Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1930)

46 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD October 4, 1930 Any kind of celebrity will draw a crowd. This was proved again when thousands turned out to see the premiere of Pathe's "Holiday" at the Carthay Circle, Los Angeles, at which the principal feature was the personal appearance of some 70 screen and stage celebrities, some of them big celebrities and others just little ones. The insert on the upper left shows the featured player of the film, Ann Harding, and Harry Bannister. Mary Astor, also one of the stars, and James Gleason are shown in the insert at the upper right. Edward H. Griffith, director of the production, is at the lower right. Wisconsin Theatre Has Reception, Parade for Fiji Dorsay 's Arrival Film stars making personal appearances at a theatre should be put across in a big way the first day. James Keefe, advertising manager for the Fox Midwesco Theatres in Milwaukee, did just that when Fifi Dorsay, actress, came to the stage of the Fox Wisconsin. Scheduled to open her engagement on a Friday, Miss Dorsay was prevailed upon to come one day in advance so that the brilliance of the ceremonies attending her arrival would not be diminished by the coming of two transAtlantic fliers, Bellonte and Coste, who were to appear on Friday. Keefe made a special trip to Chicago to get Miss Dorsay's consent to come a day earlier. When she arrived in Milwaukee a band and 20 automobiles greeted her with "Welcome Fifi" banners. She rode at the head of a parade through the streets to the city hall, where she was greeted by city officials. r I 7 d r» ■ Looby Represents Prison For "Big House" Showing The Rialto theatre, Denver, used a prison setting in its lobby with marked success for the showing of "The Big House." A prison cell was laid out on either side and the entire lobby was decorated with actual photographs from the prison riot at Canon City, Colo. Appropriate copy gave news of the picture's billing. A "mystery" car was driven about the city with all windows shrouded in black cloth and the name of the film painted on them. Late in the afternoon a tea and reception was given at a hotel, with reporters as the principal guests. This stunt brought publicity hand over fist. All dailies carried pictures and stories, plugging her appearance at the Wisconsin. When the French fliers, Bellonte and Coste, arrived on Friday, she was taken to the airport to greet them, bringing more news stories, and adding another reason to the list explaining why the Wisconsin did capacity business during her engagement. SPECIALS FOR "Rain or Shine" "Dixiana" "Iteno" "Little Accident" "Madam Satan" "Swing High" "Indians Are Coming" P.ln-Tin-Tin in "Txjne Defender" "Hell's Angels" "The Gorilla" Fill your seats with original box-office EXPLOITATION NOVELTIES Made for Every Picture Produced Now Serving PATHE RKO UNIVERSAL M-G-M TIFFANY SONO-ART LOEWS UNITED ARTISTS FIRST NATIONAL and Many Others Economy Novelty & Printing Co. 340 W. 39ih Streal, New York, N. Y. Tel. Medallion 3664 Saenger Has Straw Hat Day The Saenger theatre, New Orleans, helped to say goodbye to the straw hat season by accepting in lieu of a ticket of admission, one straw, condition, style and size forgotten. The promotion stunt lasted for one full day and the Saenger got enough straw hats to feed a flock of hungry goats for weeks. 0Q?fBeWiW Chuckle-hunters stormed' our doors. last week. 65,000 got in . . . and as many more were turned away. We're sorry . . . but if you'll jump on your white horse and gallop to our diggings today . . . you'll find the fun war still raging! MARX BROTHERS Animal Crackers You won't have to sit in a stranger'* tap . . . you can have a teat all of your own. So hitch up -the old white mare anJhurryt Four more grinny days and the mad Nuti-ATeen of "The Cocoanab" will be gone forever. RKO PALACE Vntil 1 P. M 30c An ad tlxat brought grins to the public and chuckles at the box office of the RKO Palace in Cincinnati for Paramount's "Animal Crackers." Copy in the ad strikes the same humorous note as does the picture itself. More power to the publicity man ivho wrote it! Paramount-Keith Reopens With A. R. Boyd in Charge Keith's Chestnut Street theatre in Philadelphia has reopened as a Paramount first run downtown house to be known as the Paramount-Keith. Alexander R. Boyd is operating the house, with Frank Buhler, formerly with the Stanley Company, as managing director and Edgar Wolf, formerly .with Fox, as resident manager. The Paramount-Keith will retain its straight picture policy for the present. This marks Boyd's first connection with a Philadelphia theatre since he sold his Boyd house to Warner-Stanley. He owns several theatres upstate. Canadian Theatre Runs Hidden Letter Contest Six passes a day is all it cost Harold Hitchinson, new manager of the Tivoli theatre, Hamilton, Ont., to conduct a classified advertising stunt with the cooperation of a local newspaper. A missing letter contest was the basis of the stunt. Letters were left out of various ads on the page. These missing letters, properly put together formed the name of the current attraction at the Tivoli. A panel at the top of center of the page carried daily announcement of the contest. "Do Right" Club Formed To Bring the Youngsters T. R. Elliott, manager of the Keith-Albee house, Youngstown, O., organized a "Do Right Club" for juveniles of the city as part of his exploitation for "Let Us Be Gay." Members of the club were given buttons and the first hundred to join were admitted free to the first matinee of the picture. • •