Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1936)

The Selection and Maintenance of Marquees CLANCY Stage Rigging and Hardware For half a century the name "Clancy" has been foremost in the field of stage hardware and stage rigging equipment. Year after year — with the development of the theatre and in cooperation with America's leading stage engineers — new items have been developed until today, Clancy offers the most complete line available. If you need any type of stage hardware, Clancy can furnish it. Ask your supply house'— or write us direct. Catalog on request. J. R. Clancy, Inc. 980 W. Belden Avenue SYRACUSE. N. Y. This illustration shows the Clancy steel frame counterbalance lead block. 22 • What the modern marquee should have (sexappeal, for one thing, says the author), and some pointers on its maintenance By MORTON L. CLARK not so long I heard a very interesting talk before a group of advertising men on the subject of "Putting Sex Appeal into Your Advertising." The thought was brought out that no matter what you were selling, whether it might be soap chips or automobiles, you should try to put "sex appeal" into the advertising in back of the product. If you will run through any national magazine today, you will find that this is unquestionably common practice. Obviously, the term is here used figuratively (no pun, of course, intended) . There are many theatres today spending good money to put up a front, which, when it is up, is already five or ten years behind the times. While many theatre operators throughout the country are pulling down the old style three-sided marquees and putting in V-type marquees, you will frequently see another theatre operator spending good money to put up a three-sided marquee. I had the pleasure of working out and installing the first V-type marquee on the Omaha theatre in Omaha, for TriStates Theatres less than two years ago. I predicted this would be the most widely imitated front installed in twenty years, and the way it has swept the country, certainly proves my point. About the same time I was having some very interesting conversations with engineers at Nela Park on the subject and got them very much "sold" on the idea of the V-type marquee. They conducted considerable research work, under the direction of Mr. Francis M. Falge, engineer in charge of theatre lighting research, who developed the data set forth in the accompanying comparative diagrams. You will note whereas the V-type front is 100% efficient in copy space, all other types ranged only from 20% to 66 2/3% efficient. When I say 20%, I mean a front that is 12 feet on the ends, and from 50 to 100 feet across the front, as you will frequently see. All too often across the street from this long front, you will find a shoe-shining parlor or some other group of low-grade stores denoting very poor circulation. Yet, here is all of this wasted front. Not only is it wasted, but it costs a substantial amount of money forever for electricity to Better Theatres Relieve your patrons of the discomfort caused by stagnant hot air. Cool your theatre economically by keeping the air circulating with a WOLVERINE DIRECT SHOT BLOWER Equipped with Variable Speed Control and Ball Bearings set in Solid Rubber Pillow Blocks. Quickly installed. Easily changed to an exhaust fan in winter. Three models furnishing 5,100 to 10,000 cu. ft. per min. on 1/3 to 1 H.P. 110 or 220 volt motors. Prices including V-Belt and Pulleys start at $67.50. Write for folder on complete line. WOLVERINE BLOWER WORKS 412 Prospect Avenue N.E. Grand Rapids, Michigan A -20' B -20 C •20' 40' OF CHANGEABLE LETTER SPACE. 20'EFFECTIVE 28 OF CHANGEABLE LETTER SPACE. ALL SPACE EFFECTIVE 32' OF CHANGEABLE LETTER SPACE. 22' EFFECTIVE 31' OF CHANGEABLE LETTER SPACE. 20* EFFECTIVE 32 ' OF CHANGEABLE LETTER SPACE . 16' EFFECTIVE 36' OF CHANGEABLE LETTER SPACE . 18' EFFECTIVE Relative efficiency of marquees of various shapes, accordin gto data developed by Francis M. Falge, Nela Park Engineering Department, General Electric Company.