Motion Picture News (Sep-Oct 1923)

1200 Motion Picture News "Main Street" Campaign Is Well Varied in Nature The campaign put over by Manager H. C. Farley, of the Empire theatre, Montgomery, Ala., embraced a number of appropriate and novel features. In addition to the usual adance work, posters, photos, etc., 1,000 especially made stickers were put out, reading: " Be careful on all streets and watch for I ' Main Street.' " These were not only stuck in every available spot in town, on buildings, fences, posts on all streets leading to town, but they were also sent out in packages from a number of stores. A " Main Street " contest was featured, offering a prize of $25 to the person naming the " Main Street " of Montgomery and giving his reasons for believing that it should be. This contest was put on through the auspices of the leading newspaper, the Advertiser, and it was given lots of publicity,, including a front page cartoon and article on editorial page. The only cost attached to the contest was the prize money. The window cards put out by Mr. Farley were quite novel. They were constructed of beaverboard. in the shape of lamp-posts, and in place of the light, a still from the picture and on the cross arm, the title, " Main Street," Empire theatre and date. Lamp-posts were prominent in the lobby, four of these, seven feet high, were placed one on each side of the bos office and one on each corner under the inarquee. They were of beaverboard and were fitted up with electric lights installed with flasher sockets. The title, " Main Street " was printed in large letters on the cross arm. These lamp-posts were so placed that they must be seen, no matter whether a person was going in or out of the theatre, or from the opposite side of the street. Clown Street Ballyhoo is "Three Wise Fools" Aid Excellent results are reported by Manager Roy McMullen of the Merrill theatre, Milwaukee, on a street ballvhoo which he used on " Three Wise Fools." Three young men dressed in clown costumes, white with big red spots, clown white make-up. pointed clown caps and marked signs on their back, " Three Wise Fools," Merrill theatre. August 18 and all week. Then these men we*e sent on the streets four hours daily on Friday and Saturday, attracting much attention. "HAS THE WORLD GONE MAD" LOBBY H. L. strain of the Saenger theatre, Shreveport, La., used this display on -Has tin World (lone Mad?" (State Riyhts) Minuet is "Shot" to Boost "Ashes of Vengeance" In connection with the showing of " Ashes of Vengeance " at the Apollo theatre, New York City, the public picture taking stunt that was first used throughout the country on " The Cross-roads of New York " was employed to give New Yorkers a thrill. In the center of Central Park Mall twelve costumed ladies and gentlemen went through the minuet that formed the opening scenes of the picture and the camera clicked to their movements. The actual taking of the picture was the result of several weeks' ardous work. Dancing schools were combed for talent. The best amateur applicants were considered and prospective picture stars were even advertised for. In all 600 men and women responded to the call of the camera. From these about 100 were tentatively retained. Rehearsals made the process of elimination easy, and the field was finally narrowed down to the necessary dozen. The actual taking of the film was well broadcasted so that newspaper reporters and news service photographers were on hand. It required about an hour to film the scene, including close-ups. At the conclusion of the performance each of the girls was presented with a necklace of Norma pearls by Mr. Liechtenstein, head of the jewelry house manufacturing them. The film, as had been announced, was subsequently shown at all the Loew houses. Fur Fashion Show Prologue to "Girl of Golden West" A fur fashion show, presented as a prologue, was one of the attractive ways in which Manager H. B. Wright of the Strand theatre put over " The Girl of the Golden West * in Seattle recently. The prologue was presented through Manager Wright's co-operation with the Baker Fur Company of that city. Latest style evolvements in fur were attractively displayed by four living models furnished by the store. During the style prologue, an atmospheric musical background was provided by the Strand orchestra. Aside from the entertainment of the theatre audiences, the prologue was good for a full page display in color process work in the Sunday magazine section of the Seattle Times. The Times used five photographs of the models, displaying various modes, as a full page fashion feature. The page was done in several colors, and each garment was appropriately described. Large type emphasized the fact that the garments were furnished by the Baker Fur Company and were shown on living models at the Strand theatre four times daily in a specially prepared fur fashion prologue; along with the presentation of the picture, " The Girl of the Golden West." Grumpy Is Tied Up With "Opportunity Days" Manager H. W. Lamed of the Victoria theatre. Tamaqua. Pa., put cvar an effective and inexpensive campaign on " Grumpy " with the assistance of Bud Gray, Paramount e pioiteer. The merchants of the town happened to be having a drive called " Opportunity Days." This was tied up by window strips and pennants. These pennants were fastened around the marquee of the theatre in addition to being placed in the window-. These streamers and pennants were placed in about eighty windows, but only a few displays were played up in the heart of the town. Cutouts of Theodore Roberts from one-sheets were mounted and placed along with the streamers in the windows. One thousand heralds were distributed in the newspaper. Teasers were placed five days in advance, stressing the mystery angle and offering reward for information leading to the recoverv of the missing diamond. vORMA TALMADCE " W I Tfffi N THH LAW (I HOW MAX ACER WITH SMALL LOBBY Bl/LT HIS FRONT ON "WITHIN THE LAW" Manager William Lindsay o] the Paramount theatre, Logansport, Ind.. huilt th is display at one aide of his entrance on " Within the Lair" {first Xational)