Motion Picture News (Mar-Apr 1923)

1564 Motion Picture N ezv s * THRILL. GONGS SHRIEKING ■ CeaUry Striking flash in lobby of the Capitol theatre, Yakima, Wash., for " The Third Alarm," with special artwork on closcd-in front. A vivid color scheme was used 'A Front Page Story" Tied Up « with Mayor of City San Francisco, Cal. — Several tie-ups with newspapers have been made on " A Front Page Story," but it remained for J. A. Partington of the Granada theatre to hook it up with Mayor Rolph of San Francisco. One of the most important parts of the plot of the picture is the full page announcement in the hero's paper that he would print the truth about John Gorham in its next issue, and John Gorham is the mayor who is seeking to wreck the newspaper. Mr. Partington conceived the idea that if the 24-sheet poster provided by Vitagraph. which consisted of three lines in block type, " Watch Out for a Front Page Story. The Truth About Gorham," could be made to read, " The Truth About the Mayor," San Francisco would sit up and take notice. Before going ahead, of course, the picture was screened for the mayor and his official family at his private office, and it received his sanction. Mayor Rolph said : " The whole city ought to see it and laugh the way the whole town laughed when the truth about the mayor in " Strangers' Banquet " window tie-up in cigar store during the run at the Rialto theatre, Tacoma, arranged by Chas. F. McManus, exploitation manager for Jensen & Von Herberg "Kick In" Ballyhooed with Sleighful of Youngsters IDAHO FALLS. Ida.— A noisy ballyhoo for " Kick In " that went all over town and cost little was gotten by Manager Otto E. Schmidt of the Colonial theatre and Rick Ricketson, Paramount exploiteer. The streets were sheeted with ice, so they got a big sleigh, with banners for the picture stuck up on sticks, and drove it around town. Every time they found a kid walking on the street they nabbed him and gave him a ride. Soon they had a dozen youngsters all lustily yelling " Kick In," " Kick In," as they progressed through every street in the town. the picture was printed." This statement of the mayors was subsequently used in the newspaper advertisements. Mr. Partington put out fifty of the special 24-sheet posters containing the lines, " The Truth About the Mayor " a week earlier than its regular run. A week previous to the showing he also distributed 20,000 dodgers reading with the same text matter but signed by Edward Horton, 1066 Market street, that being the address of the Granada theatre, and Horton plays the leading role. "Voice from the Minaret" Gets Phonograph Window Tie-Up Bridgeport, Conn. — When Dawe's theatre played " The Voice From the Minaret," the Wissner Piano Co., on Main street, erected a small minaret that fitted over the top of a Victrola, leaving the doors of the talking machine visible through the open doors at the bottom of the minaret. When the muezzin called the faithful to prayer in Bridgeport it was " his master's voice " that summoned them. The window hook-up was part of a Norma Talmadge resemblance stunt, worked by Manager Dawe to arouse interest in the picture. The fact that the talking machine company came in on it gave an opportunity for added exploitation angles. A record was made of the Mohammedan prayer and was connected with a magnavox, so that the strange summons was shouted out on Main street during the noon hour. Those who couldn't guess what it meant followed the voice to the window and saw the display on " The Voice From the Minaret." Heavy Exploitation Put Back of "Driven" Showing New York, N. Y. — When " Driven " opened at the Criterion theatre, it was given the benefit of an unusually extensive publicity campaign. To start the ball rolling a special presentation of the picture was given at the Town Hall one week prior to the Criterion opening for the National Board of Review, who placed the attraction in their list of Exceptional Pictures following this showing. The word-ofmouth advertising created by this showing proved most valuable. A special letter was sent to every civic, social and woman's club in New York City inviting members to attend the showing, with the story of the picture included in the letter. The " smallest automobile in the world " was used as a street ballyhoo with the slogan, '• Every Car in the City Will be Driven to the Criterion Sunday to See ' Driven,' the Picture Sensation of the Year." This car would stop on every street corner. Many windows were landed along Broadway and the main streets, where portraits or scenes of the picture were planted. Special two-sheets with the word u Driven " were posted all over town. Window display on " The Flirt." made up of articles of merchandise to be presented in a contest on the picture during the showing at the Allen theatre, Cleveland