Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

12 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, October 15, 1949 Capitol Campaign On ^Midnight Kiss^ Is One Long Kiss Just one long kiss. That seems to sum up the Capitol Theatre's campaign on "That Midnight Kiss" in New York. Let the kiss fcegin. Well, a far-reaching and effective tieup was made with the Barton Candy Shops. For three days before the opening, two pretty models in specially designed "kiss"-pattern dresses, . distributed upwards of 30,000 Barton's almond kisses (they sell for a buck-forty per pound, were supplied gratis to the Capitol) in the neighborhoods of Barton's 24 shops in the busiest sections of Manhattan, Bronx and Brooklyn. The girls wore 18-inch "kisses" at the neck reading : " 'That Midnight Kiss' Capitol Theatre, Thursday-" Posters on baskets carried "Kiss" and Capitol copy. The kisses, in special wrappers, were inserted in speciallyprinted envelopes. Barton's also placed 22x28 posters on the picture in 24 windows and interiors during its run. A third model, dressed in midnight-blue clothes with nine-inch "kiss" at throat, paraded {Contimied on Page IS) Rode a Bicycle A boy-and-girl team, dressed like Cary Grant and Ann Sheridan, rode a bicycle through downtown traffic as a stunt for "I Was a Male War Bride" at Loew's Poli, Hartford, Conn. — HFD. She's moy Steel, He's Hatfield Flint; Clans' Feud Is Lit Kenfutky War flames Samuei Goidwyn lOSMMM McCOf FARJ-E* CRANGER ' CHARu's BSCKFORO ' RAVMOND HARSEV RKIfARt) BASEHART-QC) Pf.RREAIi a//// ;;;yoi/K»ii< JOAN EVANS TABLOID-STYLE layouts, marking a new and experimental advertising approach, are being offered to key city exhibitors by the Samuel Goldwyn office and RKO Radio on "Roseanna McCoy." Shock headlines and an editorial teaser approach are features of the campaign, as noted in the ad reproduced above. HAVE A KISS. Model, dressed in specially-designed "kiss" gown, distributes almond kisses in Capitol Theatre-Barton Candy Shops tieup on MGM's "That Midnight Kiss." Upwards of 30,000 almond kisses were distributed by two models in Manhattan, Bronx and Brooklyn. Kemp^Westbrooke Win Fabian Prizes Grand prize of $700 in Faibian Theatres' 35th Anniversary Showmianship Drive was shared by George Kemp, manager of the Paramount Theatre, Staten Island, and Earl Westbrooke, Norva Theatre, Norfolk, Va. it was announced last week by S. H. Fabian and Samuel Rosen, circuit heads. Both Kemp and Westbrooke also captured $350 first prize award in their respective groups — the New York area division and the Wilmer & Vincent division, thus making $700 the total winnings for each. Second prize of $175 went to Spencer Bregoff. Palace, Staten Island, in the New York area, while William Hamborsky, Capitol, Staten Island, garnered $100 third prize money In the W & V division, second prize went to Ward Kreag, State, Altoona, Pa. ; third was won by Paul Glase, Embassy, Reading, Pa., and fourth prize by Gerry Wollaston, State, Harrisburg. Pa. First prize in the upstate New York division went to Alec Sayles, Palace, Albany ; second prize to Phil Rapp, State, Schnectady, and third to Dick Murphy, Plaza, Schnectady. Prize winners in the New Jersey district were Sal Zanca, Ritz, Garfield, and Al Buist, Rialto, Westfield. The Monroe Greenthal prize for the campaign that "did the most for the motion picture industry and Fabian Theatres" was won by Alec Sayles, while the Warner Bros, prize for the best campaign on behalf of that company's product went to Phil Rapp for his exploitation on "The Girl from Jones Beach." Columbus Bows in N. Y. With Benefit Premiere A large audience of civic officials, leaders in the social world and entertainment industry executives converged on New York's Victoria Theatre Tuesday evening for the invitational premiere of J. Arthur Rank's "Christopher Columbus," being released by Universal-International. The special performance was for the benefit of the Seamen's Church Institute of New York and preceded (Columbus Day openings in more than 160 cities and towns from coast to coast. Fredric March, Florence Eldridge, Francis Sullivan and David Cole of the film's cast were on hand for the invitational opening. Gould Is Durwood Theatre-of -Month Winner for July Arnold Gould, veteran manager of the Durwood Capitol in Jefferson City, Mo., emerged as the winner of the circuit's Theatre-of-theMonth award for July. While he played powerful product during the month, Gould put through what he terms a program of "conservative campaigns." The essence of his strategy is to give consistent ballyhoo to all pictures, rather than a huge build-up for one and a sliding off on another. This method is a builder of steady patronage, he claims, and it paid off for him in July when he was top man over quota two weeks and in second place two other weeks. There is also a good bit of ingenuity tied-up in his campaign, as illustrated by his work on "Mr. Belvedere Goes to College." Making up some of his own art work, Gould had a special display of llxl4s for lobby use, as well as a full-length cut-out of Belvedere in raccoon coat and with the typical caustic remark. Taking a cue from the college theme of the picture, Gould tied in with a copy 'of Life, which just previously had featured a story of girls' colleges versus co-educational schools, highlighted by a cover picture of Miss Jane Stone, Jefferson City co-ed at the University of Missouri and later "Miss Missouri" in the Atlantic City Beauty Pageant. Gould had a special display of the article and embellished it with other items of interest about Miss Stone. The whole thing was one of the season's most unusual tieups and gathered attention of unusual magnitude. The award to Gould was announced by Stan Durwood, circuit general manager, in the recent issue of the circuit house organ. Circuit Chatter. Red Jeep Ballyhoo For 'Come to Stable' A stunt that got much out-of-town attention for the showing of "Come to the Stable" at Schine's Rialto, Glens Falls, N. Y., was a new red jeep that Manager George Puch promoted from a local garage and which covered nearby resorts and towns. Banner stated the jeep was the same kind as that driven by Loretta Young in the film. GOOD ANY TIME. Assistant Manager Alton McHan of Loew's Colonial, Reading, Pa., used the jigsaw puzzle stunt to exploit MGM's "Any Number Can Play." Stunt attracted crowds on busy comers as girl assembled pieces to form one-sheet. This idea is good any time, but don't use it too frequently, or you will rob it of its effectiveness.