Variety (Jan 1934)

Tuc8<lay, January 23, 1934 PICTURES VARIETY 17 EXPLOITATION By Epes W. Sargent P. 0. BARS LOTTERY IN DENVER THEATRE Denver, Jan. 22. PostofAce department has notfled Denver CalUes thait they cannot run ads' containing any reference to giveaways arid other lotteries being: used by most of the local theatres. The letter, f -om Frank Tj. Dodge,; Denver postmaster, to. th6 dailies, iwarned the dailies that, if they ac- cepted any nipre lottery ads they would be barred from the mails. Parts of the letter: /If- the prizes mentioned are awarded by means of a drawing, or any other plan in- volving chai.ce, the scheme. Is a lottery and all matter pertaining thereto is unmaiia'ile under Sec^ 601. Postal ."Laws Jdnd Regulations, 1932. The. fact that the method or complete -details ' of the matter are not set forth In the advertiigemeint does riot rende'' the matter any the less objectionable under the law.' The lottery iVar hiere bi:;pl{e. out in a new section when 15 theatres de-- clared open war on the^lght Harry Huffman theatres. The Huffman houses have been 'giving away an auto every other Tuesday rilffht and have been packing .riiost of thejir houses, some Of therii having filled lobbies and lori;; lines, all holding a ticket to the theatre. Oh the flrist night one of the houses was nna,ble to accommodate all who. had bought tickets, and secured two cars and took them to one of the other houses.. In the Huffman drawing all tickets arie takenfo" the Denver, or Orpheum,. where the; winner is drawn. It the holder is not present another Is drawn until a winner is founds A conference phone, hook- up . is used to speed things up. At the start of the series Huffman an- nounced he. would give away six cars^ >nd to diite live have been used. ' Groingf Plai .One good result from the edict t>anning sexy bopy from theatre ad- vertising has been the development of new ideas in newspaper work. The Capitol, N. Y., used a commen- datory statement In large type, with a space for the signa;ture of the reader and the statement he would be willing to sign It after he bad seen 'Pugitlvie iiovers.' The Roxy used heavy modeled letters across a cut face. Most of the Metro ads on Garbo iiaye been more type than. cut, Iri- cluding enlarged reprints of current criticisms and practically every the- atre has dropped the leg cuts for type argument, with cpriiparatively little art. ^ Dramatic theatres have been quick to sense the value of type, and the result is that New York news- paper ad pages have looked mOre like advertisements than they-ha,ve In some years. There never has been time when straight type, could not Bell tickets, but it was much easier to pass the buck to the art depart- ment and; let the artists do a little worrying. Doesn't seem to have hit the countryside to any . great extent as yet, but it will, and it will probably bring business. Not recommended that All art be dropped, but, after all, the real purpose of the art work should be to coax the reader to the text. That's soniething semirnude women week after week cannot do, Cutting out the Minsky may help the box office mPre than might be expected. 'Hotel for Hoises Charlie Carden, publicity director of the Worth theatre, pulled a hot publicity stUnt iri connection with the personal appearance of Tom Mix and Tony at the Worth here. He had three stalls built in lobby of Texas hotel, I iggest .here, and Tony and two other horse^g were kept there during Mix four-day engage ment. Papers went for stunt, in big way, carying pictures of Mix and Tony. Bell hops, and waitresses carried hay to Tony. Mix appeared in lobby sirid stunt was broadcast over KTAT. Double* BafHes Capitol, .N. Y., .shoved Tugitive Lovers' ofiC with a tie-in to a.local tab for a double Raffies:stunt, a man and woman supposed to be the f ugi- tive lovers. They were photographed for a back view and with a description, of the costumes they would wetfrr^-cps-i tUmes thiBLt probably had riiany du- plicates.. Each day the newspaper, indicated- certain sections' of the town in which they would appear, with ~ $20. to the first person to spot them in each locality, which could run it as high as $100. a day.' For a smallet area it might be ad- visable to be a little less specific .as to costume details, but the Raffles gag is still workirik as well as ever,, and can be scaled ,to any tpwn and piirse. ■ In most places ..therie is another good angle in the bus lines, since the action largely takes place Iri an overland bus, . Local lines can be tied in for stuiits with bus,Tide tick- ets, card, advertising and iri spots, fOr newspapeil'advertising. Orie' good gag. woUld bet tp offer a bus cruise, with this winner tp write a story for the paper on Teturnv: Thia calls for a three-^ided hopk-up. but that should'be easy iri riiost places. If the editor , turns it d^>^yn, take it to the advertising manager as a cir- culation builder. Give the tide for the largest . riumbier of new three riipnthS' paid-up subs.. Novel Souveiiir Manager with a rather new. baby was so • proud of his offspring that he was tickled pink when his cut niaker presented him with one of the child's first, leather shoes .done in copper and showing. eviery dis- tlrictive wrinkle.. He admired 'it so- much that he put it in the ticket booth. Several woriien wanted .to knpw how it was done and where one. could be procured, BO, after a chat With the engraver, he. had cards printed •vvlth 50.punch holes.. Punched cards' were, good for a siritilar job ori the shoe accompanyinef the catd. To his surprise he found it a better business maker than crockery riights. Cards were punched only on two oft-nights each week,; but a;s many puriches made as there were tickets bought. Gag is fairly inexpensive, thei ar- ticle being blackleaded and then dipped into the electrotype bath unr. til a. suflicierttly thick coating of metal is applied, but it's novel and forms a really charming souvenir. HEasculme. Hae Seattle For return of Mae West in 'Im Np Xngel' after three big first run weeks. Coliseum used, as main at tention-getter out front a local lad. Bud Gish, who impersonated the alluring Mae. Glsh was swanky enough and paraded in front of the house, while a spieler also added to =the-merriraentr^he-stunt-no -doubt helped the results, which were good errbsa. Local Boy Makes Good John E. Kennebeck, who was in the second batch of Paramount ex plolteers, was sent to Australia when a wave of economy slapped the home ofTir-e. He'.s just been made maTiaglns director for Au.^tralasla. ExploUatipn In soriie quartern there seems to be a' disposition to deccy exploitation ajs outhioded*\ It is argued that expIoita.tipn no longer puils; that the public; .no longer reacts; ■.. It may be recalled that in. 1$23 the same argUnient wa^~ advanced in some of the papers' when one of the major com-, panies abandoned its staflC of exploitation nien, and the move was hailed as an ladvEmce, since 'the public is wi^ie to the bunk arid ho longer will respond to' street parades, .flpats arid -sim- . liar devices,' • At the samje. time Paramount was building up, its staff; In -part with isotne of , tliev men dropped by thei other concern, putting in two or . more jnen in each pfdce instead , jpf the sin- ele riaan originally: conlempiat- ed. And Paramount, outlasted. ■the lessi enterprisinjg concern. Exploitaticn Is as jgppd today as it eyier waig, where It is used .intelllgentiy. It never was ariy good to; the short-sighted mairi- ager who. Used a. valuable aid merely to get the public to c6me to his poor shows. It should be kept fbi .the better , Class of pictures, for even the good pictures need sales help. The best will not bell to ca- pacity unaided by promptlpn, and exploitation.- like p>Ictorial advertising, will bring put pat- onage that full pages In the newspapers .wiU not influence. iPuss in Giiarlotte Charlotte, N; C. The celluloid version of Paul Greeri*s 'House of Corinelly,* which has been renariied. 'Carolina,' will Plug Two in One Baltimore- Herb Morgan, Loew's p. a. locally, sprung afternoon Bill Saxton, Loew's town mgr., hosted , all the ito xvorirnremlG^^^ pix crix to Wash-, ^-y^iinl Yh^KrS Ta^^^ meet and dine with ilax Eo^h?r of thl *iu^^^^ the uiii- Baer as build-up for pug's personal SJfo? North Ca&a^^^^^^^ S IcK Dlav^ fo? Foi will Mob taken over Pn Greyround bus, ^l iZi^^t ^ which was halted outside capital by r^^wfwi^ia T PI ichrinehaus state police, who boarded and de- and'^^r^BfackWood. ^f N^fh^ S^^^m^^^ each passenger's identifica- J^i^^^kSi^tS 5SS?:r xSippers <^rrled telegi-ahi ihat.told wm%e4^ to ihl*tud°enM break from Penna pen hoiii^ In HoUvwood bv riieans of and presumably asked all buses to nn^ dSaSe teYeohone searched for Paul Porter.. When flca!lo'^-M^yoS^ a^^ "Syi^S^ ^^^T'^^ttr tS^v^S^^^ ira^S?""^'"'"^ '''''' S^k^3^feriJS.J^iSis^. d^: ?)ffl^3ro^f Ih^ 22 film exchanges sPite Browning's bewU^^^^^^ vioro will hA e^iif^nts this the first he step oft bus and into sub-station wortd^'Sremie^re"^^^^^^^^ for .fuW exam. Result entire lotter Ntews reel cameramen wiU be pavty accpmpanled, and after 10- cSi lmnd to shoot the notables, which mln«te, <lWestioning, during which includes a list of well-known feouth. 'Paul Porter, said to have escaped iu\,iu,u.ca » iiB*. i. « . - ' on Greyhound bus,' was constantly reiterated, party was permitted to continue. Naiturally, episode furnished newspapermen's prime conversa- tional fodder remainder of day, with corise<)uent ribbing of Browning, who can take it. FoUowirig a. m., when fugitive Lovers* (MG) opened eru' writers and. theatre men and womeri. How to iQet Sclio^ols' Biz Newfitt-k.; Ai Barber Pf the 'Weliriiorit, Mont- ciair,. has a tough territory , to han* ^ ^ ^ die when It comes to dealing with j at'Centursr and crix got a gander at kids. Many parerits there have be^ | ip^ul Porter escaping via Geyground come leery.of illms and will not ail low the children to attend. So Vrh6n Barber found 'Alice In. Wonderland' booked. In he saw tfouble. He took the film to the Parerit-Teachers* bus,* the story burst over the town like an August thunderstorm.. Couple . of ■ columnists :devoted fuU |.sticks to It ^nd; the pix crix .men- tioned the caper in. their reviewing Association and found it okay, but gtints. Tarri and all its angular they were afraid of the accoriipany-1 features still being., rehashed In irig shortSi So he arranged the I newspaper shops, and by now the whble program to suit and took It p. b. x. bbard girl at the Post knows up -virith the principals and teach-| that when a call comes In for'Paul ers. They oliayed the program, but Port6r' It's a pal who wants to gab were scared of. show time breaking Kylth Browning, into school; . This Objection, he met by putting the time at 3:45. Then the schools annOuriced the show and the libraries bUled it: Biusloads came up' from nelgh- pupils giving the. examples, and to plug the development of grace.l boring Glen Ridge arid the Well- through lunge and tierce.. I mont did the best business since Girls wear snappy short sldrted 1 Mae West, and this with a picture cPstumies, patterned, after -. the I that hasn*t been doing great busl- popuiar pictures, and with the.boys I riess around here. -It ;illustrated In white flannels, there*s sex ap-I that If you want school business peal for both sexes;. Wherei the I you should find out what, the school stunt, can be worked it's possible to I authorities want, listen to them aiid develop it Into something'reaV ' you'll get It. ihe Page Mr. Hays Pprtland, Ore; S. A. in explpltatipn got big re- sults for Ted Gariible's campaign on 'Havana Widows* (FN)* Ted changed the title to 'Gold Diggers in Havana*' a switch that' was worth .dough. ..Thi^ew out studio mats and p. a. sheets as sewing circle stuff. Then launched a special lobby and ad pictorial campaign that left the public checking its Imagination as excess bagga.e. Pic connected for at,least 33% gross increase and reg- istered well'enough to warrant the exploitation without reaction. In the Wind6ti7 .Utica. Bert . Lelghton, , mariager' of the Stariley, obtained the co-operation of a. music store, dance stiidip and entertainers from a night club to exploit 'Flying Down to Rio.', Two dancers gave a demonstration of the picture's featured dance,. the Carlo-; ca, ..in. the window of a downtown music store. An Ih. c. introduced them and plugged the show. The window was decorated like a ballroom and there were amplifiers carrying the voices and music out of doors. Spectators jammed th^ front of the store and some, eveii climbed up lamp posts. The display was staged twice a day for two days prior to the opening of the film. Cars and Checks New Haveri. For 'Skitch* at the Golleg^, Beh Cohen is working a couple of gags that' are drawing interest. First is a tie-in with a local restaurant Which places u circulars, pn the pic turo at all tables. Beanery furnishes the sheets which advise patrons to check numbers on their riieal tabs. Three numbers are posted dailir for a. week, with corresponding meal checks rating Oakleys.. Second sturit Is ih line with the ancient vehicle; used by Rogers in his cross-country tour. Contest was run; with prizeig for oldest motor cars that cpuld navigate, to the; the atrel entrance uhder their own power. First .prize, three-riipnths* pass; second, ttvo-^riiohths,: iand third, ohe-riionth. Gag had all the prehistoric relics in town making a play for prizes. Fencing Classes Probably.; limited appeal, be- cause there are . few good fencing masters, but one manager who liearned that a patron had been .on hid college fencing- team persuaded the chap to form a tenclng club fpr both men Urid girls. , Instructor serves-free=tbi-keep:iihi.praGtiGe=and because he loves the work.: A small fee covers the actual expense and the club holds weekly meet Ings in the theatre paint shop. During the Lenten period the chief engineer figures they'll be ready to. give some stage, exhibl tiorid and counts on that to make a little extra business for, the dull poriofl. To be presented aftcrnopnH In til'' suiTi of.Jcrturps, with tin DenvM!. The . Parairiount, North Platte^ Neb.,, is being reopened by Fox- W.C. after being closed for year. Town is 100% Fox and gives them two thea^;res there. Westland ..Theaters, Inc., leiases iPalrii at Pueblo and closes it. Won't reopen until, conditions Improve; '~ J. J. (Soodsteln reiriodels old. opera house at Alamosa back, into theatre. Installs Western^ Electric souild and reopening It as Palmi Jan. 26. Griffith Amusement company re- opening old Pastime as Mesa after remodeling following fire. J. C. Burton buys the Lyric at (Harrison, Wyo., from R. A. walker. ioux City, la. Old World theatre Is being re- modeled for reopening early In Feb- ruary as the Circle. theatre under management of B. E. Seft. SteubenviUe, O. George, pelis, who recently re- signed as riiiariager of the Palace, Lockport, N. T., has .been made dl rector exploltatloii Constant-con trolled palace. Canton, State, and American, East Liverpool; two houses m Bellalre. O., and one Ih Moundsvllle, W..Va. . Keith . Chariibers advianced from assistarit mariager Palace, Cantpri, to resident manager .that house. Chambers succeeds d. B. Odium, who resigned Jan. L. Ralph Kemper' made nianager State theatre. East tiiverpboi, .'M'tnneaDolia. Jack Wiley has been transferred fropi Harold Ruben's Paritages the- atre here to his recently acq.uired Granada theatre, Sioux Falls, S. D.* as chief of staff. Falls theatre, Coltimbia Heights; has beeri taken over by William Levy and Harry Charon from W. A WlthneL . _ ^ OklahomaijCity. d:' Vi 'JTen^ .'maria^. oT tEi" Woodward and Terry theatres and president of the Chariiber of Com merce of Woodward, Qkla., was se lected as the niost useful citizen of Woodward for the year 1932. Lob Angeles. Fox West Coast managerial changes: John Hall,, formerly of the .('jiterion, Santa Monica, as assist Deep Sea Stnff Putting iri '16 Fatiioms Deep* on an overnight booking, the Mayfair, _ , _ ,N. T„ Is banging the drum for the ant manager of the Dome in Ocean picture. "Vacant store next door to Park. the theatre contains a glass fronted John Yainlko transferred from tank in which a deep sea diver "Is Lyric, Huntington Park, to the supposed to do his stuff. Probably Strand, San Pedro, while Dan Cal- he does, but the opening day they boa . moved from latter hoUso to I were all out to dinner around 6 Lyric. . . I o'clock and eating a light lunch J. B. Graham goes into the Ful- at 8: 30, when they should have been lerton theatre, Fullerton, Calif., as grinding. FWC manager in place of P. H, Lobby is dressed with diving suits Mlattrier who has been transferred and makes a good flash to lead from to the Wes^ Coast Theatre, Santa | the store show to the box office. Ana, as -house manager under isu- pervislon of Lester FPuntain. In Tucson, Arizona, Reno Wilk replaces J, R. Rogers as house man^ ager. Harold Kavern, former asst. mgr. local. Newsreel Rocheste'i^' Rochester Democrat . & Chronicle is going in for newsreels as promb- at the State, Long Beach, has been I tion. Reels produced by the newS'^ prompted to manager of the' Capl- paper show at the RKO Palace and tai. Long B.each, in changes', made several neighborhoods under spon- In the Milt Arthur theatres. Charles Wuerz took over man agement at the Fullerton, in Fuller ton, replacing Eddie Graham, who has been spotted^ as publicity man for the State at Long Beach Pete Moyland and Jack Zamskey have taken over pperatioh of. the State,' Redlands, and are. eaulpping | casion. It with RCA sound for openirig Jan. 28 The pale, Long Beach, Is another pn the active list again, reppehed by John Merinard after beirig closed since thie earthquake. sorship of certain advertisers who pay the .cost. Newspaper gets an introductory. splash on the reel for its trouble. Howard ' Bloomfield, promotion mariager, is conducting a screen test competition to line Up young women who will appear In the reels on oc- Hart's Invisible Van Edgair Hart of the RKO Majestic, Columbus, worked out. a new Idea for ''Invisible Man.' He made a Richarll Mosi? former manager of I shadow box, draped^ it, and with a RK!0, and a nephew of. H. B; Frank* lln, named manager of the WWC Boulevard. He reiplaces . Bill' Butts. Oklahoma City. Theatres closed: Rainbow, Sul- phur; . Roxy, Plcher. Theatres opened: . Terry. Wood- ward; Liberty^ .BartlesvlUe;. Roxy, Billings; Sugg, Chickasha.; Rex, at Rooseveltj. taken over .by Allien McClain; Erpadway, Ana- darkp, taken over by H. J. Morris. Newark. . Chanpcs iri the Warner group In- clude Ed Kane from Millburh, Mlli- burn. to. manage, the Cranford, Cran- ford succeeding William Mlchalson Who _goe3 to the DeWitt. Rudy "KiIel(nnnR>rri"T3eWnrrW ihs^^ Ilaboken,. .succeeding Mike Wesh- ner who goes to Hawthorrie; and M. Brenner from Hawthorne, to Mill- burn, MUlbum, chair built into .thie back, cyclorama fafihiori. Balcking was gflyeri the outline of the seated man thrpugh small i>erforatiPns drilled a quarter, inch apart Bright light from be- hind made these perforations dis- tirictly visible, suggesting an aura. Apparently the man was engaged in conversation with a painted'figure. Flrilshed off with a sign on a flash- er, backed by blue-green , medium. .Set close to the"paveriient'line, it brought most persons to a halt, many of them, expecting to see the outline develop Into a figure. It riiade a istrong- seller, and it cost very little, since the only perishable was the sheet of metal uB«;'d for a backirig. =Ju8t-Jazz^- Appreciating the fact that people like to have things jazzfed up, a seiemlngly ' new scheme Is being worked by an intimate hou.se. Each J night except Saturday, before the. Kewanee, Hi. night cashier goes on duty, her, roll Jamep B. ^vrcCullough', manager of of tickets l.s marked at one point the Per-rlcss ruhlix Great States hV'ith a t-rayon. Thi.s may be only 10 transfm-f'd to Publlx houses In or id tickets from the .«t.1rt of the cnontlnned on page 27) (Continued on page 2'J)