Moving Picture World (Nov-Dec 1924)

144 MOVING PICTURE WORLD November 8, 1924 Jazzed Navigator in Nashville Run Naturally the Navy Recruiters were the logical hook-up to The Navigator, and a pass to see the Keaton comedy was promised all who enlisted during the run at Loew’s Vendome Theatre. In return the recruiters permitted one sheets of Buster in sailor uniform to be posted on all their A boards, overpasted with the offer. They also covered a special recruiting booth. More than that, when the Marines played a local football eleven, heralds for The Navigator were inserted in all the programs, and fifteen cutouts of the one sheet were carried by the players in the parade which preceded the game, a band of one hundred pieces getting attention for the turnout. A Keaton hat was offered with each purchase of three cakes of Life Buoy soap, and all grocery and drug stores displayed the hats. Hats were also given the patrons of two clothing stores and samples of Life Saver mints were passed out by a girl in a sailor suit. It helped to put over about the funniest picture Keaton has ever made. Told Her Secrets The entire population was let in on Norma Talmadge’s secrets when her Secrets came to the Palace Theatre, San Antonio, Texas. The house made a huge diary of sheets of bristol board, on each of which an entrj' had been made with a crayon marking pencil to get large letters. Mounted on rings, similar to a loose leaf, the pages could be turned until the book was read through or curiosity satisfied. It was one instance where it was not considered impolite to read over another’s shoulder. It had to be done. H BN N EGAN PROGRAM COVERS SELL THE PICTURE TO THE PUBLIC THE HENNEGAN CO. CINCINNATI, O. Production Hints from Edward L. Hyman Managing Director, Mark-Strand Theatre, Brooklyn TWO hours and thirteen minutes was the length of time required for the show which had “Feet of Clay’’ as the photoplay attraction. The picture itself ran one hour and thirty-eight minutes, and the Mark Strand Topical Review took up the usual eight minutes, thus leaving twentyseven minutes for the four musical presentations. Chief of the stage incidents was One Arabian Night, a colorful thing in pantomime, song and dance, which while harmonizing perfectly with the type of film story was neverthless of enough contrast to make it a distinct and separate presentation. This number required ten minutes and was balanced into three parts, opening with “Ah Moon of My Delight” sung by the tenor; then a dance and pantomime to Oriental Ballet Music, and then closing to the Kashmiri Song by tenor and male quartette. The set had a transparent back drop showing minarets, mosques, etc., and this was masked in by an Oriental arch standing five feet in front of the drop. Thus all the lighting was from behind the arch excepting for the dances done on the full stage in front of the set. A platform was between the arch and the drop and from this six steps led to the stage. Props on the platform were Oriental couch, throne chair, pillows, drapes and carpets. At opening a Sultan-type tenor was seated in the big chair, with male quartette in period costumes grouped at back. Girl in harem dress seated on floor at sultan’s feet. After the first song by the tenor came the dance by eight Oriental maidens, and then a solo dance by premiere danseuse, who supplants the other girl in the sultan’s favor. “Pale Hands I Love” finished the number. Baby spots of magenta, blue and pink, concealed behind the mask, lighted the platform and back drop. For the dances straw and amber floods from the booth and dome were used. Orchestra covered by pale white dimmed down. The overture was “Sixth Hungarian Rhapsody,” for which the silver draw curtains were closed over the small production stage and lighted by the following : two arch spots of light blue and two of amber on the pleats. Dome floods on orchestra, one amber and the other lemon. Blue borders on large stage; entrance spots of color blend on ceiling drapes and sides. Seven minutes for this Lisza overture. The Ritz Male Quartette, in “soup and fish,” came out on the apron of the large stage, in front of the orchestra, and sang “Follow the Swallow,” then “Do You, Don’t You.” There was an amber flood on the singers from the booth. The silver draw curtains remained on the small stage as in the overture. The floods from the dome were dark violet on the orchestra. Five minutes. Water Lilies was a novelty effect number with members of the ballet. There was a water sheet stretching along the front of the production stage upon which a special surf film was projected, in which were water lilies. Back of this was a ground row across the stage upon which was painted water lilies, greens, etc. A large white moon was in the sky, throwing a reflection across the water by means of a machine at the side. The girls were between the top of the water sheet and the ground row, showing only from head down to their waist. Music used included a tenor solo, “Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal.” Five minutes for this. Adaptable Howard Price Kingsmore started something when he used the color-this-picture stunt for Wanderer of the Wasteland at the Howard Theatre, Atlanta. It has done splendid service on this title, but Gavin Hawn, a Paramounteer, did not see why The Wanderer should have the monopoly of the good idea. He tied it to The Covered Wagon at Loew’s Valentine Theatre, Toledo, and it worked just as strong for that title. The offer of three covered wagons, of dwindling sizes, for prizes landed it into the columns of the News Bee with no space bill attached. A Universal Release THREE ITEMS FROM A NON-ALCOHOLIC CAMPAIGN ON WINE FROM MILWAUKEE A. J. Meninger distributed free “wine” in the lobby of Ascher’s Merrill Theatre, using specially printed paper cups, but admitting that the picture possessed more kick than the wine. He also used a fountain of wine-colored water under a bower of grapes. lou can use your own judgment about the lobby banner, but remember the camera distorts the drawing.