Exhibitors Herald (1925)

58 EXHIBITORS HERALD August 1, 1925 Put in a dash of winter. A Santa Claus has not been used but it might not be a bad idea. A beautiful touch has been given to A. H. Blank’s Rialto theatre, Burlington, la., which appears on the second page of this department. The snowcaps of the mountains are a suggestion of quiet, cool beauty. It is a picture which is convincing. Half tones appear on the page facing it which come from suggestions used by the Rivoli theatre, New York. Much has been said about the system used by the Rivoli ; much newspaper space has been devoted to its cooling system. It was proved to newspaper men that the air is cold and healthful in the theatre. A giant system of refrigeration was installed. But it remained for the publicity man to let the public know what a device it was. His method may be seen. A meter which indicated the temperature inside was hung outside the Rivoli’s entrance. Passersby could not fail to see the thingamajig which showed an actual temperature many degrees cooler than the air around the sweltering ears of perspiring pedestrians. Ever cognizant of the chance that many people would not know of the cooling system the management distributed post cards calling attention to that delightful feature of the theatre. The post card as shown on the second page here may be used by a visitor in New York to send home a novel kind of message. It is so arranged that a variety of thoughts might be expressed simply by the method of crossing out words printed on the card which the writer does not wish to use. He may say, “Dear wife — I am feeling wonderful. I hope you are happy.” Or he may say “Dear Sweetie — I am feeling fair. I took a trolley ride. I have visited Grant’s Tomb.’ All he needs to do is to scratch out unnecessary words already printed on the card. In the letter written by Harold D. Barnes, Rialto theatre, Burlington, la., he tells his method of exploiting for warm weather. Calling attention to ads similar to that reproduced on the second page here he says, “The same pictures from a stock supply of newspaper mats I had painted on the side of the theatre.” Then such lines as these were also played up : “My, but it’s restful in the Rialto theatre,” and “Of course the show was good and it is always so cool and comfortable in the Rialto.” If your Saturday crowd is obliged to stand in line a few minutes before the end of the running performance be sure that they are as comfortable as possible. Put electric fans in the entrance. One of the most appetizing displays of the “cool and comfort idea” was used by the Victoria theatre, Harrisburg, Pa., with little thought of that idea at the time. The real purpose of the display was to exploit the Educational picture, “Balto’s Race to Nome,” the news story of the North. But because of the manner of its exploitation the thought of coolness was also gained by the management. A reproduction of the picture appears on another page of this department. In front of the door in the picture appear several cakes of artificial ice. In the center of each cake are frozen fish. C. Floyd Hopkins is responsible for the idea. Charles Campbell, resident manager of the Victoria, handled the details and reports that box office results were most favorable. Why Is A Prologue? A PROLOGUE can kill a show if it is bad but it can save a show if it is good. Prologues may someday earn their way into the minds of exhibitors to the degree that they will be classified by them as among the regular short features of the industry. Anything that goes before the long feature may properly be termed a prologue if it contains the atmosphere or other feature consistent with the feature itself. It may be a tableau, a pantomime, a drill, musical selec tion, or it may even be developed by appropriate sets and lights void of human characterization. It must be something which logically introduces the subject, however. For a period prologues on the world’s stage flourished as a necessity to the enjoyment of the principal subject. Then the custom waned. In America this passing was noted chiefly ; and in America there is now a greater movement than elsewhere to restore the vogue to its place it had in Europe in the early part of the seventeenth century. When the prologue has been revived it will be with > thanks only to the motion picture industry. Other phases of theatricals cannot revive it. Their struggle is great enough to revive themselves. The beauty of the idea in view of the exhibitor’s situation is that the prologue suits itself so admirably to his needs and resources. It is an inexpensive thing ; when expense is a foe (and well it may be.) It often . supplies the local color to any exhibition because it is ' often enacted by local persons. The value in local talent lies in the fact that their personality draws, not their talent. Therefore, since in prologue talent is not the dominant feature, personality may be counted upon to swell the audience. Vaudeville and stock companies of various caliber are visiting many small town theatres this summer which are commercializing this idea. Amateur night is a weekly feature which makes the dullest night of the week a normal one. It is only because of the fact that the talent is local. Put personality into your prologues — personality which is known around the home folk. Again refer to an idea of Harry Browning, New Haven. He has contributed pictures of a prologue he used more in the order of a co-feature than a short act. One of the pictures is reproduced on the third page here. In what he billed as the New Haven Juvenile Follies he used 125 children. He was safe in counting on 250 parents and a lot of friends. Despite that a large circus showed the same week he reports the results were “wonderful.” He used all sized children; even little tots. And you already know that everyone is so fond of little tots on the stage that the act will get over if the children de no more than toddle around a few minutes. To stage something less expensive plan a solo or dance by a local character for two of your poorest nights in the week. Be sure that the music is prologue music; that it pertains to the subject. Newspaper Advertising WHATEVER else people do in August the one habit they do not casually put aside is that of newspaper reading. The appetite for news is as human a characteristic as the mating instinct. During your campaign to keep open to large crowds in August remember that the grasp for publicity goes deeper through newspapers than almost any other medium of advertising. Cliff Lewis has contributed some exceedingly notable material on this subject which appears on the second page of this department. By a clever arrangement with the Syracuse (N. Y.) newspaper the Syracuse Strand theatre received space in each of seven issues of the daily. The space was devoted to the reproduction of old photographs of early establishments in Syracuse. A story about each of the pioneer buildings ran below the pictures and mention was made in each story of the theatre which provided the views. The week selected for the running of the photos was that of the Centennial Celebration boosted by the theatre.