Motion Picture News (Dec 1920-Feb 1921)

fanuary 22, i g 2 i 839 Cozy Presents Fashion Revue " You Never Can Tell " Tie-up at Topeka, Kan., Proves Most Successful My decorations for " The Mark of Zorro " at the iVnitcrgarden theatre. Seattle, Wash. The inserts abo\e are {l-'ft) James Q. Cleininer, general manager of the Clenimer theatres, and (right) Edwin S. James, resident manager of the Wintergarden Effective Method of Putting Over Song Number A simple but effective method of putting over a song number was hit upon byManager Edward W eisfeldt of the Saxe's Strand theatre, Milwaukee. An immense scenic telephone, as shown in the accompanying illustration, was erected on the stage. A woman singer was concealed in the mouth piece and her male partner in the receiver. By means of interior lighting effects the heads of both singers gradually appeared as they sang a telephone love song. 1^7 HEN Bebe Daniels in "You W Never Can Tell," appeared at the Cozy theatre, Topeka, Kansas, )ecember 6-1 1, she had plenty of competijion and publicity. Manager Harriet Ruth Wright provided oth. The competition was furnished in , fashion revue, arranged by Lee D. 'Jalsly, of Realart's Kansas City office, as prologue to the picture. For the fashion show some of the pretlest girls in the city were selected. The lost advanced styles in feminine gowns (.•ere supplied by a number of the leading Itores, which came in for their share of lention in connection with the revue, he local angle of the show was played up oroughly and aroused wide interest, the ewspapers commenting on it at length in eir news columns. Another feature on the programme was " Get in the Movies " campaign. This as also M'ell advertised in the Topeka apers and received a great deal of space a news item. The idea was that every')dy could get in the movies — if they were iif right type. The only way to find out, lie advertisement contended, was to appear before the camera. An opportunity '> do this was offered, through Miss A right, when a cameraman went to the ^tate Capitol grounds to take pictures of he girls appearing in the fashion revue. Topeka people were invited to be present ind get in the picture, either singly or in [roups. Members of the Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club and several i lodges were specially invited. Scenes were also taken of a number of public buildings and prominent citizens. The object of the campaign, according to the advertisements, was " to create additional interest in motion pictures ; to give Topeka people an idea of how pictures are made and to give talented ones an opportunity to try without any cost or obligations." Prizes were offered in connection with this, three judges being selected to choose the three people who showed the most marked characteristics. The selection of types was made at the Cozy theatre when the film was shown. The prizes were $10 for the first best type ; $10 for the second best and $5 for the third. When completed this film was added to the programme and announced as " An interesting motion picture of Topeka places and persons." In the newspaper stories of this it seemed that everybody wanted to get into the movies and the cameraman evidently had no difficulty in finding subject matter for his scenes. In addition to these features. Miss Wright got out a quantity of teaser slips for motorists and a number of cards for street and house to house distribution. Special arrangements were made for the fasTiion revue. A runway was built around the orchestra pit, connecting with the stage. On this elevated platform the girls, attired in the smartest and most advanced styles of feminine apparel, came out towards the audience. From the giant telephone designed by Manager Weisfeldt of the Strand theatre. Mihmukee, as part of a prologue as described in the accompanying story