Motion Picture News (Jul-Aug 1923)

A it c a, 1923 659 Daddy" Stunts Aimed at Children E X HIBITORS throughout the country, in ex Juvenile Appeal Well Played Up ploiting "Daddy," have Made strong appeals to the juvenile element in tjieir campaigns, several of which are set forth below. The first is that used by Pantage's theatre, Kansas City, Mo. Two factors featured the exploitation. One was the lobby front with artistic lettering and a huge cut out of Jackie that extended threequarters of the. way to the canopy. The second was the fact that, school had just been let out and the former pupils were roaming the streets with nothing to do. It was at them that the campaign was directed in the first place. The impersonation stunt was worked with the simpler angle that all they were asked to do was to leave their photographs at the box office. Little George Elliott of 4405 Forest avenue, carried oil honors and even the dramatic critics of the Kansas City papers conceded that he was an excellent double. Another unique feature of the week for " Daddy " was " Dad's Day," which the theatre inaugurated on Monday to induce each youngster who wanted to see Jackie to bring his dad also. Manager s Wife Gives Benefit Mrs. Robert Wayne, wife of the manager of the Empress theatre and the Strand Amusement Company's interests in Owensboro, Ky., gave a real poor children's performance on " Daddy." The invitation was general. After that Mrs. Wayne got busy under the auspices of the Messenger, assuring newspaper co-operation. The fact that the children chosen for the performance really needed a benefit to have any amusement was attested to by the fact that they were chosen by the Salvation Army, the Moose, the Knights of Columbus, and other big-hearted organizations. When the seats were filled, it included many youngsters who had never been in a moving picture theatre before. Pleasing use of cut-outs in "The White Flower' Lobby by Manager OIlic Broicnlee of the Palace theatre, Muskogee, Okla. Coogan Impersonator on Street During the entire run of the picture at the Lucas theatre. Savannah, Ga., Manager J. G. Evins had a boy dressed as Jackie Coogan make a continuous round of the downtown section. This ballyhoo attracted attention, the cards displayed on front and back telling the story of " Daddy " at the Lucas. In addition to this ballyhoo on the downtown streets a truck was rigged up with sixsheet cut-outs and parked at the baseball grounds, where five or six thousand people were obliged to see it. This wTas on the Saturday previous to opening. Real Estate Sign Helps A bit of green grass, a poster board and a real estate office combined to help the Stadium theatre, Brooklyn, put over " Daddy." The realty office was the unconscious agent by which the picture was sold to many prospective home investors and here's the story : There was to be a big sale of buildiug lots and signs announcing it had been painted on the billboards. They started " These 380 Lots will be sold at .... " The realty company's lease on the sign expired immediately after the sale. Quick to see his chance, Manager Davis grabbed up the space. Directly under the opening sentence of the realtor's ad he planted a huge 24-sheet on " Daddy," the one showing the country home and grounds of Jackie's boyhood. It fitted in well with the other sign which got the attention by its big capitals. Varied Campaign Put Over Manager A. R. Lynch of the Lyric theatre, Jackson, Tenn.. used a campaign of more general nature on " Dady." Slides announced the showing two weeks in advance. The message was also broadcasted by means of paper posted on principal streets, heralds distributed into the homes through the morning newspapers, as well as distributed throughout offices and stores and thrown into automobiles. Merchants were very co-operative and Mr. Lynch was fortunate in securing as many as ten window7 displays, tying-up with the title, for instance : " Daddv Smokes Our Cigars"; "Daddy Wears Our Suits"; " Daddy Buys Ice Cream Here for the Kids," etc. Seventy-five telephone posts in the city had attached to them window cards announcing " Daddy," and the menu cards of two leading cafes carried the week's program printed on them. The lobby was attractively dressed with cut-outs of the star, the cut-out of Jackie sitting on the fence holding the pig occupying the most prominent position, while a six-sheet, three ones and 11 x 4's and 22 x 28's were arranged about this. The title and name of star, cut-out from the 24-sheet, were displayed across the front of lobby just a Dove the 24-sheet. ><2 m .X Drug store window in Pittsburgh tying up 'with the showing of "The La st Moment" at the State theatre, and featuring alarm clocks.