The Moving picture world (November 1921)

December 24, 1921 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 963 Selling the Picture to the^Public Clever Motion Stunt for "The Sp2ed Girl" S. S. Wallace, Jr., of the Imperial theatre, Columbia, S. C, has devised a clever lobby or window display for "The Speed Girl" which will work for other pictures as well as for this Realart. Mr. Wallace did not have a photograph made, but his drawing shows an ornamental panel lettered for the feature and just below the title, a girl in a car, with a cloud of dust streaming from the back wheels. The front and rear wheels rest upon the circumference of a disc, painted red, and proportioned to the size of the painting. In front of this revolves a second disc, of black, cut like a three-wing shutter, and of the same "diameter as the still red circle. This is given rapid motion by belting it to an ordinary electric fan, placed behind the display. When the black disc revolves it gives the effect of the brown road shooting from beneath the wheels of the car, giving the effect of motion to the car. It cost only $5 to make, not counting the labor, and it gives a wonderful effect. A strip of tin is fastened to the frame of the fan so that the tips of the blades barely touch the metal, which gives the hum of the car to complete the suggestion. Hyman's Novelties at the Mark Strand Edward L. Hyman's program for the week of December 18 at the Mark Strand, Brooklyn, is rather light, in comparison with recent programs. The pre-Christmas business is never heavy, and so solo numbers are used in place of ensembles and a string quartet will be picked from the orchestra. It makes an inviting program, but not a heavy offering. The overture is that to the "Orpheus1' of Offenbach, with the EDW. L. HYMAN piayers in a whlte flood from the booth tempered by lemon 500 watt lamps overhead. The windows at the sides will be in straw. The house lights will be one-half each red and white with the dome in red. The second number is a Post scenic, "The City," showing views of New York, and the first vocal number will be "Believe me if all those endearing young charms" sung by a soprano. For this a garden setting, with arbor, will be used, with the singer in an old-fashioned hoop skirt. She sings while seated on a bench in the centre of the stage. Three 100 watt white lamps and a blue strip will light the blue backing and there will be six spots overhead and at the sides, four in amber and two in straw. These will shoot away from the drop so as not to kill the blue-white light. The Topical Review and Tony Sarg's "The First Vamp" follow and then comes "Maria, Maria" (Russo di Capua), sung as a concert number from the front stage. The feature is immediately preceeded by a string quartet playing Tschaikowsky's Andante Cantabile. They will be placed behind a white sheet with each of the players provided with a spot to throw his shadow into relief as was done some time ago at the Criterion and illustrated at that time. Two of the spots will be amber and the other two magenta. Then follows Pola Negri in "Vendetta" and this will give place to a Mermaid comedy, "Robinson Crusoe, Ltd." The vocal solo which usually spaced the comedy from the feature will be omitted in future as it has been found that it is too far down on the program. On the second night show the orchestra leaves after the feature, the comedy being played by the organ, and it is inexpedient to hold them for the soloist. It is also apparent that so far down on the program the audience prefers to get the films, so the number has been moved up in front of the feature. The Pilgrim's Chorus from "Tannhauser" serves as the organ postlude. Copizs Lindlar Lobby for an Atlanta "Sheik" In the issue of November 12 this department carried an idea for a lobby on "The Sheik," devised by Walter Lindlar, Claud Saunders' first assistant. The cut below shows how the idea looks when actually adapted to a house front. Lem L. Stewart, director Of exploitation for Southern Enterprises, recommended the idea to all his managers and Gerald Gallagher, of the Howard thea.re, Atlanta, the chief house of the string, was first to put it into play. It looks pretty good, but if you can imagine the striped marquise in red, yellow and green ; the approved Arabic colors, you can imagine the real effect. It was a wonderful color splash, yet it was not too gaudy because it belonged. Not only is the marquee in color, but the same fabric is used to cover the pillars, ort the doors and for wall drapes. It helped to bring in receipts within a few dollars of "The Affairs of Anatol" which holds the record. The second illustration shows the inside lobby with the advance advertising, the week before showing. The figures and trees are cut out in silhouette and are backed by transparencies which give the changing sunset hues through the use of flashers. As shown in the illustration it was used for a second week with the statement that "If you've enjoyed 'The Sheik' you're sure to like 'Over the Hill.' " THIS LOBBY FOR "THE SHEIK" FROM THE HOWARD, ATLANTA, IS A PARAMOUNT SUGGESTION It was originated by Walter Lindlar, of the Paramount exploitation staff , and first illustrated in this department. Lem Stewart urged his ■Southern Enterprises' managers to follow the idea, and this shoivs how Gerald Gallagher, of the Howard Theatre, Atlanta, carried out the scheme. The other half of the cut shows the interior lobby, with another picture riding on "The Sheik" success