Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

406 Motion Picture News Showing the stage setting and company of black face artists who presented a special number at Grauman’s theatre, Los Angeles, which served as a prologue for the feature picture, "Miss Lula Bett” De Bruler Joins the Lobby Display Exponents Special lobbies have been practically unknown to the Grand theatre, Atlanta, but Manager De Bruler, who took, charge of the theatre early in November, is a great believer in them, and his first special lobby was for “ Short Skirts.” A small stage, about eight feet long, was built along one side of the long, rather narrow lobby of the theatre. This stage had a row of footlights, and the curtain was at “ half-mast.” Back of the curtain had been arranged four hosiery “ dummies,” each clad in the filmiest of stockings, and extravagant high-heeled slippers. The curtain revealed these dummies about two inches below the knee and the narrowest of frills simulated “ Short Skirts.” A special ioo feet of film had been used the week before at every performance to advertise the picture. This special strip showed a curtain in half raises, so that the people passing behind it were visible almost to the knees. Across this “ stage ” paraded girls attired in costumes ranging all the way from the sweeping trains of ’76, through the crinolined hoop skirt age and down to the modern flapper in her knee-length skirts and chiffon hose. This picture was always received hilariously, and did no small amount towards boosting the picture. Mitchell Turns Poet to Boost “The Whistle” To Kalamazoo, Michigan’s most mouthfilling town, belongs the discovery of Bill Hart, poet. Before the Postal Telegraph Company offices was a Brobignagian telegram, about the size of five one-sheets arranged side by side. The message read : “Mr. and Mrs. Kalamazoo and Family, care of Majestic theatre: “All folks remember me, And what a shootin’ man I used to be ; If you like plans that with action bristle I’m here on the 9th in ‘ The Whistle.’ Bill Hart.” W. Griffith Mitchell, manager of the Majestic Gardens, seized this location to be one of the best in Kalamazoo. The display was talked about. Duluth Newspapers Aid “Over the Hill” Messrs. Finkelstein and Ruben, operators of the New Garrick theatre, Duluth, Minn., aroused the people of that city with an exploitation tie-up during the recent showing of “ Over the Hill ” that had evefy one “ remembering mother ” with flowers, candies and letters. With the aid of a William Fox exploitation representative, arrangements were completed with a large number of florists, confectioners, stationers and department stores for the establishment of window displays, the general theme of which would be to urge the public to remember mother with some little present. In addition to the window displays, a newspaper contest was conducted in one of the evening dailies on the Mary Carr photographs, in which she was posed as various famous women in American history. Prizes consisting of copies of Will Carleton’s poems, on one of which “ Over the Hill ” was based, and free tickets to the showing, were offered to those who guessed the names of the famous women represented — one of the poses being printed daily in the newspaper— together with the best short essay on the famous woman’s career. Showing how Manager' Carol! of the Rialto theatre, New Haven, adapted stock paper to use in his lobby SmallTownManager Gives Coogan Picture Big Campaign Jackie Coogan in “ Peck's Bad Boy ” came to the Haven theatre, Olean, N. Y., last week. The picture played to larger houses than had ever been in attendance at this house and standing room was at a premium for the entire run. In connection with the showing Manager A. W. Root put over some excellent tieups, including one wfith the local distributor for the Peck’s Bad Boy suits and overcoats. The company printed a coupon in large ads in the Olean newspapers entitling every boy presenting it together with 1 t cents to admission at a special showing of the picture. The regular admission is 22 cents. The special show was put on after school hours. In connection with the show Mr. Root also staged a prologue, representing a grocery store scene, which opened with a local youngster, dressed as Jackie Coogan, seen sneaking out on the stage looking for an apple to steal while the owner of the store is absent. A policeman stood in the doorway. Seeing the youth steal the forbidden fruit, the cop gives chase. The chase led to many amusing incidents, with everything in the store being knocked over. The youth who impersonated Coogan was the son of the stage manager of the Haven. Niagara Falls Book Stores Cooperate with Finke When D. H. Finke, manager of the Bellevue theatre, Niagara Falls, N. Y., put on “ The Sheik,” he arranged with several of the local book stores for window displays of Edith M. Hull’s book, and in return put the names of the firms co-operating in his ads, calling attention to the fact that patrons still had time to read the story before seeing the picture version. These ads were run several days before the opening. Mr. Finke put on an excellent prologue in connection with the picture, used large newspaper space and billboards, distributed window cards all over Niagara Falls and surrounding towns and as a result packed them in during the presentation.