The Moving picture world (May 1925-June 1925)

June 13, 1925 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 751 Van Demark Used a Caged Live Qoose About the time that Edgar Hart, up in Augusta, Maine, was letting a live rooster crow about his Easter program, Harry Van Demark, down in Houston, Texas, was using a goose to honk for The Goose Hangs High. He put this over the box office of the Queen Theatre. The goose did not like the job and complained loudly, with the result that he (or she) got the attention of all the customers. A United Artists Release A LOBBY THAT EARNED $300 IN DURHAM, N. C. This was not all the extra business, but the share that Don Nichols figures the lobby drew. He says that autos bumped each other while the drivers looked at the display. You can't beat that for pulling power, can you? His Lobby Display Caused Auto Smash Don Nichols, of the Durham (N. C.) Amusement Co., writes that he figures this lobby on The Thief of Bagdad pulled in about $300 for him. That isn't saying that it played to $300 above, but that $300 of the extra money was drawn by this lobby. He got the idea from a lobby reproduced in this department, though he is not able to recall the issue. It is a solid compo board structure, done in water color on a kalsomine base, and decorated with cutouts. That black centre panel is not the box office. The lights, with the exception of the illuminated star and title strips, were green. The lettering was white and worked on a flasher. Mr. Nicolas says that the flasher caused more talk than anything he has ever used, and the first day it was displayed he noticed a dozen autos bump the car ahead while the drivers watched the flasher. It seems that the theatre is only a few doors below the corner, where the cars stop. Autos stopping to let the cars discharge passengers would halt and the following car, the driver absorbed in the sign, would bump into the machine ahead. Qets a Weekly Ad From Bible Class Getting efficient church co-operation is difficult, but if it can be achieved, there is nothing more valuable. For a long time W. F. Brock, of the Strand Theatre, Knoxville, Tenn., has been trying to get some co-operation, and at last he has hit upon an idea that is well worth while, and so simple that almost any house can copy it. He effected a deal with the largest bible class in the city. This has a membership of about one thousand, and Mr. Brock supplies one thousand pay envelopes each week, printed up with spaces for the name and address of the member, the amount of his donation and the date. Above and below this data are lines for the theatre and the announcement of the coming attractions. The cost is relatively small and for this Mr. Brock gets an absolutely gilt edged circulation, not to mention the general good will. He opened the stunt with The Mine With the Iron Door. For the same attraction he made his lobby into a mine entrance, the idea being good not only for this but for Coming Through and other mining stories. A Paramount Release VAN DEMARK'S GOOSE His best bet was the borrowing of a woman who was in town to promote the sales of a brand of silverware at a prominent jeweler's. She was known as an authority on home decoration, and the store loaned her to the theatre in exchange for the advertising. The store was given the theatre between 9 and 10 each morning, and it mailed out 20,000 invitations, under first-class postage, and each lecture was heard by a full house. At each lecture on home decoration the speaker wound up with an appreciative comment on The Goose Hangs High as typical of American home life. Having seen the picture, she could speak with full conviction, and her words carried weight. A Principal Release HOW W. F. BROCK, OF THE STRAND THEATRE, KNOXVILLE, PLAYED UP THE MINE Instead of a mine with an open door, this had to have three doors, but the customer, were not particular and were appreciative of the extra measure. The photograoh is ra»her sketchy, but the effect is that of a tree-clad h.U with the mine entrances faced up with stone, and it made a strong impression to back up the name of the popular author.