Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

94 Motion Picture News N ore in her 1 , 19 3 0 Suggested Programs for Saturday Kiddie Shows The month of November offers an unusually large number of opportunities for successfully staging Saturday morning matinees for youngsters. Real showmen who take full advantage of National Book Week, Armistice Day, the celebration of Lincoln's famous Gettysburg speech of 18G3. Thanksgiving Day, and a dozen other important events, will undoubtedly find immediate reaction at the box-office window. Suggested programs for Nov. 15 and 22 appear below: Sat., Nov. 15 — Suggestion No. 1 MARTINMAS (Nov. 11) Feast of Saint Martin, patron saint of the husbandmen (the end of the harvest) and beggars (he divided his cloak with one). Many seasonal and weather traditions have grown around this date; "If Saint Martin's Day be bright and sunshiny, there will be a cold winter or if the trees and vines still retain their foliage, the same will follow. But if there be frost before Martinmas, the winter will be mild. . . . An old proverb warns people against using up more than half of their provisions before Candlemas (February 2nd). Martinmas being considered the beginning of winter and Candlemas about the middle of it. The French say, 'A la Saint-Martin l'hiver en chemin.' " INDIAN SUMMER (Nov. 11) Called Saint Martin's summer in England and France. "That mellow time in November which follows the first or even the second cold snap or period. The return of summer for a season characterized by a hazy atmosphere and a mellow air and coloring." A legend tells that after Saint Martin had divided his cloak with a beggar on a wintry day in November, on account of his kind deed summer came back again. The origin of the term, "Indian Summer," is given in "New International Encyclopaedia Americana" and "Monthly Bulletin" Carnegie Librarv of Pittsburgh October 1920, p-359-60. Poems : "Saint Martin's Summer" by Whittier. "Indian Summer" by Emily Dickinson, J. R. Lowell, Father Tabb and Henry Van Dyke. (a) Guests of honor : 1. Officers of Garden Club. 2. Representatives of School Garden Club. (b) Story teller from the library or school to use the above material in a story with juvenile appeal. (c) Teacher of music from public school to present autumn songs by group of children. (d) Encourage children to attend matinee in paper costumes representing autumn ; prizes for best costume might be copy of poems' suggested in above outline. (e) Get photograph of children in costume for local newspaper. PICTURE: 1. "The Magic Garden," R.K.O., 7 rls. SHORTS: 1. "Blossoms" (autumn) 1930 Pathe Review No. 20, 1 rl. 2. "Hills of Home" (Indian summer— cowboy ballad) 1930 Pathe Review No. 5, 1 rl. 3. "Hay and Sunshine" (Connecticut farmers) 1930 Pathe Review No. 14, 1 rl. 4. "In the Good Old Summer Time" (screen song) Paramount, 1 rl. 5. "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree," Para., 1 rl. 6. "The Year" (four seasons) Pathe, 1 rl. 7. "Kountv Fair" (cartoon) Univ. 8. "Busy Bee" 1930 Pathe Review No. 21. 9. "Poppies," 1930 Pathe Review. Sat., Nov. 15 — Suggestion No. 2 ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON, BIRTHDAY, NOV. 13, 1SSO-1894 Scotch poet, essayist and novelist. (a) Guests of honor: Members of Writers Club. (b) Story teller from library to tell of the life of Robert Louis Stevenson. (c) A group of school children, under the direction of their teacher, to recite some of Stevenson's poems or sing some of his that have been set to music. (dj) Display in book store window of Stevenson's poems with card announcing Junior Matinee. SHORTS: 1. "Wee Bit o' Scotch," Pathe, 1 rl. 2. "Book Lovers," Paramount, 1 rl. Sat., Nov. 15 — Suggestion No. 3 NATIONAL BOOK WEEK Starts November 16th and continues one week. (a) Guests of honor: 1. Librarians. 2. Local Writers Club. 3. Representatives from local book stores. 4. Representatives of Book Studv Clubs. (b) Arrange with local book store for display of books having been filmed and late books interesting to children, with card calling attention to celebration of Book Week at Junior Matinee. (c) Cooperate with school and city libra rians for display of table of books used in pictures. Examples : "With A Box-Off ice Bromo Theatre owners in widely scattered sectors have found gold in the good will of children. The word-ofmouth publicity plugs for pictures of their liking have on more than one occasion brought added dollars to the box office window. Youngsters, too, usually lend themselves to exploitation stunts for pictures which depend on intimate community tieups for a successful run, and, recognizing this important asset, hundreds of theatre owners stage special Saturday morning matinees for kiddies. These shows, in many localities, have become an institution and the good will which they create for the show-house has proven of priceless value. Women's clubs and parentteachers' associations give considerable thought to these programs, and, therefore, it is of high importance that intelligence be used in the selection of suitable material. Ryllis Hemington, Fox West Coast public relations director, with the aid of various women's club authorities, herewith offers another in the series of "Suggested Shows for Kiddies," which appears regularly in Motion Picture News. Exhibitors are urged to study them carefully and adapt the suggested showmanship ideas to their Saturday programs. Byrd at the South Pole," "Huckleberry Finn," "Robinhood," etc. (d) Librarian to tell children of formation of reading societies, building of libraries and meaning of National Book Week. (e) Invite teachers to present skit by chil dren in costume, representing book characters, for example, Ugly Duckling, Black Beauty, etc., presented through the pages of large book. (f) Dancing teacher to present number, using children in costume of book characters. "Three Bears" wo lid be delightful. PICTURES (Book Films): 1. "Robinhood," (Fairbanks'1, U. A., 11 rls. 2. "Oliver Twist" (I. Coogan; All Star, 8 rls. 3. "Abraham Lincoln," First Natl. 4. "Pollyanna" (M. Pickford), U. A., 6 rls. 5. "Mysterious Island," M.G.M., 9 rls. 6. "Light of Western Stars," Para. 7. "Seven Keys to Baldpate," R.K.O., 7 rls. SHORT: 1. "Book Lovers," Paramount, 1 rl. * * * Sat., Nov. 15 — Suggestion No. 4 PIKE'S PEAK DISCOVERED BY LIEUTENANT PIKE, NOV. IS, 18M: (a) Guests of honor: Officers of Hikers Clubs and Geographical Society. (b) Representative of Geographical So (Continued on page 105)