Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

PRACTICALIDEAS BY PRACTICAL SHOWMEN tp" mi i*»” Radio Buildup for Major Bowes' Show Omaha — Slickest, most ambitious and most expensive piece of exploitation ever attempted here — that of establishing telephone girls and tabulators on the Orpheum Theatre stage during the Major Bowes’ broadcast — has left Tri-States officials still uncertain as to just how successful the promotion was. The exploitation was a buildup for the Bowes All-Girl revue opening the following day. The program was brought in from KFAB by remote and broadcast over the theatre’s own loudspeaker system. During the program the local vote was received and tabulated before the audience. Idea May Spread Manager William Miskell of the Orpheum evolved the idea, which was so original it may revolutionize presentation of Major Bowes’ radio programs and stage shows throughout the country as soon as the procedure can be smoothed out. During the broadcast the regular program was suspended. Then later a new picture was run in as a preview, with one old picture being held over. In all 125 persons were employed tabulating the votes, which were received over a battery of 90 phones. Cost Theatres $500 Total cost of the exploitation was $2,300, with the radio program bearing $1,800 of the expense which is the usual weekly outlay for installation of telephones in the week’s honor city. TriStates spent $500, most of which was represented by overtime for stage crews. One significant feature was pointed out by Exploiteer Ted Emerson of Tri-States, who predicted that success of such undertakings may point the way for theatres to take advantage of radio programs for audience appeal instead of losing by popularity of film stars appearing on the air. DOUBLES CONTESTS SELL JANET GAYNOR Rochester, N. Y. — A search for Janet Gaynor doubles with screen tests on color film as the prizes highlighted Manager Lester Pollock’s campaign on “A Star Is Born” for Loew’s Rochester Theatre. The Eastman Kodak Co. of Rochester cooperated with the leading daily newspaper in offering three Kodachrome screen rests to winners and the theatre ran a special trailer plugging the stunt a week in advance. A 16mm. film in color made of the winners was run off on a small screen in the lobby three times daily for a week prior to the picture’s opening. The same paper featured a stunt staged by a leading department store which announced that it would show how “a star is born.” The stunt consisted of transforming a girl into a “movie star” by giving her the proper coiffure, clothes and makeup. The stunt created plenty of interest. At a dozen spots around town word-ofmouth was created by such displays as cement moulds carrying faked impressions of Gaynor’s and Fredric March’s hands and feet a la Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. In some instances the stunt was given a contest twist by inviting people to match their footprints with the stars’ and win passes. In front of the theatre a large compo board telescope was placed on a tripod with an usher dressed as an astrologer to manipulate it. Passersby were invited to take a peek and see how “A Star Is Born.” What they actually saw were production stills and catchline plugs. Money Salesman Clicks Cleveland — For the showing of Metro’s Laurel-Hardy feature, “Way Out West,” a man dressed in true “movie western” style paraded Euclid Ave. during the traffic peak selling $5 bills for $4.95. To make the deal, the buyer had to have the $4.95 in exact change. The man was swamped by applications for the jitney profit. NUGGETS jyjANAGER H. H. Maloney of Poll’s Palace, Worcester, Mass., has received a letter from the superintendent of the local trolley company complimenting Doorman Loftus on his cooperation when a trolley mishap occurred in front of the theatre. The superintendent was in the theatre and the doorman located him. It’s little things like that that build goodwill for a theatre. • Arthur Mayer’s Rialto at Broadway and 42nd St., New York, put over the idea of FN’s “Mountain Justice’’ with a display above the boxoffice of hillbilly rifles and grim-looking whips. The Broadway crowds got the inference. Manager Rodney D. Toups of the State, New Orleans, had a phoney “drunk” on the streets as a ballyhoo for M-G-M’s “Good Old Soak.” • A unique ballyhoo for UA’s “Woman Chases Man’’ was the stunt arranged in Baltimore by Lou Brown, Loew exploiteer. He had University of Maryland co-eds chase the most popular man on the campus. Loew’s State, Houston, has promoted a lobby full of ultra smart furniture to carry out the summery atmosphere of that theatre. • When it comes to promoting. Manager George N. Hunt jr. of Loew’s in Louisville takes a front seat. He promoted 4,000 sample packages of a popular brand of cigarette for distribution to patrons in conjunction with Republic’s “Hit Parade” campaign. • An old stunt that is always good when appropriate is a dance contest. Such as the “Sweetheart Waltz Contest” on M-G-M’s “Maytime” promoted by Ernest Van Pelt, M-G-M representative, in conjunction with the Fox Oakland Theatre, Oakland, Calif. Prelims were held on Thursday nights, with cash prizes and tickets awarded at each preliminary. A grand prize was given at the finale. A clever publicity stunt for Paramount’s “Woman Chases Man” at Loew’s Capitol in Washington, D. C., was the news cameraing of a bevy of pretty University of Maryland coeds, said to be inspired by the film, chasing Bill Guckeyson, football and track star of the college. Stunt commanded a four-column group of three pictures in the Daily News, local Scripps-Howard paper. 68 BOXOFTICE May 29, 1937.