Moving Picture World (Jan-Feb 1927)

366 MOVING, PICTURE WORLD January 29, 1927 Church Amateurs Put on Black Pirate Prologue A NOVEL SHADOW BOX ON UPSTAGE FROM HOUSTON Harry Van Demark, of the Queen Theatre, used cutouts of Norma Shearer in a pretty miniature set in a store which advertised that the furniture shown could be duplicated by them. Got Fine Display Of Decrepit Fords Frank H. Burns, of the Beacham Theatre, Orlando, Fla., is by no means the first to advertise for an old automobile. That’s not new, but Burns got more than most out of the idea by adding a few frills. He threw out cards offering $25 for the worst looking Ford car offering to pay $25 for the use of the oldest looking car for two days. It was specified that the car must be able to move under its own power. But instead of the usual “Apply to the manager of the Beacham Theatre,” he called for the cars to be lined up at a specified location on a certain day, and there was a long line of Orlando’s worst to greet the amused onlooked and the reporters. A Pierce-Arrow of the vintage of 1903 was finalh selected and sent around town with the legend that it used to be a Tin God and the added information that Tin Gods was playing at the Beacham. It’s the same old stunt, but Burns got three times as much publicity through adroit work. Paving the Way One of the best things done by Emmett Sorg on The Four Horsemen was an essay contest on motion picture revivals, with prizes for the best contributions submitted to a local paper when the picture showed at the Paramount Theatre, Ogden, Utah. Being a contest, newspaper readers took columns where they might have skipped theatre paragraphs. This was only one angle of a fine campaign, but it easily was the best. Two Books Two copies of Michael Strogoff were used to exploit that picture at the Lyric Theatre, Bridgeport, Conn. A very large one was carried atop the marquise while the other was a smaller walking book. A stunt not generally available was sending out a pair of Cossacks on blooded horses to distribute calling cards. It was possible in Bridgeport because the Ringlings have winter quarters there. Enlisted Church Club For Pirate Prologue Thirty members of the Young People’s League of the Advent Episcopal Church of Spartanburg, S. C., staged a prologue for The Black Pirate and brought James IT. McCoy more newspaper publicity than he could have gotten through any of the usual channels. The church is a fashionable one and the newspapers literally ate up copy on the appearance of the young people. Dressed in pirate costumes, they were discovered on the deck of a pirate craft, but after singing an old sea song they came down to the stage and went into a dance. There was a huge turnaway for the Thanksgiving Day matinee and a slightly smaller one for the night show, while there were full houses each of the three days. The lobby display was an outline chest suspended from the ceiling, with a cutout of Fairbanks and a lot of pennants and flags for the front. A Big Bust Hitting the record up $3,000 at one crack is considerable of a jump, but that’s what Barry Burke brought in for The Quarterback at the Palace Theatre, Dallas, Texas. All of the local elevens were invited to a pre-screening, and during the showing autographed footballs were given the captains of all the school and college elevens. This gave some valuable special nights toward the end of the week. Because Boy Scouts of Augusta, Ga., were conducting a drive for funds for a clubhouse, Frank J. Miller gave them a 25 per cent cut on a special midnight matinee of Tony Runs Wild and the boys held a parade to help sell their tickets. They were also helped by slides in both papers and newspaper publicity. A GOOD FLASH PERAMBULATOR ON MISMATES FROM KENTUCKY This truck was used by the Kentucky Theatre, Lexington, on the First National, and there was a good kick to the strongly lettered banner. The message got over because it was so plainly done. They could run and read.