Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

SUGGESTIONS FOR SELLING T HE PICTURE AD AIDS ^}Cploltlp5 SELLING ANGLES: "Woman Chases Man" Erect a lobby display board depicting the way women have chased men since the beginning of time, using Adam and Eve and other historical figures up to Miss Hopkins and McCrea. Hold a vote to have patrons decide whether they like Miss Hopkins better as a comedienne or in serious roles. Tie up with women's shoe stores, cosmetic and beau'y parlors. Tie up on Winninger’s appeal to radio audiences as "Cap'n Henry” on the “Show Boat” program. See Exploitation Preview in Boxoffice April 17, 1937. CATCHLINES: He Was Young . . . Handsome . . . and Rich . . . But He and Cupid Weren't on Speaking Terms! She Stole His Money and His Heart . . . and Made Him Like It! He Could Keep the Wolf From His Door . . . But Cupid Walked Right in Without Knocking! SELLING ANGLES: "Cafe Metropole" Boost Loretta Young and Tyrone Power as a romantic team with strong boxoffice value. Make a Parisian background for the foyer, with scenes showing the Eiffel Tower and other landmarks. Tie up with restaurants selling French wines and foods. Use facsimiles of French 1,000 franc notes as throwaways, imprinted with picture billing. Tie up on Menjou’s reputation as a good dresser. See Exploitation Preview printed in Boxoffice March 6, 1937. CATCHLINES: He Was a Phony Prince from Princeton . . . But a Wealthy Heiress Proposed to Him Anyway! He Had to Choose Between Becoming a Bogus Prince . . . and Serving Time in a French Jail! The Great Impersonation . . . American Poses as Russian Prince . . . But Doesn’t Fool the Girl Who Loves Him! SELLING ANGLES: "Turn Off the Moon" Feature the musical numbers from the picture in all radio and band plugs. Using the astrology motif for a lobby stunt in which a man dressed as a swami hands out fake astrological charts, telling all patrons that no matter what month they were born in, they'll enjoy the picture. Play up the appearance of Kenny Baker and Phil Harris, both radio favorites, in the picture. Title tieups can be made with hardware and electric appliance stores on light bulbs. See Exploitation Preview, printed in Boxoffice April 24, 1937. CATCHLINES: He Had to Play Cupid to Another Young Couple . . . Before He Could Get Married Himself. He Studied the Stars to Learn When to Propose . . . and Muffed It on a Cloudy Night. They Spent Their Honeymoon in a Dream Cottage on the Third Floor of a Department Store. SELLING ANGLES: "You're in the Army Now" Feature the American background above the British and play up Wallace Ford and Grace Bradley, both of whom are popular with the younger fans. Raoul Walsh, who made “What Price Glory” and “The Cockeyed World,” is one of the few directors known to patrons and his name will help sell this picture. Run a contest, asking patrons to name six Walsh productions with passes for the winners. Use stills of Bradley and Lee in smart costumes to attract women. CATCHLINES: Raoul Walsh Tells the Cockeyed World About a Man With a Shady Past Who Lived and Loved in the Army! Pals in Everything — Except When a Woman Came Along. Then It Was Every Man for Himself! A Rapid-Fire Romance With a Bigger Kick Than an Army Mule! SELLING ANGLES: "They Gave Him a Gun" Tone, Tracy and George are the sock marquee names. Prepare a lobby display of World War souvenirs, and hire two men dressed as soldiers to perform "sentry duty” in front of the theatre. Invite war veterans, American Legion posts and other military organizations to a special showing. Hold a showing for civic clubs and church members, using their reactions in lobby and newspaper advertising. Sell the film as an argument for world peace. CATCHLINES: Schooled to the Power of Rifle and Bayonet . . . He Became a Gangster Gunman! He Fainted at the Sight of Blood . . . But Two Years of War Turned Him Into a Ruthless Killer! He Married the Woman Another Man Loved . . . and Killed Himself When He Found Out! SELLING ANGLES: "Hollywood Cowboy" Mount a large-sized figure of O’Brien in fighting pose atop the marquee. Capitalizing on the cowboy trick of rolling cigarettes, promote a cigarette-rolling contest through a local tobacconist. Plant stills on the cattle stampede in butcher shops. Tie up with stills showing O’Brien’s splendid physique. Make usual tieups on western pulp magazines, and use scenic stills for vacation-resort tieups. See Exploitation Preview printed in Boxoffice April 17, 1937, under title “Looking for Trouble.” CATCHLINES: The Closest He’d Ever Gotten to Rustlers . . . Was in the Movies . . . Till He Actually Rescued a Beautiful Girl! He Knew All the Camera Angles . . . and Proved Himself a He-Man When Real Rustlers Rode the Range! SELLING ANGLES: "Wings Over Honolulu" Build up lobby easel displays around the Red Book magazine story by Mildred Cram from which the picture was made. Obtain the wings of a wrecked aiiTilane to place above the marquee. Charter an airplane to fly above the city towing advertising banners. Make tieups on the various products emanating from Hawaii. Clip headlines concerning the recent navy flight to Hawaii for lobby easels. See Exploitation Preview printed in Boxoffice Feb. 20, 1937. CATCHLINES: Her Life Was His Happiness . . . Her Love Was His Spur to Ambition! She Had to Choose . . . Between Her Happiness . . . and Her Husband’s Promising Career in the Navy! A Love Story as Big as a Man’s Ambition . . . Laid in a Setting of Tropical Romance. SELLING ANGLES: “Kid Galahad" Proven draw names are Robinson, Davis and Bogart. Give them marquee credits. Capitalize on America’s interest in boxing with a sponsorship tieup with a local newspaper for a “Blank City Boxing Tournament” at the local fight arena. Present a “Kid Galahad” trophy. Tie up on fact that story appeared in the Saturday Evening Post. Tie up with sporting goods houses. Have man do “road work” behind slowly-moving car as street ballyhoo. See Exploitation Preview printed in Boxoffice Feb. 27, 1937. CATCHLINES: Down-to-the-Minute, Dangerous, Fast-Moving Drama ... of the Modern Boxing Game! He Tricked His Own Boxer ... to Save His Life . . . But He Couldn’t Go Through With It! He Double-Crossed His Own Boxer ... to Save His Sister from Unhappiness! FOR MORE SELLING IDEAS CONSULT HOLLYWOOD EXPLOITATION PREVIEWS REGULARLY IN BOXOFnCE 24 BOXOFFICE :: May 15, 1937.