The Moving picture world (November 1922-December 1922)

December 9, 1922 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 563 Records Go Blooey on Brisk Campaign Three times in succession lately the records at the Rex theatre, Spartanhurg, S. C, have been badly fractured, the last time with "To Have and To Hold," which, under A. C. Covvles' well-directed campaign, too'c in more money in two days than the treasurer can rememlber having had before in a similar ■ period. Mr. Cowles simply followed the campaign outlined by Lem Stewart for the Howard Theatre, Atlanta, but he used it all, and put bac'< of it the force of his own personality. Three window displays were arranged, two music stores being induced to wire New York for the plugger songs. They are glad they did, for they sold to a profit. Two hundred personal guarantee letters were sent to a select list and 300 postcards were also used. These last were endorsements of the picture signed in ink by the Better Films committee. The hook-up page from the Paramount exploitation was used on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, six stores cooperating, and a particularly well built book was used in the lobby. The color scheme was dark green, picked with gold, and the board was extended at the top to suggest the half-opened pages. The lettering was in white, orange and light green, and a cutout was used for a decoration. New New York Stunts for Goldwyn Release For the New York opening of "Brothers Under the Skin," the inventive Eddie Bonus developed several good ideas other than the Humiliating Order of the Henpecked. About the best gag was sending through the theatre and shopping district a furniture van fairly exuding second hand stuff. The side cards stated that it was installment furniture being taken back because of the failure to meet the weekly payments. It struck home with a lot of those who saw it, and the others felt superior and therefore interested. The next best bet was a phoney match stuck through a small hand card, the text reading: "The record shows 362,741 divorces in the United States last year. Most matches are failures. Don't get married until ," and the title and theatre. The "Don't get married until — " was also printed on envelope containers and the card .'1 Paramount Kele se A CLEVER BOOK FRONT DESIGNED BY A. C. COWLES He used it on "To Have and to Hold" for the run at the Rex Theatre, Spartanburg, S. C, and backed it with an intelligently executed campaign designed by the exploitation department of Southern Enterprises for this picture. inside continued "until you have seen "Brothers Under the Skin' at the Capitol this week." The envelopes were sealed to ensure their being opened and the contents read. This was a bit of psychology that helped. Some people will not take the card out of an unsealed envelope, but if they have to go to a little trouble to get the message, they will take that trouble. Just Quick Thinking Keeping his right eye peeled, and also giving some attention to the left, gave J. P. Barkwill, of the Mayflower Theatre, Peabody, Kans., an ideal location. He noted that a department store was being removed to larger quarters. They had nothing left to put in the old windows. Barkwill persuaded the mana.ger of the store that the bare window suggested deadness, and very obligingly framed a. display for "Smilin' Through" to call attention to the removal notice. He got a 20-foot window in a splendid position at no cost, just by staying alive to things that were happening. Manslaughter Idea Repeated for Rajah Leslie F. Whelan, the Washington Parr.mounteer, vvho originated the "It is n.anslaughter" warning cards, figured that one good turn deserves another, so nc went down to Norfolk, Va., and produced this placard: WARNING!^ I Pedestrians Have RigM of Way \ I At This Crossing GRANBYmIS RiHlolph Valentin^ Th«YaUNSgAJ«H The Pedestrian Card They were attached to every police semaphore in town and where there was no traffic control they were tacked to the nearest telegraph pole or tree at each crossing. The Granby Theatre had to pay for the cards, but they could have afforded to do them in three colors, in view of the results they obtained. The beauty of this scheme is that you do not have to work it on any particular picture. A DOLLAR DOWN BUT NO DOLLAR A WEEK ON THIS One of the street stunts for "Brothers Under the Skin," when it played at the Capitol Theatre, New York. Parading the theatre district, it got ample attention at small cost simply because it hit home on a majority of the spectators. Eyes Right I^'iguring that Strongheart would be the best appeal on "Brawn of the North" ihrough tlie connection with "Call of the Wild," Tom Boland, of the Empress Theatre, Oklahoma City, gave a one sheet cutout with green incandescents of small candle power for eyes and then covered the cutout tongue with red tissue paper behind which was a small light. This gave a good movement piece, the eye lamps being flashed on and oflf. If you can get hold of some of those paste jewels known as "cat's eyes" you will not need lamps and will get almost as good an eflfect. Some bicycle stores sell them for attachment to wheels as a substitute for rear lights. They flash in the reflected light of any oncoming car.