Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

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who is your VIP*? Tell us about your \ .I.P. and icin Valuable Prizes — Rtchard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor arr thr \<r> Important 1*«hi» in The V1P.<’ which will open at the KIM. THKATRE. Wedneak}. No*. _fUH. Hv»e\er. *ver>onc has ihctr own V.I.P. ahd *re w ould like to hear about about him or hen. lit v, » trhat to do In at) »ord» or less, tell us about > «mr V. I.P. Vers Important Pokctuui \\-rs Imprrsfise Pol ks man. or Mother. Father. Olcboty. etc.' ttrnti he up c*m lew. fmp uw « Tn. tmtm tut »*! •> H Salk-. iMtrlilrt I P.ImM KiHG I Imtpurinnt J’.r.../ . e^inV.I.P. Prize ■Ji**1 iu PACKAGES 2 M(b to •«* TV \ .I.P.s" .hrtW»*w KIV. Tit). vrUJ. a m<;m KkroRD \i.m m of "Thv \ . I. P. Theme" A Dell Pocket Edition «{ “The V.I.P.s Vallet Forge I .ife so/ -.. «• tip. tMd n momcKT uigiuf. m a* STARTS WED. NOVEMBER 20th VIP Page Ad So Good Its Sold for Three Issues Bob Anderson fixed up a package that was so attractive to the editor of his local weekly newspaper he took it over completely and advertised it in a page ad in three weekly editions. The package was only a VIP contest, but it was done up with some very attractive prizes which Anderson himself promoted. Bob manages the Sameric Theatre, which is situated in the Valley Forge Shopping Center in King of Prussia, Pa. The picture was “The V.I.P.s” Anderson is not afraid of personal contacts. He saw the Dell Pocketbook distributor and promoted ten copies of “The V.I.P.s” paperback. Similarly he got ten records of the film album, and to top it all got W. T. Grant’s local manager to donate the grand prize, a portable television set. This package was offered to the weekly newspaper (15,000 circulation) as its own feature. The copy in the page-ad reproduction herewith reads: WHO is YOUR VIP? Tell Us About Your V.I.P. and Win Valuable prizes. Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor are the Very Important Persons in "The V.I.P.s" which will open ot the KING THEATRE Wednesday, November 20. However, everyone has their own V.I.P. and we would like to hear about him or her. HERE'S WHAT TO DO— In 50 words or less tell us about your V.I.P. (Very Important Postman, Very Impressive Policeman, or Mother, Father, Celebrity, etc.) There were mailing instructions, details on dates, plus large-space illustrations, etc., on the prizes. Also copy on “The V.I.P.s” at the King Theatre with playdates. Film Publicist Urges JFK Memorial Stamp Jack Rose of Milwaukee, motion picture publicist, has proposed that Wisconsin launch a campaign for a John F. Kennedy memorial postage stamp showing John jr. saluting his father’s casket. In a Morning Mail column in the Milwaukee Sentinel Rose points out the late President started his campaign for the presidency in Wisconsin, and asks that readers favoring the idea write to him. How to Take Over Theatre and Build Up Business; Lucky Seat Night First Step How to take over a theatre and build up business was related by Thomas M. Clemons in report he entered in the annual showmanship contest sponsored by Allied Theatres of Michigan. The awards were presented at the recent ATM convention held in Detroit. Clemons related he closed the Mariner Theatre in Marine City, Mich., for a week after he took over and put on a strong campaign advertising that the theatre would reopen under new local ownership. He raised the children’s admission from 15 to 20 cents, and admitted one child free with each parent. Almost immediately he started a Lucky Seat Night, which he describes as his biggest and most successful promotion. $10 ON MONDAY NIGHTS “I started on Monday nights,” he relates, “with $10 going to the person sitting in the lucky seat. If there was not a winner, the amount would be added to the next week’s, and the total would go up to any amount. If a child occupied the lucky seat, the award was only $5. “Each seat was numbered and two weeks in advance a number was mailed to me sealed in two envelopes from Detroit. The envelope was opened in front of the audience. In addition to this I gave a consolation prize of two theatre tickets, drawing the number from the ticket stubs for that night’s business. I also had a door prize donated by a merchant from Marine City in return for the free advertising. In a short time this promotion made Monday night change from almost no business to the best night of the week. “I booked in a ‘Twist’ picture, put lights under the stage apron, and let the audience do the twist while the show was on. “I put a lunch counter in my lobby and sold hot dogs, pop, chips, and small cakes at noon to the school children. While they sat in the theatre and ate, I ran a free cartoon show. APPEALS TO AGE GROUPS “I booked triple feature night from 7 to 11:45. One picture for each age group. “Had a Retiree’s Night — 65 and over free. Played ‘When Comedy Was Born.’ Also Talent show — signed up acts giving three cash prizes. And a stage show was put on by radio station using western country folk song and music. “Christmas promotion — Had one of the merchants to sponsor a Saturday matinee for four weeks paying me so much a week. He gave out the tickets with each sale. “I kept changing my prices and the runs each week. Sometimes two shows a night, sometimes one, so that the people had to watch the ads to know when to come, until I was sure they were looking for the ads which always carried the time and price. “To show my appreciation and to get further aid from the merchants, I had the printer leave one quarter of my handbills blank with ‘Patronize Your Local Merchants’ along the top of the blank space, so they could list their items there and hand the entire handbill to the customer. “My advertising was running pretty high for the business I was doing, so I installed an answering service, decreased newspaper for the business I was doing, so I installed advertising, used radio advertising and handbills. In this manner, business increased and expenses were reduced. “I talked the radio station manager into making three calls a day, and if the person could answer the question of what was playing at the theatre that day they would receive two free tickets for the show. “I made a deal with the owner of a ferry boat that runs between Canada and Marine City into giving a boy a free ride over and back whenever he came to the show, and I gave the boy free passes to peddle my handbills in the Canadian town. The closest theatre to that town was 15 miles, and the Mariner was just across the street from the ferry dock.” Yum Yum Bedsheets, Etc., Featured by Depft. Store Manager Bill With of Fabian’s Palace, Albany, N.Y., made a tieup with Myer’s department store on “Under the Yum Yum Tree” sheets and pillow cases. The theatre spotlighted the arrangement with a sign in the outer lobby, while the store advertised it on elevators and elsewhere. The single, double and fitted sheets, as well as pillow cases, were enclosed in “Under the Yum Yum Tree” cellophane wrappers. Both the theatre and department store promotion stressed the furnishings were sold on the fourth floor from a display on a separate counter. A Home Savings Rental The Home Savings & Loan Co. of Norwalk, Ohio, has rented the Norwalk Theatre for a Christmas kiddy show on December 23. Patrons of the New Theatre in Baltimore enjoyed testing their reactions on the Thrill-O-Meter during the run of "The Thrill of It All." T. E. Schiller, general manager of JF Theatres, operator of the New, reports grosses scored WOW, although Mr. ond Mrs. Wallerstein, pictured above, registered only So-So. Other designations were Cold, lowest, and Out of This World, highest. 2 — 202 — BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: Dec. 23, 1963