Exhibitors Herald (Apr-Jun 1922)

102 EXHIBITORS HERALD June 24, 1922 i!UU!lll!llllllll!lllll!lllll!l There Are Other Good "Herald" Departments! LOVE'S REDEMPTION (First National) with Norma Talmadge. — I j g feel positively silly to send in a report on a Talmadge subject, as her pictures g g never fail to please. This was especially well received. In the HERALD'S issue of April 29, under the head of "Money Making g Ideas," was an article by Mr. Ray Erne which sounded good to me and I S thought this an opportune time to try it, as I had bought some Norma "and g g Constance Talmadge pictures, some Anita Stewarts, "The Sheik," "Peacock g g Alley," the Zane Grey stories, etc., that I knew my patrons would like. The Talmadge picture was dated first and a few days after I began g g to advertise it I got out those letters, using Mr. Erne's as' a model, changing g it slightly. I wrote these letters on a mimeograph, signed my name with pen, E g sealed them and mailed them to more than two hundred and fifty. A few g g people wrote to me and dozens told me they would come more regularly, as 3 g they wanted to see the pictures I mentioned. (Of course they were already §f g bought, but the patrons did not know that.) Two days before play date for the Talmadge picture I sent cards to g Atlanta to be mailed back to patrons, telling them how good the picture was g §§ and if they ever had the opportunity of seeing it not to miss it. Every card 3 g was different and they were signed, Louise, Carrie, Sam, etc. I had this crowd nearly crazy down here, wondering who Louise and g g Mary were. In two hours after the train came in I had thirty phone calls. It would be well enough to call the exchange to see if you will get the g g pictures you are advertising just before you mail out your cards. But, whether g g you try mailing cards or not, be sure you try Mr. Erne's letter. — MRS. W. M. 3 g KIMBRO, Greenland theatre, Greensboro, Ga. iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii duction. — Advertising makes them think it's gruesome but the picture is a whale. One of the best ever. — F. E. Sabin, Majestic theatre, Eureka, Mont. — Neighborhood patronage. Lying Lips, a Thomas H. Ince production.— The best Ince picture ever made, in my estimation. Florence Vidor is great in this one. — C. W. Glass, Star theatre, Trenton, Tenn. — Small town patronage. In the Heart of a Fool, with a special cast. — Pleased 75 per cent and that was all. Not what we expected at all. — S. V. Wallace. Idle Hour theatre, Cambridge Springs, Pa. — Transient patronage. Peck's Bad Boy, with Jackie Coogan.— Book it and lug the money to the bank. We stood them out for three days. Better than The Kid. — W. Cruickshank, Opera House, Mitchell, Ont., Can. — Neighborhood patronage. Wedding Bells, with Constance Talmadge.— Another perfectly good evening wasted. Nothing but silly drivel. No story and not anything worth while. Some of the people in the cast are deserving of better things. — W. H. Creal, Suburban theatre, Omaha, Neb. — Neighborhood patronage. The Truth About Husbands, with a special cast.— A-l picture for high class audience. Pleased about 80 per cent on Saturday night. Price in reach of small exhibitor. — C. W. Glass, Star theatre, Trenton, Tenn. — Small town patronage. In Old Kentucky, with Anita Stewart. — It's there. Full house, bad roads, but they came anyway. Some said they had seen this picture three times. 100 per ce'nt satisfaction. — G. F. Rediske, Star theatre, Ryegate, Mont — Small town patronage. Fox The Last Trail, with a special cast. — One of the best pictures I have ever used. — Bill Leonard, Mystic theatre. Cedar Vale, Kan — Neighborhood patronage. Up and Going and Trailin', with Tom Mix. — Two more of the Tom Mix pic tures that are fine. Especially Up and Going deserves praise for consistent story, splendid scenery and work of two stars. — P. G. Estee, Fad theatre, Brookings, S. Dak. — Neighborhood patronage. Western Speed, with Charles Jones. — The best and cleanest exponent of Western pictures of our day. Scenario and actors are worth while seeing.— J. Carbonell, Monroe theatre, Key West, Fla. — Neighborhood patronage. Footfalls, with a special cast. — A remarkably well done, very disagreeable picture. Lacks sympathy or audience appeal. Acting' by Tyron Power, settings, photography, fine. Not the kind of a picture that will bring business. Any theatre is better off without it. — Ben L. Morris, Temple theatre, Bellaire, O. — General patronage. To a Finish, with Charles Jones. — A regular Jones picture. Full of pep, and a good fight in this one, and patrons commented on it. Book it. — J. W. Baird, Crystal theatre, Pattonsburgh, Mo. — Neighborhood patronage. Queen of Sheba, with a special cast. — Great picture. Good business. Pleased everyone. Charged 50 cents top. Average advertising. — N. B. Grossman. Rex theatre, Pocatello, Ida. — Neighborhood patronage. A Connecticut Yankee, with a special cast. — Broke all house records and will play a repeat date, as my patrons demand it. Played three days to a big business. College town patronage. — L. C. West, Liberty theatre, Mt. Vernon, la. — Neighborhood patronage. The One Man Trail, with Charles Jones. — Very ordinary. Just got by with it. Star very good, but failed to pull for some reason. — W. Cruickshank, Opera House, Mitchell, Ont., Can. — Neighborhood patronage. Gleam O'Dawn, with John Gilbert. — Not much to story but star's work is good and scenic effects pleasing. — P. G. Estee, Fad theatre, Brookings, S. Dak. — Neighborhood patronage. Little Miss Smiles, with Shirley Mason.— All the patrons remarked going out, "Fine, and we sure enjoyed it." — J. W. Baird, Crystal theatre, Pattonsburgh, Mo. — Neighborhood patronage. Riding with Death, with Charles Jones. — This is our first Jones and if they are all like this one we wish it was our last. The poor old worn out mortgage theme, and very poor, not at all practicable, and too much "bunk." When "Val" gets killed out three or four miles from the Rangers' camp, Jones just buries him right there with his hands and puts up a wooden cross and leaves him. Drew a big house, but we got a lot of "kidding" about our new star we had made such a fuss about. — C. A. Spainhour, Auditorium theatre, Greensburg, Kan. — Small town patronage. A Connecticut Yankee, with a special cast. — This is a great comedy. Pleased everybody. Charged 50 cents. Great picture for regular price. Charged too much. Fair business. — N. B. Grossman, Rex theatre, Pocatello, Ida. — Neighborhood patronage. Over the Hill, with a special cast. — Played three days to good business and pleased 90 percent. Played on a percentage basis and they made the money. — H. J. Culavin, Majestic theatre, Missouri Valley, la. — Neighborhood patronage. To a Finish, with Charles Jones. — One of "Buck's" best. Drew next to Mix. If your patrons like rough, shoot-'em-up kind, book this one and boost it. — C. W. Glass, Star theatre, Trenton, Tenn.— Small town patronage. A Broadway Peacock, with Pearl White. — Not a spark of humor. It is a deadly dull society drama. Star looks out of place. Belongs in active pictures. —P. G. Estee, Fad theatre, Brookings, S. D. — Neighborhood patronage. Footfalls, with a special cast. — We have just shown this, which was a great disappointment. Part of one audience left before the end of the show. All were thoroughly disgusted with this picture. Second night we showed to practically an empty house. Picture is gruesome. There is nothing sweet or pleasant in the entire seven reels.— William C. Mitchell, Elite theatre, Greenleaf, Kan. — bmall town patronage. LITTLE MISS SMILES, with Shirley Mason.— A picture which barely missed being a special, the one fault being that the production was ordinary. Photography and settings, I mean. Otherwise I don't see where HUMORESQUE had anything on this one. We showed it on Mothers' Day with an appropriate song and we did a very satisfactory business. We are very much in favor of this class of pictures, being the kind that will knock reformers off their feet. And, believe me, I know something of reformers, as in my early youth I had an aunt who was a reformer. At that ancient day she even tried to reform me, but as I had committed no crime I couldn't see the necessity of being reformed. This aunt still lives and is still a reformer. Beg pardon. Did I say "still"? "Men may come and men may go, but she goes on forever." — WM. H. CREAL, Suburban theatre, Omaha, Neb. Over the Hill, with a special cast.— This is the best I have ever shown. Good picture. Good business. — N. B. Grossman, Rex theatre, Pocatello, IdaNeighborhood patronage. Over the Hill, with a special cast.— Played The Old Nest and A Connecticut Yankee and Queen of Sheba, but this subject pleased the best. That's what my patrons said. Played three days to