Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1924-Mar 1925)

February 21, 1925 EXHIBITORS HERALD 43 Meyer Beats Own Best on Anniversary Fred S. Meyer, Palace theatre, Hamilton, O., beat his own best theatre publication record a country block with his February issue, marking the fifth anniversary of the playhouse. The February issue of “The Palace Magazine” runs 96 pages and cover. The 32-page form in the middle is in blue and black on white. The cover form is in two colors and the front page design is a phtographic triumph. Mr. Meyer has published 100-page issues before, and memory seems to say that he has beat that figure once or twice, but he has not printed a more remarkable issue than this. Among other unusual features, it carries the advertisements of several film companies and they look like New York copy. Editorially the book is superb. Among the special features are these : We are Grateful (by the editor). Anniversary Specialties. Our Fifth Anniversary Headliner. History of the Palace Theatre. Movie Stars Then and Now. What Our First “Dress” Looked Like. Who’s Who at the Palace Theatre. Two Letters. The Palace Trio Says . A Promise Fulfilled. Carrying On. Lest We Forget. Year’s Ten Best in Hamilton. All these in addition to the regular line up of features, most of which are specially done for the anniversary. The Palace was opened to the public February 3, 1920. Almost immediately it became a center of trade interest and big ideas began spreading over theatredom from this course. This typewriter alone has ground out at least a million words about the Palace and its people. Fred S. Meyer, managing director; Harry Silver, resident manager, and Harry Turburg, treasurer, the three musketeers who did it all, have won a place in film theatricals commensurable with the enviable position they occupy in the business life of Hamilton. Five years isn’t a very long time, particularly if you look backward, but the five years checked off with the celebration of the Palace anniversary have been momentous ones. That the five to follow — yes, and the fifty — may prove equally so is the best wish we can think of. •‘SINNERS IN SILK" Waukegan, III. — Elite — Cigarettes and silks combined with announcement of engagement in two window displays climax use of additional ad space and distribution matter. Trailer ten days in advance of opening. (By Charles Glickauf.) 4! * ♦ "TRUE AS STEEL" Evansville, Ind.— American— Two hardware stores install cutlery displays hooking up with title, one adding delivery wagon banner. _ Displays in five candy and drug store windows. (By Charles Glickauf.) J|c J): "HE WHO GETS SLAPPED" Waukegan, III.— Elite— Jeweler and milliner give window display space. LClOO heralds. Rockford, III. — Palms — Book and drug windows. 1,000 copies of house organ. (By Charles Glickauf.) HAT’S Being Done for the Pictures "TEN COMMANDMENTS" New York — Criterion. — Portion of picture projected on screen outside theatre during eclipse of sun from projection machine in traffic tower. Distribution of green glasses to crowd around theatre. (By Glen Allvine.) ^ ^ 4^ "EXCUSE ME" Los Angeles — Loew’s State. — Courtesy Week sponsored by mayor, chamber of commerce, police department, telephone company, auto club, L. A. Railway Co. and women’s clubs. Slogan : “This is Courtesy Week. Don’t Be Afraid to Say Excuse Me.” Human fly on theatre flagpole 13 hours. Seven foot Negro carrying labeled suitcase. “Excuse Me” Radio Night by KFI. Special lobby reproducing Pullman platforms. House staff in Pullman uniforms. Miniature train in foyer. Special nights for various railroads. Six hundred menu cards. Taxicab tire rack cards. Ten thousand heralds, 5,000 railroad tickets, 100 24-sheets. (By H. D. McBride and Ray Coffin.) * :(! * "FLIRTING WITH LOVE" Nashville, Tenn. — Knickerbocker — Double lobby display of cutouts on easels. Type poster for safety zones. Newspaper delivery distribution of heralds. Two vacant windows dressed for display. (By Walter Harmon and W. R. Arnold.) ^ ^ "THE TORNADO" Seattle — Columbia — Life Saver Mints distributed in theatre with catchline as advance billing. (By Robert Bender.) * * * "EAST OF SUEZ" Augusta — Modjeska — Lobby display of beaverboard bamboo trees, lanterns, etc., with Oriental statue collection. (By Frank Miller.) * * * "THE NAVIGATOR" Omaha — Sun— Auto-street car collision engineered by authorities as driving lesson. Sixty 24-sheets. Robed horsemen three days. Newspaper party for kiddies. 300 car cards. 25,000 Life Saver Mints. Radio equipment inside theatre with speaker outside, permitting people to hear laughter. (By Buddy Hooton and N. N. Frudenfeld.) St * * "HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME" Manila — Palace — Screening for General Leonard Wood. Newspaper stuff in Spanish, English and Tagalog. Sides of biggest buildings painted. Illuminated sign across street. Auto calliope with banners. s|< * * "SO THIS IS MARRIAGE" Birmingham, Ala. — Loew's Bijou — ^All telephone subscribers rung and asked, “What is the price of admission next week to ‘So This Is Marriage’? To their reply, asking who was wanted, voice said, “Is this Loew’s Bijou?” 10,660 numbers rung. (By C. D. Haug and E. A. Vinson.) * * >it "THE SEA HAWK" Victoria, B. C. — Royal Victoria — Special lobby display, full page ads climaxing preparatory campaign, reserved seat ticket sale, produce house record. (By Cliff Denham.) * * * "JANICE MEREDITH" Champaign, III. — Park — Advance screening for school principals, teachers and U. of I. professors. Distribution of 3,000 bookmarks through public library. Book windows. 200 window cards. Special lobby and trailer. (By Charles Glickauf.) What Showmen Are Doing to Get Business A phototype survey of current exhibitor business effort, with pictures upon the accompanying pages. *^Sea Hawk*’ Sweeps Seas for Creamer JOHN CREAMER, Strand-Empire Theatres, Chillicothe, Mo., writes: The enclosed are some of the photos of my stunts on “The Sea Hawk.” We had pretty stiff opposition on these days, but with some real showmanship, “The Sea Hawk” swept the seas, and we played to the best Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday business for some time. Here is the major part of my campaign: 1 — Eight teaser slides started 35 days in advance. 2 — Banner hung in rear of auditorium 27 days in advance. 3 — Cutout letters over proscenium arch 14 days in advance. 4 — Trailer used 14 days in advance. 5 — Posters hung in vacant windows 30 days in advance. 6 — One sheet poster cutouts on lobby mirrors 14 days in advance. 7 — Window cards hung under fans at side of auditorium 14 days in advance. 8 — Window cards hung in a few prominent places along theatre hallways. 9 — Shadow box in foyer one week in advance. Iff — Billboards used one week in advance. 11 — Newspaper advertising one week in advance. 12 — Heralds mailed 4 days in advance to patrons on rural routes. (Gne of the photos shows the 24-foot banner hung over the exit doors at the rear of the auditorium. When the house lights were turned on this banner was also illuminated and the departing patrons could not help but see it as they passed under it. The shadow box was painted up in green and black, and was only six inches deep. The front was cut to resemble cliffs, with cheese cloth stretched tight across. On the cloth was pasted a one sheet cutout of a ship, and this was varnished. Lights behind the cloth. The cutout letters over the proscenium arch were three feet high and painted yellow and sprinkled with Christmas snow before the paint dried. The drop was blue, and each letter was sewed onto the drop. A one-sheet cutout “A” in “sea” you can notice a lamp and shade hanging down from the arch cove above. Around this arch we have red, green and white lamps and this single lamp was plugged into the red circuit. Now for the way I used this stunt. At the beginning of each show a slide was run, which read as follows — For Thrills — For Romance and Adventure — For Scenes of Pirate Life — For Real Entertainment — THE SEA HAWK Is Far Above AH Other Pictures! Then the red lamps around the arch were dimmed on, illuminating the cut-out letters, and then the trailer was run off. Thus taking the, trailer alone— made a production unit of it.