Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

« ADLINES & EXPLOITIPS • ALPHABETICAL INDEX • EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY • FEATURE RELEASE CHART • FEATURE REVIEW DIGEST • SHORTS RELEASE CHART • SHORT SUBJECT REVIEWS • REVIEWS OF FEATURES • SHOWMANDISING IDEAS THE GUIDE TO BETTER BOOKING AND B U S I N E S S B U I L D I N G 27' WANTED THE RUNNING MAW WATCH FOR THIS EXCITING NEW CONTEST IN THE HOUSTON POST rf" REWARD ~CS Valuable Gifts and Cash Prizes Increase Each Day "THE RUNNING MAN" Remains Unidentified! WARNING Don'* mitt tfct detail* of ffeit eiciHng now con. rot* In YOUR RIG SUNDAY Hootton Pot* don f mitt mo mo.io, "The Rmnin. • Inch open Thunder. October 17, The Houston Post This preliminary ad, measuring 4 cols. 7 inches, was one of numerous large layouts published in the run of the paper by the Houston Post in support of its live "Running Man" contest. 'Running Man' Grabs Big Space in Daily Large run-of-paper ads appeared in the Houston, Tex., Post for days in advance of the “The Running Man” at the Majestic Theatre, all promoting a “Running Man” contest sponsored by the Post’s circulation department. The “Running Man,” in a different disguise every day, appeared at various places around the city for an hour or so as announced in the ads. Each day, $25 was offered to the person identifying the “Running Man.” If he escaped identification any day, the $25 award was added to the next day’s cash. In addition, a $50 bonus was offered if the winner had a copy of the Houston Post at the time he made the identification. After preliminary announcements, the contest went through five days before anyone identified the “Running Man.” The winner received accumulated daily prizes of $125, plus a bonus of $50 for possessing a copy of the Post; four tickets to the film, four dinners at a local restaurant and a wristwatch. Besides ad layouts ranging up to 3 cols. 14 inches, the Post gave news coverage to the hunt, as each day passed, reporting no identifications were made and the addition of more prize money in the pot. The contest cooked up by the Columbia exploitation department netted an unusual amount of news space. Joe Bugala, general manager for Manos Theatres, has appointed William Kohagen to direct distribution of “Peppino’s Small Miracle,” which Manos handles. Death of Neighborhood Subrun House Diagnosed as Lack of Showmanship Five years ago, in the Aug. 25, 1958, issue of Boxoffice, Harvey Chertok, now director of advertising and publicity for Seven Arts Associated in New York City, reported on a study he made in preparing his Master’s thesis at New York University, “The Effects of Exploitation Upon Neighborhood Theatre Ticket Sales.” The article, entitled “How $19.48 Sparked a Subrun Campaign,” dealt specificaUy with a controlled study of two New York City theatres in which Chertok sought to prove that an extra effort in time and imagination by a theatre manager can materially hypo attendance. The campaign, prepared for a nine-day summer run of “Witness for the Prosecution” at the Burnside Theatre in the Bronx, was unquestionably a success. For a total cost of $19.48, the advertising-publicity scholar arranged a treasure hunt and a lucky number contest, tiein promotions with the neighborhood merchants, and even a stage show on opening night. All activities were designed without unnecessary complications so that they could have been done by the manager of the theatre had he intended to do so. Further, they were planned with a minimum budget so as to prove that a profitable exploitation campaign does not necessarily involve a major expenditure. The results? Ticket sales for the entire engagement were up 48.5 per cent above average business for a corresponding nineday period since the beginning of the year. Further, business at the Burnside was 38.5 per cent greater than that at the control theatre which did no exploitation. That was five years ago and even after Chertok proved his point, it was, believe it or not, the last time that showmanship or In August 1958 . . . Promotions, Patrons No Showmanship . . . Theatre Dies exploitation was ever seen at the Burnside. The other day he happened to be passing by the theatre and took a picture of its marquee today: “Coming soon! Another Food City Super Market.” Junior High Band Gives Concert for 'Arabia' “Lawrence of Arabia” got the plush treatment for its initial roadshow openings, so a little fanfare is in order when it opens its popular-price, continuous runs. Such was Murray Spector’s idea; he manages the Oritani Theatre in Hackensack, N.J., for Stanley Warner. On opening night he persuaded the Hackensack Junior High School band to give off with some 25 minutes of martial music from in front of the theatre, after which they marched into the house to see the spectacular film free. Spector also promoted 300 roses to give to the first 300 women on the first night. The SW showman started his promotion three weeks in advance with a teaser trailer and a lobby saturated with advertising material. He distributed a special program herald ( ad on back to help on the cost) , and also used 3,000 of the production circulars. Woolworth’s used a “Welcome Lawrence of Arabia” display boosting the album. BOXOFFICE Showmandiser : : Dec. 23, 1963 — 201 1