Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1918)

September 28 , 1 p 1 8 2009 Htfhat jCiire'Wires areDoincp on them. He changes the reading matter with each production. It is intimate sort of advertising that results in the matter being generally read. It is not expensive, and it would apply in almost any city. "/ had a great show, but no one came." Yes, but you were the only one that knew about it. GERALDINE FARRAR'S first picture for Goldwyn has been responsible for unusually good advertising on the part of exhibitors in various sections of the country. In fact, quite a number seem to have tried to do much more on this production than they usually do. This display of the Temple theatre, Toledo, Ohio., occupied fourteen inches across four columns, and was in excellent taste throughout, putting over the big punch of THE TURN OF THE WHEEL THE WORLD-FAMOUS OPERA AND SCREEN STAR IN A POWERFUL DRAMA OF TODAY ADDED ATTEACTIOJIS MITT AND JEFF COMEDY CHESTER OITOG PICTURES TEMPLE NEWS REVTCT Ife-ISc 15c-25c 00100 no or bipt n ELSIE FERGUSON la u Irttfift PradotuoE -Hear! of the Wild; || the picture in a dignified manner. The scene cut used at the top is a striking one, and it was well worth while because it shows the character of the production. The public is right now fighting shy of pictures made from operas and costume productions, and the Temple theatre did well to bring out the fact that this famous star is being seen in a drama of to-day. The selling argument is brief and to the point. Standard theatre, Cleveland, used a half page in colors. It employed a portion of the same scene picture, and then used a profile picture of Miss Farrar at the right of the picture. There is a minimum of reading matter — always the case in the excellent advertising of the Standard — and this not only dwells on the fact that this is a picture of to-day, but recites that the star has announced that she will be seen on the screen only in modern roles. Don't take the policy of your theatre from a burlesque, and be sure that you do not make your house a joke. Recently we had something to say about the owners of two or more theatres combining their house advertising and of the bad results from such a policy. But here is just the opposite thing and certainly E. H. Hulsey is not letting any grass grow under his feet in this respect. We take a page from the Dallas News. Certainly if you were not told you would never know from the advertising that he controls the Old Mill and the Queen theatres as well as the Hippodrome. But it is the latter to which we want to call your attention especially. Now note that there Foi Husbands Onhj D^GRIFFITH Tfie Greatlove* are three separate advertisements on the Hippodrome on this one page. There is a quarter of a page on " The Hearts of the World," which was to close its run on Tuesday, and then almost as large space on " For Husband's Only " to open on Wednesday. But that was to be a double bill and was to include " The Geezer of Berlin," so after mentioning this fact at the bottom of the larger advertisement he took separate space, two columns seven and one-half inches for a special " Geezer " ad. You can bet that he is putting it over for big business. He is not arraying himself against himself, but he is selling every picture. One reason for this policy is that he recently took over the Hippodrome and wants to drive it into the public mind that this house is now the home of big pictures. You are after him, arc you ? Well.comfc in land^et him.LamnYou! ELAINE HAMMERSTEIN in a Bij Production fy Ralph W Ince "her NAN Beset by deadly enetniea, .her life and honor threatened, the defend* h e r man, even unto" death T This New York society beaut' find* her sol in t h* feud country of the Cumberland*. 2. Billie Parsons in "Dad's Knockout" 3. Pathe War News. 4. Strand Concert Orchestra and Organ THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY You Always Know tne Admiwion Before Going to the Strand CTRAND THEATRE, Birmingham, Ala., under its new management is going to be a good advertiser. Here is one of the first of the hand-drawn advertisements that it has used. It is attractive in the main, but there are several ways that it could be improved, especially considering that the theatre had the service of an artist in preparing it. The figure of the girl should have been without the shadow effect of the background, and it would have stood out all the more had the full length of the figure been shown, though that is not essential. The " Damn You " in the reading matter is likely to offend some people, and it doesn't strengthen the display a bit. It's mighty hard to get away with profanity in advertising, and unless there is an essential reason for its use it ought to be omitted. We note in other advertising that the Strand doesn't keep its name in the same type as it should do. This theatre is advertising the house itself, and is doing it well, but we would suggest that a distinctive name plate or at least the word " Strand " always in the same style type would help things along. RECENTLY we asked you not to draw marks through your advertising. Here is another thing to avoid. Do not clip so close to the border that part of it is destroyed. The effect of a border may mar an otherwise good display, or vice versa. We want to reproduce your advertising here exactly at it appeared in your newspaper.