Motion Picture News (Mar-Apr 1923)

1284 Motion Picture News ^^^^ MM ties *a • K9S 1^1 "tela ?a | NOW PLAYING . p 1 The management of the Hippodrom theatre, Lancaster, Pa., used this display on " Under Two Flags," with an effective shadow-box and other accessory material Novel Publicity Is Obtained to Exploit "Just Tony" Winnipeg, Canada. — An effective campaign for " Just Tony " at the Province theatre was put over by G. De Grandcourt, Fox Canadian representative, in conjunction with the theatre management. The exploiteer started out three weeks before the picture played with cleverly written stories in the newspapers that announced to the public that " Just Tony " was the latest slang from the old country. The stories are too lengthy to reproduce here, but, owing to the careful and interesting manner in which they were written, the papers willingly gave them space in their columns. No mention of the picture was made. Following this, every office in Winnipeg was bombarded with blotters containing a joke headed " Here's the Latest Slang Bringing in ' Just Tony.' " The merchants were approached for ads on a special " Just Tony " page in both daily papers. They readily responded with ads, "Just Tony" chocolates, "Just Tony" clothes, 'Just Tony" meals and "Just Tony" everything. An ingenious " Just Tony " competi W * : E Firemen Parade with Band for "The Third Alarm" SAN FRANCISCO, Cal.— Getting the entire fire department of a city the size of San Francisco to turn out, headed by its band, to exploit a picture is something of an achievement. The management of the Century theatre did this on "The Third Alarm," through the fire department tie-up made on the picture. In addition to the parade, made up of old and new apparatus, the department lent the oldest fire engine in the state, hand-drawn, to stand in front of the theatre. tion was worked in this connection which resulted in the papers receiving between five and six hundred replies each. A private screening was held for the Winnipeg Humane Society, the Boy Scouts Association and the Girl Guides. These organizations were induced to get behind the picture. The Humane Society sent a splendid letter of endorsement to the theatre and mailed out 2,000 letters to their members and friends, urging them to go and see the picture. The Boy Scout Association canvassed their 2,500 membership, with the result that a special early morning show was held for the boys alone. The Girl Guides did the same, with the same result. Resemblance Contest Exploits "Peg O' the Movies" Milwaukee, Wis. — For ten days the Contest Editor of The Sentinel has been besieged with pictures and letters of little girls between the ages of 3 and 6 in an effort to find Milwaukee's counterpart of Baby Peggy, whose latest picture, " Peg of the Movies," opens at the Merrill shortly. Pictures of more than 200 kiddies were entered, for not only is the honor great of being chosen because of resemblance to tiny Miss Montgomery, but the awards for the prize winners were fascinating enough to tempt many a youngster and her mother too. The entire contest was one of the best tieups of exhibitor and advertisers exploited by a Milwaukee newspaper in some time. The sum of $25 to apply on the purchase of a Sonora phonograph ; a pair of shoes free from Brouwer's children's department; half a dozen baby portraits at Klein's studio ; a $10 payment on a $100 bond at the Grossman, Lewis Co., free hosiery from the Phoenix Hosiery Co. ; a year's dancing instruction at the Kuhlig School of Dancing ; a $100 credit on a Kimball Grand piano ($44.25 credit to each of the other contestants) ; a $25 savings account in the First Wisconsin Natl. Bank, and free automobile transportation while the winner rides about to collect her various trophies, were the prizes. Windoiv display in clothing store in Detroit, Mich., for " The Hottentot " at the Capitol theatre Strong Exploitation Put Back of "The Mystery Box" St. Louis, Mo. — An unusual exploitation campaign, for a short subject, was put over recently by Herschel Stuart, managing director of the Missouri theatre, on " The Mystery Box." The St. Louis Post-Dispatch broadcasted the message through Station KSD to the effect that this reel, explaining the mystery of radio, would be shown at the Missouri theatre. Furthermore, it is stated, exceptional newspaper space was given. Lobby cut-outs for " When Knighthood was in Flower" prepared by R. C. Thayer, manager of the Cataract theatre, Niagara Falls, N. Y.