My Best Girl (United Artists) (1927)

Install A “My Best Girl” Fun-o-meter Here is the interior plan of the box device pictured at the right, as if one looked down into it from the top. A motor, which may be that of an old electric fan, is belted up to drive the wheels C and D, which are of different sizes. Their movement by means of the arms G and H gives an oscillating effect to the dial K. Letter the dial from 50 to 90, to indicate a constantly shifting range of speed of laughs per minute. A good crowd-stopping trick for the lobby. The Fun-O-Meter consists of a box mounted on a stand to present a moving dial like that of an automobile speedom¬ eter. Combine the device with a phono¬ graph loud speaker and a laughing rec¬ ord, to help get over the idea of big audi¬ ence reaction to "My Best Girl.” SCHOOL TEACHERS Obtain effective word-of-mouth boosts for "My Best Girl,” and also big newspaper publicity, by having every school teacher in your city at a Saturday morning invita¬ tion screening of the picture, just before your opening date. Do not make this preview a theatre prop¬ osition. Let a newspaper be the host and invite the teachers. This provides immense good will for the newspaper, which co-oper¬ ates by giving liberal advance notices to the special screening and to "My Best Girl.” The newspaper presents the picture as of especial interest to school teachers from the standpoint of de luxe comedy drama by their favorite star. PICKFORD SOUVENIRS Announce a gala matinee of "My Best Girl” at which portraits of Mary Pickford will be given to each girl and woman at¬ tending. Obtain the 5x7 autograph por¬ traits which are advertised on the back page of this Campaign Book, and which are priced to make them available for souvenir use. Page Four “RACKET STORE” Introduce an effective "My Best Girl” ex¬ ploitation angle to the well known "Country Store” idea. Instead of announcing a "Country Store” night, announce a "Racket Store” night or a "Five-and-Ten Cent Store” night during your engagement, with "My Best Girl” dis¬ tributing the prizes from behind her counter. Dress the stage like a section of the R. E. Merrill store and have a girl made up to resemble Mary Pickford as. Maggie. Let the prizes of merchandise be five-and-ten cent store articles instead of groceries. These prizes will go farther and therefore provide added interest. Advertise that "My Best Girl” will give away her stock as she is going to marry the son of the proprietor and wants to celebrate her good luck. Decorate the lobby with signs such as "TOYS,” "HARDWARE,” "NOTIONS,” etc., hanging by cords from the ceiling. In cases round the walls may be displayed the articles to be distributed at the forthcoming "Five-and-Ten-Cent Store.” An arrange¬ ment with a five-and-ten cent store or a racket store may result in a donation of part of the stock. “5-AND-10” ORCHESTRA As a novelty number attending the pres¬ entation of "My Best Girl” have your or¬ chestra play selections on five-and-ten cent store articles. Some of these articles will be real noise makers; others will be regular musical instruments camouflaged as nutmeg graters, teapots, pencil boxes, flower vases and so forth. Let your orchestra leader devise a clever "My Best Girl” Tinware Symphony for this number. TOY BALLET For an elaborate presentation act, stage a Toy Ballet with "My Best Girl.” Have the dancers masquerade as five-and-ten cent store toys and notions. By a proper choice of costumes this can be made most spectac¬ ular. Have the premiere danseuse dressed as Maggie in the photoplay. MERCHANTS TIE UP Employing "My Best Girl” as the catch¬ line, co-operate with your newspaper ad¬ vertising manager in promoting a "My Best Girl” double truck ad page. The "My Best Girl” two-column ad slug could form the heading for each separate ad space and give a smashing effect to the whole display.