The Moving picture world (November 1921)

176 MOVING PICTURE WORLD November 12, 1921 Selling the Picture to the^Public Made Strong Campaign for "A Midnight Bell" Thomas G. Coleman, of the Strand Theatre, Memphis, made a strong campaign on "A Midnight Bell." He had an exceedingly tall usher, for whom he procured a skull mask and a winding sheet. He was advertised as "Charles Ray's spook in 'A Midnight Bell' " and roamed around the theatre, sometimes occupying "the haunted church pew" in the lobby. There was also a large bell in a cupola atop the lobby with the cord running down into the box office, where the cashier gave it a twitch now and then. A card told that "Charles Kay rings this bell while tied in a chair." The bell was rung during the showing of the film at the proper moment, but an unrehearsed effect was found when a transom in the manager's office fell at the moment the window fell in the picture. The effect of the crash was electrical. There was also a tie-up with a shoeblack — repairing parmor for rubber heels, the card suggesting that if Ray had sold this brand he could not have lost his job. Huge display heels were used to give point to the advertisement, and the mirrors in the shining parlor were all lettered for the attraction. Made the Taxicabs His Sandwich Men Albert Boasberg, Paramounteer, has been at it again. This time he tied up a taxicab company to the Majestic Gardens, Grand Rapids, and tied it up so hard that it won't break loose. He came up from Detroit and arranged with the company to run signs on the top of its cabs, part of them reading "Take a yellow cab to the Majestic Gardens to see Paramount's 'The End of the World.' " The other read : "Though you may go to 'The End of the World' you will find no better taxi service than the Yellow Cabs." The telephone number was added. One of these was placed on eight sides of a frame work eighteen inches by six feet on top of every cab in the fleet. The company also used a hool<-in newspaper advertisement. The tie up was intended only for the week of this Paramount picture, but the frames were all in place and the results were so satisfactory that the theatre and cab people will continue the arrangement, so Boasberg builded better than he knew. Hyman 's Novelties at the Mark Strand Edward L. Hyman, of the Mark-Strand, Brooklyn, is not overlooking Armistice Day, and his program for the week of November 6 opens with a patriotic feature. This opens with the orchestra playing Sousa's "The Stars and Stripes Forever" with a figurant wrapped in tricolor bunting posed against the black cyclorama. At the finish of the number, the staflF she carries opens into an American flag. This is followed by a special film, a short EDIV. L. HYMAN lengtli dealing with Armistice Day. As this ends, the screen rises to disclose a black cutout drop, with the coat armor of the allied nations disposed around the opening. Through the cutout is seen the same model dressed as Liberty and backed by four men dressed as American, France, Italy and England. On the sky blue backing are the thirteen stars, emblematical of the original thirteen States and the rainbow of promise. This is followed by a group number in this order : "Schon Kosmarin," Kreisler ; "La Cinquantaine," Marie, and a Minuet by Mozart. The first is played by a string quartet and the Cinquantine, originally written as a piano solo, will be given words and sung by a baritone. The minuet is a ballet feature. The Topical Review follows and this gives way to a prologue to "The Beggar Maid," a two-reel novelty. A studio setting is shown with a model on the throne posing as the beggar maid. At her feet is seated the prince in armor. At the right the artist working at his canvas. At the opening the prince (tenor), sings Harling's "The Sunshine of Your Eyes" and then the artist recites the Tennyson poem from which the painting which has suggested the picture was derived. The film follows and then comes a second prologue for Charles Ray in "Two Minutes to Go." The setting shows a room in a college dormitory building, with the usual array of pennants, etc. A male quartet enters in lock step, singing "Boola" and swings into "Good Night Ladies." Following the features comes "I list the trill in golden throat" from Victor Herbert's "Natoma," and then Tony Sarg's "Fireman Save My Chils." The Gavotte from "Mignon" forms the organ postlude. Jackie Coogan Dolls Helped Kid Matinee Fred N. Tynes, of the Columbia Theatre, Portsmouth, Ohio, made the Jackie Coogan dolls help a children's matinee. He sent for a dozen dolls and announced that they would be presented to the best behaved kids at a special matinee of "Peck's Bad Boy." The advertisement carried a special coupon which let the youngsters in on a fifteen cent admission, and some of the kiddies were able to sit two in a seat and the house capacity of 1,100 scats was oversold for the special Saturday morning show, some of the children being in line by half past seven, though the performance was not announced to commence until nine. The doors were opened aliead of time and the organist started a community sing, with the children's favorites, and they were having such a good time that they were almost sorry when the picture started, until they caught sight of Jackie in the lion's den. After the performance Mr. Tynes picked out eight girls and four boys and presented them with the dolls, which had formed one of the window advertisements through the week. Results Were Good The results were so good that he is now planning a special matinee on "Dinty," which is next on the list. The Coogan dolls have been worked in a number of ways and have proven one of the best .advertising aids ever offered by First National, though they do not handle these directly. iWJEST!{uii.M JUST A FEW OF THE TAXICABS PARAMOUNTEER BOASBERG TIED TO "THE END OF THE WORLD" He had every car in the fleet supplied u'ith an eighteen inch by six feet banner for the Betty Compson play at the Majestic Gardens, Grand Rapids, and the results were so good that the house made a deal with the cab company to use the banners indefinitely, obtaining the widest possible publicity for the announcements of its attractions, as the cabs go all over town