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ittle Pictures ^ith the Big Punch
^ oX^ms, Steuteius and Sxploitation on Short features and Serials
Sditcd bif CharUs Sdivard Jfastinas
National Laugh Month Bookings Mount To New "High" as January Draws Near
JUDGED by the bookings (the only test in any drive), NATIONAL LAUGH . MONTH will, it is asserted, take first place in special selling events in the motion picture industry.
Theatre owners who never bothered about short features before have been "shopping early" for special attractions for their January show bills.
Theatre owners who book short features week in and week out have been trying to beat their competitors to the "good things" listed in the various producer-distributor announcements.
Gordon S. White, of Educational, Chairman of the National Laugh Month Committee of the Short Features Advertising Association (the "silent" hustler), gathered a bundle of telegrams together when the representative of Moving Picture World dropped into National Laugh Month headquarters, and said :
"Looks good."
(This may be interpreted thus : "We've been knocked for a goal. Never saw an5rthing like it. Easily the 'biggest thing' in the history of short features.")
When the committee of distributors of short length comedies gathered together and decided to make January National Laugh Month they laid out an ambitious schedule — a high goal to reach. When the final details of the plan had been agreed upon there remained but a short space of time in which to accomplish the desired results.
A broadside to exhibitors, to be followed -by a press sheet containing ideas for "putting it over," were the main items of the budget. The aid of accessory manufacturers was to be sought in the preparation of posters, banners, pennants, slides, trailers, buttons and advertising cuts and mats. Each company participating was to work with and through its own exchanges and through its advertising and publicity department.
CommiUee Reports "Progress"
At the end of three weeks the committee reports to the industry — "progress." But it does not report in the usual manner of most committees using that work as a "stall" to mean that nothing has been done; Instead, the National Laugh Month Committee is able to report very definitely things accomplished.
The movement to make January an industry aflfair is broadnened. It has been taken up all over the country by newspapers, magazines and prominent individuals. Exhibitors, individually and "en circuit" have responded wholeheartedly. Large picture palaces and small show houses have stepped into linein a word Laugh Month is now an assured success!
The New York newspapers (in which no amount of money could buy news space) have co-operated splendidly. The main editorial writers and colyumnists have co-operated to the limit. A suggestion of the scope and
the possibilties of the idea was all they needed and they responded.
The newspapers in Los Angeles heard of the idea from the local exchange managers and immediately set their advertising staffs to work on two two-page spreads. The first will be devoted to the theatres, featuring Laugh Month, and the second, to appear two weeks later, to featuring the comedy stars. Of course, the star angle is only possible in one spot but papers in other parts of the country are falling in behind the idea of co-operative pages for the theatres. ■
The Milwaukee branch managers interviewed a committee of newspapermen and have received the promise of co-operation from the dailies in every key city and town in Wisconsin.
By no means the least of those co-operating is the King Features Syndicate. With 180 features, including many of the best known comic strips and cartoons in the world and with many of the best known feature writers, this organization is in thorough accord with the plan. It is preparing to join forces with the National Laugh Month Committee and the added impetus which this will give will be seen throughout the entire country.
Idea Becoming International
The idea has spread to England. Already suggestions have been made to the trade press of the "tight little isle" for a similar campaign and in due time we shall hear the Laugh Month echo come rolling back from 'across the Atlantic.
Theatre men everywhere are forming special committees to push the plan vigorously. In Atlantic City the group that handled "Greater Movie Season" has been rebuilt and expects to put it over with a bang. In Waterloo, Iowa, Alexander Frank, Presi
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I National Laugh | I Month Committee |
1 Queries regarding National Laugh 1
^ Month may be addressed to the Com S
i mittee in Charge of National Laugh 1
I Month. I
g This Committee consists of Gordon M
1 S. White, Educational Film Exchanges, 1
1 chairman; P. A. Parsons, Pathe Ex 1
1 change; Fred McConnell, Universal g
1 Pictures; Nat. G. Rothstein, Film 1
= Booking Offices; Julian M. Solomon, 1
1 Davis Distributing Division, secretary; 1
1 Fred Quimby, Fox Film Corp.; W. E. 1
M Shallenberger, Arrow Pictures Corpor* M
g ation, and W. Ray Johnston, Rayart g
1 Pictures. 9
1 The headquarters of the committee S
I are located at 218 West 42d Street, |
1 New York City, and information or |
1 inquiries regarding the activities and S
M the material available should be sent g
1 to the committee at that address. g
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dent of the Frank Amusement Campany, has called a meeting of all the interested people in Waterloo, Cedar Rapids and Clinton, Iowa. In his letter to New York headquarters he says, "This innovation should prove a great stimulant for the month of January. As a matter of fact, with proper exploitation, it should show still greater results than "Greater Movie Season"!
On the matter of accessories the Sweeney Lithograph Company who made the posters, banners and pennants, reports that practically half the first printing of these accessories have been ordered. The broadsides have all been mailed to exhibitors with the opening announcement and these will be followed within a week by the press sheets. These contain a variety of material from three-quarter inch cuts to 8 column size, suggestion for local tie up, illustrations of all cuts and accessories. One special feature is the "Laugh Month Calendar." This is made in four column size and can be used by the local exhibitor for a calendar, a throw-away, the back of a herald or the center of a group of advertisements.
Newspaper Ad Drive*
Every newspaper in the country is receiving proof sheets of the cuts contained in the press book and will receive mats and such cuts as it can in co-operation with local merchants as well as with the theatre men. They are being urged to get their advertis(Continued on page 688)