Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1920)

r 210S (Exhibitor Service) Motion Picture A '"I DOROTHY DALTON Sol Braunig, manager of the Modern theatre, Providence, R. I., believes in getting the names of stars upon the electric sign board. This display was used for the showing of " The Fear Market " as the first run attraction, the second run feature being a Dorothy Dalton picture and the Pearl White billing being for " The Adventures of Ruth " Exhibitor's Daughter Advertises ''The Brat from Aeroplane WHAT sets them talking in a big town may not always do it in the small city and vice versa. But when hundreds of circulars headed " The Brat Is Up Today and Will Be Down at the Crown theatre," fluttered down from a whirling airplane upon the town of Biloxi, Miss., the natives were more than aroused. An airplane is none too common a vehicle in that city and is downright spectacular when " The Brat " is riding in it. " The Brat " in this instance was Miss Inez Bourdon, daughter of A. O. Bourdon, manager of the Crown and Gaiety theatres, part of the Saenger Amusement Company's circuit. She was dressed as Nazimova costumed as " The Brat." She let fly over 3,000 of the circulars, which had a paragraph reading : " To the lucky person catching and bringing to the box-office of the Crown theatre a circular with the following sentence in red letters : " Crown and Gaiety Theatres, High Class Photo Plays, will be presented with two tickets for this attraction." This exploitation stunt was the first of its kind pulled in the New Orleans territory, but last week was followed by a French opera singer who advertised a benefit in which he was to sing. He This, little lady displays considerable histrionic abiliiy. She had the time of her life playing " The Brat " She helped Dad put over " The Brat " didn't wear a costume or rnake-up and probably fewer people knew of his " stunt " in New Orleans than there are in New Orleans who know of the stunt Mr. Bourdon over-filled his theatre with in a town a hundred miles from New Orleans. Here's what Mr. Bourdon savs : Display Advertising Mediui in Foreign Section House ANAGER D. S. MARKOWITZ, of the Ver ^'■l theatre, San Francisco, put over the fii episode of James J. Corbett's new serial " The Mi night Man," at his theatre by giving the picui on the day of its first showing, the whole of I lobby display. In addition to this advertising in t lobby, Mr. Markowitz conducted a teaser campaii and used one spread in an Italian paper. On t whole the advertising cost him a little less than $ and as a result he is now assured of profits for t eighteen weeks that the Corbett feature will shown. The Verdi is in San Francisco's famous Lai quarter and 90 per cent of the patrons are Italia but Manager Markowitz figured that regardless birth or creed everj-one would want to sec J Corbett if his picture was sufficiently brought | their attention. Hence, the hundred per cent Q bett lobby. The lobby campaign was a progressive one. first he displayed a one-sheet which was follow the next day by a three sheet. As the date of t showing grew nearer the poster display was : creased, until three days before the actual she ing the lobby display contained one 24-sheet stru across the wall of the lobby, 6 sheets on either si framed colored stills, a three-sheet cutter in 1 center, and a cut-out clock over the box-office w the hands pointing to midnight. This display was intended to attract the att< lion of the passer-by. The regular patrons of i theatre were informed of the coming aerial by a of attractive slides flashed during the perfor ances. On the day before the opening an attract spread was used in an Italian newspaper. At ten in the morning, one hour before the opi ing of the theatre, the lobby of the Verdi was fil with patrons. All day long the house did a business. Another view of " The Brat" iinpersouj: " Inez, my daughter, went up in the plane distributing over 3,000 of the 'heralds' dvc city ; and I am glad to say it did wonders • box-office." (Continued on page 2112)