The Washington times., 1938-01-22

lueFe was uOJulnR 100 VIII 10
Press agents earned their way
by showing initiative. They
hired human spiders" to climb
up the sides of buildings. They
had weirdly costumed zombies
parading the streets; steam cal
Hopes, floats, and every ballyhoo
device was Unfortunately rec
commended. Today it is a little
different.
Today circulation has been
rather scientifically charted, and
the press agent can see how
many people he can reach for his
dollar. In many cases organized
means Of advertising are far less
costly than the scattered Spor-
adic brain children of a p. a. who
does not understand that the best
promotion is that which truly
represents the spirit of the pic
ture his theater is playing.
OLD-TIME SCREEN STUNTS
Those of us who have piloted
the promotion of Metro-G Gold
wyn-Mayer Pictures have run
the gamut. We have had a his
toric contest to decide the rela-
tive heat waves of blondes versus
brunetteS; we have organized a
league of husbands known as
Brothers Under the Skin; we
invented a prohibition disease
known as the "Gimmies";; we in
stalled a powerful arc light on
the roof of the Capitol Theater,
New York, and flashed Capitol
advertising on the walls Of rival
houses Of entertainment.
And we have toured a track
less train all around the world,
and a travelling screen-test stu
dio over all the places on the
maps of Rand-McNally. At pres
ent we are even routing street
puppet show which does not fail
to suggest to the congregating
crowds that the studio constella-
ton Of Leo contains more stars
than there are in the heavens" 3"
But, in the main, we have
gone beyond these things. The
two main standbys of a good
promotion organization are serV-
ice to the press in the way of
news, features and photographs,
and paid-for space in news
papers, magazines and bill
boards. Practically every syndi-
cate and newspaper chain has
correspondents in Hollywood,
and advance information keeps
the public so Well informed that
they often L low in advance the
merits OF an attraction about to
be shown.
AS time goes on the screen
builds a firmer foundation for
integrity. It gets a little better
than a mere show, and we find
greater attention to the import
ance Of good dialogue, sound
story structure and casting.
Slowly the idea has dawned on
the public that the movies are
capable of all kinds of drama
and comedy and that there is no
limit to the heights of merit
which they may reach.
This has given the screen the
dignity of a national expression,
and the publicity boys have
been subtly influenced and have
pulled the punches on their i'm
aginative flights. Publicity has
become less crazy.
Yet every once in a while it is
a good thing to break out in y
good old-faShioned rash. 1t
awakes a town and amuSes the
paSserby and brings business TO
the theater. 1t is the constant
repetition of carnival gags that
has been soft-pedaled rather
than the gags themselves.
Today a large motion picture
company has a network of press
agents spread out all over
the globe receiving, general in
structions and monetary appro-
priationS from one central
source in New York. They have
their "do's" and "don'tS" just as
have the StaffS of newspapers.
OF course they are not the stuff
Shirted "visualizers' that often