The Moving picture world (December 1920)

880 MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 18, 1920 Selling the Picture to the&Public two other stores sharing that on the right. More can be let in with the same layout by giving each a column, and it looks better than the usual checkerboard style. — P. T. A.— California Makes Strong Cut Big Selling Feature The California Theatre, Los Angeles, gets a good display for "His Own Law" with a pose of Bosworth dominating the 135 line fives. The cut shows only the drawing before the type was filled in, but it gives an idea of the handling of the space, with the selling talk in the lower portion of the panel and the complimentary features in the rest of the space. The California is doing good work these days, though now and then it slips back into too much type, Sam Sivitz Did Not Stick to His All-Type Display Samuel Sivitz, of the Rowland and Clark theatres, Pittsburgh, did not stick to his all-type displays. Possibly the influence of the rest of the ads was too much for him, for Pittsburgh is about the last stand of poor hand lettering in the larger cities. At any rate the houses have gone back to the old style display with lettering which looks as though it might have been put in by a schoolboy. It would be much better not to try to use selling talk in these A CALIFORNIA SUNDAY AD though it by no means, uses as much as it once did. This second display, for Madge Kennedy, shows more lettering, but it is all big lines and so is easily read, which is the real test. It is not wholly safe to trust to the reverse in Los Angeles, but these reverse features deal with the music and the music is too well known to need more than a reminder. Presumably the MADGE KENNEDY mPfbert Shuinon's Jazz F\iot * s. ■ ■ 'THE GIRL WITH THE JAZZ HEART A-i4lft CCKGERT OBCHESTRA-f KLLTON CH i n FUnor -Conductor > ait the OP ANOTHER CALIFORNIA ANNOUNCEMENT program goes in the space in the upper left hand corner, with the small stuff below the main title. The drawing very cleverly lives up to the title, and these two spaces show the versatility of the artist who uses both cuts and sketches and uses that which will give the best selling results. The California seems to have taken a brace lately in its advertising, and is turning out some capital work. Exceptionally Pretty Ad Is for a Toronto House The Regent, Toronto, does not always get good results, but when it does, it seems to do better than usual. This six column 135 lines display is a fine example of combination work, with a nice taste shown in what is to be hand lettered and what displayed in type. About the only comment to offer would be that the small features be set in a more attractive display face. HAVE YOU GOT A P-T-A T LEAKN THE ADVERTISING GAME NOW -YOU'LL HAVE LES3 EMPTY SEATS THE ROWLAND & CLARK AD spaces, but to give it all to the title and the cut, since the artist so clearly proves himself unable to letter legibly. Hyman uses smaller spaces and gets excellent results, but it all depends upon the artist and this designer is far from doing good work in the lettering.. We are sorry that Mr. Sivitz slipped, for Pittsburgh needs some good examples very badly. Now that Boston is reformed, Pittsburgh is the worst theatrical advertising page in the country. We are glad to note, however, the revival of the Film Forecast, the house program for the circuit. It comes out in a new form with much more reading matter, and it does the circuit real good, for nothing is more helpful than a smartly edited program which can approach the fan magazines in the class of its copy as Film Forecast does. There is danger that the magazine will be so widely read that the trade advertisements will flow in and usurp the place of the reading notes, and then it will fall back into the class of regular programs, but if it is held with not much more advertising than will make itself supporting—and it can stand more advertising than it has at present — it will be much more profitable to the house. —P. T. A.— A New Slogan If you have no slogan or are looking for a new one, try "The Friendly Theatre" and live up to the slogan. If These Pages Help You Why Not Send for a Copy of PICTURE THEATRE ADVERTISING Which gives you the foundation information about type, inks, paper, laying out, press work and all of the little points you need to know. It costs only $2 the copy, postpaid, and any one of a hundred and more ideas will be worth the initial cost of the book. Order today from the nearest address Moving Picture World, 516 Fifth avenue, New York City; Garrick Building, Chicago, 111., or Wright & Callender Building, Los Angeles, Cal. THE TORONTO DISPLAY The use of Roman capitals is not good. This was probably done because it is not always practicable to letter in in the space devoted to type, nor would it be advisable, for that matter, since it would look out of harmony, but the printer should have used some fancy face and probably would have done so had he not been too lazy to go to the case. Printers must be watched in these matters. It is easier to use a machine line than to set in display or get a display line from another machine. It is easier for the printer and make-up man, but it is depriving the house of the display for which it pays. The drawing is not descriptive, but it suggests Nazimova in another of her odd characters, and probably sold better than a scene cut would have done, since it is the star rather than the play which sells in this instance. A straight portrait would not have done the work, but the costume pose has real value. —P. T. A.— Doing Good Work Whoever writes the copy for the Loew theatres in Boston is doing capital work. Most of the space is taken for the sales campaign for shares in the new house, but it runs off into comment on the current shows at the Orpheum. One late announcement played up "Not the best show at the price, but the best at any price" and went on to tell that the previous week brought in a gross of $18,114.32 and adds: "With this regular patronage we can afford to spend twice as much on our shows as our nearest competitor — WE CAN AND WE DO." There is more argument in that than there is to "Best Shown in Town" displayed in poster type. It means something. — P. T. A.— To Get Program Ads Sometimes it is difficult to get a merchant to advertise in your program. To prove that your publication is read, get him to make a slight price reduction on some popular specialty and advertise this for a week free of charge. The sales should convince him of the value of your medium. You can work the same stunt for slides.