Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1939)

Page 38 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW May 6, 1939 Suggestions For That Anniversary Celebration STR Provides Pointers For Observing Birthday In Fitting, Proper Style SERVICE to its readers is something about wliich STR seldom "toots its horn." We believe requests for lielps on explouauon anu theatre operation from exhibitors who make this magazine their weekly guide to better showmanship deserve as much consideration and help as it is within our power to give. We never think of boasting about this. We simply take it as part of our service to the exhibitor who reads STR. An example is contained m the fact that recently an exhibitor (one of many) wrote us seeking some ideas for a "Better Than Ever" Anniversary Week. In our reply to him, we stated that although our tips and suggestions might not be the very latest, still they were tried and proven exploitation ideas. From then on our suggestions went as follows : PromoHonal Tieups "Promotional!}', you might get several merchants to tie up with you whereby housewives vie with each other in the baking of an anniversary cake, the final judging to take place on the mezzanine or in the foyer of your theatre. A requirement would be that contestants must purchase their ingredients from the participating merchants and must also submit recipes with the cakes. Merchants could furnish tie-up windows and cooperative newspaper ads. Furthermore, extra publicity space certainly should be forthcoming from the newspaper. "In keeping with the anniversary spirit, congratulatory cards with free guest tickets could be sent to couples celebrating wedding anniversaries, birthdays, graduates, new babies, etc. You'll have to keep in touch with the newspaper's society editor for this data. Local merchants might, through newspaper ads, offer gifts to those celebrating anniversaries the same week as yours. "You may be able to get the newspaper's advertising manager to help you in rounding up merchants for a full-page congratulatory ad, the merchants to be credited at the bottom of the ad. Similarly, the same stunt might be worked for your house organ, provided ^-ou issue one. Don't Forget a Parade "As you know, parades attract a lot of attention. Planning one, of course, entails a lot of hard work; but when it's over you really feel you've done something worthwhile. It is imperative that you get the high school band, or some other band, to lead the parade along with a motorcycle police escort. A group of prettily costumed girls could carry banners featuring the attractions to be played during anniversary week. Or one line of girls could carry the letters making up the word 'better,' another line the letters making up 'than,' another line the letters making up the word 'ever,' and the last line carrying a large banner reading 'Anniversary Week, Blank Theatre, date, etc' Automobiles might be promoted from auto agencies to be bannered for use in the parade. Floats are always attractive if you have the means of devising and decorating them. Merchants might want to be represented in the procession. "In the window of every merchant in town there should be cards calling attention not only to your anniversary, but also to their years of service to the public. "You will run a trailer in advance, of course. TWI1\S and N Aptil 28th, one year ago, we were blessed with the biiih oi Iwin boys. At the same time, I puichased two theatres, the twin "R's. " Rivoli Theatre, Rutherford, New Jersey and the Regent Theatre, Kedrny, New Jersey • 1 have tried lo give the very best in entertainment and service. As a result, more people have attended the Rivoli Theatre during the past year than any other individual year of the previous ten. • Every employee shares in the net results of the theatre plus their regular salaries. You can cnioy a cup of Martinson's coffee served with cookies grabs every evening by a congenial hostess at our coffee bar (a RivoU innovation!) Also tree cigarettes in our smoking rooms. You can park your car in our special parking lot. • All the biggest and best pictures produced are shown at the Rivoli, where you will always see bigger and belter shows. • The Rivoti Theatre is under ovmership management • It is your privilege lo patrontze the Rivoli Theatre, Butherford, and our pleasure to entertain you. Sincerely, ^ "iiSlzl ' MICKEV ROONEY • "HOCKtEBERRV FINN" Th.a MAY 2 KliO ■ *FOUR GIRLS IN WHITE" . fiootwci RICE ^' may"?^ Ooanna DURBIN • "THREE SMART GIRLS GROW UP" rj.ru MAY 9 Also • J«kl. COOMI • "SPIRIT OF CULVER" • lr»«lle Irene DUNN inyE AFFAIR" • Charles BOYER Twins Anniversary Keynote //, like Maurie Stahl, ozvner of the Rivoti, Rutherford, N. J., and the Regent, Kearny, N. J., you had acquired two theatres, the ■tivin "R's", and at the same time had been blessed zuith tzv-ins, you'd make twins the keynote of your anniversary celebration, zvouldn't you? Well, that's zvhat Maurie did, zt'ith the aid of George Patterson, manager of the Riz'oli. You may not have tzvins, but if you have an anniversary coming up along zvith some fine 2-feature shozvs, zvclt — there are your tzvins. on which your celebration and the attractions to be played will be featured. An advance lobby display could consist of a cut-out 'birthday cake', with cards and stills featuring the week's attractions. During the week of the celebration, it would be a good idea to have a large 'birthday cake' either in the center, front of the marquee, or at each end. Cut-out letters could be placed over the 'cake', and the flame on each candle could be simulated witli a candle-flame electric light bulb. By using the air-brush method, your artist could make the birthday cake the background motif for all your displays." These suggestions, we admit, only begin to touch the surface. But we believe they serve to get the man to whom they were directed started on the right track. If there are any problems puzzling you, too, why not write us? We don't claim to be infallible or "the last word", but we'll give you as good a group of suggestions as possible, based on actual experience with theatre exploitation. City-Wide Celebration To offset the customary Holy Week slump, plans for a city-wide celebration of the first anniversary of Schine's Vernon Theatre in Mt. Vernon, Ohio, were drafted by Manager Jim Piatt. The affair was one of the most comprehensive in the city's history, and the week's program was "loaded" with special events, give-aways and merchant tieups. Fox Midwest Theatres has made a number of managerial changes. Announced by ELMER RHODEN, district manager they are as follows: STANLEY CHAMBERS has resigned as manager of the Tower; MORRILL MOORE has been appointed manager of the Apollo and Isis in Kansas City, replacing FRANK RITTER who took CHAMBERS' place at the Tower; MOORE, who piloted the Warwick, is replaced by GLEN CARROLL who left the Rockhill; his place is taken by RALPH WALLACE of the Vista who is in turn replaced by OWEN HITCHLER; CHARLES BARNES takes HITCHLER'S spot coming from the Linwood; BARNES' former post at the Uptown is filled by HENRY ROSICK who was assistant manager of the Tower. PAUL REINKE of the Brookside and DAVE HAVELONE of the Madrid exchanged places. S. H. MEINHOLD of Loew's New York Theatres announces a number of transfers and promotions: WALTER MOCK, formerly assistant manager of the Kameo in Brooklyn, has been promoted to manager of the Canal; he replaces MARTIN WALDMAN who moves to the Burland where he succeeds EDWARD CRAWFORD who has been appointed manager of the new Olympia; JOHN O'CONNOR, assistant at the Astoria, takes MOCK'S post at the Kameo; he is succeeded by PAUL SWATER, who was chief usher at the Prospect. GEORGE KIRBY, manager of the Elsmere and BEN NEWMAN, manager of the Rio, have exchanged posts. Following closeh^ in the wake of managerial changes in Columbus, RKO also announces changes among the junior executives there. LAWRENCE D. CAPLANA has been made assistant manager of the Palace, replacing LYLE C. GANN. The latter left to join Fox-Midwest in Kansas City. NOEL BAKER, treasurer at the Palace, was promoted to CAPLANA'S place as assistant at the Grand. BAKER was replaced by JOHN R. FRY, who was treasurer of the Majestic. The latter post is filled by WALTER SHOTT, Jr. ROBERT E. ARMSTRONG has been named director of advertising and publicit}' for the Chakeres Warner Circuit in Springfield, O. He was formerly with Jensen-Von Herlierg in Seattle in the same capacity. "Young in Heart" Gets Plug Via Dog Show Staged by Scanlon Perhaps it has been used in a theatre before, and perhaps it has not. That makes little difference to Manager John J. Scanlon, of the Warner Theatre, Torrington, Conn., because his Dog Shew staged in connection with the engagement of "The Young in Heart" was a big success. The canine attraction was held at the theatre, with Mayor William A. Patten present to present a silver trophy to the winner. About 57 dogs were entered in the competition, and patrons came for miles around to see the judging. The newspapers cooperated by publishing stories, along with scene cuts, about a week in advance of the event and continuing the publicity until after the winning canine had been announced. Because of the enthusiastic reception, Scanlon plans to hold a Dog Show annually. To exhibitors who haven't yet tried this stunt, we think they should take stock in the success of Scanlon's achievement.