The Moving picture world (May 1925-June 1925)

754 MOVING PICTURE WORLD June 13. 1925 Startled New York With Teaser Idea One of the stunts that helped Joe Weil, of Universal, keep Smouldering Fires in the Piccadilly Theatre for two weeks was a "warning" distributed along Broadway by two girls in clown costumes decorated with hearts and dollar signs. A Universal Release THE CLOWN GIRLS They carried little baskets filled with small throwaway about 5 by 7 inches, folded once so that both outside leaves showed: "Warning ! Let no man be necessary to you." Inside it continued : "If you want to know why, go to the Piccadilly, etc." Like all other advertising, it stressed the fact that Pauline Frederick played a role which no other screen star would dare attempt. This sounded interesting, and you had to go to the show to find out that the daring consisted in playing a middle aged role. "Daring" and "startling" were used in all advertising, and the dare angle was relayed to the dramatic critics in personal letters. That this was effective was shown by the Th^n COYIRH) Wagon" North ^36" ux A Paramount Release ARTHUR SWANKE'S FRONT ON NORTH OF 36 AT ELDORADO, ARK. This helped sell the picture at the Rialtc. The banner is black on white with a red border. The centerpiece shows the Indian attack as though seen through a window. The lighting effects were the chief a ipeal, and these do not show in the cut. fact that most of the criticisms worked the idea into the story. A special postcard was sent to 5,000 professional women, who were supposed to be particularly interested in this play of a business woman, and the Laura LaPlante boyish bob was worked into a window card that got into the several thousand beauty parlors between Forty-second and Fifty-ninth streets. Because Tulsa, Okla., is handy to Pawnee, the home of Maj. Gordon Lillie (Pawnee Bill), J. W. Clark, of the Majestic Theatre, was able to borrow some of the Major's collection of Indian relics for lobby work on The Thundering Herd. He also was able to borrow a $5,000 painting for display in a store window. Then he got out handbills advertising the free lobby show and that, in its turn, advertised the picture. Shows Lost World 2,000 Feet in Air Horace Judge, who is looking after the publicity for First National's agency in Great Britain, has pulled another first timer. He gave a showing of The Lost World in an aeroplane before a select audience of notables and newspaper men. He chartered one of the air boats of Imperial Airways, Ltd., installed a projection machine and projected the picture while the machine was flying over the North Sea. Of course the London papers played it up and the provincial journals followed in their steps. It gave the picture a mention in practically every paper in Great Britain, and while it costs more to hire a passenger airplane than a taxi, the results showed a gigantic profit on the investment. This comes close upon the heels of the showing of Black Oxen and Ashes of Vengeance on one of the crack expresses. mMIimU PICTURES L'P imperial Airways ltd. A First National Release SHIPPING THE PROJECTOR FOR THE FIRST AERIAL SHOW The machine was installed in the cabin of a commercial passenger plane and The Lost World was shown while the craft was flown over the North Sea. The stunt was engineered by Horace Judge, of First National's London office and sets a record. Parked a Banner This is the time of year when you take a banner down to the ball park and show it to the spectators, just as you used to hike down to the football games last fall. If you have an obliging ball team, you may be interested in a little stunt of H. C. Farley's. To advertise The Thundering Herd at the Empire Theatre, Montgomery, Ala., he sent two boys down to the park with the banner. Just before the game they came on the field with the banner folded. At once people wondered what the boys had. The lads went to several parts of the field, opened the banner and set it against the fence, as though trying out the location, but after they had tried it in all parts of the field, showing the lettering to everyone, they apparently decided that no spot was a good one, and left the field before the game was called. THIS DEPARTMENT CONTINUED ON PAGES 755 AND 75«.