Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

November 29 , IP 30 Motion Picture News 55 MANACEKJ' rcouND TABLE club Evelyn Dix Is The Artist Responsible For Laby's Displays At last we've found the person responsible for the crackerjack displays that are turned out at the Washington St. Olympia Theatre in Boston, Mass., the house managed by George Laby, an active snowman and member of the Managers' Round Table Club. The artist's name is Evelyn Dix and she is shown here portraying a scene from "The Big Trail." Every week Miss Dix does a portrait of the next week's attraction in the lobby of the theatre. Crowds stand around and watch her working. They think an awful lot of the painting done by this clever young ladv, and whenever standing room occurs around the house — which is frequently — never a murmur is heard from the crowds. They are patient so long as they can watch Miss Dix work. The work that she is pictured doing now is a pastel, measuring 10 by 4 feet, and is to be used as a plug on "The Big Trail." When playdates start, the pictures are used out front of the theatre. Perhaps there is someone in your town who is especially skilful with crayon or with brush, and happens to be studying art. You might prevail upon the party to do some special work in the lobby of the theatre or in the foyer. Small portraits depicting scenes from a coming attraction will always be found to command attention. When you have finished with them, you can give them away through a contest, run in the newspaper, on any subject of interest. Thanks, George, for letting us have this one. Let's hear some more from you. Reopened Theatre Given Good Camp'gn By J. R. Minhinnick Theatre openings offer showmen many opportunities to display their vast storehouses of showmanship in putting the house across with a bang, giving it an introduction that :====^^^^^=;^^^^^=^^^^^ would rival a presidential election. This is true all over the country. We have presented many accounts of theatre openings on the Club pages, and we are sure that our many members found them to be of immense interest and value. We'd like to say a word or so this time about the campaign that was executed by J. R. Minhinnick, manager of the Grand Theatre in London, Ont., Canada, when the house was reopened recently. A number of the town's leading merchants were invited to R. MASON HALL Says: ". . . regardless of the so-called depression, I am enjoying the CLUB pages more every week, and if the suggestions and ideas they contain are carried out, there need be no depression in this game." Manager, Lyric Theatre, Morton, Va. China A gain J It is with pleasure that we announce the fact that the Club has added another showman from China to its rolls. The showman is Y. Y. Bain, general manager of the Universal Cinema, Ching Yung Road, Shanghai, China. According to the theatre letterheads, the Universal Cinema is the "largest cinema house in the Chinese territory of Shanghai." Such being the case, we have an idea that Mr. Bain must be displaying some ace showmanship to fill it. We know he's going to take plenty of interest because right along with his membership application he requested a Club pin. We want to welcome him into this international organization and we hope he will favor us with a photo of himself, and a little story on his show selling, in the near future. buy space in a double-page spread that would be devoted to theatre plugs. In addition to the merchants, the various companies whose products had gone into the remodeling of the theatre were also represented by advertising. Two pages of publicity on the opening feature "All Quiet on the Western Front" were obtained. The town was thoroughly covered with advertising matter on the opening of the theatre, poster paper, window cards, heralds, etc., forming part of the regular routine. The opening night of the theatre proved the worth of Minhinnick's campaign. The lobby was jammed with persons eager to obtain admission and witness the transformation of the old into the new. By the time the house had been open an hour, it looked as though they couldn't squeeze in a midget. Various executives of the Famous Players Canadian Corporation were on hand for the opening, and they, as well as a few local celebrities such as the Mayor and the head of the local Chamber of Commerce, participated in the ceremonies. As he is pretty well known up around his district for his activity, we have an idea that Mr. Minhinnick is going to be right out front with the rest of the Canadian showmen, selling his shows right and left. We'd like to hear some more about your work, "J H." Novel Lobby Stunt Helped McKoy Sell Clara Bow Picture Novel lobbies have been presented on our pages many times. We have also shown a number of examples of atmospheric fronts. Prominent among the creative geniuses of this type of showman we found James H. McKoy, manager of the Olympia Theatre in Miami, Fla., and we are sure that his work has been useful to some of the members of the Club. We are presenting some more of it here, in the form of a lobby plug for "Her Wedding Night." Inside the main entrance a complete bedroom scene was made up through the courtesy of a local furniture store. On the bed a cut-out figure of Clara Bow in a sitting position and putting on her slippers, was placed. On the floor were real slippers and on the bed, wrappers and other ladies' wearing apparel. From the entrance doors to the railing above the bedroom display white crepe paper streamers with small wedding bells under them then were placed. The entire inside of the theatre was decorated in "wedding" trim. In the "well" were two five-foot wedding bells made of white crepe paper and with artificial orange blossoms pinned on them. From these two bells were white streamers twisted and draped to the rails. Under all the lights in the rear of the main floor were smaller wedding bells and under each bell a Paramount head of Clara Bow. _ Between the two large bells was a large hanging piece containing the star's name, title of picture in metallic outlined letters. Oke, "J. H.," it's a pleasure to see that you are continuing to turn out such excellent work. We hope that you will keep us posted on your future activities also.