The Moving picture world (November 1922-December 1922)

862 MOJ'ING PICTURE WORLD December 30, 1922 THIS BROUGHT IN ENOUGH DIMES TO PAY THE COST Large houses sometimes feel that big exploitation costs too much. The Rex Theatre, Spokane, has a ten-cent top, as the sign shows, but it found it profitable to make this float for the five-day run of "The Idol Dancer" House Uses Float With Ten Cent Top Although many houses with a top admission of from 25 to 50 cents use little exploitation on account of the cost, the Rex Theatre, Spokane, found it profitable to put out a pretentious float for a five-day run on "The Idol Dancer." The building is a bit sketchy, but it makes a good flash and uses four persons, three negroes, one of whom is the chauffeur, and a white girl for the dancer. Note how grass is used to mask in the radiator of the truck, solving the problem of doing away with this always unsightly feature. The Rex found that the stunt brought a real return even though it got only ten cents for admissions. / This was used in the go-to-the-theatre week, wheri the weather was considerably warmer, which explains the somewhat scant costumes. This would not work as well now. Another Revival One by one the old ideas come bac'< again, without the use of gland treatment and apparently not needing it. The latest to reappear is the "Dare You" envelope, which apparently has been dug out by the Universal's Des Moines exchange for "Human Hearts." As it is a stock stunt the enclosure lacks the definiteness a house and date would give, and we believe it would pay to make a special printing to use these essential facts. The envelope is a pay envelope 2!4 by 3^ inches, printed up "Dare vou to give this to the lady unopened." Inside the sealed container is a card to fit which is printed "I have been somewhat neglectful of late. It's about time I took you somewhere. Let's go to see 'Human Hearts.' It will do your heart good to see it." These were passed around at stag club dinners, to the men at mixed. gatherings and left on the counters of tobacco stores. It helped to make big business in the territory. Light Exploitation .Mlhougli alnio.st everyone el.se ironi political cand dates to automobile manufacturers have resorted to the free match advertising, the picture producers seem to have overloo'<ed this idea. Xow comes .\irow with a match case containing twenty parlor matches in a container printed up for "The Streets of New York," and which can be supplied at reasonable cost to theatres for distribution through the house or through tobacconists. .\rrow has arranged with United to handle these where the house supplies the matches. If desired the inner flap can be given the house imprint, but the added return will scarcely repay the additional cost. It is a useful novelty and should be found of value. A Better Angle for Memory Gags Most sections ol tlic country report good results from the use of the memory contest for "Remembrance." Generally this has been worked in the form of prizes for the best reminiscences of the early days of the city. The Sun Theatre, Omaha, working in with Howard J. Phillips, Goldwynner, used it for better results. Instead of prizes for stories, the News was tied to a picture contest, and money prizes were given for the best old time photographs. An old horse car was one of the winners and the mounted police being reviewed by then President Cleveland was also in the money. On the general proposition that pictures possess greater appeal than words, this brings far better returns. Almost any town can turn up a lot of old time stuff. The News gave the best pictures a four column spread each. You'd like that, wouldn't you? There were also a thousand tickets offered for rhymed reminiscences, these short stanzas being worked in with the photographs. Sold Off Tickets Planning a special matinee for children on "Oliver Twist, William Shirley, of the Strand Theatre, Schenectady, N. Y., decided that he need not pay the cost of special tickets. He dropped in on a merchant neighbor and sold him the back of the tickets for the cost of the job and stood free of that expense while he put the merchant under obligation. In case the merchant cannot be made to see the scheme, offer to let him distribute the tickets in his store. That may sell him on buying some newspaper space, too.' Get the idea? There is nothing new in the misspelled word contest to get interest in a hook-up, but when the Empire Theatre, Syracuse, put on the idea they gave it a little monkey gland of its own. The picture was "Sherlock Holmes," and th interstitial substance was "What sort of a detective would you make? Get out the microscope and win free tickets to the greatest drama of the season." There was a challenge here that gave a new appeal.