Variety (Jul 1930)

Wednesday, Jfuly 30. 1930 PICTURES VARIETY 23 Pres$^ Stimts V V Welland, Cah.. To; Bet the WddWa for Saturdai^ ftihees Tom Forhan, manager of KrfSTtol, arranged with a Ideal W cSn parlor tot the distribution of^llTcream cones. Forhan ran several readers Iii the papers about ?he free Ice cream cone giveaway and^ on the hottest day of the sum- dtalms to have d&ne very good h.»inesB with Just an ordinary plc- S wUh the cones to pull In the vwa! The cones were supplied at 5' apiece and Forhan paid 50% of the cost. He also st<krted a name railing contest. Announced that ?he first 10 boys and 10 girls an-' flwerlng to their names would be ad- mitted to the theatre free of charge. All the kiddles had to do was write their name down on a piece of paper and , answer when called. Another stunt used by Forhan was naradwg an old-fashioned horse- d^wA hearse around the streets to exDldli "Caught Short." Hearse had a banner on 'each side . with the. words* "He died laughing at Marie Drea'pler and Polly Moran In 'Caught Shdrt' at the Capitol," with the play da te s .p rlnted.^-Qn—th«-feac—doora ■wet-e the words, "What a wonderful way to die, laughing at," followed by'the same copy used on the ban- nets. At first It was thought that the'^hearse would create unfavorable CQihment, but It worked out just the opposite. Hearse covered the entire city and was then left standing for thiise days at the front of the the- atri. Entlrfe cost of* the stunt was six posses for the! hearse and- $10 for' man and team, • Brooklyn, N. x. Robert Bendor, manager of the Brooklyn Fojc, and Jay DaVld Blau--- foj?, publicity director, are clipping the marriage licenses from the Brooklyn papers dfilly..-. Two weeks later they fallow Jit up. by. sending out a congratulatory letter from the manager accompanle.d by two passes, each admitting two,' called a "Honeymoon Pass." Bender states It's an excellent gobd-wlU builder and gets them coming more or less regularly tojhe theatre. ' Syracuse, N. T. William J. Tubbert of R-K-O Keith's helped himself to liberal news space in "The Journal-Ameri- can" by tying up with the paper and the local Durant motor agency for: a driver's endurance stunt. ^Sailor*' Pizzo, handcuffed t<»' the wlieel of' tbe car,'drove It for five days and as many nights; the Keith theMre was the offlolal starting and finish ."line" and the endurance car cai^l^ the. theatre's ..billing. libew's State and '!The Herald" ar^ tied up for 10 \^e.eks In a classi- fied '!Ad-venture" cbhtest. Patrons of the classified columns of the pa- pet are invited to describe their ex- pediences, ^ith the best letters win- ning weekly and' grand prizes. Bally dlsptay copy Is used to ex- ploit contest, with theatre's current attraction tied In. ^ouse supplies 60 pairs of tickets weekly to supple- ment the cash awards. Grand prize Is a Majestic radio, local Majestic dealers co-operating. Orpheum jDfferlng round trip ticket to Chicago via Milwaukee road every week, with the drawing on a raffle basis Monday night. Both houses paying the freight by show- ing scenic newsreels. Soda fountain cow hands could feel right at home in either of the above show shops, meantime, with lobbies of both cluttered up with cosmetic displays and beauty demonstrators. Free marcels, sham- poos, facials and what-not as draw for femme shekels at matinees. Pittsburgh. Stanley got a couple of their ushers to march around streets last week dressed up as hospital at- taches and carryin^r stretcher, on which all that protruded was face of wax dummy, which made the thing look like a corpse. Inside was a vlctfola playing one of those laughing records. Large signs hung down from each sldd of record read: "This fellow couldn't stop laughing at ' Top Speed.'" Picture currently at Stanley. House also naa a couple—one a young girl ahd other an elderly man with ear trumpet-^getting on and oft street cars, for a whole day. Girl would tell man about picture she had Just seen, "Top' Speed," and he in turn would shout In' a voice loud enough to be heard all over the car, "I can't hear you.' Whereupon she'd go into her spiel in a voice equally as loud. New York City. Par-Publix has set aside prizes of (600 for the best ad campaign on Harold Lloyd's next talker, "Feet First," scheduled for general release Oct. 4. First prize Is $100, balance being spilt Into nine awards of $50. Judges are Charles E. McCarthy, Russell Holman, A. M. Bostford, Ben H. Serkowjch, Lem Stewart, "Vivian Moses, L. L. Edwards, Les Whelan and CllfE Leitis. •The Dawn Patrol," which will open an extended run Thursday midnight. A° 60-foot scenic cut-out, completely covering the front of the theatre, is to be placed, while a Gypsy Moth plane will be parked in front of the house throughout the engagement. Toledo. "VHa-Temple, in tleup with ramp garage across street, arranged by Manager O'Coni^ell, offers free two- hour auto parking with tickats bought for evening performance up to Sept. 1. Syracuse. Morris Shulman, associated with the Fox Eckel for four years as as- sistant manager and managing dl- ector, tendered his resignation, to cbcome effective Aug. 2. Shulman at one tlmie owned a housei or two in Auburn.' No successor to Shul- man has as yet been Indicated by Harry Goldberg, Fox-division chief. Denver. One of the stage shows appearing at the Denver theatre had three dogs they did not want to take back to New York. Selby Carr, publicity director^ phoned the "Post" about them. Al Birch suggested that they be given to the three children under 12 who would write and tell the best reasons why they should be given the mutts. Over 1,000 youngsters wanted the animals and the qtunt was good for several stories in the "Post" and most of them while the stage show was still at the Denver. Newark, N. J. I^avid E. Weshner will run a sur- prise week at the Stanley, Jersey City, next week. A new unit will be built on top of the regular Pub- Ilx,':and guest stars will.be present on: different nights. Nothing will ' be announced in advance. Branfbrd will present, the same show the fol- lo^ln^^week. ■ Cleveland. In conjunction with showing of •'Rafl£les"'tUA), M. A. Malaney, p, a, at Lpew's, used an old plan with fodd effect. He made a tie-up with the Cleveland "Press," to conduct a "mystery man" contest. Idea, be- ing to find "Raffles" and going up to him with a copy of the news- paper in hand to identify him. _ Atlanta. Good will bringer was idea of ui?] •'W**'^ revue comprising 150 Children under the sponsorship of \M Shrine Temple and put on at JiMws, Chester Hale directed the Show. He also helped in a eimilar snow put on in Memphis for the Memphis "Press - Scimitar" milk fund. Newark, N. J. froctor's tied up last week with «-resge department store for a laahlon show. Store furnished 12 eins, amateurs who gave a fresher appearance on the stage than pro- fessional models. Kresge carried ine show in all its ads. «o cost to theatre and held over. p St. Paul, hnt f^, '^"^^ and drug store cow- iinL^ "f* "sed in two leading loop Pn^!®° ^"ort to copper the heat. nn^^V™°""t, Publlx load-off, started to vi I'^y contest to pick two girls Pftnin *° Alaska by the Northern ev«>. for favorite with tieun i'^^ through publicity for daily, many votes ""^^^Paper"^ ^^'"^ flubscriptibns to \an^^°^l ^''^ street, the trip not flo ■one. but oftener, the R-K-O Oklahoma City, Manager L, J. Mason had a win- dow attraction In publicity for "Hold Everything" at the Palace, McAllcn. Tex. A young man set out to play a piano for 60 hours, and he did. He was. in one of the prominent music store's -window and the main attraction for that length of time. V Dubuque. Picture machine operators at the Dreamland and Liberty on strike. First strike in town in many a moon. Caused by a cut in hours, agreed at eight in working clause, but cut to six, Ben Levenson and son. owners, pinch-Wtting for the extra time. Reduction claimed as economy measure, but union will not stand for anything under eight hours. Houses running may cause a Jam with the union or a shutdown until business picks up with a drop In the mercury. Detroit. Publlx tied up with station WXY2 on straw ballot of recall. Printed on ballot was announce- ment of picture, "Raffles," opening at local U.A. house; lOOjOOO dis- tributed. Stunt engineered by Charlie Baron and Fred Roach. Cost theatre $50 as part payment tor ballots. Syracuse. Andrew Roy preceded his de- parture from the Paramount thea- tre here for Gary, Ind., where he becomes city manager for Para- mount Publlx, with an unusually comprehensive exploitation cam- paign for "The Sap from Syracuse, given its world premiere at the local Paramount. Roy effected a direct tie-up with Hearst's "Journal," which printed display copy ih which Oakie in- vited readers to see "The Sap from Syracuse" In return for their serv- ice In securing a new six months' subscriber to the paper. While tne city authorities have frowned upon the use of the side- walks for advertising purposes, Roy secured permission to use a stenclU "Don't be 'The Sap from Syracuse and Jaywalk" on all downtown cement, . ^ Roy had one disappointment; ar- rangements to bring Oakle here for the openloff fell through. Syracuse. Warners' Silver Jubilee, to be celebrated nationally next month, will have a special morning mati- nee, with the gross proceeds going to charity, as a prelude In this city, Warners' Strand will have "The Way of All Men." The charity event is for Hlllcrest, which carries on work among the city's crippled children. The charity was selected by Edward H. O Kara, publisher of "The Herald." at the request of Leo Rosen, local War- ners representative in charge of the Strand. , , — Roaen, wlioae sh or t regtme-at-t4te Strand has been marked by ag- gre.sslve exploitation work, is press- ing a pretentious campaign for Good publicity for "The Social Lion" by Manager Shuttee of the Rialto cost house very little. 10,000 package Inserts were used by one of the department stores advertising a handkerchief Ic sale and the re- verse contained |he theatre's ad with the language of the handker- chief in detail. Theatre and . store split expense. 10,000 inserts were used in pastry afid bread packages with ;this wording: "If you ate as much Happy Home Bread as I do you'd smile too," and the biggest part of the space was taken up with a cut of Oakie's smile. Cost $10. Free time given theatre on one of most popular local radio hours Passes given for the best wisecracks phoned in daily and the hello girls were snowed under. This ran for two weeks, the week before and during the showing and the buyer of the time was well pleased with the tleup. 300 cards were used on newsstands calling at tention to article by Jack Oakle in "Picture Play" mag. Sporting goods house donated window dressed with sporting goods and polo shirts and tying in with the picture. Atlantic City In connection with the opening of "Dawn Patrol" last Saturday,'War ners staged an air circus off the Warner Boardwalk theatre. At the same time an essay was announced for boys and girls between 16 and 21 for the best 100 words on "Why I Want to be an Aviator." Prizes, first: Complete flying course, and second and third prizes, complete ground course with the Philadelphia Flying Service at the municipal air- port. Behind the Keys Stcubenvllle, O. CJeorfe Dells, manager Warner Bros, theatre here. Is through with Sunday shows on advice of New York office. Fined $10 and costs for opening July 6. Oklahoma City.. Warners new Midwestern opens Aug. 1. with "Dawn Patrol." War- ners local policy will be flrst runs at the Midwest and Liberty, and stage shows at the O^pheum, mak- ing the Empress second-run house with lower prices, and to continue the Folly as a second-run house, with the lease on the Shrine Audi- torium to continue for road shows and appcial-featwes^ ■ New ofllclals of the Warner Brothers Oklahoma division are Leto H. Hill, district manager; Harry J. Nlemeyer, Jr., asst,, and the following house mgrs,, alf pro- moted from asst's: John Schoepel, Midwest; Will Tate, Orpheum; Piaiil Townsend, Liberty; Wilfred O'Shea, Empress; Charles Hutchinson, Folly. Todd Ferguson continues on pub- licity. <^ Syracuse, N. Y. James J. Moore, of Lynn, Mass., will succeed Morris^Shulman at the Fox-Eckel Aug, 2. Geneva, N. Y. Fox Theatres has taken the lease on a new theatre at Salamanca, N Y, Seats 1,600—all on one floor. Cost estimated at $150,000. Timmons, Cdn. A new Empire is to replace! old one here. Hamilton, Can. R. T. Stewart, theatre owner here, was grunted an injunction restrain- ing local picture operator'^ from picketing his theatre. He^ls also suing the union for $5,000 damages, alleging that his operator was en- ticed to quit his Job. Spokane. Duncan Inverarity, for more than 30 years Identified with theatricals in Spokane and the Northwest, hoa severed his connections .with tho Spokane Theatres, Inc. Harry Cut-, bert has been moved from the Aud- lan tor the. .Liberty, replacing ■ In- verairity. Schenectady, N. Y. Demolition of several buildings to make room for the new 3,000-seat R-K-O theatre has begiin. Work of clearing the site will be finished within a week or 10 days, accord- ihp to contractors and- exca vating for foundations will then start. Danbury, Conn. Reports from New York place Warner Brothers" In control, of Capitol here July 23. Locals decline to comment. Oneida, .N,. T. Kallet Theatres, Incvt of tbts: blty, operdting-a central New Yotlf clr- cult of 11 houses, will continuje to ftiiiiction Independently; tentative deals with both Paramount-Publix and Warners are ''cold." This became known when the corporation, headed by Michael J. Kallet, started reconstruction the Madison . theatre here and an- nounced changes to the Regent, Its major Syracuse house, would fol- low. Jersey City. Loew's has taken over the Em- bassy, North Bergen, N, J. Place is to be made ready for reopening Sept. 1. Seajts about 2,000. Straight film policy. Syracuse, N. Y. His assignment to the Paramount here as s.uccessor to Andrew Roy, who leaves today for Gary, Ind., to become city manager for Para- mount-Publix, brings back Paul Shay of Elmira to New York State. Hackensack, N. J. Fox will build a house here to cost about $375,000. Thomas Lamb, of New York, iarchltectd. 2,500 iweater. . Buffalo. Shea's Buffalo made an effective tie-up last week with the Justice Motor Corporation for the exhibition of new Chrysler Eights. Models wer^ placed on display In the theatre lobby. Motor company gave away 100 tickets for the Buffalo to the first 100 visitors in the show room each night. Theatre and automobile company getting 100% break. No cost to theatre. Louisville. Three days prior to the opening of "Raffles," Loew's had a mysterious person walking about the streets handing out passes for two to all who approached him and said: "You are Raffles, the amateur cracks- man." Louisville "Times" co-operated with Walter McDowell, manager of Loew's State, to put over the stunt. Several pictures of Raffles, wearing a mask, were run in the newspaper, as well as his itinerary for each day. Raffles changed his wearing ap- parel daily, but someone always spotted him. Once he started hand- ing out passes the rush was on. A limited number of ducats were passed out each day. The flrst day of the stunt police, attracted by the crowd which was blocking traffic In the streets at the corner where Raffles was billed to appear, came on the run and ended by helping line up those seeking free tickets. Seattle. . "When "Mr, Wu" .and his Chinese act played the Orpheum, Joe Cooper, Northwest p. a. for R-K-O, swelled business from the Oriental section. He printed posters in Chinese char- acters, with the only English Or- pheum theatre. Along with the Chinese words was a cut of the Chinese maidens in piquant poses. About every Chinaman In town took in the show. Tea, with Chinese girls serving, was a lobby feature. Kid 2'Reel0ra Hollywood, July 29. Charles Diltz will make a series of two-reel kid pictures at Tec- Art. Disney sound wil be use d. , Reg Rubinson Is handling the re- lease. First goes into production i next week. New York City. Some of the managerial changes which occurred this week among the indie theatres around New York are: Irving Gilbert, formerly manager of the Orpheum, Jersey City, now handling the College, College Point, L. I.; Harry Garflnkel, previously managing the State,'.Brooklyn, now general relief manager, for the Con- solidated Theatres; J. Kaplan, for- merly manager at the Monroe, New York City, now In the same berth at the Tlvoll, New York City. N6w York City. Jack L. Hobby, advertising and publicity for the New Jersey divi- sion of Fox Theatres, has been shifted to the Buffalo division un- der Harry Goldberg, divisional operator. Hobby will be replaced by Ben Garetson. Latter comes from Talking Pictiures Epics, Inc. Tom Olsen, formerly in charge of Fox upstate advertising and pub- licity, is now at the home offlce. Seymour, Conn. Strand reopened, management of Harry Oeslian of New Havem San Antonio. Probably first Mexican amuse- ment flrm in country recently or- ganized here with $10,000 capital, n^med .Saragos4 Amusement Co. "Will likely Invest In heighborhbods, as town sports hekvlest Mexican pop in U. S. Walkerville, Can. The Walkerville reopens in a month as the Tlvoll. Manager is C. T. Spencer, new son-in-law of Clarence Robson, general manager of Famous Players-Canadian. Winnipeg. No less than five theatres in Winnipeg are undergoing extensive alterations. They are the R-K-O Capitol, Gaiety, Strand, Walker and the Dominion. Gordon C. Howden has leased the Dominion for five years and is making alterations be fore reopening in August. Saskatoon, Can, Roxy Theatre Co. has awarded contracts for the erection of a brick and concrete theatre here. N Rothstcln, Winnipeg, pioneer ex- hlb, Is president of company. — Roa.slui i J, Ca,l. Famous Player.s Canadian C' »"p erecting Ro.s.slund theatre howi^ to seat 700, Watertown, N. Y. Fox Metropolitan theatres has plans for renovating of Avon and Olympic here. Work will cost $100,- 000, to be completed to permit re- opening in early fall. Syracuse, N. Y„ July, 22. Syracuse will have a minimum ot non-sound houses .when the Lyric, northslde neighborhood theatre, re- opens wired. Leo Dowling operates the theatre. Syracuse, N, Y. Andrew M. Roy, managing 'di- rector of the Paramount here, .^nce Its opening about a year, agq, will leave at the end of this-week, for Gary. Iiid., where he wllr function at city manager for Farainount- Publlx, ' • = Roy will be succeeded' herei by Paul Shay, transferred frbilik.^bston. Now York city. Changes have been made in the lineup of the personnel of.; the Bronx division of Fok Theiatres. These include Irving Llpnlck, treas- urer of the Park PUza, promoted to manager of the Ogden; Irving Sha- piro, treasurer of the Belknont, transferred to similar post at Park Plaza, and William Aralnizes, ,who replaces Shapiro at the Belmont. Dallas. While the .Texas, Robb & Rowley house at Angelo, Tex., was running "Big House," three hijackers stepped into Mgr. J. D. Jones' offlce, made him open the safe, and got $2,600, then grabbed' Jones' sparklers, valued at $6,000. and |160, respect- ively, and beat it. Before leaving, bandits slugged Jones over the bean with a gun, knocking hliri uncon- scious and breaking his rig^t . ear drum. When the cops got there tbey had trouble getting finger prlnts,'du'e to too ipuch handling by the curious. R. &f R. offered $1,600 reward for the gunmen. ■ Fourth .major theatre holdup In Tex^s the past noionth, others, oc- curring at Houston; Waco and; Ft. Worth. Lynchburg, Va,. A week before Paramount-Pub's new theatre opens here this fall[ all Lynchburg theatres except ^he Trenton will go under the Par-Pub management. C. M. Casey sold his three houses — Isls, Belvedere and Gayety—some months ago, drawing cash and stock in the new house, the deal to be effective with, its opening. Cincinnati. Resignation of Cliff Boyd as man- ager of the Albee, this city, ;ha8 caused several shiftlngs in the R'-K- O personnel of the mid-western; di- vision. Boyd Is succeeded by I-I^nry Sommers, recently manager of the Lyric, Mark Silver came from the Majestic, Coljimbus, O,, to manage the Lyric, and B, P, Moore, has been transferred from Springfield, 111.', to the Majestic, Columbus. London, Can. Df.Tl clo.sed for Famous Players Canadian to take control of Palace, Si:i ir-i p.Trit-y. House—iXorm erly ownf-d ii.v tlif Independent-Amuse- nifnt Co. of I'oronto, with Sam (Continued on page 64)