Moving Picture World (May-Jun 1925)

May 9, 1925 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 195 Women Helped Styles Barry Burke, of the Palace Theatre, Fort Worth, Texas, knew that he would not have to resort to any special stunts to sell off a style show arranged by the largest local store, but he knew, too, that good-will is better than immediate receipts. A Universal Release NOTHING MUCH ABOUT BABIES IN OH, DOCTOR. BUT— This perambulator with a doctor, nurse, cradle, baby carriage and other things, presumably rushing to an obstetrical call, made business for the Family Theatre, Davenport, la. And look at the lobby storks? Family Theatre is the right name. A Paramount Release A REALLY CLEVER LOBBY ON NORTH OF 36 FROM JOHN FENNY Note the book on the right and the home-made camera on the left, with the cutout projection over the still frame. It made a lot of extra business for the Cozy Theatre, Okmulgee, Okla. It got over the suggestion of the visualized book as few lobby displays do, and it is so simple you can do it. Made a Profit on His Double Truck For Road Shows Those houses which play a combination of road shows and pictures such as our Beacham Theatre should be interested in this : The largest department store in Orlando has a fine victrola department. When we played Little Jesse James I went to them even though it was a road show, and their advertising man, while dubious at first, was soon won over. He featured the two song hits of Little Jesse James in his ads and used cards especially painted throughout the victrola department and then supplied me with a machine which I placed in the lobby and all day, while the crowds were surging around the box office getting tickets and at night when they were going in, we played and replayed the two song hits of the play. And they were song hits too. The store reported a brisk sale of the records after the show was gone. The next road show was Blossom Time and the very day the first advance advertising went out the Department store advertising man was over to see me. The same sort of a tieup was arranged and as Blossom Time has quite a number of good pieces we did the job up right with a window display, cards in the department, even larger newspaper ads and of course the victrola in the lobby and a pretty girl to take care of it this time. Two days later — every Blossom Time record sold and they had a good stock on hand. Will they help me with a picture sometime? Wait and see. — Frank H. Burns, Orlando, Fla. The Federated Women’s Club needed funds to enlarge their building, and Burke offered them a percentage on their ticket sales. The result was that they established street booths, had stalls in all the hotels and public buildings and campaigned the women. It did not make any larger business, for the style show always plays to capacity, but for months to come Burke will be selling tickets on the strength of the comparatively small sum he lost on this week. As a by-product he was able to get a change of models every night for the week of the run, all of them being socially prominent. Thomas Meighan in Coming Through was the attraction, showing that you do not need a dress title for a style show. Because he opened with an all-Universal program, Maurice Davis, the St. Louis Universalist, helped Dave Nelson, of the New Maplewood Theatre to a profitable double truck, and sold his 1500 seats plus. Contractors and furnishers paid for the two outside columns, but at a rate which gave the entire two pages, which were used to put over the house, the manager and the opening attractions, not to mention a congratulatory telegram from Carl Laemmle. Maplewood is a suburb of St. Louis, and the house is one of the handsomest in the outlying district, so Universal took a pride in its bookings. The opening program included Oh Doctor, a Gump comedy and the International news reel. Unusual and Distinctive LOBBY DISPLAYS The Art Guild 250 West 54th Street N. Y. CITY COLUMBUS 5780 Pathe selected our APLAKAY product for all their displays on Capt. Nungesser’s personal appearance tour with “The Air Raider.”