Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1924-Mar 1925)

70 EXHIBITORS HERALD Eebriiary 28, 1925 three local houses of the Schine Theatrical Corp., one of the fastest growing organizations in the country. I am taking the liberty of enclosing a few of the ads that I have used here recently. Of course the limited facilities here prohibit us from turning out the class of work that we used to ^et in Halifax or Toronto, but I would like to have your critical opinion of the attached. If you consider these ads of sufficient merit, I would be glad to submit my future efforts. Patrick Sends New Bargain Sale Stunt W. D. PATRICK, Strand theatre, Florala, Ala., writes: I have just pulled off a Big Bargain Day Sale and was utterly surprised at the results. Flooded the town with heralds (sample of which you will find enclosed) on the first chapter of a serial, giving two tickets for the price of one, telling each patron the second ticket was good for a free, pass to the show on the same day next week, hoping that the second episode would get them hung in good on the serial. Garner Sends Complete ^Scaramouche* Campaign L. G. GARNER, Columbia theatre, Bristol, Term., writes: We originally contracted for “Scaramouche” as a road show with orchestra. Before our dates were filled this attraction was withdrawn from the road. We then bought it at a rental price. We were compelled to change our dates two or three times, thereby creating the question in Bristol, “When are you going to play ‘Scaramouche’?” About three weeks before play date we ran teaser ads in the newspapers saying: “It won’t be long now.” At the same time we distributed ten thousand cards bearing the same quotation. These cards were placed in the radiators of every available automobile and tacked in conspicuous places in Bristol. We followed this slogan up with another one, “It won’t be long now — ‘Scaramouche’.” We kept the teaser campaign going in the newspapers every day, changing the mat and copy daily. We showed this attraction on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, February 2, 3 and 4. The day before (Sunday, February 1), we ran a full page of merchant tie-up ads. This campaign proved very successful and the business was satisfactory. We had some customers who had seen the picture before and liked it just as well the second time. We put a special orchestra on for the two shows each night and charged an admission of twenty-five and fifty cents. Lewis Exploits Cross Word Puzzle Subject CLIFF LEWIS, Strand theatre, Syracuse, N. Y., writes: I am enclosing some of those long promised ads from our local newspapers. I hope they have not arrived too late for publication in the Showman’s page. You will note the greater portion of them are in type — nothing but type— but with plenty of white space. Most of the ads are small, some of them very small. Several of the smaller town exhibitors kick because they cannot advertise as they should, due to the fact that they cannot spend much money. Such a great amount was not expended in making up most of these ads. They are all much smaller than the other theatres on the same page, but I’ll wager they were read by as many people. (Even if I did make them.) Am also sending along a couple stories on a “short subject.” Of course the cross word puzzle gag is easier to get into the paper than any short reel, but I think I did exceptionally well even for cross words. The puzzle was taken from the film and worked out just as it is on the screen. (I worked it out myself, so I know.) The squares were numbered and the questions to each number were copied from the film. However, in order to see the answers you had to attend the Strand. The paper received their publicity from our programs and by a trailer which opened the film: “THE SYRACUSE HERALD-STRAND THEATRE CROSS WORD PUZZLE FILM.” I feel rather proud to have “grabbed” so much space on just a short, snort subject. Browning Uses Puzzle Newspaper Tie-Up H. BROWNING, Olympia theatre. New Haven, Conn., writes: I am enclosing accounts of a cross word puzzle stunt which I used in. exploiting “A Thief in Paradise.” This proved very popular and hundreds of answers were sent in. This stunt gave us quite a bit of publicity in the New Haven Union, with which paper we tied up on it, and also two stories on the much coveted front page. House Organ Exchange E. E. BAIR, State theatre, Ulrichsville, O. A. R. BENDER, Olympic theatre, Cleveland, Okla. HARRY BROWNING, Olympia theatre, New Haven, Conn. FRANK H. BURNS, Orlando Enterprises, Inc., Orlande, Fla. M. T. CRAIG, Majestic theatre, Dresden, Ont., Canada. THOMAS S. DALEY, Schine Amnsement Co., Gloversville, N. Y. E. L. FAWKS, Photo Phone theatre, Gra> ford, Tex. F. M. HAMBURGER, Circle theatre, Portland, Ore. M. KOBLEN, Scout theatre, Oakdale, La. T. L. LITTLE, Majestic theatre, Camden, s. c. M. MacLEOD, Wolverine theatre, Saginaw, Mich. EARL D. MASSETY, Texas theatre, Killeem, Tex. E. E. MERIDITH, Virginia theatre. Box 1190, Fairmont, W, Va. CARL F. MOCK, 56 Street theatre. Pine to Delancey Sts., Philadelphia, Pa. EDGAR A. MOSS, Moss Advertising Agency, Marion, Ind. W. H. OSTENBERG, JR., Orphenm theatre, Scottsbiuff, Neb. EARLE HALL PAYNE, Kentucky theatre, Lexington, Ky. CLEM POPE, T & D theatre, Oakland, Cal. E. H. RANDALL, Liberty theatre, Condon, Ore. F. F. SCHWIE, Duluth theatre, Duluth, Minn. E. A. SNYDER, Rialto, Virginia theatres, Champaign, 111. S. STIEFEL, Roxboro theatre, Philadelphia, Pa. J. H. STILES, The Dalles Amusement Co., The Dalles, Ore. F. C. WESKIL, Rose theatre, Colfax, Wash. FRANK WHITBECK, West Coast Theatres, Inc., 134 Leavenworth St., San Francisco, Cal. EDWIN B. WINTERS, Heilig theatre, Seattle, Wash. Entry of name in above list signifies willingness to exchange theatre house organs with ether publishers. (Name) — (Theatre) — (City) (State) w\ 'E got a valentine. It was from J. W. Betterswortb. You know the kind of Valentine he’d send. It was. * rtf * WOULD anyone be interested in a complete institutional campaign by the slave who grinds out the dreams printed each week under “Copy Service for Exhibitor House Organs?” You’re going to get it, anyway. * * * T?UNNY how contributions run. One x week all are newspaper ads. Next week, all are house organs. Then a week of lobbies, and so on. Almost makes us think contributors try to send in something different each time. Which isn’t necessary. Everything s welcome, all the time. * * * Funny, too, how Brst one then another of the Eastern papers burst forth in “discovery” of the fact that showmen know more about showmanship than anyone else and therefore are better qualihed to write it, accompanying such outbursts with invitations to the wide world. Seems that point ought to be pretty well established after a few more years. ONE of our best and newest (“newest” is improper but necessary where they open a new one every night) neighborhood theatres had the tough luck to miss out on a well advertised picture in its third week and the result was terrible to contemplate. One reason was that all they did about it was to change the signlights. It costs a lot to back-track on advertising, but it costs more to fool the people. (Barnum, you know, didn’t run a picture house.) Discovered that “Sundown” lobby display printed last week was done by H. P. Priddy for the Grand theatre at Electra, Texas. (Awfully sorry, H. P.) Hi ^ Look twice at Leo Garner’s ad for “Columbus” and “The Man from Wyoming.” If you like to argue, that should supply basis for as long as you feel like discussing it. Short subject and feature get an exactly even break. That’s new. if * A MONG next week’s features arriving /ijust too late for publication in this issue is a letter from Fred Hinds which you’ll read twice if you read it once. He writes to these columns much less often than we’d like, but he brings in a gusher every time he does. You’ll be surprised. A N OTHER week next week. Syracuse Joins Zone (Special to Exhibitors Herald) ALBANY, N. Y., Feb. 17. — While here on Lincoln’s birthday Walter Hays of Buffalo, president of the New York State Motion Picture Theatre Owners, announced that exhibitors of Syracuse had entered the Buffalo zone membership and at a meeting there a few days ago had contributed about $1,000 toward the running expenses of the zone. La Marr Makes Fast Trip Abroad NEW YORK. — Barbara La Marr, who has just completed “Heart of a Temptress,” her second Sawyer-Lubin starring vehicle for First National, has just sailed for a flying trip to Europe, which is in the nature of a vacation before her next production starts. She will be back in New York from London and Paris within the next three weeks, at which time she will start work again.