The Moving picture world (November 1921)

694 MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 10, 1921 Selling the Picture to the#Public SOLD -PECK'S BAD BOY" OX A GROCERY STORE FRONT By borrowing samples from a grocer and a toy store Bert Jordan, of the Princess Theatre, Memphis, put over the First National without cost on a second-run date and got a 35 per cent, increase over his average business Display Costs Nothing and Brought Returns Bert Jordan, of the Majestic Theatre, Memphis, had Jackie Cogan in "Peck's Bad Boy" for second run. Looking around for a lobby attraction, he decided upon the grocery store idea, and by borrowing samples from a grocer, he got a good display at no cost. The grocer also threw in the section of shelving on the loan and did not even ask for a credit card, though it would be well to give an obliging storekeeper some mention whether he demands it or not. A good way to do this would be to use a sign across the top reading, "Branch of J. D. Blank's grocery. Main store at" and give the address. Mr. Jordan also borrowed some of the Jackie Coogan dolls and a Coogan coaster from the toy store and used a fuzzy teddy bear to take the place of Jackie's dog. It made a capital display and cost the theatre nothing, while it helped to increase business about one third, and on a second run, at that, though a return of "Peck's Bad Boy" is a natural aid to good business. Did Not Count Costs He Desired Results For once R. C. Gary, the Omaha Paramounteer, was beaten out. He sought to sell Harry Watts on the idea of taking a 24-sheet stand on one of the most desirable locations in Omaha for "The Affairs of Anatol" at the Strand Theatre. Watts liked the idea, but he thought a painted sign would be better. Gary argued that the paper for "Anatol" would make just as good a flash and cost a lot less. "It's not what it costs, but what it will bring that I count," explained Watts, and he went out and hired a sign painter to do the panel in oils. Even Gary had to admit that it was a whizzer, for the artist was really a painter and not a butcher, and he designed a very tasteful display. The ground is a rich blue curtain, parted to disclose "Satan Synne's bedroom, with a picture of Reid on one side and Miss Swanson on the other, while the panels carry the stars and announcement and below a strip works for the house. To help along the curiosity, a canvas screen was erected before the board while the artist worked, and the result was not shown until it was all complete. People had been waiting for it a couple of days and when the screen came down they all had a good look. And then Gary went out and persuaded the art teachers in the public schools to bring their classes down to study the sign and put a fresh kick into the stunt. Made Circus Banner Offset Opposition S. S. Wallace, Jr., of the Imperial Theatre, Anderson, S. C., had a peculiar proposition on his hands, and he solved it in an unusual fashion. He had "Never Weaken" day and date with the opposition, which had played all of the previous Lloyd comedies and had come to be recognized as the home of Lloyd in Anderson. It was up to Anderson to sell the Lloyd idea to his own and the opposition clienteles. Opposition Copied Ad His first advertisement in the local paper was copied verbatim the following day by the opposition house. That left honors even, but Wallace took twenty-five lines in full face each day to explain that Lloyd was at the Imperial, and this had some effect. Then the circus came to town and Wallace beat the opposition to the banner privilege. Both sides of the largest elephant were bannered with the Lloyd announcement, and after the parade the banners were hung up in the tent and the announcer made a spiel at the opening of each show. Wallace also had a dummy clown in the parade to hand out throwaways, and all told reached about 10,000 persons at a cost of only $22.50. To make the fight "After the Show" was sunk to second position, but it helped to offset the opposition's dramatic feature. It was a clean fight and the Imperial won through hustling. Built Up Snow Lobby For Goldwyn Week, the Bluebird Theatre, Denver, worked a new stunt for a snow lobby on "Snowblind." It did not build in a box office hut, but cotton snow was placed on the ledges of all frames, on the marquise, the window sills and wherever else snow might have accumulated in a real storm. The result was even more effective than the usual stunt. HARRY WATTS' PAINTED SIGN, WHICH SOLD "ANATOL" TO OMAHA He felt that a painted sign would be belter than a twenty-four sheet in the best location in town when he had the Paramount surer-production, so he made a teaser of its painting, and it sold more tickeis than even he liad counted upon