Movie Age (1927)

OCTOBER 15, 1927. PAGE 19 Canary First Prize In Co-op Page Contest for “U” Mystery Film For securing a big newspaper flash at little cost, there is probably no bet¬ ter way than the use of a co-op page, according to A. J. Sharick, Universal’s exploiteer in the Cleveland territory. Working on this theory he has recently put over several novel pages, among the best being one in the Sandusky Star-Journal for “The Cat and the Canary,” Universal’s big Paul Leni pro¬ duction. Across the top of the page ran the lines: “Free Tickets to See ‘The Cat and the Canary’ — Star Theatre — Start¬ ing Sunday.” At each side were catchy line drawings taken from an ad cut shown in the press book. Between was a box giving details of the contest con¬ ducted in connection with the page. In each of the nine merchant ads which made up the page was the head of a Universal player. They included Laura LaPlante, Flora Finch, Tully Marshall, Creighton Hale, Gertrude Astor, Martha Mattox, Forrest Stanley, Arthur Edmund Carew and Jean Hersholt. These heads were very ingen¬ uously cut from the publicity stereos prepared by Universal for this picture. To win one of the prizes the con¬ testant had to correctly identify these players and write a 50-word story on “Why I Like One of These Stars.” The first prize was a canary donated by a new pet shop; the second, five pairs of tickets to the Star Theatre; the third, three pairs of tickets; and for the ten next best answers, one ticket each. Jungle Lobby For “Chang’’ At Stamps, Ark. A good jungle lobby display was pro¬ moted recently by S. M. Powell, owner and manager of the Brown Theatre, Stamps, Ark., for “Chang.” Mr. Powell stretched poultry wire across the front of the lobby and placed cut-out letters 26 inches high spelling out “Chang” to this wire. He filled each hole with Spanish moss letting the moss hang from six to ten inches below the wire. Stuffed animals were placed around the lobby while a live owl was placed in the center. The simple display proved a good pa¬ tron-puller. Exhibitor Makes Use Of a Lindbergh Parade in Ill. Carol McPike, manager of the LeClaire Theatre, Moline, Ill., “pulled” a good one when Col. Lindbergh came to town. A parade was scheduled for the noted flyer and the streets were lined with people awaiting the march. About 15 minutes before Lindbergh was scheduled to drive along the streets, McPike directed a banner float on a truck announcing “Drums of the Des¬ ert.” Practically the whole town saw the announcement although it was not a part of the Lindbergh reception parade. The stunt was profitable, McPike de¬ clares. Pretty High School Girls Ballyhoo “Painting Town In ballyhooing “Painting the Town,” the first Universal-Glenn Tryon pic¬ ture, R. B. Thomas, manager of the Empress Theatre, Fremont, Neb., pro¬ cured the services of five of the pret¬ tiest girls in the Fremont high school. He dressed them in painters’ suits and caps and then had them patrol the downtown streets of his city. He had to depend upon their faces being pretty enough to make people turn around for a second look for on the back of their coats was lettered: “Painting the Town, Empress.” Accordion Contest Builds Business in Ridgeway, Ill. An exploitation stunt for no special picture but used as a business builder was promoted successfully recently by Bruce Carter, manager of the Strand Theatre, Ridgeway, Ill. The stunt was an accordion contest. Mr. Carter learned that there were sev¬ eral old-time accordion players in the neighboring towns and country. Through these men he learned of many other accordionists. Realizing the great amount of talent in the vicinity Mr. Carter set a date for an accordion con¬ test on the stage of his theatre. The date was set far enough ahead to assure plenty of advance publicity. An instrument valued at $25 was of¬ fered for the winner, the accordion be¬ ing placed in the window of a down town store. Mr. Carter tells us that the stunt packed them in, and he ad¬ vises exhibitors who want to build up some business to try the stunt. Sample Perfume For “Hula” When “Hula” played at the Prin¬ cess Theatre, Sioux City, la., L. E. Davidson, manager, arranged with a company to distribute 3,000 sample bot¬ tles of a new perfume. The bottles were attached to a card announcing the picture. Harold Lloyd’s Pathe comedies are still popular as proven by this remarkable display by a Kansas City theatre.