Moving Picture World (May 1919)

676 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD May 3, 1919 if "Oh, You Women" Crowd Which Bought $10,000 Worth of Victory Bonds from Dorothy Dalton. The Aeolian Hall window was almost smashed as the eager mob sought to see Ernest Truex and Louise Huff before the camera. THEY SEE STARS ACT AND BUY BONDS 000 Worth of Victory to from "Oil, You Women" scenario producer for Famous Players Dorothy Dalton Sells $10, Crowd Which Saw Scenes IT all happened in the interests of the Victory Liberty Loan at the Aeolian Hall window at 29 West Forty-second street in the city of New York at 12 o'clock noon, Monday, April 21. The crowd surged and foug-ht its way past the barrier of State Guard bayonets as no other crowd ever surged and fought in the history of journalism. The crowd wanted to see Ernest Truex and Louise Huf? act before the camera in scenes from their Paramount production, "Oh, You Women," and they even clamored atop the iron railing designed to protect the window from the mob. At 12 o'clock noon. May Peterson, American soprano from the Metropolitan Opera House, sang the "Star Spangled Banner," accompanied by a select band from^ the fleet lying in the Hudson. When the huge flag veiling the interior scene in the window from the view of the crowd was drawn aside, Louise Huff and Ernest Truex were discovered in a rehearsal under the direction of John Emerson. Anita Loos, who, with Mr. Emerson, produced "Oh, You Women," was seen at the side with Francis .\Tarion, another high salaried Louise Smokes and. Ernest Sweeps. After the rehearsal, the camera started grinding on the real thing. Louise Huff went so far as to smoke a cigarette during the course of the scene, while Ernest Treux went to another extreme, donned a boudoir cap and went to sweeping. Both declared that it was their first offense in each instance. Following the "Oh, You Women" scenes, Dorothy Dalton, who just recently came to New York from the coast, made a stirring appeal to the crowd and sold $10,000 worth of bonds. The demonstration was arranged by the Aeolian company in co-operation with Famous Players-Lasky. P'loyd IM'Own says: Heal captains of industry are those ichose minds don't punch the time clock. 4 * * A common excuse of some exhibitors for not playing big attractions is that their lawn is different from others. Possibly then are a square plug in a round hiite. * * • The exhibitor ivho sits back and rvaits for his customers to appear, without offerini/ any lure, simply because he is not a McCormick or a Rothapfel, is as unwise as the one who thinks that opening the box-office and starting the electric piano (ire the essentials to the successful conduct of iiis business. One is afraid to use his judnmeni . vliilc the other liiis none to use. Guatemala Exhibition Visits San Francisco ALBERT FRANKLIN, head of Albert Franklin & Sons, who conduct the Theatre New York at Guatemala City, is in San Francisco arranging for film service. He states that there are no film exchanges in operation there at the present time and that service from outside points is very costly. His visit is for the purpose of purchasing films, making Spanish titles for them and arranging for a permanent representative. The plan is to use the films first in his own house and then rent them to other houses. Censorship rules in the South American republic are described as being strict and the work of the board is carried on at the Theatre New York. The President of the republic is very fond of screen productions and once a month the management of this house makes a private showing of its best films at the official residence. ^fr. Franklin and his sons have been engaged in business there for ;>bout three vcars. Gets Aid of Business Men in Putting Over "Salome" EXHIBITORS have been urged in press books issued by producers, and in exhibitor service sections lit the trade papers, to utilize every possible means to obtain publicity for the pictures they are showing. Edgar Weill, manager of the Strand Theatre, Syracuse, has gone this advice one better and has obtained the assistance of all his friends among the business men of the city. The Strand Theatre played "Salome" the week of March 3L Not only did Mr. Weill flood the Syracuse newspapers with strong advertising copy, but he saw to it that the word "Salome" would confront people wherever they went. During the week before the showing Mr. Weill had the street cars carry, front and rear, big cards announcing that "Salome" was coming to Syracuse the following week. During the engagement these cards were supplanted by others that told where the feature could be seen. In addition to these stunts, which kept everybody in Syracuse talking about picture. Air. Weill made a beautiful lobby display with some large oil paintings of Miss Bara and scenes from "Salome." The result of this unusual exploitation was that "Salome" smashed all box-ofifice records at the Strand, playing to more than 7,500 persons on the opening day. Regent Does Big Business by Featuring Drew Comedy PETER MAGARO, manager of the Regent Theatre, Harrisburg, Pa., recently featured "Romance and Rings," a two-reel ' Paramount-Drew comedy, instead of the five-reel pictures on the same program, pulling such big business that he had a line in front of the box office and was compelled to hang out the S. R. O. sign. This happened on Alonday, Tuesday and Wednesda3^ always the worst show days of the week in Harrisburg, and shows the direct results of proper exploitation of these comedies. Manager Alagaro took a three-column, 14-inch space in the Harrisburg Telegraph, using copy adapted from the Paramount press book issued for the release. At the top of his advertisement he displayed a cut of Mr. and Mrs. Drew. Three-quarters of the space was devoted to Drew exploitation and the concluding quarter of the advertisement listed the five-reel features shown on the same program. Exploitation was not limited to newspaper advertising by anj' means. Sixsheets on the comedy were posted all over the city of Harrisburg and vicinity and the lobby of the Regent Theatre was transformed into a. gallery of Drew photographs and stills. Generous space was also accorded the Drews in the house program. Don't Re A Four-fifths Patriot — INVEST!