Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

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February 4 , 1922 861 A view of the miniature stage setting used as part of a lobby display on “ The Sheik ” as told by the story appearing below Simple Lobby Display Sells All Comedy Bill Manager Miller of the Rialto theatre, Augusta, Georgia, recently played a bill at his theatre, which totally wrecked all previous boxoffice records of the three Augusta houses — doing, at twentyfive cents admission, two hundred dollars more business at the Rialto than was done at his other theatre, the Modjeska, which was playing a picture at fifty-five cents admission. The bill was made up of Harold Lloyd’s “Never Weaken” and Charlie Chaplin’s “The Idle Class.” The lobby was a simple one — two full-length mirrors, one on either side of the lobby. On one of these mirrors had been pasted a full length cut-out of Chaplin, in his old make-up as the_ tramp. Mounted and facing this mirror was a full-length cut-out of Chaplin as the rich man, elegantly dressed. The two men seemed engaged in conversation. Across the lobby was the other mirror which carried a cut-out of Lloyd. Facing this, and regarding him proudly, was a cut-out, mounted, of Mildred Davis, his leading woman. The center of the lobby held a ballet-box ir which patrons were invited to drop their vote1, for the best comedian, and for the person who gave the best reasons for choosing his favorite, in essays of one hundred words or less, prizes were given of “war-tax-less passes.” The bill played a two day engagement and started the New Year with a bang for the Rialto. Snider Gets Great Result from Lobby Display AMONG the exhibitors who have exploited “ The Sheik ” by use of a lobby display is John B. Snider, manager of the Grand Theatre, Bessemer, Ala. A cut of Mr. Snider’s front is shown on the opposite page. A miniature stage was built over the regular photo display i stand. The bottom of the stage was covered with sand. The figures standing in front of the tent were taken from the 22x28 photo as were the horses in the distance against the horizon. The tent was made of a piece of cloth 28 inches square striped with a brilliant red show card ink. The lone palm tree was made of a round piece of wood painted brown and leaves cut from dark green paper. The four men on horseback in the right foreground were cut from the three sheets. The sides of the box was painted with ordinary kalsomine blended, using blue, pink and white. Three 75 watt lights were placed in the frame, which kept the interior of the box brilliant even during the day. The display was ready four days before the picture opened and brought throngs to see it and incidentally the picture. Singer* Supplies New “Over the Hill” Stunt The management of the new Palace theatre, Troy, N. Y., conceived a truly original exploitation stunt in connection with the recent showing of “ Over the Hill.” Troy, as everyone knows, is a city of shirt and collar factories and laundries. A large percentage of the theatre goers are workers in either the plants or the offices of these concerns. Therefore it was realized that a good place to reach these thousands of prospective patrons of “ Over the Hill ” would be right where they work. The management of the Palace theatre employed a singer who for three days prior to the opening of the engagement toured the various factories during the lunch hour and entertained the workers by singing the song “ Over the Hill.” Arrangements had been made with the employers, who welcomed the plan heartily. Aside from newspaper advertising, this was the only advance publicity given the production ; but the results were beyond expectation. Miniature Train and Steel Bridge for “ Iron Trail” A MINIATURE railroad train, run by electricity, across a steel bridge spanning, the entire front of the theatre and circling back through a cyclorama of painted snow-capped mountains, formed part of the exploitation for “ The Iron Trail,” when this feature was shown at the Winter Garden Theatre, Seattle, Wash. The miniature bridge was built out of steel construction such as is handled by many of the larger toy stores for children. The bridge cost but very little, as one of the big Seattle department stores furnished the material, gratis. As the electric train approached the bridge an air whistle, operated from the box office, was sounded. The electric engine pulling the little train carried a headlight as large as could be used and have it in keeping with the size of the locomotive. This headlight was large enough to show up well at night as the train rounded the curves and wound through the painted hills. James Q. Clemmer, manager of the Winter Garden, got up the display, which attracted a great deal of attention. Here’s a Good One for “ Peck’s Bad Boy ” HERE’S one that looks like the most inexpensive “ Peck’s Bad Boy ” exp.oitation up-to-date. George Monroe, of the Gilbert theatre, Beatrice, Neb., is the originator. He took some discarded display cards and printed on the back of them, in glaring red ink: “Peck’s Bad Boy Did This.” Then he went around town, spotting every broken window, every torn screen, every site of a fire, every wrecked automobile, every damaged spot of any kind, and attached one of the cards For a few complimentary tickets he used the surplus energy of the town boys and had them pile an immense heap of vehicles and other debris in the street in front of his theatre, and he liberally sprinkled this heap with the glaring cards. Shafer Does Good Work on “ Connecticut Yankee ” Elaborate decoration of the lobby front with original posters and uniquely framed stills, and the parading of a mannikin about the streets of the city, constituted the main features of an exploitation campaign for “ A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court,” conducted by M. D. Shafer, manager of the Washington theatre, Detroit. Large frames attached to the outside of the building were filled with posters of various sizes which had been prepared by special poster artists. Stills in racks of fives were placed on the winter doors and relieved the monotony of the drab aspect which winter doors often present. A man attired as “ Sir Boss ” of the picture, with his trousers rolled to the knee, revealing the conventional sock and garter ; with an ostrich plume in his hat and a long staff in his hand, walked through the streets of downtown Detroit to the delectation of the spectators and the effective exploitation of the production. A large banner across his back told the story of where, when and what. The newspaper advertising space used was increased somewhat over the usual. The results of the campaign exceeded the expectation of the exhibitor. The lobby display on “ The Sheik,” originated by John B. Snider, of the Grand theatre, Bessemer, Ala. The story to the left describes the display.