Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

18 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, »4ovemter 19, 194^ INCENTIVES SPUR CELEBRATION. More than 100 Florida theatres actively participated in a state-wide celebration of the 35th Anniversary of Florida State Theatres with localized results in concentrated interest surrounding motion pictures and theatre-going. The Anniversary campaign, carried on during a period of six weeks, paid honor to General Manager Jesse L. Clark. To make the event individually interesting and competitive among the district managers, advertising men and assistant managers, there were enthusiasm-arousing awards, including a new Chevrolet, television set, Pan-American Carribbean tour for two, tickets and hotel accommodations in Miami for the New Year's Orange Bowl game? etc. The sky was the limit as far as invention of activities for special shows and local publicity were concerned, and the Florida State showmen turned on the steam to produce a tremendous amount of publicity — the kind that sold tickets. In photos at left, reading from top down, high school students hold pep rally on stage; a fashion show drew crowds to the Howell Theatre, Palatka; a burlesque "beauty" contest drew entries of prominent New Smyrna Beach citizens, here seen with Mayor Huffaker, who awarded the crown. Right, top, Jesse Clark, Wanda Hendrix — who visited her home town of Jacksonville — and Leon Netter, vice-president of Florida State Theatres. Lower right, the GM registers iustifiable pride in the results as he surveys "laterial sent in by the various theatres, as Advertising and Publicity Director Pettengill, and Publicity Staffer Helen Tracy, look on. ^Big WheeF Spins Goodwill Campaign A wave of goodwill for United Artists' "The Big Wheel" is being rolled up through the long and hard punching of Jack Deinpsey who, with Sam Stiefel and Harry Popkin, produced the picture. The activity is being seconded by LTA exploitation men in the field. Following its world premiere in Indianapolis on Nov. 10, the picture was due for additional openings in Cincinnati, Detroit, Dayton, Akron, Toledo and Cleveland. Capitalizing on the popularity of the former heavyweight king, UA field men lined up press and radio coverage for Dempsey in every town, and followed through with major tieups. Giant Parade In Detroit, the UA exploitation man arranged with Oldsmobile for a giant parade of cars with banners to greet Dempsey. Also highly successful was a theatre contest in which the public was invited to elect "Big Wheels" from every field of endeavor. In Dayton, the Agonis club feted Dempsey at a special luncheon which was given full advance and post-event newspaper and radio coverage. Here, too, Oldsmobile provided -an attention-getting motorcade which toured the main thoroughfare with banner greetings to Dempsey and "The Big Wheel." In Akron, the UA exploitation man lined up the Junior Chamber of Commerce to host Dempsey. Another stunt with a guaranteed pay-of¥ had Dempsey present "Big Wheel" emblems to "Big Wheel" Akron Beacon-J onrnal Nnvs carriers. In Cincinnati, the UA exploitation representative set up the Cincinnati Post for a Police Athletic League-Big Wheel promotion, climaxed by Dempsey's appearance. The Post also obtained approval from the Scripps-Howard home office to incorporate a special comic-strip drawing and dialogue mentioning Dempsey in Philadelphia, watching" the main character in the strip training for a fight. 'Time, Money, Well Spent' "If you see 'Lost Boundaries' this week at the Pontiac Theatre, it will be time and money well spent. This is a voluntary, unsolicited plug by your pastor," said the Rev. Norman M. Moss, pastor of the First Methodist Church in Saranac Lake, N. Y., in his Sunday program. .A nice bit of publicity for the picture. THE NSW PHESS BOOKS "It's a Movie 'Must' !" headlines many of the ads in MGM's press book on "Intruder in the Dust." Attention is also directed to the "flaming book" (by William Faulkner) from which the pictiire was adapted, and to "the story of a Negro accused of murder in the Deep South." Also highlighted in many of the layouts is the line, "It's sensational !" The figure of man with a gun silhouetted against the sky dominates the posters, with the title, in most cases, emerging in fiery letters. The "kiss" idea is extensively utilized in the press book exploitation suggestions for United Artists' "A Kiss for Corliss." There's a whole page of ideas on how to "sell it with a 'kiss'." General theme of the ads is that "Corliss could do no wrong . . . but, brother, how she tried !" Shirley Temple and David Niven are featured in the layouts. * * * With the title a natural on which to peg such promotion, "doll" and "music" selling suggestions are plentiful in the exploitation pages of the press book on 20th-Fox's "Oh, You Beautiful Doll." And that line, "Oh, What a Great Big Doll of a Musical" is prominent in the ad layouts, most of which show June Haver (or both Haver and Mark Stevens) in dancing poses. There's a head of S. Z. Sakall in many of the ads. A page is devoted to a tieup with Muzak, which services music to many accounts throughout the U. S. . . 7 7 Cities to Follow N. Y. 'Deadline' Contest Idea Thirteen more Hearst newspapers in 11 cities will follow the novel "reporter contest" used by the New York Journal American as a promotion stunt in connection with Paramount for "Chicago Deadline" in which bonuses were offered readers who supplied that newspaper with new tips and photos for publication. The'stunt in New York brought so many news tips that the promotion is being extended to other cities in which Hearst has newspapers. In New York a typewriter a day was awarded tipsters for seven days with an automobile a grand prize for the week's top entry. Newspapers and cities which will aid in promoting "Chicago Deadline" with the "reporter contest" are : the San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Call-Bulletin, Albany TinKs-Union, Boston RecordAmerican, Detroit Times, San .\ntonio Light, Baltimore News Post, Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, Los Angeles Examiner, Los Angeles Herald-Express, Oakland Post | Enquirer, Seattle Post Intelligencer, and Mil i waukee Sentinel. Mitchell Gum Stunt Scores in Massilon It was a swell stunt, and other showmen should take it up to advertise that next comedy or suspense picture. So read on : When "Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer" played at the Weslin Theatre, Massilon, Ohio, Manager Jack Mitchell promoted 2,000 sticks of Beech-Nut chewing gum which he distributed the day before playdate. To each stick of gum was attached a slip of paper with this copy : "Don't chew your nails when you see 'Abbott & 'Costello Meet the Killer" at the Weslin Sunday — chew BeechNut."