Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

1112 Motion Picture Meu. Advance^Prologue Used for “One Arabian Night A TEASER ad campaign and an advance prologue for three days previous to the opening of “ One Arabian Night ” at the Princess theatre at Sioux City Iowa, were the means which the manager, Wm. C. O’Hara, employed for the purpose of arousing public curiosity regarding the picture. For the prologue a baritone appeared before the curtain and as his song was concluded the curtain was slowly raised, disclosing the stage, in semi-darkness and dressed in true oriental style with a picturesque drop concealing the dancers. The stage gradually lighted bringing into view a harem scene with the company of eight classic dancers in artistic pose, the stage was again darkened and the dancers took their places for the program of three company and two solo dances which followed. The oriental atmosphere was further enhanced by burning incense and oriental music by the Princess concert orchestra. For the opening day the theatre displayed a “ false front ” as shown in the picture accompanying and a prologue was given twice each day. Like the advance prologue this had an oriental flavor, combining burning incense, wierd music and oriental dances by four very pretty girls in costumes most appropriate in design and coloring. Mr. O’Hara, the. manager, is to be complimented on his exploitation which was not costly compared to the business it brought. The top cut shows the lobby display on " Don't Tell Everything1’ used by the Palace theatre, Racine, Wis. In the center is the lobby front on “ Behold My Wife” arranged by George Rea, manager of the Forum theatre, Boise. Idaho. The lower illustration explains the exploitation used to sell "The Sheik" at the Family theatre, Batavia, N. Y. “Silent Call’’ Lobby Is Attractive EXCELLENT lobby decorations added much to the business, “ The Silent Call,” at the Palace theatre, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Using gigantic heads of Strongheart, canine star of the picture, painted on canvas, Manager Koch arranged a lobby display which even commanded the attention of the newspapers in his city. Large heads of the dogs were used in each side of the lobby, these heads illuminated by electric lights. The sides of the lobby and the box office were camouflaged to represent a log cambin, the dog’s head also being used on the interior of the lobby. Some clever brush work has produced the appearance of the mountain log cabins at sides of the lobby and the whole effect expressed and enhanced the spirit of the drama of the hills. iA' Two Omaha Theatres Sell “A Man’s Home’ H A MAN’S HOME,” playing recently at the Sun and Muse theatr IX. Omaha, was the recipient of a most comprehensive exploitati campaign. The Sunday World-Herald dated January 8 carried approximate three pages of live advertising on was a double truck made up of the advertisements of leading merchants in the city which were printed in conjunction with a quarter page ad. paid for by the theatre and directly advertising “ A Man’s Home.” Each of the merchants’ ads carried the title of the picture “ A Man’s Home ” with selling talk for the merchandise carried arranged to follow this lead line in a convincing manner* In addition the contest idea was used. Each of the merchants’ ads contained a piece of the big mat from which the quarter-page theatre ad “ A Man’s Home.” The ” smasl had been cast. The reproductio of these pieces of mats could be c out and pasted in proper position < a piece of paper to make up t complete theatre ad. The theatre management ga one hundred pairs of seats for “ Man’s Home ” to the first fifty pe 'pie to send in the theatre ad repr duced from the fragmentary illu trations, the first ten receiving foi tickets each, the next twenty tv tickets each, and the next twen one ticket each. The theatre management wri that they found little difficulty i putting the stunt across. The enthi siastic help and support of tl newspaper was a foregone conch sion. The merchants were easil interested when the contest pla was outlined to them as a means c guaranteeing that thousands of pec pie who might otherwise pass u their “ copy ” would read it. Australian Theatre Builds Lobby Display THE lobby display as exploitation is not unknown in far off Australia, as is proven by the front which Managing Director Finklestein of the York theatre, Adelaide, South Australia, recently constructed for his showing of “ Gilded Lies.” A huge spider and fly display was erected suggesting that the fly is lured by false promises into the lair of the enemy. Cut out heads of O’Brien and Martha Mansfield surmounted the two figures. A wireless outfit in another comer of the theatre flashing intermittently was a further attractor. BshoWMy ■■ Wallace * REID Wallace UtalTnr REID " Reid ♦ Swanson Dexter. = £**• 01^ ; DontTel! Everuthm^! •; bm DEXTER DEXTER DONT TELL EVERYTHING 'DONT ■•Tj TELL ;'l|t EVERYTHING* oajl