Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1921)

2288 Motion Picture News This lobby display on "Bob Hampton of Placer" is the zvork of the Palm theatre, Pueblo, Colo. "Ghosts'' Advertise Talmadge Picture If you get used to seeing a certain spot brilliantly lighted you will be surprised, and your attention caught by suddenly seeing that spot mysteriously darkened when you pass. That is the theory on which Manager Shields, Rialto theatre, Augusta, Ga., based his exploitation of a Norma Talmadge revival, " Ghosts of Yesterday," when the picture played a three day engagement at his theatre. The entire lobby was covered by canvas screens, painted dead black. Where they joined the merest cracks of light showed. There was a tall, narrow opening just in front of the box office, as an entrance. Standing on either side of this narrow opening were two tall white ghosts, hooded, with weird green lights cleverly concealed in the swathings of the body, casting a spooky glow over the white-robed figures. Both ghosts pointed to the opening, where the box office could be dimly seen. The efifect, in day-time, was, of course, rather startling, though only about a third as much as at night. Manager Shields' day-time attendance is rather small, however, and his exploitation was directed at the " after-six " crowds. Not a single light was used on the front, even the sign being darkened. There were little streaks of lights from the cracks where the canvas screens joined, and these, with the green lights on the ghost, furnished the only illumination. The only advertising posters used were a twenty-four sheet above the lobby, and two one-sheets, one on either side of the lobby. Novelty Herald Aids Sentimental Tommy" Tom Morrow of the Strand theatre, Charlestown. \^^ Va., designed a talkprovoking novelty herald for " Sentimental Tommy." A three and one-half by one and a half pasteboard card was used. One side said " Do You Want a Drink of Scotch?" When all the implied affirmatives were uttered, the card was reversed and read : " So do I. A Bit of Scotch, Sir James M. Barrie's ' Sentimental Tommy,' Strand theatre, October 3, 4, 5."' Norman Dixon, Paramount exploiter from the Cincinnati exchange co-operated with Morrow. Stuart Entertains the Dallas Joneses To exploit " Dangerous Curve Ahead," at the Palace theatre, Dalla.s, Texa^, Harschel Stuart, with the aid of House Manager H. H. Maloney and Assistant Manager Raymond Willie, arranged a three-day hook-up with a local newspaper, and used the traffic cops' semaphores as the basis of novelty advertising. Stuart arranged a " Jones Family Reunion " and enlisted the aid of the Dallas Dispatch in publishmg the affair. Using the name of Mr. and Mrs. Harley Jones, the leading characters in the film play, a? the backbone of his idea, Stuart offered the Dispatch the opportunity of joining with the Palace in a joint invitation to every person in Dallas by the name of Jones. Tuesday's paper carried an announcement that the Jones Family Reunion would be held at the Palace theatre on Thursday morning, and stated that the following day's paper would contain a coupon which, when filled out and pre sented at the Palace box office on Thursday morning, would entitle the bearer anc all those with him to free admittance tc the family reunion. The idea hit th( local popularity right away. Wednesday'' newspaper carried a longer storj' aboul the affair and named some of the loca^ Joneses who promised to attend. It alsc contained the coupon. About one thousand Joneses were present on Thursday morning and the affaii was an all-round success. The Palace made new use of the stocllobby posts furnished by the Goldwyr Company when Raymond Willie arrangec with the policedepartment iOk place one oj , the " Dangerqiis Curte Ah^d " ovals or the top of each semaphore. For thre< days practically all autoists traversing th< downtown streets were reminded of th< feature showing at the Palace. This "Through the Back Door" lobby display is by the Imperial theatre. Charlotte, A'. C.