Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1921 - Mar 1922)

70 EXHIBITORS HERALD March 11, 1922 LETTERS From Readers A forum at which the exhibitor is invited to express his opinion on matters of current interest. Brevity adds forcefulness to any statement. Unsigned letters will not be printed. Suggests Fighting Back PORT AUSTIN, MICH.— To the Editor: Why don't the theatres organzie a church of their own with Good as its ideal? Leave out religion, worship, prayer. Make it broad enough for everybody. Instead of prayer, in which many do not believe, throw on the screen somesuch words as: "A moment of silencein respect to the Great Unknown." Have special music, not necessarily sacrerl music. Draw from a list of films which have a moral. Make everyone feel they have an interest in this Sunday "service." Be just as big a leader and a worker for good in the community as the preacher. Many preachers do not know what it is to give service to the people and are working for all they can get or to force their narrow and dogmatic ideas on the people. More would be reached than ever enter the four walls of a church. A good place to start would be in those towns where the preacher denounces films and yet exhibits them himself.— Charles H. Cowles, Neptune theatre, Port Austin, Mich. James Boys Still Roaming RYEGATE, MONT.— To the Editor: I have been reading with interest writeups from brother exhibitors and I certainly agree that the film rental will have to be lowered if the small town man expects to keep on the map. Thus far, all the salesmen that have called on me the past two months quote me higher prices than ever before. In fact some of them are five times more than a year ago — I wonder if these people know the war is over? For an illustration, a concern in Seattle quoted me figures that almost scared me to death. If I was to charge $1 per head for adults and every soul in the city came to see the show, I wouldn't be able to pay the film rental. Talk about the James Boys being robbers! Just recently a "drummer" blew in from Minneapolis and quoted me a terrible price on a so-called super special. When I offered him just one-fourth of what he asked, he blew up and sold the picture to the school for $15 more than what he quoted me. I rented the theatre for a flat rental and got my money O. K. but, oh my, what the others had left! I am ashamed to tell. When these high price "fellers" come along, we should turn our heads the other way and go on about our business. They will have to come down and might just as well start now. — G. F. Rediske, Star theatre, Rycgatc, Mont. Conditions in Wisconsin WATERFORD, WIS.— To the Editor: Being one of the small town exhibitors, I can sympathize with the rest of the gangHave tried every hook and crook im BESSIE LOVE in a scene from "The Vermillion Pencil," a forthcoming R-C picture directed by Norman Dawn. aginable to get the people in the movie habit but of no avail. There is just one remedy left and that is to lower admission prices, but this cannot be done until film rentals come down. Am charging 15 and 25 cents, war tax included, but the people say they can't afford even that once a week. I haven't made any money for such a long time that I am getting used to it. If I had to live on what I make in the movie game I'd have starved to death long ago. Unless film rentals come down, I think the small town exhibitors can hang out a "To Let" sign. — L. G. Alby, Strand theatre, Waterford, Wis. Rothacker Publishes New Book on Motion Picture Advertising A new book on motion picture advertising has been issued by Watterson R. Rothacker. It is stated that those who have seen advance proofs declare it the most comprehensive of the author's writings on the subject of film advertising. While the book deals with the science of screen advertising in a technical manner, it has been made easy to read and carries numerous illustrations. During the war Mr. Rothacker evolved the "Miles of Smiles" idea of filming folks at home which were screened before thousands of soldiers on the other side. "The Jungle Goddess" to | Be Finished By March 15 Reports from the Selig studios, where Col. Wm. N. Selig is working day and night shifts on the production of his new chapter picture, "The Jungle Goddess," which Export & Import Fijm Co., Inc., will distribute on the independent market, indicate that the entire fifteen episodes of the serial will be completed by March 15. Work on the thirteenth episode has been started. Chapters eleven and twelve arc almost completed. The titles of the first twelve episodes have been definitely decided upon. Drug Clerk — What kind of a toothbrush do you want? Customer — Gib me a big one, boss, dare's ten in my fambly. — Allcntown Chronicle. * Stump Speaker (boastfully) — I'm a practical farmer. Mention, if you can, just one thing I can't do on the farm. Voice (from the rear) — Kin you lay an egg? — Houston Post. "What is it," quizzed the Sunday School teacher, "that binds us together and makes us better than what we are by nature?" "Corsets," peeped Tiny Tim.— Elmira Advertiser. * Lady — Tobe, I'm sorry to hear your wife got a divorce. Tobe — Yessum, she done gone back to Alabama. Lady — Who will do my washing now? Tobe — Well, mum, I'se co'tin again, and I co'ts rapid. — Louisville Courier-] ournal. * Cashier — My, oh, my! I have forgotten the combination and I am in a terrible sweat over it. Sadie the Stenog.— Well, I forgot my combination, too, and I'm pretty near froze to death.— "Top ics of the Day" Films. * Rebecca— I would like to buy an easy chair for my husband. Salesman — Morris ? Rebecca — No; Abie ! — Paterson PressGuardian. * Old Lady (to newsboy)— You don't chew tobacco, do you, little boy? Newsie— No, mum, but I kin give yer a cigarette if you want one. — Boston Post. * Teacher (after spending twenty minutes teaching the pronunciation of "vase")— What do you see on the mantle-piece at home? . , Jackie — Father's feet. — Winnipeg Free Press. * "Don't you miss your husband very much now" that he is a traveling man? "Oh, no! At breakfast I just stand a newspaper up in front of a plate and half the time I forget he isn't there."— fry Goods Economist. * Judge. — Do you mean to say that such a phvsical wreck as your husband gave you that black eye? Plaintiff.— Your honor, he wasn't a physical wreck until he gave me the black eye.— Farmer and Breeder. * Doctor— Your husband will be all right now. Wife — What do you mean? You told me he couldn't live. Doctor— Well, I'm going to cure him. Surely you are glad? Wife — Puts me in a bit of a hole. I've gone and sold all his clothes to pay for his funeral. — Irish World. * Ray — "Your husband's at the police station. Why don't you bail him out?" May — "If he's my husband, you couldn't pump him out!" — "Topics of the Day" Films. * The Baltimore woman who pushed her obstreperous husband into a trunk, slammed down the lid, locked the trunk and threw away the key has apparently solved the ancient problem — "How can I hold my husband?"— Seattle Post-Intelliqencer.