Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

Babies Bring Business Boom to the New England Territorg Popular Stunt Begun Some Time Ago by M. & P. Theatre Corp. Boston — Baby contests, which were in the familiar three-cornered fixings when the industry itself was in its infancy, have been rigged out in new garb by the progressive M. & P. Theatres Corp. and transformed into exploitation giants. Contest Draws Million Votes A baby popularity contest at a New London location assumed the proportions of a national election, drawing over one million votes before even the preliminaries were over. A newspaper advertising manager, tied in with one episode of recent enactments of the circuit’s patronage coaxer, is enthusiastically preparing to present the scheme to the forthcoming New England Alliance confab of fourth-estaters here. Baby is grown up but really, my deah, he doesn’t look a day older. Here is what a hard-boiled newspaperman had to say as recently as last March 31 about a baby contest put on by Barney Dobrans, manager of the Crown in New London, Conn. He is C. J. O’Connor of The Day, three-center with a sworn circulation of 14,100 each evening, regarded as one of the most conservative sheets in New England. A “Best Promotion” “Present indications point to one of the best promotions we have ever been in,” O’Connor wrote to M. & P. “We approached this promotion with some misgivings, we admit, but beginning with the record registration of 240 babies, coming solely from your theatre promotion and our single advertisement and few stories; right through the preliminary contest, which brought out the astounding vote of 1,281,260, the results have been amazing. “While we undertook this contest for an advertising promotion, the human interest angle was so compelling that we felt it fully deserved the splendid support given it in our news columns, both in stories and pictures. The fact that our publisher thought enough of the contest from a news angle to publish over 200 babies pictures, occupying two full pages, is sufficient evidence of its merits from this angle. As for the advertising, we have 70 columns of ads, most of which we could not get through ordinary channels, or solicitation.” Up in Dover, New Hampshire, where Melvin Morrison staged a similar stunt at the Strand, Fred Foster of the Dover Democrat thought enough of the M. & P. promotion to pen, a few days ago; “I want to tell you that I think this kind of promotion work is good for everyone concerned. The merchants I have talked with say they like it very much, and I know (Continued on page 54) Jeon Rogers Visits Belmont, Mass. — Jean Rogers, Universal player, is visiting here, her home town. This is her first visit home since she left four years ago to enter films by way of a beauty contest held by Charles R. Rogers. She expects to spend a week or ten days in Belmont and Boston before returning. Boston "Horizon" Site Boston — Columbia Pictures has leased the Shubert for a roadshow engagement of Frank Capra’s “Lost Horizon,” starring Ronald Colman. Twice daily screenings are scheduled. The feature is scheduled to open Tuesday, April 13, to a swanky firstnight audience. GOOD < BAD USED CHAIRS UPHOLSTERED AND VENEER JOE CIFRE, Ihc. 44 WINCHESTER ST., BOSTON THEATRE ENGINEERING AND DEALERS IN STANDARD THEATRE EQUIPMENT SPECIALIZING IN REMODELING Serving the industry since its inception” 48 BOXOFTICE :: April 10. 1937.