Motion Picture News (Jul - Sep 1930)

September 27, 1930 Motion Picture News 63 MANAGE PI' KOUND TABLE CLUB Mammy Warblers In Fulton Stunt Wore Out Pants At Knees A stranger entering Council Bluffs, la., on the night that R. K. Fulton, manager of the Broadway Theatre, ran the finals of one of his show merchandising stunts would have imagined that he was seeing double and hearing triple; all because "R. K." was staging an "Imitate Al Jolson Contest" in conjunction with his showing of the blackface star's latest vehicle, "Mammy." Circus heralds were distributed well in advance; the heralds setting forth full information about the Jolson contest as well as announcing title of picture, theatre and playdates. And the first and second prizes that were donated by a local jeweler. Contestants appeared on the stage of the theatre at 9 o'clock on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights of the week previous to the showing of "Mammy." The winner of each of these nights then appeared in a final contest that was held on Sunday night, June 22, the opening night of "Mammy." Judging was entirely by audience applause. And the prizes donated by the jeweler consisted of a man's $75 diamond ring and a $25 Bulova strap-watch, which were on display in the jeweler's window together with stills from the picture, and window cards carrying copy about the picture and contest. Fulton's stunt not only created publicity for the film, but aided business on the week before, during which he ran the semi-finals. And the house was jammed on the night of the final, with "R. K." once more garnering good-will for the house. An easy way of securing a good deal of publicity came to light in the stunt that A. E. Worden, manager of the Cortland and Temple Theatres in Cortland, N. Y., used to plug his showing of the recent fight pictures of Sharkey & Schmeling. In the photo you will note that he constructed a special banner stand and placed it on the top of a car to plug the film. Worden Turns Out Good Gags To Sell Shows At Cortland TRY ADDISON'S TRICK Here's a suggestion, successfully engineered by H. M. Addison of the Loew-Penn theatre in Pittsburgh, Pa. He has arranged for the Pittsburgh Fire Chief to drill his ushers twice a week. And in the near future he is going to augment his tie-up bv taking movies of the staff on a fire truck at city hall. Result: Fire chief tickled. Good copy for the newspapers and theatre getting some great breaks. Try something like this yourself. Don't cost anything, but pays well. WOW! We've struck gold for you . . , ! STAGE WEDDINGS A complete resume of this marvelous b. o. angle, plus the details of several stage wedding campaigns recently executed, with unusual success, by your brother members. NEXT WEEK The car was driven about the main streets of the town and parked at the business sections for as long as time would permit. The banner was made up in attractive colors and was bound to be seen by every one with a block distance. This same stunt was repeated on "Journey's End" with the exception that in place of a banner, a cut-out was attractively displayed. The other photo shows the net he uses to keep the town informed of his pictures. The net measures 15 by 18 feet and carries colored panels which make it visible for quite some distance. The cost of it is very small and the subsequent boxoffice boost because of the use of this medium makes the expenditure negligible. We are glad to pass along these few accounts of the work Worden is turning out up in Cortland and we know that he will be represented in the future by more stunts of this type.