Motion Picture News (Jul-Aug 1923)

660 .17 a I i o n Picture News Telegraph Tie-up Aids "Backbone Western Union Link-up Widely Used; Personal Appearance Made by Star ONE of the principal features of the exploitation campaigns being: put over on "Backbone" at the present time is the nation-wide Western Union tie-up. One city where this was used is Providence. R I, where Goldwyn Cosmopolitan Exploiteer Buddy Stuart got a card in every Western Union office just before and during the showing of " Backbone " at the EmeryMajestic theatre. Mr. Stuart and Manager Martin I oohey also effected a tie-up with the Boy Scouts which commanded quite a little newspaper space and a parade of the Boy Scouts carrying banners which read: "Boys are the backbone of America." "See 'Backbone' at the EmeryMajestic." "We are going to the EmeryMajestic to see ' Backbone.' " Department Store Gives W indow For the showing of " Backbone " at the Parkway theatre in Madison, Wis., Goldwynner Walter D. Nealand and Dr. William E. Beecroft, manager of the theatre, tied up with the Western Union Telegraph office for the window display, which aroused a great deal of attention. The large hand-painted card unused in the window in addition to posters and stills of the picture. A teaser advertising campaign was used in the Madison newspapers. Burdick & Murray's Department Store, which had used a big window display for " Souls for Sale " the previous week, turned the same window over to the theatre for a display for "Backbone" and "Vanity Fair" which divided the week between them. Personal Appearance Stunt Used Alfred Lunt, one of the stars, was induced by William Moore and Edward Evans of the publicity department of Tom Moure's Rialto theatre in Washington, D. C, to make personal appearances at that theatre in connection with the showing of the picture. The Washington newspapers devoted a good deal of space to Mr. Lunt's personal appearance at the theatre and special cards called it to the attention of pedestrians on the streets. Bill Robson, Gkadwyn Cosmopolitan exploitation man, conferred with the Hialto theatre publicity experts on a novel radiogram stunt. A message asking the recipients t<> see Alfred Lunt in person and on the screen in the Distinctive picture, " Backbone," at Moore's Hialto theatre, was printed on radiogram blanks and sent in radio envelopes to a selected list of patrons. The Western Union Telegraph offices of Washington displayed a national Western Union tie-up poster, and Mr. Moore thought mi well of this Western Union tie-up stunt that lie placed two of the posters in the lobby of the theatre. Corn Flakes Samples Given Out on "Bella Donna" Manager 1'. Majar f the New Regenl theatre, Harrisburg, Pa., and Eli Orowita, Paramount exploiteer, tied up with the Kellogg Breakfast Food Co., to exploit " Bella Donna " and Pola Negri. Fifteen thousand samples were passed out in con junction with this picture! Each package had a sticker on it with appropriate wording telling all about " Bella Donna." "Quicksands" Showing Gets U. S. Recruiting Tie-up In addition to his usual methods of exploitation. Manager George A. McDermit. of the Hialto theatre, Macon. Ga., tied the showing of " (Quicksands " up with the United States Army Recruiting Station, based on tin cavalry incident in the picture. The presentation of the picture was enhanced by a trumpeter, secured from the High School Band, who was stationed in the rear of the balcony and sounded the various calls, cued in the picture. And for the overture the national anthem was used, with slides for community shilling. Lobby display on " The World' a Stage" at the Cinco de Mayo theatre, Mexico City Jungle Scene in Lobby for "Hunting Big Game" In addition to his other advertising. Manager Thomas G. Coleman, of the Galax theatre. Birmingham, Ala., expended additional effort on his lobby. In this a jungle scene was featured, the effect being secured by the use of branches of tree-, with full leafy foliage. Worked in and out of the branches were various cut-outs of animals from the paper — for instance, a 24sheet of the elephant charge, a six-sheet of the cat springing out of the tree, a man with rifle ready to shoot, the two lion heads from the three-shed and the rhino from the other three-sheet. Around the base of the trees and around the poster frames fresh sod from the mountain side was banked. Genuine animal furs with perfectly mounted heads were borrowed and draped around the box office. The heads were tied up so that the teeth of the animals were on a line with the patron's eye. A big 10-foot arrow conspicuously lettered did the double duty of pointing out the box office and announcing that this was the animal picture which ran for three months in New York. W'.ndoi^ display in Self ridge's Department ' Sto re', London, on the showing of "Lorna Doone" at the IV est find Cinema "Quicksands" Campaign is Given Local Angle In exploiting "Quicksands" Manager Roy Smart, of the Noble theatre, Anniston, Alacapitalized upon a circumstance of local We* u,r,,st — that General E. B. Winans, Commandant of Cam]) McClellan, had a part in directing the picture and that the troops used^in it were his former command, the Tenth United States Cavalry. Securing a print of the picture far enough in advance for a private screening, the General and his staff were invited to view the film. And thev were highly pleased. Publicity was then started by announcing that " The cavalry charges and maneuvers were directed by General Winans,'' arousing more than usual interest in the picture because of their interest in the General. This was featured not only in the newspapers, but also in the house organ, " The Noblette." A week before play date tho camp paper also gave publicity to this story. More than the usual number of " Noblettes " were distributed about the camp and the officers co-operated by talking the picture up. The Commander of the Sixth Cavalry cooperated in the loan of banners, flags, etc., about 20 in number, which were displayed in the lobby, along with the General's flag and several large American flags.