Moving Picture World (Nov-Dec 1923)

A First National Release Has a Questionnaire to Make for Interest Tod Browning, of Gordon’s Olympia Theatre, New Haven, has a local paper tied to a series of questionnaires along the prevalent lines, and to make it really interesting, Tod refrains from loading it down with questions about First National stars and attractions, though these are what he is putting over in a way that keeps even the suspicious unaware that it is an advertising stunt. Some days there is nothing about First National, and there is even advertising for other companies. Worked in this fashion you can keep the stunt going indefinitely and retain the interest, shooting in questions about your own stars and attractions at the times when this will do the most good. Browning supplies a set of twelve questions daily, the answers to the previous day’s questions being given. A sample set of questions may give the idea better: (1) What dancer is regarded as America’s best dressed woman? (2) What screen actress is called America’s sweetheart? (3) Who is regarded as America’s greatest coloratura soprano? (4) What American girl won most fame singing among the troops in France? (5) Who made the first American flag? (6) Who founded the Christian Science Church ? (7) What woman won fame as the Maid of Orleans? (8) Who wrote the play, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin?” (9) What actress is said to have the most beautiful back in the world? (10) What woman ruled as Queen of England for sixty years? (11) What famous actress died recently at the age of 76? (12) Who was the fair maiden who vamped Marc Antony? Ticket prizes are given. Schade’s New Tags George J. Schade, of Sandusky, worked a change on the tag stunt for Within the Law. He had printed up about 3,000 tags bearing the legend: “Warning! Keep Within the Law.” These were not only tagged on automobiles, but on the bridles of horses and on bicycles. On the automobiles the string loop permitted them to be slipped on radiator caps, which is better than on the steering wheel or the door handle. It made an excellent title fixer and helped the picture to a good business. Just goes to show that the traffic summons is not the onlv idea. November 24. 1923 Human Wreckage Is a Business Builder Following a campaign largely taken from the plan book, Thomas G. Coleman, of the Galax Theatre, Birmingham, Ala., took a notable business on Human Wreckage. This first step was a special showing before the city Health Commissioner, the head of the welfare department, the Better Films Committee, ministers and a few leading citizens. The Health Commissioner, who is the only woman holding such a position, gave an endorsement which was quoted in a special circular letter with matched personal addresses instead of “Dear Patron,” and was confined to a limited list likely to pay a return on such careful preparation. The Salvation Army was interested and the value of the picture brought to the attention of religious and educational leaders. Then a couple of press stories which dealt with drug habits and were apparently pure news were slipped into the paper to get an indirect, but none the less forceful, effect. Many ministers announced the showing of the picture during their pulpit announcements and one or two worked the announcement into their sermons. Likes Lingerie It is strange that The French Doll is the first of the Mae Murray pictures to be tied to lingerie, since dress — and undress — are so liberally featured in most of these productions. It’s strange, but it is true, and now managers are making up for lost time. A hosiery concern has been tied up to the idea through the Metro and free stockings have proven a powerful puller, but many managers have gone further and have hitched to lingerie with excellent display results. Charles Morrison, of the Imperial Theatre,. Jacksonville, grabbed a wonderful window in a specialty shop on the strength of the lingerie poses in the stills, and most of the women who lined up in front of the window later appeared through masculine proxies at the box office. Get the women and they will bring the men. A SIMPLE SETTING FOR A PENROD AND SAM PROLOGUE Used by B. W. Bickert, of the Isis Theatre, Houston, Texas. The fence was low enough to stand while the picture was being projected, the back drop, carrying the foliage, being taken up to disclose the screen at the end of a vocal interpolation. Because the First National comedy, Bow Wow, was in only two reels seemed no good reason to the Palace Theatre, Fairfifield, Maine, why it should not be exploited. Twenty dogs were given cardboard blankets and paraded through the streets, and twenty dogs make a wonderful parade in the town at the other end of the Waterville car line. A Universal Release THIS LOBBY DISPLAY WAS SET TO MUSIC, TOO Frank J. Miller, of the Modjeska Theatre, Augusta, Ga„ geared a small organ to the platform and mounted cutouts from The Merry-Go-Round paper for riders. With the illumination on a flasher it made a tremendous box office appeal. Splashed a Short