Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

1232 Motion Picture News \ Lobby display for “Thunderclap” arranged by Manager M. C. McCord of the Rex theatre, El Dorado, Ark. Installs Switch Board in Lobby Missouri Theatre, St. Louis, Pulls Excellent “ Saturday Night” Stunt SIX very busy telephone girls, working at six telephonic switchboards located in the lobby of the Missouri theatre, St. Louis, apprised the patrons of the theatre of the coming engagement of “Saturday Night,” and together with a line of advertising patter about the picture comprised one of the most novel and effective lobby displays ever originated in the city. The girls were enclosed by a picket fence and a banner informing everyone to “Telephone Lidel 5000 for information about Cecil B. DeMille’s big picture ‘Saturday Night’ ” told those attending the Missouri what all the activity was about. At the corners of the picket fence were signs reading : “Headquarters for ‘Saturday Night!’” The stunt went over big. Humanity likes to follow humanity, and when the Missouri patrons saw the switchboard lights flashing and apparently many people inquiring about the coming picture they decided it must be something big. The results of this propaganda arranged by Harry Niemeyer, publicity director for the Famous Players Missouri Corporation, and William Goldman, manager of the Missouri, were apparent on Saturday and Sunday, when “Saturday Night” was introduced to the playgoing public of St. Louis. The switchboards were borrowed from the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company and experienced operators from that company were employed to sit in on the theatre lines. Through a motor attachment the six switchboards would flash from time to time as if real calls were coming in. The girls were instructed in a course of answers to give to supposed questions. And with the six girlies busily talking and plugging in and out as the lights flashed, the Missouri patrons thought it was the real thing. In addition to the switchboard stunt, Niemeyer sent out 10,000 post cards to a selected mailing list, telling of the coming engagement of Saturday. Ten thousand heralds, 5,000 window cards and the usual amount of newspaper and bill board space was utilized to exploit the picture. The cut appearing on the opening page of this section shows the switchboards installed in the Missouri . lobby and also some of the decorative exploitation used for the showing. Washington Theatre Prints Newspaper for “Saturday Night” LOEW’S Columbia theatre, Washington, D. C , is the latest house to print a newspaper devoted to a picture, its issue booming “ Saturday Night.” The make-up was the same as a daily paper and carried a 36-point banner to the effect that a millionaire’s daughter eloped with her chauffeur. That put over the central idea of the story. Prison Showing Makes Fine Publicity Material A week prior to the opening of “ Over the Hill ” at the Auditorium theatre, Auburn, N. Y., the management arranged with the officials of Auburn Penitentiary for a showing of the picture to inmates of that institution. This was done with the idea of some clever exploitation, and the result was even better than had been expected. The showing of the picture brought from the convicts a stream of letters thanking the management of the theatre for the opportunity to see “ such a wonderful screen play,” etc. The newspapers of Auburn had assigned reporters to “ cover ” the prison showing and as a result the front pages of the Auburn dailies were devoted to stories of how hardened convicts had been moved to shed tears. Some of the letters written by the inmates also were used in facsimile. “Thunderclap” Lobby Built Jt>y Manager McCord The cut appearing on this page shows the “Thunderclap” lobby display originated by M. S. McCord, manager of the Rex theatre, El Dorado, Ark. As a ballyhoo, Mr. McCord mounted a large gong of the sort used in the starter’s box at the race tracks and kept this ringing at regular intervals. On the outside, a 24-sheet cut-out and a six-sheet cut-out of Mary Carr was displayed. Another part of the ballyhoo was a bugle cal sounded occasionally. Explaining by illustration the prologue 'which E. R. Rogers, managing director of the Tivoli theatre. Chatanooga. Tenn., presented for “Tol'ble David”