Jailbreak (Warner Bros.) (1936)

EA 2 bh Oo 1+ 7 A T LON Here’s How To Stunt With FELLOW OFFERING TO BREAK JAIL Towns usually take great pride in their bastiles and perhaps if yours is vain about its, you might start little excitement around by framing a jailbreaking stunt. Here's how: STARTING WHEEL ROLLING First thing you'll want to do is step down to police chief's office and sound him out about offering to pay anybody sum of $100 if they break jail, a la Houdini. (You put up the money, which probably won't be won). If chief likes idea he'll do his utmost to see that escape does not take place. It will be feather in local force's hat if attempt fails since hardened cons have been known to escape from larger bastiles. TIE-ING UP WITH NEWSPAPER Possibly police official will help effect tie-up with local newspaper which should insure you getting plugs you want. Paper publishes publicity stories on offer and gets statements from police biggies on strength of jail and possibilities of escape. SHOULD NO TAKERS APPEAR If, after a few days breaks in paper no one accepts challenge, you might plant chap to pull off stunt. Good idea would be to have fellow from another town in on gag who presumably has made a wager that he could break town’s jail. CEREMONIES TO START STUNT As the jailbreaker enters to start on his feat you might have newshawks, photogs and city officials down for the sendoff. Photos of him and big shots combined with statement of his confidence should make interesting reading. ADMISSION OF DEFEAT At end of agreed time he is released from his prison—a failure. What else? Again reporters grab him for statement. He tells how strong this prison is and how tough _ it would be for any criminal to escape (accolades for police department). There'll probably be crowd collected outside so you might have your ushers carry placards and distrib heralds. STUNTING WITH A LOUD SIREN If you know where you can borrow one of those deep sirens (kind that are used in pens] you can use to advantage number of stunting ways. One slant would be to set it up on root of marquee with guy dressed in guard's outtit giving old horn regular twirls. Another stunt would be to use it in introducing trailer. Just before trailer flashes on screen turn house pitch black for about half minute—just enough time to have audience squirming in their seats. Then siren blasts out back of screen and ushers shout frantically, “Jailbreak! Jailbreak!'’ When you think you gave ‘em enough of shock... on goes trailer. WINDOW SETUP IN JAIL MOTIF This season, as no other one, seems to be bringing out stripes and bold checks in clothing. So we'd suggest hiking down to department store to see if display manager will feature window solely of this stuff. Since material connotes prison stripes, he gives it name of, say ‘Jailbreak Cloth", as inspired by film. JAIL WALL ON TOP OF MARQUEE Your artist doesn't have to be too clever to construct a pseudo jail wall on top of marquee. Usher, dressed as prison guard, pa___ rades up and down, == with gun on shoul> der. Prison scenes can go off every couple of minutes. At night you might throw a_ spotlight on him. Page Two JAIL CELL SETUP IN LOBBY You might have your artist construct a beaverboard jail cell in lobby. Inside is typical cell cot, straight-backed chair and prop of bread and water. If you want to vary it somewhat . . . try borrowing straitjacket from local police and truss dummy in it. Placard copy around display might be along these lines: "Are Our Public Enemies Safe in Jail?—See ‘JAILBREAK’ For The Answer To This Vital Question."' Usher might act as turnkey. GUARDS CAPTURE JAILBREAKER For street stunt, have fake John Laws chasing man dressed as prisoner down street, shouting Jailbreak''. When coppers catch up with him they pretend to mistreat the ‘poor’ criminal. When crowd forms around bally . . . all your plants smilingly hand out show's heralds. Then the boys move on to another street. Caution: Make.sure that legit police force is in on gag. TITLE SURPRINTED ON PAPERS If you haven't worked it in a long time, you could buy a couple of hundred newspapers and have your local printer surprint title and playdate on front page. Of course, you'll have your newsies set to run around hollering, "Wuxtry, Wuxtry, Read All About the Big Jailbreak", soon as job is off press. DISPLAY STREAMER HEADLINES With recent headlines hot with news of public enemies and jailbreaks, you might take a gander at newspaper morgue's files for recent sensational streamer heads. A goodly number of these could be mounted for lobby display with copy tieing in film. 17 NO-COST SELLING SLANTS BLOODHOUNDS TRACK FUGITIVES Couple of bloodhounds might be borrowed for use as street bally. Idea is to have ‘em pull lad dressed up as prison guard around town. Placard copy on dogs tell story of ‘'Jailbreak". If hounds aren't too strong, guard could use other hand to distribute heralds. EDITORIAL ANGLE ON REFORMS Newspaper editor might be receptive to editorial angle on penal reforms. Especially now with election bally hitting all papers, he might shout about national or state parole systems. His angle could be “Our Public Enemies’ Lives Are In Danger". He'll get the idea if you screen film for him. SCREENING FOR OFFICIALS You might invite city and county officials _who are vitally interested in the crime ques tion to special showing of picture. You'll want to tip off newslads about it so that they can catch ‘em when they come out for comments on film. With parole problem uppermost in minds of right-thinking officials they'll get some quotes that should make interesting reading. And you'll want to tab ‘em for their blurbs, too, which can be blown up for lobby. CRIME APPARATUS IN LOBBY On other pictures of this type local police department might have been gracious enough to lend you crime paraphernalia that coppers use to combat crime. Scoot down and hit the chief ‘up again for similar display for your lobby, possibly with cop to explain setup. RENT LOBBY DISPLAYS 40 x 60 Photographic Enlargement with plaque. This unit / comes in both black and white and the hand colored finish. Frame pictured is included in the RENTAL SERVICE. For com plete details concern | ing this service, write * to: AMERICAN DISPLAY CO., Inc. 525 W. 43rd Street New York City Country of origin U. S$. A. Copyright 1936 Vitagraph, Inc. All rights reserved. Copyright is waived to magazines and newspapers.