORS HERALD 53 Exploitation Letters THEATRE EDITOR, Exhibitors Herald. Dear Sir : The Pumkin Pie Contest we are working through the San Angelo Standard is coming along very nicely and we are getting quite a lot of publicity every day. I went out personally and sold a page of advertising which appeared Sunday. The flour used in connection with the contest was donated by the grocer. In addition to newspaper publicity we have billed the town like a circus and I have no fear of not doing capacity business on "Way Down East" the last three days of this week. I want to call your attention to the special story on "Ladies Must Live" which appears on the front page of the second section Sunday. I noticed that the publisher of the paper usually used this space for some sort of story from his N. E. A. service so I conceived the idea of convincing him that theatrical news was of considerable more space value to his subscribers. Accordingly he went through his news service and selected a story for each Sunday which covers a picture I am to play during the current week, usually the Monday or Tuesday attraction. Nearly every newspaper, even in the small towns, gets some mat service, and nearly every service has a lot of "movie" dope, so this might be a good stunt for exhibitors to think over. Some publishers are not willing to use the old cut-anddried press story from the press book, but will use something that comes in to them direct from some news service. There is no doubt that a story of this sort is of great value to the theatre. I am a member of the local Kiwanis Club and a director, so each week I give a "Silent Boost" or attendance prize, a double pass to the Lyric, which is presented at the club each Tuesday. This keeps the theatre before the club and :reates a great deal of interest among :he members. Occasionally I mention TOy picture in the weekly Kiwanis lct U'ay Down East .,, d* cooto Perfect Pumpkin Pie fl38S^5£5^£ ter. I did this for "Why Girls Leave Home." I am enclosing a teaser postcard, 500 of which I sent out to a select list of names several days in advance of the showing. On the 22 and 23rd of this month I have the first Bible Picture, "Creation," on the same bill with Gloria Swanson in "Under the Lash," and have arranged to give a special review of this bill to the ministers of the city and some members of their congregations. I believe that this will help create a good influence and impression in the town. I have noticed some of your articles on making the theatre an institution in the town as well as any other first class business house. This has always been my aim and I am glad to say I usually succeed in doing so. Cordially yours, R. P. WHITFIELD, Lyric Theatre, San Angelo, Tex. * DEAR MR. WHITFIELD : In view of the events outlined in the early portions of your letter we would have known that you succeed in the aim mentioned in the last paragraph. Dispensing with superfluous comment on the early portions of your letter, adequate each unto itself and important, we wish to add tliat we are sincerely pleased if any of our articles have had any small part in your success. W. R. IV. LI B E RTY JOHN M STAHLS THE SONG OF LIFE CHRISTIE COMEDY "SAVING SISTER SUS': NEXT WEEK KATHERINE MA C DONA' D ^NE of the page advertisements used in the original Pumpkin Pie Contest conducted by . P. Whitfield of the Lyric theatre at San vngelo, Tex., and described in his letter. CAMUEL SNITZ, of the Rowland and Clark theatres, Pittsburgh, contributes the above photograph of the Liberty at night and the accompanying letter. Note the prominence given the short subject. THEATRE EDITOR, Exhibitors Herald. Dear Sir : Under separate cover I am forwarding you the photos taken of our front and interior during the showing of "Reputation," which I said would be forthcoming in the event we decided to have some made. Yours very truly, FRED S. MEYER, Palace Theatre, Hamilton, O. * DEAR MR. MEYER: Sorry we didn't have the photographs in time to reproduce them in connection with IOBBY of the Palace theatre, Hamilton, O., during "Reputation Week," recently described in this department. Read the letter from Fred S. Meyer, managing director, presented herewith. the story on your "Reputation Week" which you undoubtedly read in a recent issue. However, here they are, and to the complimentary adjectives we used in that story we add herewith our opinion tha. the campaign was by a comfortable margin the best conducted by any exhibitor for "Reputation." IV. R. W. * THEATRE EDITOR, Exhibitors Herald. Dear Sir : I am enclosing a night photograph of the Liberty, a theatre prominent in the Rowland and Clark chain. This playhouse has one of the most imposing and striking fronts of any of the theatres in Pittsburgh, and the night illumination is extremely effective, as you can see. If possible, I would appreciate you giving this space. Sincerely, SAMUEL SNITZ, Rowland and Clark Theatres, Pittsburgh, Pa. * DEAR MR. SNITZ ; It is always possible to give space to the cream of exploitation material received, and the Liberty front photograph easily ranks in that class. There is genuine importance in the fact that the short subject attraction is given the utmost prominence in the lights, displayed as it is between the current and coming attractions. Thank you for the information and the photoqraph. W. R. IV.