Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1921 - Mar 1922)

52 E KH IB IT O R S 11 E R A L D March 25, 1922 Ceries banners figured importantly in the lobby display of the Rivoli theatre, Portland, Ore., installed one week before the opening of the First National attraction, "Stardust." Each banner was 16V2 feet long by 2V2 feel wide. They were painted in light blue and gold, the color* A Thing Worth Doing Is Worth Doing Well CALL them mottoes, maxims, adages, what you will, the learned phrases of those studious gentlemen who lived before quotations went out of fashion just about cover the rules and regulations conducive to success in human endeavor. Despite the sometimes startling newsness of the thing termed exploitation, success of very satisfactory measure in this same may be scored with practical certainty by the workman diligent enough to adhere strictly to these venerable teachings. The lobby display constructed by the Globe theatre at McKeesport, Pa., for "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" provides an entirely fitting illustration. scheme carried out in the entire display. The Rivoli lobby measured 70 feet in depth and is 20 feet wide. Gus Metzger, manager, states that the entire exploitation campaign cost less than $100. Another picture of the lobby is presented in "Pictorial Theatre News." revered by most, was mounted in central position between the shields. The castle background added a convincing note. The stills displayed provided information for those drawn close by the more elaborate displays. In short, the thing was so well done that we have selected it from several scores of photographs submitted for the purpose of this discussion. * ± * The Globe lobby is not materially different from hundreds of other theatre lobbies in what custom has labeled "small towns," affixing thereto unmerited and uncomplimentary associations. It is rectangular in shape, has tile floor, lighted ceiling, box office of standard design, in short is on a par, so far as decorative possibilities are concerned, with at least a hundred other lobbies in which the Fox production has been advertised. * * * Yet the management of the Globe far surpassed this estimated hundred other managements in its efforts for the picture. A lobby display was deemed worth while. Since the work involved was considered worth doing it was naturally considered worth doing well. The photograph is mute but eloquent evidence that it was done exceedingly well indeed. The shields are distinctive. They impart dignity to the whole, at the same lime giving valuable information as to the general character of the attraction represented. And to add still more dignity, and still more information, a large likeness of Mark Twain, whose face is familiar to every American and If you exhibit the picture for wJiich it was used you can do much worse than to copy the Globe display. If you do not exhibit this attraction you should at least bear in mind, in connection with whatever picture you are advertising, the ancient but honorable and reliable adage with which this article is introduced. New Ideas Metzger's Guarantee M ' AXIMUM ■ • "it werr obtained again*! big odd* when the management of the Globe theatre, McKeesport, Pa., overcame architectural disadvantage* and produced the im pre* live display shown in the above illustration for the rngagement of the widely and brilliantly adver tised Fox production, "A Connecticut Yankeo in King Arthur** Court." More expensive endeavors in the picture's behalf have been recorded frequently, but in no instance has bettertotal effect been gained under like circumstances. GUS METZGER, manager of the Rivoli theatre, Portland, Ore., guarantees the box office success of attractions exhibited at his theatre in so far at least as opening dates are concerned by using new and good ideas in prolonged preparatory campaigns. No more dependable guarantee than that is ever obtainable from any source. In his campaign for "Stardust," First National attraction, Mr. Metzger utilized new ideas that may be adapted to other productions by showmen everywhere. Illustrations on this page and in "Theatre Pictorial News" show these graphically. * * * The campaign was started four weeks before the opening date of the picture, when lobby lamps with lettered shades wi re installed. Reference to the illustration on the second page following this matter will disclose the artistic effect gained and the prominence given the picture title by this arrangement. It is a natural thing to speculate as to possible development of the idea to include parchment shades for various styles of fixtures, with provision for alteration of pictorial decoration and script. Another new idea was introduced in the scries banners strung in the extraordinarily deep Rivoli lobby, lettered Copy being distributed in such manner as to make a reading of the whole an