Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1962)

Passes to See 'Liberty' for Sketches! A "quick-draw" contest arranged for "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" by Arnold Gates, manager of Loew's Stillman Theatre in Cleveland, is easily adaptable in any situation. The street stunt was operated by an attractive model in western costume, who fired a blank-loaded gun every 20 seconds to attract the attention of passersby. Contestants were required to sketch a replica of a cowboy's pistol in the time period between the firing of the attendant's next shot. Free opening day guest tickets were presented to the winners. Buffalo Campaign for 'Jessica' Plays Up Angie, Soft-Pedals Religious Angle Several changes in the pressbook ad copy and an impressive accumulation of separate stunts summarized the campaign put on by Ben Dargush for “Jessica” at the Center Theatre in Buffalo. An outstanding publicity break was a two-page pictorial preview in the Sunday rotogravure section of the Courier-Express. 'The motion picture previews in. the Sunday picture section usually are confined to one page, but this time the “Jessica” stills were spread over two pages. FEATURE ANGIE DICKINSON Because of the high current popularity of Angie Dickinson on both screen and television, Dargush decided to feature her name as the No. 1 star in the cast and play it up in bold type. All the ads featured the provocative pose of Jessica, in decidedly revealing shorts and sweater, about to board her motor scooter. Copy like “How to get along KISS-ILY in SUNNY, SAUCY SICILY,” and “Here comes trouble — the nicer kind — she’s a honey-haired dish of djmamite — who explodes JOY ON THE SCREEN” was featured in the ads. In all ads reference was made to the fact that “Jessica” was Jean Negulesco’s enchanting successor to “Three Coins in the Fountain.” Critic comments were used in the ads with the one quoting the New York Times, “Definitely a Sight to See,” being featured. The local critics also praised the picture and these were used in all displays. “Jessica is Bright and Beguiling,” said the Buffalo Evening News and “Jessica is Entertaining,” declared the Courier-Express. Dargush was careful NOT to use any poses of Maurice Chevalier in priest’s garb in the ads, believing that if the public got the idea that there was a religious angle in the pictui-e it might not help the fact that this was a sunny, saucy story. Because the Center management thought that television was an excellent medium to sell the saucy, sexy Jessica (via the Dickinson eye-filling poses) it was decided to use an advance TV spot campaign, instead of on radio which would not get over this tantalizing message, and pictorial shots like in TV trailers. In the advance promotion there were two outstanding stunts. The first was “a business card” distributed in banks, parked cars and at the theatre by members of the staff. In the upper right hand corner of the card was, “Phone: TL 3-5131.” This was the Center number. In the center was, “JESSICA (in italics) Will Be in Town Starting Friday . . . Between the Hours of 11:00 a. m. to 12:00 p. m. (the operating time of the theatre.) ” A GOOD CARD GAG 'There were a large' number of phone calls received at the theatre from all classes of folk, especially males who wanted to make a date with Jessica. This card really developed into a good promotion gag because many who called and found out that it was the Center Theatre and not some datable young woman did not divulge this information and the phone calls came in in a steady stream. 'The “business cards” were circulated a week in advance of the opening date. Outstanding stimt No. 2 was the sending around town of a beautiful girl on the rear seat of a Vespa motor scooter the Sunday before opening. She took about 100 small black and white photos of people in various sections of the city. When the young lady snapped these photos she gave the person photographed a slip of paper setting forth the information, “Your picture has just been taken ... If it is among those to be displayed on a poster in front of the Center Theatre you will receive two guest tickets to see ‘Jessica,’ etc.” A 40x60 was placed in front of the Center on opening day with a large number of the photos. There was a crowd around the display continuously during the two-week run as people checked to see if their photo was included on the poster. A number were lucky and were presented guest tickets. FLASH FRONT BUILT The Center used a flash front in which eye-catching poses of Jessica were used and Angie Dickinson played up big over the other names in the cast. There was a mammoth advance display in the lobby two weeks in advance as well as special posters in illuminated wall frames and in all of these advance displays there was snappy art of Jessica and copy selling the picture as gay, saucy, sexy, snappy comedy, music and romance. Patron-Showman Prizes For 'Notorious Landlady' Columbia is sponsoring a dual prize patron-showman sweepstakes with more than 1,000 nationally advertised items as prizes in conjunction with the national release of “The Notorious Landlady.” The so-called “Lucky Lease Sweepstakes” will award topname prizes, including GE hair dryers and food mixers, Schick razors, Webcor record players. Black & Decker electric drills and Longine-Wittnauer watches. A special contest trailer has been prepared for local exhibitor use plus entry blanks and lobby art material heralding the drawings. In connection with the “Lucky Lease Sweepstakes,” Webcor Tape recorders will be presented for the best, most complete and imaginative contest campaigns to exhibitors throughout the country. There will be two awards in each of the following five categories : Best campaign in cities under 50,000 population; best campaign in cities with population 50,000 to 250,000; best campaign in cities of 250,000 to 500,000; best campaign in cities 500,000 to 1.000,000, and best campaign in cities with populations over 1,000,000. Campaigns may be submitted in any form, but must be documented with photographs of lobby displays, store windows and other promotional exhibits, etc. Wind Comment on Marquee Fred McElroy placed “WINDY, AIN’T IT?” on the marquee of the Plaza Theati'e in Altus, Okla., and hit a responsive chord from the whole town. Altus is situated in the high western part of the state where the wind sometimes blows without letup, sometimes reaching tornado strength. Recently, everyone was getting tired of the wind, which had blown for 11 days straight 25 miles a n hour or more when McElroy put up his marquee comment. The local 2 _90 — BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: June 4, 1962