The Moving picture world (November 1922-December 1922)

560 MOVING PICTURE W ORLD Deceihber 9, 1922 A NEW IDEA IN EXPLANATORY CAPTIONS FOR CUTOUTS They were used by Richard Doering, of the Arcade Theatre, Paducah, Ky., for Constance Talmadge in "East Is West." Bamboo and parasols were employed in place of the lattice and vine idea to suggest a tea garden effect. Some Capital Ideas for ''East Is West'' Bamboo canes instead of the usual white lattice was one of the means used by Richard Doering, of the Arcade Theatre, Paducah, Ky., to get Chinese atmosphere for "East Is West." The cane lattice, with some gay streamers and red and black banners gave more or less the suggestion of a tea house. Only about two dozen canes were required to give the frame. Most florists sell bamboo for bean poles if you want to know where to get them. Note the use of the explanatory pedestals for the cutouts. That for Miss Talmadge. for example, reads: "I'm Ming Toy. Me speak dignified American language (some Chinese characters). Get me Steve? Portrayed by Constance Talmadge in 'East Is West.'" There were similar feet for the cutouts of Edward Burns and Warner Oland. A perambulator in the form of a sedan chair, with the celestial dragon forming a frame for the painted sign was carried through the streets by two fake Chinamen. Perambulating Book Has Practical Page Tod Browning, of the Grand Theatre, Middletown, Conn., read of the perambulating books used on "The Masquerader" and decided to have one. He decided to have a better one. His book was three by four feet and one side was provided with an extra panel, hinged to one side. When a crowd was attracted, the perambulator navigator released a catch which permitted the panel to swing out, displaying a two "page" selling talk on the story. Naturally this was a very great deal more effective than a straight perambulating book, and capitalized the interest the cover had aroused. It is very little extra trouble and it multiplies the result tenfold. For "The Masquerader" the perambulator man was masked, and wore a silk hat, of uncertain vintage, to match up with the portrait of Guy Bates Post on the outside cover. Sands and The Sheik "The Sheik" made good for C. W. Irvin, of the Imperial Theatre, Columbus, S. C, so he got out the old tent front display on that attraction when he played "Burning Sands," taking care that , the title was so well . displayed that people would not confuse this with a return date. Then he sold on "The flaming answer — " angle. People remembered the earlier play and figured that they would like to see another. It not only made money, but it saved the cost of a new display, for the awning material had been saved for future use. Several weeks in advance of the showing Mr. Irvin talked the local music dealer into buying several hundred copies of the plugger song, and the dealer had to make a big display of the music to avoid getting stuck with unsold copies, so he worked almost as hard for the play as did the manager. Weber and North Have New Trailer Weber and North, producers of Will Nigh's "Notoriety," insist upon it that newspapers will hook up to the title, since newspapers are the chief source of notoriety. To prove the point, they have invented a new trailer to supplement the usual effect, which is also supplied. Taking the scene where the newspaper is read for an introduction, a title follows "Have you read today's " the blank being filled in with the name of the co-opcrating paper. Then follows a flash of the newspaper, and clippings from its pages, each appropriately illustrated with some scene from the play. .Apparently the trailer is remade each day, which involves considerable work, but the co-operation of the newspaper which is supposed to reciprocate with additional news stories of the stunt, is counted to offset the cost. If it works, it's a great scheme, but it is to be questioned whether the stunt is within the scope of the resources of most houses. Too Numerous So many lobbies for "The Old Homestead" have used the rural setting that the Paramounteers have been instructed not to photograph any more. Looking over the numerous displays sent in by Southern Enterprises it would appear that the lobby miniature gives better results than the full sized lobby. Guy A. Kcnimer, of the Arcade Theatre, Jacksonville, offers one of the best of the small settings, but H. C. Farley, of the Empire Theatre, Montgomery, Ala., made a very pretty window miniature and A. B. Morrison, of Loew's Palace Theatre, Memphis, used a small design in the lobby for advance work, and then moved it to a store window on the main thoroughfare for the run. Warren Irvin, of the Imperial Theatre, Columbia, S. C, got one of the simplest effects. His lobby is rather narrow and a hut over the box office and two short lengths of paling fence gave him all the atmosphere at small cost. He built his fence with back braces so that the sections could be lifted out of the way before the house was emptied.