Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1948)

I I I i Window Cards Find Choice Places By Listing School Football Dates A steady stream of exploitation ideas has kept coming and current screen attractions Oat the Arbor Theatre, Nebraska City, Neb., well publicized for Manager Dwight Seymour. For “Return of the Badmen,” an eight-foot square board was constructed, blanked with white paper and decorated with stills and title cards. Seymour borrowed some historic gun relics from the Civil War, an old-time thmnb-buster and a nxunber of modern American and Japanese rifles and exhibited them on the display board. These were of special interest to the men and small-fry. For street ballyhoo, one of the Arbor doormen rode a large yellow horse about town with signs announcing the theatre dates. The rider was dressed in blue jeans and shirt. The entire cost of this promotion was for the sign. To stimulate interest in “The Babe Ruth Story,” Seymour circularized all ballplayers who took part in the Chamber of Commerce soft and hard ball leagues. Spare uniforms were borrowed from each local ball club and were worn by ushers, cashiers and candy sales girls a week in advance. A display m the theatre lobby featured an exhibit of bats, balls and other paraphernalia backed up with accessories and cutouts from the picture. Handbills were distributed in parked cars more than a week prior to opening. Seymour has a valuable tieup with the local high school which gets him advertising in valuable locations throughout the city and helps to keep expenses down. Each week the theatre orders 50 window cards. Half of the card carries an announcement of the theatre attractions and the other half has copy on the football team, time and date of its next game. The school has several attractive girl students place the cards in strategic window locations. The stunt has also endeared the theatre to school students and football coaches. Drug Chain Sponsors Contesl for 'Judy' Russell Bovim, manager of the State Theatre in St. Louis, staged a successful tieup for “A Date With Judy.” Glasen’s cutrate drug chain cooperated with the theatre on Othe promotion of a “Date With Judy” contest, which attracted over 1,300 contestants. Two winners, a man and a woman, were given a round of entertainment, including dinner, dancing and a night club. A dance instructress from the Arthur Murray dance studio accompanied the male winner, while the woman was given her choice of an escort for the evening. The winners also attended Loew’s Orpheum where “A Date With Judy” played a moveover engagement, and later went to the Starlight Roof of the Chase hotel for aftertheatre dining and dancing. The theme of the contest was based on a letter-writing essay which was exploited by the 17 stores comprising Gasen’s chain. Large newspaper co-op ads, with prominent theatre announcements, were paid for by Gasen’s. National Council Helps Contest on 'Good Sam' Through a tieup with the local chapter of the National City Council, arranged by Helen Wabbe, publicist at the Golden Gate Theatre in San Francisco, a contest to exploit “Good Sam” was conducted in the San Francisco Chronicle. Prizes were awarded daily for safe driving and acts of courtesy on the part of local citizens. OOne thousand half cards, tied back-to-back, were posted in a number of prominent spots in the downtown section of the city, announcing the contest. The National City Council planted over 100 radio spot plugs for the contest, with picture and playdate mention, at no cost to the theatre. Miss Wabbe was assisted in the campaign by Joe Longo, RKO field exploiteer. Vacation-End Party Has Candy Firm os Sponsor With cooperation from officials of the Brach Candy Co., Arnold Gary, manager of the Eastlake Theatre, Birmingham, worked up a good kiddy matinee imder the title of “A Vacation End Party.” Brach Candy gave free balloons, overseas paper caps and free candy bars to every kid, in addition to 10 boxes of candy as door prizes. Gary booked a program of six cartoons, a two-reel comedy and an hour of stage contests which attracted an enthusiastic crowd of kids and adults. The contests included candy eating, balloon blowing and a bubble gum competition. For the mothers, Gary promoted two large orchids and a gardenia corsage from a local florist as attendance prizes. Schools Display Posters For 'Monte Cristo' Bill Placards and posters on public grammar and high school bulletins helped to stimulate interest in a double feature showing of “Count of Monte Cristo” and “Son of Monte Cristo” for Bob Portle, manager of the Elm Street Theatre in Worcester, Mass. The literary angle was used by Portle in tying up school authorities for permission to use the bulletins for theatre advertising. Displays were set with libraries. An usher dressed in a long black robe, hood and mask carried signs annoimcing the dates for street ballyhoo. Production stills tied in with merchandise displays in many shops resulted in window tieups with jewelers, book stores and men’s and women’s shops. Manager Puts on the Dog Lawrence Lash, manager of the Alexandria Theatre, San Francisco, tied in his showing of “Emperor Waltz” with national Dog week. Posters playing up the love story of two dogs in the film production were placed in store windows of shops specializing in dogs and pets. Novel Display Board Has Scare Remedies For 'Frankenstein' An attractive display was made up for the showing of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” by Ansel Winston, manager of the Coliseum in New York, and set up in the lobby well in advance of opening. The set-piece was put together at a minimum cost, reports Winston, since they repainted an old board that had been used previously to serve as the background. Sign shop art work was mounted on the display and cardboard skeletons were scattered about for effect. Copy recommended nerve tests, smelling salts and good luck charms for timid persons who were planning to see the picture. A special lighting arrangement drew attention to the display. Alongside the set-piece was placed a fulllength distorting mirror, with copy; “If you think you look funny, wait till you see, etc., etc.” This proved particularly attractive to the kids. A trailer, run a week prior to showing, was used with a green gelatin in front of the machine to produce an eerie effect. Convicts Bally 'House' Robert Portle, manager of the Elm Street at Worcester, Mass., sent two boys out dressed as convicts to parade through the main streets of the city. They were placarded with signs reading, “See me at the ‘House Across the Bay’ now playing at, etc.” Stories and art in the daily newspapers and spot plugs over radio station WTAG for six mornings helped to promote the attraction. Teachers Rewarded With Theatre Pass As part of a perpetual public relations program to promote goodwill for the Center Theatre in Hickory, N. C,, Manager Earle Holden recently mailed letters of appreciation to all grade and high school teachers in the common ity. Holden cited their contribution to the community in educating the youngsters and concluded by inviting each teacher to be his guest for an evening of entertainment. BOXOFFICE Showmandiser : : Oct. 30, 1948 —707— 29