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Behind the Screen Clippings 68/93

Maurice A. Kashin, Motion Picture News, New York, Dec.16, 1916.

Behind the Screen Scenes

„Even Charlie can be ,sold‘ to buyers“

Editorial content. „Live Wire Exhibitors

      Brainy Theatre-Window-Dressing for the Passer-by

      By M. Kashin

      NO. I have not made a mistake in referring to your lobby

as a show window. You are a retail merchant, if you

are operating a theatre. And if you realized how much in money

and pains is expended by even the smallest merchant

on his ,store windows.‘ you exhibitors would wonder indeed.“ (...)

      First Photo. „Lobby of Midway Theatre Showing

Banner Special Stage Set in Centre of Lobby and Crowds

Attracted by This Novel Display“

      Second Photo. „Close-Up of Novel Scene Set Up in Lobby

of Midway Theatre, Montreal. With Moving Figure

Representing Charlie Chaplin Taking Moving Pictures of His

Stageheads ,Behind the Screens‘“

      „To illustrate our points we show you herewith a display

on Charlie Chaplin, In Behind the Screen. You may

say that everybody knows Chaplin. That merely to dump

in the window in the original package with a label

is attraction enough, surely. If we can‘t convince you with this

illustration that even Charlie can be ,sold‘ to buyers

who for various reasons might overlook a less prominent display,

we are willing to leave you unconvinced.

      The pictures herewith show the center of lobby with a stage

set, the ,scene‘ showing Charlie Chaplin burlesquing

his own stage heads. We have a sure ,stopper‘ of the passer-by.

A real spotlight is shown in the foreground, with high

candle power nitrogen filament lamp replacing the ,carbons,‘

throwing a bright light on the group of stage heads

made from drawings pasted on cardboard and ,cut-out‘ where

they appear above in the shoulder line. We are told

Charlie is getting $6.75 for every minute he turns the crank.

A few ,rules‘ framed on the back stage ,Anybody

Using the Words Dam or Hell will not be tolerated.‘ ,Pies Can

Only Be Used to Throw, Not to Eat,‘ etc., furnish

an added laugh, and as we look up and see Charlie with his

comic face and big feet sticking through the painted

picture screen from behind on each side (with lamp rays

making the painted screen from a painted lamp)

on the banner, we experience a desire to go in and see his

latest effort to amuse us. The scene shown is a set

,stage‘ occupying the whole center of the lobby, with banner

above, and cut-out figures against the back of set.

      Any boy with mechanical genius can connect a motor

to the crank of the dummy camera which Charlie

is actually turning with real motion. Charlie is merely a cut-out,

jointed at the shoulder and elbow, home-made by my

usual method of drawing the outline and character lines of the

face and filling in with colors to suit, and the more vivid

they are made – the more attention it‘ll attract.“ (...)

      Midway Theatre, 1229 Boulevard St-Laurent, Montreal.

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