Motion Picture News (Jan - Mar 1928)

March 2d, J 928 956 -C Manager Wins Cooperation of Parents and Teachers William M. llartl'oni, iiuitiaf^cr ol' Univcrsnl's Portohi Theatre, Seattle, Wasliinpton, has been iiiiaiuiiniously elected chairman of the Motion I'iclun! Comniifteo of the Parent Teachers Association of Seattle. He is now goin": over lists of bookings willi the association for all Friday and Saturday shows. The jjrincipals of all schools in t hedistrict of his theatre will bo jjiven a list of these selected films which will also be announced regularly from the teachers* desks. The Portola M'ill present a free ticket to these shows to the school boys or girls who make the best marks each week in each gr&Ae. Dusky Beauties in Contest at Canadian Theatre The Colored Ladies Bathing Beauty Contest at the ariffin Theatre, St. Catharines, Ontario, staged by Manager George Forlian and advertised as the first of its kind in any theatre, proved to be a big success. Not one detail of the contest caused any offence and the theatre was packed at every performance. Women's organization of St. Catharines protested to the civic oiftcials regarding the event but no action was taken and the incident only served to attract more attention. Immediately after the feature was staged in St. Catharines, a similar colored girls contest was conducted at the Capitol Theatre, Welland, Ontario, with equal success. The manager of the Welland Capitol is Tom Forhan, a brother of J. G. Forhan of St. Catharines. Danz Inaugurates All Night Policy at Seattle Embassy Joe Danz, manager of the Embassy Theatre in Seattle, has announced a new and enlarged policy for his 1000-seat downtown house. The daily policy of first run films and stage revues at 15c and 25e remains the same, but Mr. Danz has put the house on an all-night basis. His beauty revue and orchestra features Avill go on for the final shows at midnight hereafter, and pictures follow until 7 o'clock the follo^ving morn ing. The house opens at 9 a. m. again. Novelty Throwaways for "Feel My Pulse" MANAGER E. R. ROGERS made up 3,000 novelty throwaways of a unique appearance to advertise Bebe Daniels in "Feel My Pulse" playing at the Tivoli Theatre, Chattanooga, Tenn. These throwaways contained a stick of gum with the maker's label pasted on the center of card. Just above the gum was copy reading, "feel my pulse — and see if it isn't time to buy some more" and then appeared the wording on the gum label, "Clark's Sweetwood Extra Fine Gum" followed by, "and then see Bebe Daniels in Feel My Pulse— Tivoli. Prizes Awarded Hole-In-One Golfers During Run of ''Spring Fever'' A\Aj Loh Aiigflrs golfers wen; t-ligiliii lOr ■•prciiil pri/.cH from tin-; IVI«'lr(»|)<»iitan theatre in that (;ily during the run of '"Sjiring Fever." This stunt attracted wide^|)n-a<l notice; to the Hhowing of the llaine? starring vehicle in which golf is a feature of the action. There were no conditions atlachetl to tlnr offer of the .VIetrojiolitaii. A prize was olTered to any niemiier of any golf <;iuli in or around Loh Angeles who could make a hole in one. A twenty-five dollar nierchandi/.ing order was offered as a prize to any one who did this while "Spring Fever" was running at the Metropolitan Theatre. Not only was this contest widely exploited hy the newspapers, hut also the theatre had a by-line in reference to it in its a^ls on its one sheet*. Spauldings Sporting Goods store also cooperated on this contest hy ni'-ntioning it in a card in the window display. No one made a hole in one fluring the run of the picture, and this also caused newspaper comment in a humorous follow-up story. Fifteen Window Displays Used in Drive for "Her Wild Oat" T ETTEKING 15 windows with sij^n colors '—' was only one of several stunts Manager Clayton Tui-nstill used to exploit "Her Wild Oat' 'at the Rialto Theatre, Chickasha, Okla. The windows used for the sign colors included drug stores, grocery stores, barber shops and restaurants. Four window displays that had a week's advance showing also pepped things up for the picture. One of the windows was in a hardware store, while the other three were vacant stores. The vacant store windows can-ied inserts, 22 x 28 's, 11 x 14 's, stills and one sheets. The hardware store window presented a real miniature restaurant : An outlay of dishes featured the window display while the background was a cutout from the six-sheet showing Colleen Moore serving in a restaurant. Turnstill made a small counter and cut out the men figures that were in the six-sheet, placed the men on a stool and put real cigarettes in their mouths. Sugar bowls, napkins, dishes, silver, etc., were on the counter while a towel was draped over the arm of the Colleen Moore cutiout. Two special beaverboard signs were placed in the theatre on each side of the stage ten days in advance of play dates. These signs were 3 feet x 8 feet and were placed in the openings of the air shaft. Footlights were placed at the bottom of the signs and were lighted when the trailer was being thrown on the screen. A 24-sheet was posted on a cloth frame and placed down town in a much-traveled section just opposite the liialto on a newly constructed building. Special cards were placed in all restaurants; all hotels carried a card in their lobbies of the one-sheet size; a bulletin was posted at the Girls' College announcing the coming of picture and window cards were tacked on a piece of lath and placed up and down the business section in the flag pole holes. Realistic Chaplin in Cutout Does Wire Act in "Circus" Display MANAGER J. H. McLOUGHLIN had Charlie Chaplin walking the wire over the marquee to enliven interest in "The Circus," playing at the Franklin Theatre, Tampa, Fla. This wire walking Avas made possible by using a cutout of Chaplin from the six-sheet and placing it on a wire directly above the marquee. Through a mechanical arrangement, the cutout figure of Chaplin with monkeys on his head and shoulders was made to move back and forth. The wire walking stunt was used during the showing of picture, while a huge banner reading, "Coming — Charlie Chaplin in ' The Circus ' — entire week, starting Sunday, Feb. 26th," was hung over the marquee well in advance of play dates. To create more interest in the picture, McLoughlin passed out 5,000 drawing charts in the schools. Although these were pri marily for the school children, anybody could participate in the contest. That part of Chaplin showing his derby hat, familiar moustache and shoes were imprinted on the blanks, and contestants were required to sketch in his likeness — the twisted smile, the cutaway coat, the shapeless trousers — and, of course, the cane. The theatre awarded $5.00 in gold to the person creating the best and funniest likeness of Chaplin, and $2.50 for the next best sketch. The next ten best Chaplin drawings won a pair of passes to see the picture. Another stunt that fell a little flat insofar as numbers were concerned was the Chaplin impersonation contest in which all contestants dressed like Chaplin and imitated his antics. Only two boys entered the contest, and since both won prizes the Tampa Times had their pictures in the newspaper.