The Moving picture world (January 1924-February 1924)

304 MOVING PICTURE WORLD January 26, 1924 I Universal Release A LADY OF QUALITY HELPED GET HATS ON STRAIGHT That is a real mirror the cutout is holding in the lobby of the Majestic Theatre, Austin, Texas, and it brought all the women over for consultation, but if you use the stunt, be sure the glass is held at the most convenient angle. Ask your wife. Worked a Cutout Into the Frame Blending a cutout into a pedestal frame gave J. P. Harrison, of the Hippodrome Theatre, Dallas, Texas, a capital lobby display. The table scene from the paper on Drifting was worked into a base lettered with the title and made the central display in the lobby, with a leg banner in front of it. It gave him a useful display at a comparatively small cost and brought distinction to the title. There are other lithographic tableaux that are susceptible to the same treatment with an increased effect. Try it out some time. Tried Education When he came to play Ashes of Vengeance at the Madison Theatre, Peoria, 111., D. Robinson, decided upon a campaign of education. His newspaper advertisement was a personal endorsement with a slide into a statement that to break even on pictures of the type of this Norma Talmadge production he would have to play to unusual business. If Ashes of Vengance brought the business he required, he would book in other supers, if not— bang — back to the routine stuff. At the same time be put out a four page booklet giving figures on the production costs of big features, showing why they had to get more rental and sell more tickets if supers are not to vanish from the earth. It put the picture over and also paved the way for other costume pictures such as The Dangerous Maid. Used Tent Marquise for Jackie's Circus Building a tent to entirely cover the marquise of the Majestic Theatre, Kalamazoo, Mich., was one of the ways W. Griffith Mitchell put over Circus Days. This was the familiar A tent style and was lettered on the sides for the attraction. To cover the edge of the awning a valance to match the tent was worked around it. The tent showed up better than a cutout, even of the most elaborate sort, and at night the tent can be lighted from within. Supplementing this he used a parade for boys in clown costume, with a Jackie Coogan suit as the prize for the best clown, which got him a big window display in the store handling this line of clothing. Now and then Mitchell forgets something, but generally it is not worth remembering. The worth while things are the things he does. A Lady of Quality Held Up a Mirror Trevor Faulkner, of the Majestic Theatre, Austin, Texas, connived with Jack Meredith, Universalist, to get extra attention for his display on A Lady of Quality. First he built a new art portal for the cutout of Virginia Valli and then he set in her hand a real mirror placed at such an angle as to make it most convenient for feminine use. That was the big idea, but he was pleased to note that most men were just as much interested as were the women. It is a handy stunt, and one simply worked. Several windows were picked up on the idea that the merchants catered to ladies of quality and a co-operative page was worked on the same idea of "We cater to A Lady of Quality." This carried a cutup still which had to be assembled. Turkeys, cash and tickets were prizes for the neatest work and about 1,700 readers turned in entries, which proved that the page had taken hold, since a comparatively small percentage of the readers go to all that trouble. That the work had its effect was proven by the better-than-usual receipts at a time when a slump was the normal indication. Miniature Carnival for Merry-go-Round Ascher's Capitol Theatre, Manitowoc, Wis., staged one of the most unique stunts for The Merry-Go-Round in the shape of a miniature carnival in simulation of the Prater. This was not in a store window but on a vacant lot and included a small merry-goround that would ride six small children at a time and a couple of other rides. The background was provided by the paper, ranging from the 24-sheets to the threes, and the enjoyment of the youngsters held a gallery on the sidewalk all of the time the stunt was in operation. A. J. Meininger staged the event, and collected a fat profit on the idea. Most summer parks have these small rides and will be glad to rent to nearby managers through the winter season. Negative It does not take much to win a window if you go at it right. William Epstein, of the Royal Theatre, Laredo, Texas, put a card for Constance Talmadge into the window of a trunk store with an addditional sign reading: "These are not for The Primitive Lover, but for up-to-date lovers." That was all, but it put over The Primitive Lover very nicely. It got a nice line in front of the box office, and Epstein did not refer to it as a trunk line, either. Universal Release HOW J. P. HARRISON BUILT UP HIS LOBBY CUTOUT This display for the Hippodrome Theatre, Dallas, gave much greater distinction cut out and had almost the value of a built-up display at the mere cost of the plus a little painting. It can be worked for a lot of other titles. to the cutout