The Moving picture world (November 1921)

696 MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 10, 1921 Selling the Picture to the^Public Played for Women on "Men, Women, Marriage" Although it is getting a bit late for "Men, Women, Marriage," the Strand Theatre went over the top with it a few weeks ago, largely though seeming to seek to sell it to women only on the proposition that it was the story of a woman's triumph and so would not interest the men. This, of course, got the women out one hundred percent, and the married men had to come too. The bachelors slipped in to see what it was all about, and enjoyed the spectacle if not the moral. T. G. Coleman started with teasers, employing the milestone cuts in every instance. He felt that these would tie up the entire campaign and he made a lavish use of the idea all through. Red milestones filled the lobby the opening day, ranging from a seven-foot staff with three and a half foot arms to 16 by 8 inches. There was also enlarged marriage certificates on beaver board in the lobby and blank certificates were used in the still frames. A local club with a membership of 844 was circularized, this being regarded as the most desirable mailing list in Memphis, and Wednesday afternoon all October brides were admitted free to the matinee on presentation of the wedding certificate. Only about a dozen had the nerve to tag themselves, but they served to get two stories in the local papers. Each bride was presented with a souvenir by a local druggist. A short, intensive campaign, brought Mr. Coleman an increase of about 25 percent in his business. as to keep away the better class of persons who could most appreciate the high standard of the morality play. The story itself gave him his suggestion, and he had built a colonade effect. On one of the arches was painted "Primrose Path" and on the other "Path to Love." In the centre, below the title was "Which Path Will You Take?" The arches and columns were of beaver board painted in white enamel and veined in black to suggest marble. The veining was so delicately done that it does not show in the cut. The bases and chapiters of the columns were done in gold and silver paint, carefully applied, and the coating was so smooth that both in the sunlight and the light from the arcs real metal rather than paint was suggested. The effect was extraordinarily rich, and yet it was in perfect taste. The three sheet frames were moved into the display for the photograph, but were not a permanent part of the design. It not only gave Mr. Drumbar better business, but he has the foundation for a later display, for the arches can be used again. White, Gold and Silver Made Wonderful Display W. E. Drumbar, of the Riviera Theatre, Knoxville, wanted something characteristic for "Experience" when he played that Paramount special. He wanted something to suggest the class of the story and yet which would make a big flash. He wanted to put it over to the business it deserved without getting so circusy Made Hebrew Types Arouse Curiosity Herschel Stuart pulled a funny one for the Palace Theatre, Dallas, lately. He got hold of some Hebrew types and ran an advertisement in the daily papers for several days. On Sunday he broke the story by printing it again and then telling that in English it said that George Arliss in "Disraeli" would be at the Palace. It will not work where there is a large Jewish population, but in Texas it was a stampede. For three or four dollars you can get Greek, Arabic and other type faces in which to set your display. Another stunt of Stuart's was to give a special matinee for children when he played Mary Pickford in "Little Lord Fauntleroy," barring all adults save those necessary to chaperone a child, and paying a part of the receipts to the Dallas Council of Mothers' Clinic. Hung Out a Sign and Paid One Dollar Fine J. C. Duncan, of the Strand Theatre, Asheville, N. C, had an idea of a large ace of hearts for the Goldwyn production of the same title and obtained verbal permission from the Commissioner of Public Safety to violate the law, which prohibits signs from extending more than eighteen inches over the sidewalk. The sign was six feet high by four wide and could be seen for a considerable distance up and down the street. A CARD UP HIS SLEEVE All would have gone well had it not happened that the opposition made a complaint of the violation and Duncan was haled into court where the judge held that the Commissioner had no right to assent to a violation of the statute and fined Duncan one dollar and costs; which were two bits extra. Then the sign came down and was stood in the lobby, but the advertising the sign received through the newspapers made it pull. Every one wanted to see the sign which had caused all the trouble, and Duncan got a whole lot of publicity for his dollar and a half. The opposition boomeranged and gave Duncan more publicity than his sign would have brought him in ten years had it not been assailed. THE PARTING OF THE WAYS IN "EXPERIENCE" MADE THIS LOBBY W. E. Drumbar, of the Riviera, Knot le, made a wonderful effect with white enamel and gold and silver bronze for the big Paramount production and put it over the top to better business than even he had expected In the holiday season remember and be remembered. Your greeting carried in Moving Picture World's big Christmas number will be in good company. Don't delay it.