The Moving picture world (January 1922)

412 MOVING PICTURE WORLD January 28, 1922 Selling the Picture to the^Public Built a Drawbridge to Guard Box Office Possibly the management of the Majestic Theatre, La Crosse, had heard of the hold- up at the Capitol Theatre lately. At any rate, when Fox's "A Connecticut Yankee" played the house they made the lobby over into a castle front with the box office walled up with beaverboard and a drawbridge guarded by two knights in full armor. There is also a cow- boy in a plug hat hanging around. Raise the Bridge If you copy this design, raise the bridge from the lobby floor and provide a block and fall by means of which the bridge can be raised at non-showing times, lettering the underside with an advertisement of the attraction. This bridge looks a little too much like a gang- plank to be convincing, but the idea is there and a little elaboration will greatly enhance the effect. Carried the Tent Idea from Sidewalk to Stage Fred Walton, of the American Theatre, Bellingham, Wash., took the tent idea for "The Sheik" and played it to a logical conclusion. He not only made the tent front, but the inside of the lobby was the tent interior and on the stage he showed two prologues with the tents of the Arabs, the girl ushers acting as characters. We do not pay much attention to prologues, but this is so simple that it may interest others, and it is within reach of all. The feature was preceded by the Burton Holmes-Paramount travelogue on Biskra. The stage was set to represent a tent interior, simply using the same material as that employed for the front of the house. One of the girls faked an Oriental dance. Then the first half of the travelogue was run, the screen was taken up and another usher was seen with "The Sheik;" in this case a whiskered old reprobate. She played a selec- tion, the real playing being done by a man off stage, then the screen was dropped again and the film ended with the camels crossing the desert and the feature was put on. It was simple and decidedly effective, and helped to bulge the walls for a four-day run. THIS MANAGER TOOK NO CHANCES ON HOLD-UP MEN Two knights and a drcnvhridge guarded the approach to the donjon keep or whatezer it is the box office of the Majestic Theatre, La Crosse,, is made up for. There is also a cowboy with a plug hat to aid in e.xploiting "A Connecicut Yankee" Sold on Half Rates Getting the parents through the child is old stuff, but if it works the date doesn't matter. Ed Paull, of the Regent Theatre, Springfield, O., had "Peck's Bad Boy" for a four day run. Instead of making one matinee a cut rate show, he issued coupons good for any child on a ten- cent admission to any performance. These coupons were distributed around the schools and repeated in the paper. The result was that hundreds of youngsters simply made their par- ents turn out, and the parents paid the full price and packed the house at most of the showings. Burning Up Barnes A racing car, locally owned, and excerpts from the sub-titles, were the selling points used by William C. Johnson, of the Rialto Theatre, Columbus, Ga., for "Burn 'Em Up Barnes." The quotations—with frequent changes— were used on slides for two weeks prior to the coming of the picture. The racing car had won numerous country fair events and was well known, so the presence of the car in the lobby was an attractor. Over the en- trance door was written "Entrance to the races" and over the exit stood "Positively no betting allowed." At odd times the car was vent out as a perambulator. HERE ARE THE INS AND OUTS OF THE EXPLOITATION FOR -THE SIIEIK" IN BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON This carries the Lindlar lobby to i/.t logical conclusion and shows how thoroughly Fred IValton goes into a stunt -when he likes the idea. He not only used the tent idea, but he put his staff into more or less Arabic dress. We think that mu.st be the Queen of Sheba standing in front of the box office and we'll admit that she is some queen. H. C. Eagles, a Paramounteer, helped with the scheme