Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1921)

September 24, i g 2 i 1625 Inexpensive Exploitation Gets Results at Richmond The want ad column, in which was in-(.rled the following: ■■ \\ anted — A young lady with dark r \ es, -dark hair, ahout 4 feet, 6 in. tall ; \(.ry beautiful and about 19 years old; \nswer^ to the name of Constance BinnCy. I f you ever find '" Such a Little Oueen," iiring her to the Alhambra and Opera liduae, Thursday, September ist. A Royal throne is waiting for her " was the first exploitation gun which Anna Hell W ard, ihlicity director for the Phoenix Aniusent Co. of Richmond, Ky., fired in a Liinpaign staged for the showing of Such a Little Queen." The day before I he picture opene'l \Miambra theatre and the Opera house, o of the Phoenix string, sandwich men re sent out displaying a picture of Con uce Binney and appropriate selling talk. On the morning of the first day's run. a post card with a cut of the star and a " royal proclamation '' was mailed to a tliousand telephone subscribers. The papers were used on the same day with big display ads. The result of the campaign. Miss Wartl states was " Big dollars to the box office, some new customers and a good many old ones renewed." Candy Company Aids Salt Lake City Exhibitor The McDonald Candy Co., the largest concern of its kind in Utah, has announced the Betty Compson Chocolates as its latest contribution to confections. Incidentally the candies will make their debut in towns simultaneously with the \\"mdo"^> tie-u/^ scciirccl for "At the End of the World," playing recently at the Paramount-Empress theatre. Salt Lake City. Story appears on this page playing of " At the l-^nd of the World." George Carpenter, manager of the Paramount-Empress theatre, Salt Lake, and Rick Ricketson, the Paramount exploiteer, sold the company on the idea after six weeks dickering. But it was worth it. Twelve windows were landed to exploit both the chocolates and the pictures. These were decorated and paid for by the candy company. The theatre also gave a " candy matinee," at which small boxes of Betty Compson Chocolates were given avva}'. Ricketson lias arranged from Mrs. Compson, mother of the star, to be present at the Ogden, Utah showing, and distribute the sample chocolates from a booth. Mrs. Compson is a native of Ogden. The candy tie-up is available everywhere for the showing" of the picture. Unusual Lobby Display Used at Philadelphia Frank 1). I'uiiler, general manager of the Stanley Company of Philadel])hia and H. ' D. Cherry, house manager for the Stanley's Victoria theatre, have just put over a camjjaign for " A Tale of Tw'o Worlds," that brought great l)u.siness in spite of a belated heat wave was i)laying in opposition. The lobby of the theatre was hung with Chinese lanterns, while above the ticket booth was a genuine Chinese gong, rigged with a hard fibre mallet fastened to an ordinary trip-bell and worked by the cashier when the latter was not selling tickets. Manager Cherry says this gong was the real money maker of the engagement. But he (lid not stoj) with tliat. In front of the theatre was placed a large cut-out figure of Buddha, made by the house artist. The front and the back pieces were separated by eighteen inches to allow for a sixteen inch fan. The front piece carried the title of the picture and on the back was fastened a four-light strip with red lamps and a string of baby ribbon. The result was that passers-by, prompted by curiosity, came up the steps to take a look, and were turned into the ticket line. Two circles were placed on the attraction sign. They were four feet in diameter and outlined with 33 lo-watt lamps and revolved by two old machine motors, belted down to a speed of i to 18, thus giving the effect of the rotating globe. The ushers and doorman were costumed by a theatrical costumer, helping to carry out the Chinese atmosphere. ozving zieics of the lobby display for "Experience," with special wall panels zvhich Frank Lacey, manager of the Majestic theatre, Portland, Ore., used to exploit his showing of this picture