The Moving picture world (September 1923-October 1923)

September 8, 1923 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 149 A Pathe Release READY MADE PEDESTALS FOR HAROLD LLOYD CUTOUTS The Mecca Theatre, Midland, Mich., has four ornamental pillars. The Lloyd heads just fitted them. The result is that the simple display presented a finish that is often lacking in cutout placement. The heads seem to belong. Main Street History Sold Warner Feature Working on a new and intelligent line, the Gem Theatre, Palestine, Texas, sold a Main Street section to the Daily Herald. The paper kept the four outside pages and gave the Gem and its co-advertisers the inside four, starting the section with a history of its own Main Street from the time the thoroughfare had four stores and thirteen saloons. The story, more than two columns in length, told of the gradual metamorphosis into its present state, and the story was of sufficient local interest to carry the idea of going to see the play. There were several press stories and most of the advertisers made some allusions to the play, hooking in where possible, to the book mention of their own businesses. This is not as spectacular as the changing the name to Main Street stunt, but there is more real interest in such an appeal, and if you can get hold of some old timer, you can start your publicity with a story that will make for real interest in the production. Bill Johnson is requested to pin a rose on the Gem. It has done something constructive. are to be written after the contestant has seen the picture. That is a lottery. The essays are to be turned in after the picture has been run through its fifteen-week length, but the authors do not have to see the presentation, though the chances are that most of them will. As the bank's idea is to get depositors, the $500 is split pretty small, but it sounds like a lot of money. The paper was permitted to announce free showings at both houses, which ensured a splendid start. Probably no serial was launched to better advantage. Economical Because he already had a lattice lobby, H. A. Brownlee, of the Palace Theatre, Muskogee, Oklahoma, spent only $4 to sell Adam and Eva to better business. This was for a cutout from the 24-sheet and two smaller ones from the smaller sizes. It's Summer in Texas and you can't take as many chances as are permissible in the colder months, but even Bill Johnson could not kick at four dollars as being a reckless gamble. Pedestal Effect for Lloyd Cutout Heads Because Bart's Mecca Theatre, Midland, Mich., has ornamental pillars in front of the house, J. B. Laughlin used cutouts from the one sheets for the tops and they looked as though the pillars were a part of the exploitation design. Not many theatres have these effects, but Mr. Laughlin's stunt suggests that the same idea can be worked on corners and cornices. It will be noted that he is permitted to place a six sheet board on the sidewalk. Pretty soft when you can do this, but most city ordinances would prevent so large a display as a curb board. Safety Last was a cleanup, though the opposition had booked in the best counter attraction it could obtain. Hart Plays Ball to Sell Baseball Story Because of the baseball interest in Trifling With Honor, J. M. Edgar Hart, of the Old Mill Theatre, Dallas, Texas, dug out some odd angles for exploitation. It was fairly obvious that a tie-up to baseball goods would help, and two hardware stores, handling the line, were lashed into place with little difficulty, but Hart was not satisfied with just that. He hung up a prize for the sand lots clubs and gave a special showing to the sporting writers and the captains of the fifteen amateur ball clubs three days ahead of the opening. Then he gave out rain checks at the professional ball parks telling of the baseball angle to the play, and he managed to push the business over the average. $500 in Prizes for Essays on a Serial Not having played a serial in several years, the New Mission and New Fillmore theatres, San Francisco, felt it doubly necessary to give special attention to the first episodes of In the Days of Daniel Boone, the Universal semi-historical serial. They called in Universalist D. M. Vandewalker, who promptly got on the job. He landed a savings bank on the proposition that they would get plenty of advertising from the newspaper he would land on the strength of having landed the savings bank. Then he landed the Call on a prize contest with prizes totaling $500 (in deposits to remain for one year), on the best essays on Daniel Boone to be written after the conclusion of the serial. Get that idea? There are fifteen parts to the serial, and the paper has got to talkabout the contest all that time. Nice work. But be careful not to say that the essays Twisters Helped Yesteryear, or maybe it was just last year, the papers used to help put over a picture with an unfinished limerick. The Chicago Theatre got the Post to offer prizes for the best tongue twisters on Jackie Coogan in Circus Days and got all kiddies and their families working on the stunt, which naturally gave them time to think about the play. This is a good stunt because it is within the apparent reach of the youngsters, to sell them a story with a strong child appeal, though most of a former generation is going to want to see Toby Tyler, too. It's a mistake to suppose that the appeal is limited to the young people. A lirat national 42 Picture p'iiMriMr<iiliWi«i*rpiiiiiiH A First National Release HOW THE PENROD AND SAM POSTER LOOKS AS A PARTIAL CUTOUT This is the front of the Imperial Theatre, Jacksonville, making effective use pf the 24-sheet as a marquise banner. This and a tie up with the Penrod clothes were about all the house had to do to get a satisfying business on this production.