Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

February 18, 1922 1113 “Penrod” Plays Premiere at Chicago Windy City Exploitation Campaign Features Personal Appearance of Star THE premiere engagement of “Penrod” is an indefinite one at Balaban and Katz's Chicago Theatre, and has also been the occasion of a publicity campaign that includes many novelties and the personal appearance at the theatre and elsewhere of the star of the production, Wesley Barry. Upon his arrival in Chicago Wesley Barry was met by the Chicago Junior Naval Reserve, a boys’ band, and some two hundred cadets in uniform. A parade was formed, which marched to the office of Chicago’s Mayor, where camera men photographed previously arranged ceremonies. Arrangements were made for the star to “conduct” departments in three Chicago newspapers. For the Evening Journal he became editor of the Journal’s children department; for the Daily News he became chief mogul of a children’s scenario contest, and for the Chicago Herald-Examiner he conducted a California orange recipe contest, in which the housewives among the readers of this publication took part. Thus three of Chicago’s largest papers carried news and straight photographs of Wesley hooking up with “Penrod” every day for the first week he played the Chicago theatre. Stories of the reception and parade were carried on the front pages of all the afternoon papers, with three and four column photo layouts. The fact that a movie star never before headed a parade in Chicago, staged especially in his or her honor, made the story all the more desirable to the newspaper editors. Twelve of the largest department stores carried window displays of the book of “Penrod,” with a special Wesley Barry color jacket and illustrated with stills of the picture. Large cutouts and advertising matter were prepared by the publishers for this tie-up. Department stores carried advertising in the papers cl editing the picture and “Freckles.” A tie-up was effected with the Ad-PhotoScope Projecting Machine Co. This machine, a trifle larger than a phonograph and which ran off 200 feet of “Penrod” cut-outs, was placed in the lobby of the Hotel Sherman during the entire week, at which time the auto show conventionists were stopping here. This machine was kept running from nine in the morning until twelve at night and advertised the theatre as well as the picture. Announcing an Interesting Series of Exhibitor Articles THE exploitation campaign for “ Penrod ” playing a premiere at Balaban and Katz’s Chicago Theatre, in which the personal appearance of the picture’s featured player, Wesley Barry, is featured, affords the opportunity to announce that Motion Picture News will publish a series of articles written by prominent exhibitors of the country on the subject of “ Stars and Their Personal Appearance ” in the near future. it has been arranged for Master Barry to make a trans-continental tour in connection with the showing of “ Penrod ” in the larger cities. A number of stars, including Bert Lytell, Clara Kimball Young, Viola Dana, Thomas Meighan, George Beban, Ben Turpin, are or have been making personal appearances. In fact, there seems to be a vogue of this sort of thing, which has attained such magnitude that it makes such a series of articles of particular interest at this time. Motion Picture News and we believe the whole industry wants to know just what the reaction is from personal appearances. Is it a good thing for the exhibitor? Is it a good thing for the star? Is it a good thing for the industry? What is to be gained and what is to be lost? The series will begin very shortly. They will be written by men whose opinion all will respect and whose views will carry weight. Among the other exploitation stunts employed were a tie-up with a department store, which distributed 50,000 autographed photos of “Freckles” advertising the picture and the book; a tie-up with a “Penrod” song, which was exploited during the second week of the run ; the sale o? a Wesley Barry doll in the department stores, and the advertising of a line of “Penrod” boys’ clothing in the large shops. Cuts showing a number of the cooperative window displays appear on this page. The exploitation campaign was staged by Pete Smith, of the Marshall Neilan staff, and the Balaban and Katz exploiteers. Comprehensive Campaign on “ Rent Free ” Put Over by Beall A comprehensive exploitation campaign for “Rent Free” was put over recently by Manager Ray Beall of the Imperial Theatre, Charlotte, N. C. One thousand placards were printed with these two words only, “Rent Free,” and distributed all over town. They were tacked to trees, telephone poles, vacant buildings, fences, residences, etc. One of these cards was placed in a hotel window a passerby saw it, came into the hotel and made the proprietor give him a room rent free. One week ahead of the play date on the picture, Mr. Beall invaded the classified newspaper real estate columns of the local papers with copy which read: “Rent Free, Watch Daily and Sunday Papers.” “Rent Free, See' Page 2,” was also used in a real estate page display ad. This copy was followed by other ads which read: “Rent Free— Watch This Space”; “Rent Free — If You Are Looking for a Solution of This Problem, See Page 2,” etc. As a lobby display a cut-out of the Rent Free 3-sheet was made, with Reid and Lila Lee sitting on the roof. Miniature doors and windows were cut out, framed and painted in order to give appearance of a miniature house. The sides, back and top of house were added and constructed of beaver-board. The side windows were cut out and a skylight was arranged in th roof, permitting one to see within the house. Inside was a small standing lamp, a baby crib with doll, and complete furnishings. Small “Rent Free” signs were attached to the exterior of the house, with a larger sign urging those who passed by to look inside of this miniature house. The interior of the house was illuminated as well as the exterior. Lights were kept glowing night and day. Some of the various “ Penrod ” hook store tie-up s\ secured for the showing at the Chicago theatre, Chicago, as explained by the story appearing above