Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1921)

2162 Motion Picture N eu Lobby of the Star theatre, Portland, Ore., decorated for the engagement of " The Girl in the Taxi" Brooker Uses Teaser Advertising for '*Too Much Speed " Manager Brooker of Loew's Theatre, Ottawa, Ontario, put over a real sensation prior to the presentation of "Too Much Speed," at the Loew house during the week of September 12. Previous to an announcement that this picture would be screened at the theatre, a mysterious notice appeared in the local newspapers to the effect that "Robert McMorran" would offer the sum of $5,000 towards the apprehension and conviction of persons guilty of "Too Much Speed. The advertisements were addressed as a "Warning to Motorists" and fairly large display space was used for the notifications. The notice pointed out that "automobile accidents are becoming so numerous and attended by such serious results" that the reward would be offered. "Patrick McMorran" announced himself as a "citizen and victim of speed fiends," but this was one of the characters in the feature. On the next day, regular announcement was made that "Too Much Speed" was the title of the next feature at Loew's Theatre. Mr. Brooker pulled off another stunt on Labor Day when he secured about 30 small boys to march in the local Labor Day parade to advertise Bill Hart's "The Whistle. Each of the boys was outfitted in overalls on which has been sewn the name of the theatre and the title of the current attraction. In addition, the boys diligently blew small tin whistles all through the time of the parade. Incidentally, the lads were more than willing to co-operate with the theatre in order to be in a parade and to be able to make a noise with a whistle. Brooker also used large window space adjacent to the theatre for the exhibiting of a large model of a factory behind which was erected a huge cutout of a steam whistle and also a cutout of Bill Hart. Clowns Aid Borders with "The Man Tamer*' Professional clowns helped G. F. Borders, manager of the Airdome, Flora, 111., put over " The Man Tamer." Mr. Borders found three men in Flora who formerly had been clowns with Barnum and Bailey's circus. These he dressed in regulation clown costumes, and had them parade the town, mounted on burros. They carried a life-size cut-out of Gladys Walton in her lion tamer's costume. The former clowns remembered many of their old stunts, and created great amusement for the populace of Flora, bi staging a one-ring circus at all the im portant street corners. Taxicab Company Aiil Goldstein Exploit Pictuf "The Girl in the Taxi" was the £ booking of the Star Theatre, Portia Ore., after the arrival in the city of new manager, Munro Goldstein. Gk stein wasted no efforts on building a tacular lobby for his first show and 1 dentally he built not unly a successful • but one of the cheapest fronts that ever attracted attention to the Star tic window. One of the prominent taxicab co: of the city gladly donated the services a cab and a driver during the engagemi The taxi was driven into the lobby, special base which resembled the side a road and on which was the inscript "The Girl in the Taxi" was placed in ft of it, giving the motor a more natural Ic During busier hours of the day, cm the prettiest ushers was drafted into ploitation service. She was dressed her smartest clothes and placed inside waiting taxi. She was supplied wit a dainty make-up box and sometimes e spent minutes intensely interesting to standers, in rouging her lips, deftly ap ing a little powder or gazing into vanity mirror. At other times she mained perfectly motionless. During early and late hours a silhou figure was placed in the cab. The taxi cost the Star theatre noth§;, as it meant good advertising for its 0 iers. With the exception of the sev il hand-painted posters and framed care it formed the entire lobby which was a unusual it attracted unsolicited atten a in the leading Portland newspaper. I This picture shou's the stage setting and the characters appearing in a prologue nun: staged for "Footlights " by Sid Grauman, managing director of Grautnan's theatre Los Angeles