Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1934)

70 MOTION PICTURE HERALD November I 0, I 934 Sanson Clicks With Lobby And Dance Gag on "Divorcee" "Gay Divorcee" has been receiving a lot of smart treatment up New England way, most recently reported being Manager Jack Sanson's campaign for the date at the Roger Sherman in New Haven. Outstanding was Jack's lobby treatment in advance in which the walls above exit doors and sides (see photo) carried a series of posters and cutouts that did an excellent job of selling the attraction. Put on for splendid results was the dancing stunt wherein costumed couple danced the "Continental" to musical accompaniment in window of leading department store. Uniformed usher displayed cards with titles of the song hits and official time of screenings at the theatre. Traffic was reported to have been effectively stopped in front of the store, policemen being needed to keep crowds in order. Work For a Quigley Award! Maloney Effects Tieups For "Transatlantic" H. H. Maloney, Loew's State, Providence, R. I., tied in with General Foods for giveaway of Jello and window streamers plugging "Transatlantic Merry-Go-Round" (see photo). Market distributed circulars in basket deliveries and another tieup was made with a baker for special banners on delivery trucks reading, "Two best bets — -'Transatlantic' and 'Blank Bread.' " Luggage shops carried window displays with scene stills and cards with copy, "We can match any piece of luggage that you see in, etc., etc." Work For a Quigley Award! Leading Vancouver Store Sponsors "Mrs. Wiggs" Contest Featured in Manager M. S. Joiner's Vancouver, B. C, campaign on "Mrs. Wiggs" was a tieup with the Hudson Bay Co. which sponsored a newspaper essay contest for girls under 16. Complete outfit of coat, hat, blouse, skirt, sweater and shoes were given as first prize for essay of not more than 100 words best describing a "Mrs. Wiggs" window display at the store. Rules included that essays must be in entrant's own handwriting and signed by school teacher ; name, address, telephone number to be shown ; statement of school name and grade, and directions as to closing date of contest and place to deliver essays. The store took large ads to further plug idea. Work For a Quigley Award! Florist Donates Crawford Gardenias for "Chained" Manager Bob Smith, State, Los Angeles, by giving a local broadcasting floral shop a complimentary notice on trailer arranged for two window displays using two blowups of Crawford as the Gardenia Girl in "Chained." Florist also plugged over broadcast special sale of Crawford Gardenia and the gratis presentation of flowers to patrons at theatre. Entire mezzanine and foyer were decorated with plants, flowers and blooms and attractive girls presented the flowers. Jeweler tied in with display of new crystal frame with star name spelled out in chains. Department store devoted window to luggage and blow-up of Crawford. Two weeks prior glass blower made spe Satnon's Striking Lobby Posters Miiloiicy's "T raiisiitlantic' Window Giirtictte's "'Navy" Sound Truck Brei/nan's Teaser Curtain on "Belle" cial link chain and each patron was presented with teaser card and link attached. Glass blower had booth on mezzanine floor and attracted plenty of attention. In conjunction with recreation department, a special swimming match was arranged with theatre offering a Crawford cup to boys and a like cup for the girls. Flies Pirate Flag Atop Upright Sign In addition to the many various ideas put over by other managers on "Treasure Island," Francis Deering, Loew's State, Memphis, Tenn., is the first to report, so far as we know, the hoisting of a pirate's flag on his upright sign. Small tags with keys attached, which were distributed, invited all to try their luck at opening the treasure chest in lobby. Another stunt was a treasure hunt, staged in one of the parks, for all boys between the ages of eight and fourteen. Park Commissioner cooperating with Francis on this one. Work For a Quigley Award! Newspaper Subscription Tiein Worked for "Clown" Barney Gurnette, Santa Cruz Theatre, Santa Barbara, Cal. put on a contest with local newspaper offering free tickets for "Circus Clown" to those securing a month's subscription. Passes were collected at newspaper office on payment of subscription. Another tieup was made with classified ad page, Joe Brown inviting girls whose names appeared to apply at box-office for ducats. Travelling sound trucks (see photo) with 24's of "Joie" toured city and surrounding sections. Barney's water bally consisted of bannered boat plying nearby beaches. Clown on stilts with kiddies dressed in clown outfits paraded streets and wound up at theatre. Work For a Quigley Award! "Belle" Teaser Curtain For his teaser campaign on "Belle of the Nineties," E. R. Brennan, Fox Theatre, Marinette, Wis., used the "it ain't no sin" line on his curtain ten days prior (see photo). Question marks were used throughout theatre and across outer lobby, all done in flitter. Work For a Quigley Award! Free Bernnuda Trips Columbia scores with a practical and well executed press book on "The Captain Hates the Sea," of more than passing interest being the exploitation section which leads off with an exhibition contest in which showmen are invited to participate for the free prizes of round trip to Bermuda. Work For a Quigley Award! Morrison Contacts Clubs For "Barretts" Showing Thorough coverage is indicated by Mel Morrison, Strand, Dover, N. H., on "Barretts of Wimpole Street," including personal letters to clubs, drama societies, and physicians commenting on picture. Heralds were stuffed in laundry packages and passed out in house to house distribution. Bumper cards on trucks and taxis, and window tieups in drug and five and ten cent stores plugged date, personal endorsement ad also being used. Midget cards in hotels, window cards in leading stores and special one sheets on leading roads to city. For "Belle of the Nineties," Mel planted Mae Westicisms in newspaper, and ushers wore chest bands with copy, "Mae West is coming." Orchestras played West music and gave theatre credit in return for orchestrations. First five hundred attending opening matinee received photos of Mae and sound truck plied surrounding towns.