Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

398 Motion Picture News I Free Ticket Scheme Packs a Punch Albany Exhibitor Dresses Up for “The Sheik” Still cut-outs made a neat puppet show out of Skinner’s Book Store window, Albany, when ‘‘The Sheik” played at the Iceland theatre. A few scraps of striped cloth made a miniature tent. The floor was covered with sand and cut-outs from the stills gave animation to a little desert scene. Insert cards, poster cut-outs and copies of the novel featured in the display. Buggy Bill I y1 loo Effective for “Over the Hill” The management of the Crystal theatre, Braddock, Pa., rigged up an old decrepit buggy and an ancient mare for a street ballyhoo during the recent showing of “ Over the Hill.” A man and woman, dressed to resemble the father and mother in the picture, were seated in the buggy and drove the dilapidated outfit about the streets of Braddock and out into the rural districts from which much of the Crystal’s patronage is drawn. On the sides of the buggy were two canvas signs reading : “ ‘ Over the Hill ’ to the Crystal theatre. A great motion picture.” Over the rear of the buggy was attached a large brass frame containing a number of stills of “ Over the Hill.” Although the idea was far from original, it proved effective. Thanksgiving special number presented by the Strand theatre, Milwaukee , as a prologue for “Her Social Value’' Jackson Devises Ingenious “The Fox” Display For a showing of “The Fox,” at the Tudor theatre, Atlanta, Manager James Jackson had a large box placed in the lobby, with a glass, painted white to render it non-transparent, across the top. Tiny-cut-outs of mounted men, in a posse, chasing one lone man, also mounted, were ananged so that a light placed in the box, flung shadows of these cut-outs against the glass. The effect of a chase was well-managed through the shadow-method of the display, simple and inexpensive as it was, proved very beneficial to the box-office receipts. George R. Moore, owner and manager of the Lion theatre, Bellevue, Ohio, got several times as much free advertising for eighteen free tickets, not long since, as inost managers get for eighteen — and sometimes several times eighteen — dollars. Bellevue, a little city of six thousand population, has for some time had a telephone operator — Miss Charlotta Strohm by name — who is recognized as “ a prize ” and was written up as such in a magazine devoted to the interests of telephone companies and their employees. When Miss Strohm resigned to marry A. F. Loth, a merchant living in Sandusky, not far from Bellevue, the friends of th< bride-elect began entertainng in her honor. Moore, fully appreciating the excellent service he as well as Bellevue generally had enjoyed during the reign of the “ prize ” operator over the switchboard, concluded that he was indebted in a bus in ess way if not socially, and that he ought to “ do something for her ” as the girls of Miss Strohm’s acquaintance were saying. Moore arranged a theatre party in Miss Strohm’s honor and Miss Strohm with her fiance and sixteen guests responded to an invitation to “ come and bring your friends ” to see “ The Devil’s Garden.” The Bellevue paper carried a story concerning the party. The townspeople wanted to be “ in on ” the party, and were. In consequence, the box office profited. This window display on “ The Sheik ” advertised the showing of the picture at the Leland theatre, Albany, N. Y.