Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1920)

2106 (Exhibitor Service) Motion Picture ^ , A parade was one of the features of the " His Majesty " showing at the Clemmer Novel Exploitation and Makes ANIMATING a novel incident in a special feature attraction as the basic thought for an exploitation campaign, C. E. JefTress, manager of the Old Mill theatre at Dallas, Texas, has given exhibitors a new line of procedure in mapping out promotion campaigns. " The Mule and the Girl " is a phrase that became little short of a trade-mark in the exploitation campaign launched by Mr. Jefifress. The opportunity was featured by the scene in which Mary Pickford leaves for the lowlands astride a donkey :in " Heart of the Hills." By using the picture of Miss Pickford astride the donkey in newspaper -display advertising, in the lobby and all exploitation material, Mr. Jeffress was able to accomplish his purpose. Utilizing the newspaper display — with " the mule and the girl trade-mark " as a blind, Mr. JefTress prepared an expensive lobby of the same design, i. e., that of Miss Pickford riding the mule, with shot-gun, blanket and lantern dangling from the burro. The lobby cut-out measured seven feet across the base and reached a height of eight feet at its top point. To further exploit the idea of " The Mule and the Girl," the Old Mill advertised through the columns of the daily papers that a young lady was wanted to ride a donkey around the business section of the city. It was, at first, thought highly improbable that any girl would take the position. But one Miss Ruth Yelton, 17, proudly applied, purchased a wig and a gingham apron and mounted the burro in front of the Old Mill theatre at 2 p. m. Sunday, the first day of the picture's showing. With utter disregard to traffic ordinances, parking laws and traffic officers, the sleepy mule would cross streets in the middle of the block, park on the cartracks, and balk in the most inopportune places and at the special inconvenience of traffic officers. A special reporter for each of the five daily :papers trailed after the donkey day after day, waiting for it to be hit by a street car. No such ^vent happened, however. The worst that occurred Gets Big Business Entertaining Story was a disagreement between the mule and his rider. Diplomatic relations were severed and the mule — not used to be bossed — stepped upon the curb, dethroned his passenger and walked democratically along the sidewalk for nearly half a block. Nearby ■ policemen, hearing the noise and bustle of pedestrians at being thus annoyed, awoke from their beats and scurried to the scene of action, whence the hot-headed mule was pushed from the sidewalk with a great amount of physical exertion on the part of the officers, and to the accompaniment of taunts and jeers from the crowd. Feature writers of the newspapers left their typewriters to get a glance at the spectacle and turned in jazzy feature stories on the novel method of exploitation used by Jeffress. A farmer from Waxahachie, Texas, a town 35 miles from Dallas, who had by some means or other gotten hold of the newspaper advertisement in which JefJress stated that a mule was wanted, came into town with a choice variety of yellow, red, brown and black mules. One of the more tame members of the stock was selected and rented for a week in place of the wild-eyed burro who had run away with " Mary." In speaking of his scheme and its results, Mr. Jeffress said : " It's the steady flow of business that counts in the motion picture game. Of course, we would probably have done fair business with ' Heart of the Hills ' for two or three days without any special exploitation. But the idea is to hit the people when they're in the mood for it. You can't tell them anything. The most you can do is to suggest it. You can't make a man believe anything until he already knows it. " It's the same way with the exhibitor. A certain percentage of theatregoers would have seen the picture whether we pulled the stunt or not. But we would not have rolled up the big success. Our scheme only stimulated the already-good business and kept the thing fresh, which should be the aim of all well-directed exploitation campaigns." 1 1 eri Boy Scouts Honor " Doug DOY Scouts in all sections are looking "Doug" Fairbanks as their favorite i can, and many exhibitors are making capit of the fact. I In Seattle, at the Clemmer theatre, th( ^ Scouts of the town turned en-masse for hj bieture, "His Majesty, the American." A Saturday morning performance was given f •'boys, and prior to the beginning of the per ance they paraded throughout the town, ca ir banners and singing songs, attracting wide; ;a attention and making the stunt a worth-whi; for the management of the theatre. For this occasion the theatre was especially c rated and the manager, the leader of the S it and other prominent officials gave short add se? 10 the boys on clean living, athletic work an £e many things that were real American, and • U are exemplified in the works and actions aii' |tings of " Doug " himself. Newman Theatre Holds Spe,nl " Polly anna " Showing foi\ Kiddies \ TIERE is a little story from the news pag of •I *■ the Kansas City Star which tells the \ ik tale of how Milton H. Feld, manager of the 1 i*^man theatre of Kansas City did a good deed, ;ihered into his theatre some extra shekels becke of that good deed and its attendant publidrl Almost a thousand girls and boys who have L more or less unfortunate in the human lotterjte going to be given the primer lesson in optirtn to-morrow, seeing " Pollyanna " at the New b theatre as guests of the theatre and a godf;fer of unfortunate children. j Another thousand will h ave the same le n Tuesday, another thousand Wednesday, and S( n until all have seen and learned. Milton H. Feld, manager of the Newman the >aw a lesson in the play for those of lesser fort Knowing of Mr. Birmingham's friendship for 1 less children and his personal acquaintance every child in every instittition, he sought a ' ference with Birmingham. Birmingham leape the chance, offering to round up the children, vide special street cars for most of them motor cars for those with frail bodies. Swope Settlement, Institutional Church Nursery, Linwood Presbyterian Children's H( and several Kansas Side institutions will be gu to-morrow. A general invitation also is exten for " Pollyannas " to come to the theatre, whet • in orphanages, institutions or not. Mr. Birmi ham will meet the scattering ones at the the; door and take care of them. None will be tur; down, but the invitation is not expected to abused by children who have worldly comfc and are able to provide their own entertainnw Motion pictures of the " Pollyannas " leav their institutions, riding down on the street a entering the theatre and watching the show \ be taken and shown the following week. Canadian Exhibitor Gets Resu with Children's Matinees H.\RRY POMEROY, manager of the Stra theatre in Ottawa, is making a decided with a series of special Saturday morning perfor ances for the children, and the kiddie photopl programme is meeting with the hearty approval the younger element and their parents. To furti) stimulate interest in the Saturday morning shov Mr. Pomeroy has arranged, in conjunction wi the Ottawa Journal's Photoplay Editor, a series Gold Prize Essays for his little patrons. The fi of the essay competitions commenced with tl screening of Little Baby Marie Osborne in "M lady of the Beanstalk " on Saturday morning, Jan ary 24th. A prize of five dollars in gold wawarded for the best essay on the story of "M lady of the Beanstalk " submitted by any kiddie ( 14 years of age or under.