Motion Picture News (Jul-Oct 1914)

38 THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS BOOSTING A CIVIL WAR FEATURE PRIZE CONTEST FOR CHILDREN A SHETLAND pony and cart constitute the prizes offered for the most popular boy or girl under sixteen years of age, by the managers of the California Garden, California avenue and Sidney street, and the Aubert Garden, Aubert and Easton avenues, St. Louis. The votes are earned by the contestants and their supporters, through attendance to the Gardens, and through the purchasing of merchandise from different dealers in the neighborhood, a dry goods store, a grocery, a meat market, a drug store, a bakery, and others, who all give votes, ten with each ten-cent purchase. In addition to this, two hundred votes are given to an}^ boy or girl who sells a familj^ book of twelve tickets to the garden. The twelve tickets sell for a dollar under these conditions. The two gardens are under the same management, and they are veritable fairy gardens, with fountains playing near the entrance, flowers and vines growing all around the walls of the enclosure, and a large orchestra thiat plays catchy music. Many lights and beautiful decorations ad to the popularity and comfort of the gardens. PICTURES OUTLIVE CRAZE FOR DANCING James Howell, manager of the Colonial, Columbus, O., formerlj' the home of $3 attractions, now devoted exclusively to motion pictures, thought dancing and pictures would mix. They haven't to any great extent. It's the pictures that have survived. The dancing craze has died. Howell had the picture screen placed at the very rear of the stage, polished the floor, placed steps leading from the auditorium to the stage and set some palms about, naming his new creation "The Cherry Orchard." • Dancing was anncupced for from 10 p. m. to 12 p. m. daily. At first there were small crowds, drawn by the novelty of the thing. As time went on, however, the crowds dropped of?. The heat is largely to blame, the management thinks. No pictures are 'shown after the hour for dancing. The theatre does a big motion picture business. PINS FOR REST ROOM Manager P. Gevurtz, of the American Theatre, 450 South Broadway, Los Angeles, discovered that many v/omen lost hairpins in removing their hats while in the theatre, and now provides the rest-room with a •quantity, as well as all kinds of other pins and other accessories for the v.'omen's toilets. THE publicity stunts negotiated apropos of "The Battle of Shiloh," when that feature appeared at the Sun Theatre, Wilkes-Barre, Pa., have yet to be equalled in that city. The picture was booked to begin on a Monday and the press-agent led ofif with a call for a private exhibition Sunday afternoon. Then he goes to the G. A. R. of the valley and invited the veterans to witness it. He described the films in true press-agent style and the veterans were elated with the prospect of the entertainment. The stunt was enlarged and the Spanish-American War veterans were invited as an escort to the G. A. R. The Spanish-American War veterans assembled at their rooms Sunday in dress uniform and headed by a band marched to the G. A. R. hall. They then formed the escort and to the accompaniment of martial airs paraded to the Sun Theatre. The parade was led by State Senator Sterling R. Catlin. The streets were lined with people. The veter PATRONS of the Garden Theatre, Waterbury, Conn., were given a pleasant surprise recently when children under ten years of age, accompanied by adults, were permitted to enter the motion picture house free of charge. This arrangement will continue until further notice and holds good for the matinee performances only. Manager Nichol, when asked what effect this had on his receipts, expressed himself after this fashion: . "I find that by allowing the children to enter free of charge it brings a good many mothers to my house. You know there are a good many women who have two, three or four children and cannot afford to attend the pictures very often when they have to pay for their children. Now they come to my shows, and since the matinee performances are not very well attended during the summer, I find this an excellent means of filling my house. "I see many new faces and, would you believe it, my receipts for the first three days of the week, despite the warm weather, simply made me almost want to shake hands with myself. If I admit these children with their mothers, it is only natural that they will come to my house instead of the fellows across the street. The manager of the Garden has also arranged to have the dial of a clock tlirown on the screen a couple of times during the performance in order that the "movie" lovers may know just what time of day it is. ans drew up in line with the colors in front of the theatre and saluted, and the onlookers cheered. In the meantime the newspapers made the announcement of the private exhibition, and the public parade in uniform with a band Sunday afternoon added further to the publicity. The press-agent was still busy. Representatives of the press were also invited with their families. The pressagent wrote interviews with some of the veterans who had been in the Battle of Shiloh and weaved around their supposed statements human interest and thrilling stories of the great conflict. These stories he gave to the newspaper men and they grabbed them for the best copy they could turn in. Every paper Monday carried big accounts of the parade and the vividness of the battle as it was seen on the screen by the supposed partici' pants fifty, years ago. It is needless to add "The Battle of Shiloh" played to capacity crowds for two days. The innovation has been highly commended by the patrons." Manager Nichol has been so encouraged by the success of his experiment that others in the same direction may be expected. HANDLING A CROWD <'/^H let's go to the Kaiser Theatre, we can always get into such a select crowd there." This statement was made by a married woman of Boise, Idaho, to her husband the other evening when a discussion of what show to visit was brought up in a crowd. Knowing that the show was open to all. The Motion Picture News representative followed the crowd to get a line-up on the system. Herman Kaiser, manager of the theatre, was on the job directing the ushers and careful observance showed that he had made a study of • the people and grouped them according to class and color. Chinamen, darkies-, Greeks, Spaniards and men of that class are seated to themselves, while the more select have seats together. There is no mixing of colors at the Kaiser, and the public, sure of not being embarrassed through being seated by a stranger not up to their standard, are fast realizing the courtesy shown in that respect and giving their patronage accordingly. It can also be said that Mr. Kaiser is as careful about selecting his films for the show as he is in seating the public. CONVERTING THE MOTHERS