Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1931)

76 MOTION PICTURE HERALD April 11, 1931 Stollery Displays Lots Of Activity At Fox San Mateo Just to give you some idea of how the showmen of the Fox West Coast Theatres work to sell their attractions, we have obtained a copy of the publicity report sent in by Edward Stollery for a week's work on his pictures. Stollery, as a number of showmen know, handled the Fox San Mateo Theatre, San Mateo, Cal. And here's his way of handling it. The pictures he was selling at the time were, "Billy the Kid;" "Her Man;" "Life of the Party," and "Oh, Sailor Behave." To sell these films Stollery used three one sheets on all pictures, one three sheet on all pictures, two window displays on "Billy the Kid," and "Life of the Party," 10,000 programs with the week's pictures, 5,000 of which were distributed in Burling and 4,032 through the mailing list, and the rest at the theatre, signs atop the marquee plugged, "Oh Sailor Behave," newspaper ads, trailers, complete lobby displays, and publicity. The ads used by Stollery were composed of exchange mats, around which type was cleverly set. To stimulate interest in the theatre and in the ads, Stollery frequently runs tie-ups with the local newspaper and its business directory places the name of a local resident. The resident, upon identifying himself or herself is given two tickets to the theatre. Stollery also received additional publicity on a local review planned for presentation by the Elks at the theatre the following week. The house was sold out in advance for those evenings. That's all. But it's enough for one week of showselling, isn't it? Just goes to prove that the California air must have something to it to make all of the circuit's showmen turn out ace work. Let's hear from you on the subject, Ed. Every Manager Should Have -A BOOKING CALENDAR IN HIS OFFICE CONTAINS FULL LIST OF ALL HOLIDAYS ONLY A LIMITED NUMBER LEFT— SO HURRY! USE THIS ORDER — NOW MANAGERS' ROUND TABLE CLUB 1790 BROADWAY, NEW YORK Enclosed please find 50c for one 1931 Booking Calendar. Signed Theatre Address City State. Tie-Up With Railroad Gave Display In Lobby To Buehrig If you had a lobby display such as we are showing, wouldn't you expect it to command attention? That's just what happened when A. H. Buehrig, Jr., manager of Loew's Century Theatre in Baltimore, Md., used the display to help give an advance plug to "Fighting Caravans." The display depicted the advance in transportation from the time of the covered wagon right up to today's de luxe passenger airplanes. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company furnished Buehrig with a miniature of "Tom Thumb," the first American built locomotive. The company also supplied a miniature of a modern locomotive. A tieup vdth the Pennsylvania Railroad Company was productive of a miniature transcontinental plane called "The City of Columbus," (Ohio) so designated because it connects New York with California via the air route. From a local company, Buehrig obtained a miniature covered wagon and a miniature stage coach. The background of the display was very attractive and the entire display was spotted from a ceiling chandlier. The display was so attractive that the advertising manager of the Baltimore and Ohio R. R. requested a picture of the display for their monthly magazine, distributed to all B. & O. employees. In addition to the break on the photo, Buehrig also grabbed of¥ some institutional advertising for his theatre in a magazine going to 17,000 B. & O. employees in Baltimore and nearby towns. • Another great break was the placing, by Buehrig, in the lobby of the railroad's Baltimore building (holding over 5,000 persons) of a lobby card which carried the name of the picture and also stressed the point that employees of the B. & O. should not fail to see the transportation show in the lobby. Well, to make the story short, as a result of Buehrig's work the picture "Fighting Caravans" did a good business, the extra few dollars being gladly received, and this, added to the goodwill and publicity received, more than satisfied Buehrig. As who wouldn't be satisfied? How about some more very soon, "A. H.?" McKay And Wilson Featured Newsheet To Great Advantage A theatre program that makes a considerable hit with the theatre going public of Rutland, Vt., is the one turned out at the Publix Strand Theatre by T. W. — McKay, manager and J. H. Wilson, assistant. This copy that we have on hand is one used the week "Scandal Sheet" played the theatre. The showmen, deciding that the picture merited plenty of plugging, put a head on their tabloid style house organ "Scandal Sheet." The front page carried a number of stories and pictures on the film, besides a box announcing the playdates of the film. The two inner pages of the newspaper theatre organ contained ads, jokes, and local items; as well as a contest and news items from Hollywood. The last page carries intimate stories on the stars, and also ads plugging products of local merchants. The program newspaper is printed in black and white and measures 9^/^ by 12^ inches. It is well made up and printed on good stock paper. The ads pay for the printing of the sheet. We want to thank McKay and Wilson for passing this along.