The Moving Picture Weekly (1919-1922)

16 The Moving Picture Weekly Afbil 29, 1922 More of the Robinson Crt OTTO L. MEISTER, manager of the Whitehouse Theatre, Milwaukee, has long been considered one of the premier exhibitors in this country. How he capitalized his showmanship and won a prize in Universal's $7,000 Crusoe Exploitation Competition is an object lesson to every other exhibitor in the United States. A photograph of Mr. Meister, his artistic lobby and effective ballyhoo is shown on page 11. His enterprise in being the first exhibitor to enter the Crusoe Contest should act as an incentive to other theatre managers to lose no time registering their names in this remarkable cash-prize offer. It is of interest to note that Mr. Meister's exploitation, combined with the excellence of Universale chapter-play unusual, was instrumental in shattering all records for the Milwaukee playhouse. Mr. Meister had a man dressed as a pirate walking the streets. His doorman was also attired in sea rover's garb. He used 10,000 heralds, the screen trailer, 24-sheets, and a street ballyhoo consisting of a man CRIPPLED TOTS THEATRE GUESTS THIRTEEN crippled tots of Bradley Memorial hospital, whose deformities the State is trying to eliminate, viewed with enthusiastic acclaim the "Adventures of Robinson Crusoe" shown at the Strand Theatre Friday. The little unfortunates were the guests of the Strand Theatre and university employees. The university employees furnished cars and attendants. The children were under the care of Miss Mary McGovern and Philip Franzen. Several of the children had never seen a moving picture. Three were brought in wheelchairs, lying flat on their backs. In age they ranged from 3y2 to 6. Those not in chairs were either In braces or struggled along on crutches. After the movie the patients were taken outside and filmed by a movie camera. The film will be shown i them at the hospital. Manager Arthur Desormeaux of the Strand presented each little visitor with a puzzle. — From the Wisconsin State Journal. dressed as Robinson Crusoe, all of which attracted an unsual amount of attention. On his lobby platform he reproduced a scene showing the ship and Crusoe with dog and parrot. The entire front was fixed up with bark to represent a forest. Hundreds gathered outside the theatre constantly to view the display, considered the most picturesque and realistic ever arranged for any production. More than one thousand kids, writes Mr. Meister, followed his street-man, an actor dressed in characteristic costume. The street man said he felt like the Pied Piper of Hamelin. To Mr. Meister the Universal extends its sincerest congratulations, not only upon his success in the Cash Prize Contest, but also for being a consistent 100 per cent. Universal exhibitor. A P. DESORMEAUX, manager of the Strand Theatre, Madison, * Wis., combined a stunt from the campaign book with a generous idea of his own to good effect in putting over the first episode of "The Adven 17th t swmm* Fi'nst presentation in at) NORTH PWIA. 5AT.APRB.8tt) The adventures sf 32 EPI/OKJ Mb HMfiyHYB8«<CIlUStt"< N081F JOHNSON «FROtf Manager F. K. M. Plessner of the Susquehanna Theatre, Philadelphia, Stencilled This Unique Window Card in Three Colors to Advertise "The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe." Other Prize-Winning Ideas of Mr. Plessner Are Explained in Detail on Pages 17 and 23.