The Moving picture world (October 1922)

490 MOVING PICTURE WORLD October 7, 192'i A First National Release ROCKING THE BOAT SOLD BUSTER KEATON IN ASTORIA This i« one of the animated stunt* from Thomas C. Gridtey, the operator-exploiteer of S. Danz's Liberty Theatre, Astoria, Ore. Two profile waves, a cutout boat, • three-sheet cutout and a motor to rock the boat are the chief ingredients. Slowed the Run on Appeal from Patron Major I. C. HoUoway, of the Rialto the- atre, Columbus, Ga., made an unusually thorough campaign on Orphans of the Storm, and played the attraction to un- usual business. For his lobby he copied one of the lat- tice lobbies shown in these pages early in the Summer and, as it was his first lattice, it helped more than a little. He did a lot of work on the screen during the run of Fool- ish Wives, to take advantage of the crowds, and gave a special showing to a few persons who could help the run of the film through word-of-mouth advertising. The original schedule called for the pic- ture to run in two hours, but three women patrons voiced complaints at the speed, and he cut down the speed and advised them by special delivery that this had been done. Called a Cop For "I Am the Law," A. C. Crute, of the Lyric theatre, Huntsville, Ala., used a fake policeman with the title of the picture let- tered on his back. This man paraded the streets and then went out to the ball game in the afternoon. A fake dispute was staged between the umpire and a player on the home team, and just as blows seemed imminent the cop came galloping across the field and stopped the supposed scrap. Then he turned his back to the stands and the sold spectators howled their delight. Thereafter any real dispute between player and the arbiter re- sulted in cries of "Bring on the Law," and the crowd went home thoroughly sold on the title. Mr. Crute used a number of more famil- iar stunts, but this has real novelty. Crowned Box Office for His Dictator J. M. Edgar Hart, of the Palace theatre, El Paso, played up the military angle of "The Dictator" with an unusually good lobby even for him. From General Howze, Commandant of Fort Bliss, he obtained a collection of relics of various Mexican flurries and these were displayed around the lobby, each of the stacked rifles being of a diflferent model. For side pieces cutouts were worked into painted profiles and the lamp post on the left and the tower on the right were both illuminated. There were stands of arms on the side walls, which do not show in the cut, and the top of the box office was an immense crown, with lights for jewels. The display of arms was a courtesy in acknowledgment of the aid the Texas hustler gives the recruiting service. The post officials at Fort Bliss appreciate the assistance Hart gives them and several times they have aided him in his exploita- tion stunts, as, for example, the radio per- ambulator he used last June. Let George Do It When he played "Hail the Woman", W. A. Byers, of the Liberty theatre, Green- wood, S. C, took a leaf from other towns and gave an advance showing to prominent women. Then he went over and cut his news- paper advertising down, yet he did a forty percent increase on the smaller advertising cost, for the women persuaded the editor to run their signed statements. Hit the Censors When A. C. Cowles, of the Rex theatre, Spartanburg, S. C, opened his campaign for "Hail the Woman," he made the per- sonal endorsement his chief angle, calling attention to the fact that this was the first personally endorsed picture since "The Old Nest." This was backed up by the letter of the Atlanta Committee on Better Pictures, referred to last Spring. Then fifty double passes were sent as many influential women, the passes being good only for the opening day, and their personal advertising was of no little value. The net result was not only extra busi- ness, but the local papers played it up strong and one of them took a whole-hearted slam at the censor advocates with this picture as the text of the editorial. Plain Lies A. B. Hill, of the Arcade theatre, Jack- sonville, put over "If You Believe It, It's So," by setting into his lobby a stand of twenty cards, each about three feet high and each making some impossible state- ment, ending with the play title. One read "Ex-Kaiser elected head of the American Legion" and another told that John D. Rockefeller pawned his watch to get the price of a gallon of gasoline. These state- ments helped plant the title idea, and so put up a good business. Another stunt was printing a poem on small window cards and putting them out. The poem was new and clever, and a lot of people came to the theatre to ask for a copy. You can find your own poem or write Mr. Hill, who probably has a few to spare. The big point is to get it out sufficiently far in advance to let it sink in. Talked to Kiwanis Max Doolittle was a guest at the Kiwanis Club luncheon at Sioux Falls lately and ad- dressed the members on the new exchange Paramount about to open in that centre, telling of the number of persons to be em- ployed and intimating that Paramount's move would also bring to the town ex- changes for other brands of film, for which Paramount also should receive the credit. Getting all this before a representative body of business men is real exploitation. A ra mount I'iclan' HOW J. M. EDGAR HART WENT GUNNING FOR BUSINESS Through the courtesy of the Commandant, Gen. Howze, of Fort Bliss, the lobby of the Palace Theatre, El Paso, was converted into an arsenal for this Wallace Reid production. Note the crown over the box office with electrically lighted jewels in the rim.