3 Men on a Horse (Warner Bros.) (1936)

E xP LOITATION —— STUNTS AND BALLYS FOR SE AMBULANCE FOR LAUGH-CRAZED Ambulance stunt, though used often on thriller films, can be given a novel twist on this film. Idea is to have ambulance outside theatre, waiting for patrons who are overcome from over-laughing. Twist is to have man, who can really laugh hard, planted in audience. Suddenly he begins roaring, waving his hands, etc., and two ‘internes’ come rushing down the aisles and carry him out on a stretcher. Outside, they put him in the ambulance and pull down sign telling folks that the guy went crazy laughing at your show. Stunt should create plenty of interest both in and outside theatre, and might even rate a couple of publicity breaks. If you think folks won’t fall for the gag of having ambulance waiting outside, then plan stunt so that ambulance comes clanging up to theatre at appointed time, internes rush in and do as directed above. HEARTY LAUGHS WIN You can instruct your ushers to walk down the aisles picking out laughers who get stitches in their side from guffawing. As they leave you can nab them for quotes which can be incorporated in your regular ads (a good idea we think), and for their trouble you hand them a couple of ducats. Gag might be used as a contest. Idea is to find the funniest laughers. Worked on stage and announced beforehand it should help to bring the folks in. Of course, their talents have free rein on a film like this one. 4 YOUR ‘HORSE’ BALLYS Get a lot of preliminary laughs by putting two men inside of a horse skin, and let them do stunts up and down the main street. Banner reads: “Don’t laugh at us. Save your laughs for ‘Three Men on a Horse, now at the Strand Theatre.” Page Siz LAUGH EXPERT TALKS With due respect to one of our competitors, we can tell you of the fellow who is recognized as the world’s ‘Snore’ expert and he’s a scream. This bird goes around giving lectures on the delightful art of ‘Snoring.’ In this film you can reverse the procedure and dig up a gent who is well-versed in the art of laughing. He can lecture to your audience on the intricacies of laughing, strictly as a gag, of course. If the fellow is really funny and clever, there’s no telling what he can do to an audience. Gag if worked just before main evening performance of opening day helps put the audience into a receptive frame of mind. Might be able to plant “professor” on the air, too. K MEN BALLY IN BARRELS Get the attention of everybody on the street by dressing two men in barrels. The first one has “I lost my pants betting on the horses’ painted on the barrel. The other one follows up with “Z lost mine + 33 laughing at ‘Three Men on a Horse’. K BUTTON ON CARD GAG Novelty give-away which ought to have passersby chuckling is a small card with vest button attached. Gag line reads — “If you see ‘Three Men ona Horse’ your vest button 1s likely to fall off from laughing too hard. So take this one with you when you visit the Strand Theatre.” K LAUGHING GAS BALLY Here’s another way of getting over the idea that there’s a laugh or two in your show: Set up one of those oxygen tanks in lobby, with the words “Laughing Gas” painted on in big red letters. Sign next to it carries this legend: “If you want to laugh steadily for 90 minutes, there are two ways to do tt. Take this laughing gas or see ‘Three Men on a Horse’.” 4 PRIZE TO SOUR PUSSES It wouldn’t hurt to gag with your customers, so via publicity stories, ad underliners and throwaways announce that a special prize will be offered to anyone who can sit through the film without laughing. If taken up, have him watched because it’s a sure thing for you. Stunt might be good for newspaper breaks if handled right. 4 REVIVE HEADLESS MAN aa saave = — — \ rX XY i You'll create plenty of excitement by a revival of the old headless man street stunt. All you need is a short man and a very big suit to do the trick. The head he carries is made of papier-mache and sign on his back reads: “I laughed my head off at ‘Three Men on a Horse’.”