The Film Daily (1931)

THE DAILY Thursday, July 16, 193 TIMELY TOPICS A Digest of Current Opinions e You've Got to Sell the Pix npHERE have been too few box office pictures this season. Name a picture that had a real campaign downtown and I'll show you where this same production was a clean up when it played in neighborhood houses. What applies to Milwaukee must undoubtedly be true in this and every other state. If the key town exploits a big picture, subsequent runs in surrounding towns benefit thereby without question. You can't advertise Big Outstanding pictures with a silent trailer, and just a few one sheets and expect to "clean up." The show business today is no different than the merchandising game. Product has to be Sold. iA demand must be created in order to stimulate interest. I was very much interested in a statement published in trade papers some time ago. that the head of one of the lareer chains issued, saying that its individual managers thereafter had to "stand on their own." The long distance method of operation was to be eliminated. Why? They may give you a dozen reasons for such a move, but I personally believe that it was the result of two things. Lack of proper exploitation, first of all, because pictures didn't earn what they rightfully should have at the box office, and the second reason, I believe, is one so ably covered by Al Picker, our fellow exhibitor, namely, lack of community spirit. To me, the two go hand in hand, if we expect to prosper and stay in business. — B. K. Fischer, M.P.T.O. op Wisconsin. Congratulates : PATHE NEWS on its commendable campaign to arouse public interest in the war on racketeers and gangsters. No. 26 of 1931 «'Good Deeds'* Series • • • SOME TIME ago that insouciant and debonair film crit on the N. Y. "Sun," Jawn S. Cohen, Joonior, let out a yawp that we have NEVER had a f emme film star from France never, sez Jawn, has Hollerword touted a Big Name from France like Garbo the Swede, or "Legs" Dietrich the Heinie and Mister Cohen weeps bitter tears because we have never been given a mademoiselle upon whom we may shower charmantes, ravissantes and merveilleuses he discounts Renee Adoree of the silents, and Fifi D'Orsay of the talkies as two Frenchie who never set the sparks flying on the High Tension Dynamo division what, ho, gents of the studios is Jawn right? have ya overlooked a Big Bet? oddzooks, my masters, mebbe this scrivener on the Town's Dignified Rag is right let's see <t> <» * * • • • MISTER COHEN sees in this another Hollerword Mystery is it just another case of Studio Dumbness (gawd forbid, for that Market has reached the saturation point long since) or is it just a case of lack of Material? and the "Sun" scribe discounts the latter by touting a French seductress for the American screen Marcelle Favrel-Chantal she appeared in the French talkie, "Le Collier de la Reine" he gives her a marvelous build-up and if she has got half you vouch for, Jawn then Hollerword is asleep but is THAT unusual, we arsk ya? « « * * • • • BUT THIS local newspaper boy is a good sport he sez if it is not to be Marcelle, then it should be another Frenchwoman as a f emme French star would indeed be a welcome and box-officey novelty indeedy, it would so we enter the contest with no less than TWO candidates how about Suzanne Caubaye, godchild of Mme. Sara Bernhardt who played with the Divine Sara in "L'Aiglon," "Camille" and "Field of Honor" a good lookin' Parisian baby if there ever was one and can she troup! she's been in 11 New York stage productions, and in stock all over these Youessay and then there is li'l Suzette Aubert, ingenue with Ernesto Vilchez, the Spanish Barrymore, for two seasons who plays comedy or drama with equal facility and can imitate all the film stars or caricature 'em and how! and now that we've started somethin' together. Mister Cohen let's sit back and await the Hollerword reaction or can Hollerword really react to an Idea that didn't "originate" in that all-sufficient and self-sufficient cinema center? if they don't come back at us, Jawn then the world will know we've got 'em Stopped * * * * • • • OVER AT the Atlas Sound Recording Stude on 46th Street, thev sold Dr. Paul L. Hoefler one of those nifty compact sound outfits that the Navy Dep't has officiallv adopted Doc, as you will recall, is the gent who lei the universe know that "Africa Speaks" to the tune of slightly over a million kesh money at the ole B.O he is olanning another trip to Asia, to be gone a year and with the new outfit he expects to get his sound effects without any trouble this time packed in heavy metal cases guaranteed to resist heat or cold or the best efforts of the Asiatic Jungle Baggage Smashers' Union which is some problem to overcome, to hear Doc Hoefler tell it * * * ♦ • • • JOHN T. DOYLE, well known Broadway stage actor, was operated on yesterday at the Community hospital his last appearance was in "Tomorrow and Tomorrow" Louis Gaudreau. business manager for Radio Pix publicity dep't, is keeping it a Great Secret but on July 26 he amlslesup the aisle with the belle of Quincy, Mass Mabel Dowd and some unkind mugg sez he hopes Mabel won't rue the day she marries Gaudreau gawdsakes! « « « » » » EXPLOITETTES A Clearing House for Tabloid Exploitation Ideas €= Ice Cake Stunt for Guessing Contest 'T'O advertise the engagement of "Seed" at the Paramount, Waterloo, Iowa, Harry Herman reached into the grab bag and pulled out "the title in a cake of ice" stunt. The short title made it possible to freeze four cut-out letters in a cake of ice. A local drug store window was used to display the ice, because Herman felt his lobby would take care of the theater part, and he wanted a display away from the theater. The only cost to the theater was IS passes, distributed to the 15 people whose estimates of the number of hours it would take the ice to melt, were the nearest correct. — Paramount, Waterloo, la. Service Station Ties In On Pix ^HEN "The Millionaire" played the Le Claire, Moline, Illinois, manager Frank Kennebeck sold the Moline Firestone Service stations the idea of giving one free theater ticket with each greasing job or oil change. What is more, Kennebeck convinced the service stations that they should pay box office prices for these tickets given away. To advertise the distribution of guest tickets for grease jobs and oil changes, the service stations published a 15 in. ad in the local daily, and paid for the distribution of 2,000 heralds carrying the same copy as published in the paper. — Le Claire, Moline, III. Many Happy Returns Best wishes and congratulations are extended by THE FILM DAILY to the following members of the industry, who are celebrating their birthdays: July 16 C. Graham Baker Barbara Stanwyck Edward E^rle Raymond Gallo George Marion Ginger Rogers Wilham Hoyt Peck