Motion Picture News (Sep-Oct 1923)

1196 Motion Picture News Stunts on "Girl of Golden West" Screen Version of Play Is Exploited in Campaigns Embracing Novel Ideas CAMPAIGNS on " The Girl of the Golden West " have been featured by many unusual stunts, heavy exploitation effort being put back of it in many instances. Stories of some of these campaigns follow: An atmospheric prologue featured the presentation at Newman's theatre, Kansas City, Mo. The scene taken for the tabloid reproduction was the bar room, with the seven characters in costume. A prima donna of popular fame in Kansas City, Grace Foster, sang " The Girl of the Golden West " ballad as the theme for the film. The bystanders, gamblers and bartenders contributed several numbers. The scene was set in a semi-lighted stage with the spot light shifting to the various characters as each did his specialty number. The prologue seemed to please, judging by the applause and build up a favorable attitude for the feature. Illustrated Song Slides Used The day of the illustrated slide for popular songs is coming back. We have had instances recently of such use in motion picture houses. The most sweeping acceptance of the popular song, however, has come in the case of " The Girl of the Golden West.'' At the Chicago theatre and in other houses throughout the midwest territory a complete set of slides have been prepared to be mailed to exhibitors to go with the picture and song tie-up. The slides are made trom stills from the production, scenes showing Warren Kerrigan and Sylvia Breamer in the leading roles. The typed verses of the song were inserted on the stills in letters larsre enov.gh for the entire audience to read. Anniversary W eek Hooked In " Anniversary Week " offers one of the best weeks of the year for an exploitation that brings box-office returns. The Rialto theatre in Omaha, the metropolis of Nebraska and Iowa, is our sample in this instance The Rialto, for every year during the five that it has Wen open, has stressed its anniversarv ■y.cek. Julius K. .Johnson, whose abilities as a manager have been responsible for the Rialto's continued success during the last three years, has continued to emphasize and to profit by the Anniversary Week idea. The 1923 anniversary was celebrated recently with " The Girl of the Golden West " and " The Love Nest." The exploitation for the week was centered about these two pictures as well as about the " Anniversary Week " idea, celebrating the Rialto's fifth birthday. Fifty bill-board twenty-four sheet stand> were used for the specially prepared sheets. Little anniversary flags or banners, supplied by the Rialto, were used to form a canopy over the sidewalk in front of the theatre, which occupies a prominent corner space downtown. These, together with large banners announcing the Anniversary Week, and the specially painted signs displayed in the arches over the doorways, attracted a great deal of attention. A hand-drawn, pen and ink, western scene by Gordon Bennett, Rialto staff artist, was used in special newspaper ads. Two of the city's three big dailies, the Omaha Bee and Daily News, featured the picture, " The Girl of the Golden West," in full page displays of advertisement j by firms that had traveling and vacation articles to sell. Gypsy Shadow Box in Lobby on "Law of the Lawless" Manager Hugo Plath of the Palace theatre, Fort Smith. Ark., used as a lobby display to advertise ''Law of the Lawless" a shadow box, which was a miniature setting of a gypsy camp with small tent, tripod, under which was a small red lamp to represent fire. The floor was covered with sand and the figures used in this scene were cut out of the 11x14 photon Flasher system was used to attract attention. SKY BALLYHOO ON "FOOLISH WIVES" Captive balloon anchored to the roof of the Columbia theatre, Dayton, fihio, during the run of " Foolish Wires" ( Universal)'. Charles Gross is manatjer Window Displays Tie Up to "Trifling With Honor" Manager Edgar Hart, of the Old Mill theatre, Dallas, Texas, advertised " Trifling with Honor," by arranging two window tie-ups with the local hardware stores, in which were displayed baseball equipment in connection with the cut-outs of the baseball players. The largest department store in town allowed Mr. Ha t to place heralds in all packages sent out from the store. Rain checks printed and announcing the greatest of baseball romances were handed out to the baseball fans at a local ball park. These rain checks were nothing other than announcements about the picture and that it was of considerable interest to baseball fans. A special showing of the picture was held for the newspaper men and for captains of fifteen local amateur ball clubs, three days in advance of play date. A special prize contest was held among the different ball clubs to stimulate interest among its members to see the picture at the Old Mill. Manager Warns Patrons to Keep " Within the Law " Reedsport, Ore., recently went through a flurry of excitement, occasioned by a publicity scheme concocted by A. F. Edwards, owner of the Edwards theatre, and E. L. Fitzgerald, press representative. All Reedsport woke up one morning to find the front door placarded with a card that read in big boldface: ••Warning. Keep Within the Law." Then all kinds of strange rumors went around. It was reported that two police officers were under arrest and the arrests, on a charge of accepting bribes, were actually made on the "implied understanding" that . the briber would not be arrested or informed upon. Several other arrests were reported to be imminent, and a general clean-up campaign was inaugurated under the slogan " Keep Within the Law." ; By the time public suspicion had reached its climax Edwards made his announcement of the coming attraction. The Reedsport Courier regarded the incident as a news story and printed the explanation. MI MATURE DISPLAY TN LOU BY FOR " THE ISLE OF LOST SHIPS" Display, consisting of miniature pool, boats, sand, etc., used i>n •/. Wright Brown, manager of the Grand tin at re, Columbus. Ga., for the showing of "The [sic of Lost Ships " (First National)