Exhibitors Herald (Apr-Jun 1922)

R A L D 57 IT MIGHT be a castle, the building in the background, but it is only the public building selected 1 by the photographer for the photographing of the "Queen of Sheba" chariot used by the Alhambra theatre, Toledo, O., in its exploitation campaign for that Fox special. Fox Specials of Genuine Benefit To Exploitation FOX special productions, notably "Over The Hill," "Queen of Sheba" and "A Connecticut Yankee," have left definite imprint upon theatre exploitation. Stimulating showmen to the putting forth of unprecedented effort, they have been of material benefit to the business of theatre operation. In every corner of the nation, in metropolis and hamlet, showmen have ' stepped free of custom and invoked the aid of "the kind of exploitation you read about" to put over the pictures mentioned The experiment, for it was really that in many cases, taught many exhibitors to know their power, a lesson of great value. A thing done once successfully is — i • not only repeated but improved upon. That is mankind's way. In recent months, in fact since the broadcasting of these attractions, the ancient complaint, "That's alright for the city but it can't be done in a small town," has been heard less and less frequently. It is now all but relegated to a position alongside the likewise veteran "Xobody will sit through a picture that is more than two reels long." Pictures as powerful as this in the advancement of the theatre, the development of business methods, are properly entitled to high place among the momentous productions of film history. The three named deserve signal honors. Seattle Showmen Succeed QROWTH, development, elaboration, inalienable qualities of a good exploitation stunt, have charac'if™1,?* *be theatre history of the motorcycle knight idea widely applied to "A Connecticut Yankee." The overalled woman in the pilot car ballyhooed for the ballyhoo in the campaign used by the Liberty, Sacramento, Cal. pLOATS used in the Seattle, Wash., "Go to * Theatre Week," which coincided with First National Week. Frank Steffy, of the Coliseum theatre, active in promotion of the enterprise, was one of the "Dollar a Week" men selected for coast trips. SEATTLE showmen have succeeded in building up a theatre reputation for that city well known in the trade. The following story, contributed, discloses some of the reasons. Fourteen theatres in the business section of Seattle joined hands in the "Go to Theatre" exploitation week which was celebrated coincidentally with First National Week in the Washington metropolis. By pulling together they were enabled to buy large space, put on displays of attracting magnitude and increase Receipts for the mutual benefit of all. Sponsored by the "Go to Theatre" week proclamation of Acting Mayor Bob Hesketh (whose signing of the proclamation was included in the news reels shown at the local theatres) the managers of these houses put their heads together to bring the movement before Seattle with the most profitable results. As an initial move full page space was used in the Sunday papers by pooling of buying power. A special art panel had been drawn for this: a rocky coast lagoon, with trees hanging from both sides and a girl in the center with Pan and his pipes, both figures being sharply silhouetted. In the left hand corner were the words: "Big Downtown Theatrical Carnival" and in the upper right hand corner the slogan: "Go to Theatre Week." Another half page advertisement im