The Moving picture world (June 1921)

June 4, 1921 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 507 Selling the Picture to the^Public Helped a Local Drive With His Free Tickets George R. Moore, of the Lion and Royal theatres, Bellevue, Ohio, was solicited for a contribution to a local drive. He made a personal contribution and then offered to give a free ticket to all who contributed a dollar or more to the cause, and he made the offer on Charles Ray in "Peaceful Valley." The drive was not doing very well, but witli the free ticket offer it took a new grip and went over big. The local people realized their ambition and everywhere the drive hooked up with the theatres. It took a little money out of the box office, but Mr. Moore broke better than even on expenses with his cash tickets., for each free ticket brought another in, and he has created a better feeling for his houses that will mean more than a month's gross receipts. It's old stuff, but it is always new and forever good. HARRY SWIFT'S CUTOUT IS GETTING WORN THIN PROM USE Horry Swift, the Albany Paramoiinteer, has used Fatty in the windozvs so often that the cutout is getting frayed on the edges, but still it works. This time 95 cents of "Brewster's Millions" will buy any book in the window. Saratoga Fatty in a Window Got Standing Room in House Harry Swift, the Albany Paramount ex- l>loiter, seems to have specialized in Saratoga windows, and he releases one a week. This time it is a book store with a card to the effect that "You don't have to have "Brew- ster's Millions' to buy a book, because they cost only 95 cents." He used the same line for other hook-ups. This time he got seven stills and two window cards in addition to the cut- out : which is doing pretty well. He has hooked this production to pretty nearly everything, and the cutouts are getting all worn out. Don't stof) e.rploiting when summer comes. Just change pace and get more seasonable suggestions. Sell the fans. Emergency Men If business has slumped call in the ex- ploitation men. Let them help you get your patrons back. Often they can bring in busi- ness you could not reach because they will appeal along new lines and give your patrons the change of pace that is one of the most valuable factors in advertising. They are there to help you ; they want to help you. Give them a chance. You can do better work yourself after you have worked with a highly developed publicity man. You can't afford to hire such a man. but you can get his services free. Why not give him a trial? Took Two Full Pages W. W. HoUiday, of the Palace Theatre, Muscatine, la., took two full pages for "Passion," using one in each of the two .^lapers. As the town has only 3,000 popula- tion, it was some splash. Simple Chinese Effect Gained at Small Cost Lem L. Stewart, director of exploitation for Southern Enterprises, sends in a very ef- fective lobby for "The First Born," but for- gets to tell what Rialto it comes from. In his special exploitation letter on this stunt, he urged that the Chinese rather than the Japanese be made the keynote. Here the effect is gained with a string of Chinese lan- terns and six strips of cloth on which sup- posed Chinese ideographs are painted. The .symbols arc hardly in the Chinese style, but they are goon enough to get over. To do it up in style, bright red cloth should be used, with the characters in black or gold, but a few strips of cloth, plus the 24-sheet, will complete- ly change your front. The stunt is within the reach of any manager, for it requires no special skill to produce. THIS CHINESE FRONT COST THE HOUSE ONLY FIVE DOLLARS It looks a lot and it l>ul over the Robcrtson-Cole production, but if you study it you zvHI find that it looks a lot more than it costs, which is the essence of all good exploita- tion stunts. It made a 25 per cent, increase in the business