Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

January 21, 1922 611 Street car ballyhoo on “ What Do Men Want” ? by the Alhambra theatre, Indianapolis, Ind. Amateur Radio Sharps Help Advertise “Conflict” A new field for moving picture exploitation recently was tried out with great success by Daniel J. Burns, manager of Proctor’s Broad street theatre in Elizabeth, N. J., when he caused announcements of his show, “ Conflict,” to be broadcasted by radio. Professional and amateur radio operators all over Northern New Jersey, Southern New York, Southern New England and Long Island, “ took ” the press notice. Burns used Harry Davidson an amateur radio bug of Elizabeth, to put over the stunt. Davidson was one of the men who recently participated in the amateur trans-Atlantic radio tests. Every morning during the week preceding the showing of “ Conflict ” he sent out a brief resume of the thrills from the picture and data concerning its showing in the Elizabeth theatre. Burns did not stop there in his appeal. As it was the week of Universal’s Holiday Season, during which week Universal contributed a percentage of its film rentals to the New York American Christmas fund, Burns had his radio press agent send out an appeal to attend theatres showing Universal pictures. This appeal was made to all sections in and around New York City. So unusual was the stunt, and so striking was its appeal on behalf of the Christmas week fund, it received much publicity, not only in the many towns where the message was caught, but also in the big New York dailies. Mailing List Sells“Over the Hill” to Norfolk Fans BECAUSE local conditions failed to warrant a newspaper advertising campaign in connection with the recent presentation of “ Over the Hill," at the Auditorium, Norfolk, la., a mailing campaign was conducted with excellent results. A series of two postcards and a large circus herald was mailed to the 2,000 names on the list, the second card followed the first after a period of three days and the herald following one day later, reaching the recipient the day before the opening. Within a simple black border the announcement of the coming of the picture was made on the first card. The second card bore a small cut of the star of the picture and a few words of greeting. The circus herald was mailed under one-cent postage in an unsealed envelope, and climaxed the series. This was virtually all the advertising done, because of unusual contingencies which confronted the Norfolk exhibitors; but the results were such as to justify an extensive campaign. San Diego Merchants Help on “What Do Men Want?” Manager H. H. Homer of the Colonial theatre, San Diego, Calif., made a specially timely tie-up in the matter of his newspaper publicity for the showing of “What Do Men Want?” which he put on for the week between Christmas and New Years. Local papers carried a double page spread, with the Colonial advertisement occupying the center, while about it was special display advertising regarding holiday gifts that men might want, and the women were not forgotten, either. The suggested things that would be wanted by men ranged from automobiles to wearing apparel, musical instruments to watches and jewelry, these things being offered by representative business houses of the city. As an added feature Mr. Homer presented one evening Miss Claire Windsor, the star of the picture, in person. A novel stunt has been a feature of some of the recent programs at the Colonial. Instead of showing motion pictures of late fashions Mr. Homer tied-up with a local house handling the latest in women’s costumes and had living models show off the new gowns and coats from the stage, coming out from the draperies and promenading briefly for the edification of the ladies in the audience. Teaser Cards Work Well for “Three Word Brand” Manager “ Billy ” Snell, now promoted from assistant, of the Imperial theatre, Gadsden, Ala., used a series of threeword teaser cards in advance on “ ThreeWord Brand.” The lobby was also livened up with a real turkey, chopping block and axe because of Thanksgiving. A big hit was made by use in the lobby of a local quartette dressed in cowboy attire, who sang popular and Western stuff to appreciative groups. “My Boy” Prologue Presented at Brooklyn Strand ii TN A TOY SHOP” was the title of a prologue dance number originated by Managing Director Edward L. Hyman of the Brooklyn Mark Strand theatre, for the recent engagement of “ My Boy.” The setting used was a toy shop. A drop in the background was painted with toys, and in the centre was an entrance through which Mme. Sonia Serova, danseuse, as a sort of fairy god-mother entered to awaken the eight animated “ toys ” and “ teddybears ” placed about the shop. The dancing “ toys ” slowly went through their motions with stiff muscles. A quarrel which led to a fist fight between the two “ Teddy bears ” afforded much amusement. The third number was a very lively affair, and at the conclusion the “ toys ” again became inanimate and assumed the positions in which they were first seen, giving the impression that the number was just a dream. For this number the stage was flooded with a white light. The orchestra was light green and the transparent windows at the side of the stage were green. Old Clothes Idea Garners Much Publicity for Parnell The management of the Winnipeg theatre, Winnipeg, Manitoba, has made a standing offer for the winter to give two passes to each person who brings a parcel of cast-off clothing for the poor to the theatre on Monday evenings or Tuesday afternoons, the passes to be good for the current performance. Arrangements have been made to turn this apparel over to Mayor Parnell, of Winnipeg. This stunt is similar to that which was arranged by Manager W. K. Miller, of the Pantages theatre, Toronto, some weeks ago. Scene from an original prologue number of “My Boy,” by Managing Director Edward L. Hyman, of the Brooklyn Mark Strand theatre, staged under the title of “In a Toy Shop”