Exhibitors Herald (Jul-Sep 1922)

60 EXHIBITORS HERALD September 30, 1922 J7DDIE BONNS (left), director of advertising and publicity, and Lou Marangella (right), assistant to Banns, the two who conceived the idea of the huge float (above) as a means of advertising Warner Brothers product throughout the country. Large reproductions of the book covers of the novels produced by the company will be carried into states from Coast to Coast. 1923 Will Witness Biggest Films Says HARRY RAPF Huge Float Boosts Warner Films Will TOUR Country continued Mr. HARRY RAPF, who is producing three productions for Warner Brothers, namely, "From Rags to Riches" and "Little Heroes of the Street," both featuring Wesley Barry, and "Brass." the Charles G. Norris novel of marriage and divorce, featuring Marie Prevost, is firm in the conviction that the coming season will witness the production of the biggest pictures ever made in the history of the industry. "The coming season will mark the release of the biggest pictures yet produced," said Mr. Rapf. "For the past year the pictures released have been only of the program standard, not big enough to cause comment and just fair in their entertainment values — that is, with the exception of a few special features from a comparatively few companies, but now the producers have broken away from the blue booked standards and are launching forth into the making of pictures which although they do not run according to the rule book, will be of greater value both to the theatre and the makers. "Every scenario writer and every director Rapf, "is following one light and the motto seems to be 'Good stories well directed.' There was a time when to mention the cost of a picture was to sell it, but now that the motion picture business is becoming established, systematic business pictures that would have cost $500,000 a year or two ago can now be made for half that amount for the reason that there is no waste. There is now a keen rivalry between the motion picture companies not to outspend the other people but to turn out a picture that the public will flock to see for the least amount possible without sacrificing it in any way. "After looking over the list of pictures scheduled for production and release and seeing many previews, it strengthens my conviction that there will be pictures on the market this coming season that will exceed all previous years both in amusement value and box office drawing power." Wesley Barry's "Rags and Riches," produced by Mr. Rapf, is scheduled by W'arner Brothers as the initial publication of the season. The production recently was given a highly successful preview at the Symphony theatre, Venice, Cal. This picture was directed by Wallace Worsley and has in the cast Niles Welch. Russell Simpson, Ruth Renick. Richart' Tucker, Minna Ferry Redman, Eulalie Jensen, Gilbert Clayton and others. w HARRY RAPF Who is producing three features for distribution on the state right market during the coming year by Warner Brothers. HAT is unquestionably one of the greatest advertising stunts that has been evolved in the industry was launched last week by Eddie Bonns, director of advertising and publicity for Warner Brothers, and his assistant, Lou Marangella, for the forthcoming series of seven Warner pictures. The advertising stunt is a huge float with seven books mounted on a truck. The float is thirteen feet high, and the total length of the seven books is seventeen feet. The books are in striking colors, and the names of the seven pictures are emblazoned on both sides of the truck. This huge float will make a tour of the country, beginning in New York and ending in California. On the tour will be a driver for the truck and a publicity man, who will visit every mayor and governor along the route, carrying with him a letter of introduction from Will H. Hays and Mavor Hvlan of New York. An unusual number of publicity stunts will be put over, and it is conservatively estimated that about 25,000,000 people will see the float display of the Warner pictures. In this respect it will exceed the circulation of the largest and best known national magazine published in America. The seven productions to be advertised by the float include "Rags to Riches" and "Heroes of the Street," both with Wesley Barry; "The Beautiful and Damned," by F. Scott Fitzgerald; "Main Street," by Sinclair Lewis; "Brass," by Charles G. Norris: "A Dangerous Adventure," with Grace Darmond, and "Little Church Around the Corner," by Marion Russell. The truck will be equipped with a radio amplifier, and reports of current news events and concerts will be given at street corners in the various cities visited. Also, a portable projector will be used on the tour, and during the evening trailers of the Warner pictures will be shown to the public. * * * The publicity man will visit the Chambers of Commerce and Rotary Clubs in the various cities, and he will give a talk on the idea of the trip relative to its usefulness as a means for stimulating interest in clean pictures as advocated by Mr. Hays.