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

MR. GLOOM WORKS Dress up a tall, thin fellow as “Mr. Gloom” and double dare the street spectators to make him laugh. Sign on his back reads: “J refuse to laugh so I’m not going to see ‘Three Men on a Horse’.” If you’re sure “Mr. Gloom” won’t laugh too often, offer ducats to those who make him smile. 4 TEASER GAG IN LOBBY The ordinary horse racing tip sheets or forms can be utilized for a teaser lobby stunt. Blow up front page and mount it on scrap book cover. Sign invites folks to step up and absorb the “Oiwin” Trowbridge system of consistently picking winners. When they open to scan through it—what do they see? Film’s scene stills and gag copy, of course. 4 LONG LIST OF LAUGHS An easy contest for newspaper or lobby can be one where movie fans vie for ducats thinking up synonyms for word ‘laugh.’ Ten longest listers nab the passes. SXPLorraT io’ LLING YOUR SHOW'S LAUGHS LAUGHS REGISTERED OUT FRONT Illustration shows pretty well how to rig up a laugh meter out front so that strollers can see what a riot show you’ve got. Meter, faked, of course, is rigged up so that arrow jumps around, spending most of its time in the high brackets. Then, to get a little more attention, you can use a laugh record (if you can’t get one locally, order Record No. 1002 — $2.00, from Thomas J. Valentino, 729 — 7th Avenue, New York City). Folks passing by will hear the record — then look and see your laugh meter. If they don’t get the idea that [LAUGH METER, NY you're playing a swell comedy by that time, then you'll just have to for get all about ballying this show. COMIC MAG DISPLAY Covers from all the comic magazines can be used in this way to get across show’s laughs: Mount all you can get on a lobby board, with caption underneath reading something like this: “The jokes in these magazines will make you laugh plenty— but if you really want to howl for 90 minutes without stopping, you'll have to see ‘Three Men on a Horse’.” MK ARM-IN-SLING PLUGS You'll get a swell plug for the show by sending a couple of beautiful blondes out to parade the streets with their right arms in slings. Each of them wears a sign on her back that says: “I broke my arm when I fell out of my seat laughing at ‘Three Men on a Horse’.” PLUGGING PICTURE ON PANTS thy Here’s a street stunt that ought to get folks talking—and about your show, too. Idea is to get three men to dress in riding clothes, but be sure they’re wearing double-vented sport coats. Here’s the trick: these swankily dressed sandwich men walk along with their flaps or vents pulled up, showing the nifty patch on the seat of their trousers. Passers-by, attracted by the well-placed patch, will be completely taken by surprise when the flaps are lowered displaying the pic’s title. They should repeat gag at short intervals and wherever you think ballying will help you. SHOW VERSUS FILM Inasmuch as there were several companies out on the road playing the show, it’s very likely that one of them showed in your locality. If so, you know that the newspaper reviews were something ‘terrific.’ So why not dig up local reviews from newspaper morgues, blow them up and spot in frames out front or in lobby alongside film’s reviews when they break after opening? Your copy can say. “Ac claimed as a hit on the stage—now big ger and funnier as a picture.” « DOUBLE FACE GAG It’s always effective and can be used with good results for this show. Stunt is to get a fellow walking around streets smiling and laughing like the dickens. But mask on back of his head shows a frowning countenance. Placard copy on front reads: “I’m laughing because I saw ‘Three Men on a Horse’.” Copy on reverse side reads: “I’m frowning because I didn’t.” 4 Page Seven