Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1939)

Folks Will Want to Hear Election Returns; Why Not Let Them Do It In Your Theatre? FOR BETTER SHOW SELLING Showmanalyses Have Appeared In STR on Following Pictures Beau Geste Sept. 16 Bridal Suite June 3 Coast Guard Aug. 5 Each Dawn I Die Aug. 19 Elsa Maxwell's Hotel For Women Aug. 5 Four Feathers Aug. 5 Golden Boy Sept. 2 Goodbye Mr. Chips July 29 Honeymoon In Bali Sept. 30 In Name Only Aug. 19 Intermezzo, A Love Story Sept. 23 I Stole a Million July 29 Juarez June 10 Lady of the Tropics Aug. 12 Man About Town July 1 Man in the Iron Mask July 15 Mutiny in the Big House Sept. 30 Nurse Edith Cavell Sept. 30 Old Maid Sept. 2 On Borrowed Time July 15 Our Leading Citizen Aug. 12 Rains Came Sept. 16 Stanley and Livingstone Aug. 12 Star Maker Aug. 29 Tarzan Finds A Son June 24 They Shall Have Music Aug. 29 Three Sons This Issue Thunder Afloat Sept. 23 U-Boat 29 This Issue UnderPup Sept. 9 When Tomorrow Comes Aug. 12 Winter Carnival July 29 Wizard of Oz Aug. 29 Women, The Sept. 9 Young Mr. Lincoln June 10 Safety Campaign, Street Ballyhoo Used to Sell "Each Dawn I Die' Jerry Scholer turned on the heat for "Each Dawn I Die," when it played at his Ohio Theatre in Sandusky. Some out of the ordinary stunts included a safety campaign with banners on four local buses; cards on all buses in Sandusky; a street ballyhoo using prisoners and guard costumes. A settee was placed in front of the theatre bearing the banner, "Waiting to be the first to see . . . etc." Of course, there was someone sitting on the settee. A wrecked car was planted in a prominent location with banner bearing copy, "I Was In A Hurry To See . . . etc." One of the outstanding promotions was the planting of the employes' photo in the paper with the caption under the photo reading: "We're resting up to take care of the crowds who will come to see . . ." That campaign speaks for itself! "Umpteenth" Run Doesn't Stop This Fellow from Selling Shows Although usually playing pictures in their "umpteenth" run, Julivis Lamm, manager of the Uptown Theatre in Cleveland, Ohio, usually manages to come through with worthwhile stunts that are not just camouflage but real business getters. On "You Can't Get Away With Murder" he had an electric chair in a cell with added stills and signs pulled around for a street ballyhoo. For "Some Like It Hot" he promoted a drum outfit from Wurlitzer's for a giveaway. The music store furnished tickets, display signs and a victrola and records to play Gene Krupa's music from behind the display. For his engagement of "Tarzan Finds A Son," Manager Lamm promoted a papiermache replica of an elephant from a local department store and set it up in his lobby together with a jungle setting. AT this writing, and taking into account the fact that Thanksgiving Day has been moved ahead, we may be taking a chance in saying that Election Day comes on November 7 this year. But we'll take that chance, and feel perfectly safe, because we're sure that, as in past years, it will come on the first Tuesday after the first Monday. Elections in most communities this year will be local, with perhaps a few state elections here and there. Yet it may be truthfully said that the fate of local candidates often arouses more interest and excitement than that of those in the national scene. Votes are sometimes close, often necessitating a recount if the demand of the losing candidate is complied with. In the South, of course, where one political party rules to the extent that competition is practically extinct, there is little or none of the special interest that local elections create elsewhere. Your patrons can stay at home and listen to the returns over the radio. But if you can get them out by providing returns in your theatre, along with an entertaining screen program, then you should make every effort to do so. Ordinarily a person would remain either at home or hang around the newspaper office to get the returns; but if he can see a good show and know what's going on at the polls, the chances are that he'll go to the show. Place an announcement board in the lobby at least a week in advance advising the folk's that election returns will be available at your theatre on Election Night. Advertise it in the paper, run a trailer, and have as many tack cards printed up as are necessary. In your trailer, in all your advertising, for that matter, give the source from which you will receive your returns — the newspaper. If you haven't arranged for newspaper cooperation, there's no time like the present. You'd better plan for late shows, too. Stay open as long as returns come in and patrons continue to seek admission. Let the public know you'll run an extra show. Since yours will undoubtedly be a local election, try to get the winning candidates to appear on the stage to thank the public for voting for them. You won't know who wins until the last minute, but you can keep in touch with the situation until it is generally assured that so-and-so is the victor. Of course, where there is still doubt far into the night, as districts continue to report, the personal appearance "gag" is out. But if it's possible, you'll win good will by employing it. The old sound truck, ballyhooing not only Election Night but your attraction as well, should be placed in operation on the day preceding, and the day of, the big event. Blows Up Newspaper Page Manager William R. Roberts of the California Theatre, San Diego, blew up a fullpage, with color, of Carole Lombard in the Union-Trihune for a promotion unit for "In Name Only," in which Carole is starred. The enlargement was placed on display in the lobby of the Hotel U. S. Grant. Ballyhoo and Front Display for "All Quiet" Reissue Eddie Selette, manager of Warner Bros.' Albany Theatre, Albany, N. Y., sent us this photo of his display on "All Quiet". The picture shows the uniformed man tvho stood by the war equipment display, placarded truck and front display.