Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1962)

Shopper and Rural Papers Spread Out 'State Fair' Coverage for 40 Miles Cliff Knoll, manager of the State in Sioux Falls, S. D., relates he stai^ted his campaign for State Fair” weeks in advance with the use of a teaser trailer on the State screen. Disc jockeys were contacted about the same time to complete arrangements for playing the songs from the film record albiun every day through the run, with credits. The attractive door panels available from National Screen also were up well in advance. These panels were worked into the front for the opening and current, along with colored pennants and streamers strung from the top of the building to the canopy. The State manager went after maximum rural coverage, making up a special 3 -col. 8-in. ad with his own art work for the Shopping News fann edition nine days prior. This reached 6,000 rm'al boxholders in three South Dakota counties within 30 to 40 miles. For a similar distance east in Iowa and Minnesota, 1-col. 8-in. ads were placed in the LuVeme, Minn., and Rock Rapids, Iowa, papers which reached the subscribers the day before opening. These ads were headed; “Pack the family in the car and head for Sioux Falls for the Blue Ribbon Fun Time, etc.” “We know these ads paid us big dividends, especially on Easter Sunday, because we talked to many poeple from the covered area on that day,” Knoll comments. A week in advance, a 1x10 ad in the local paper directed readers to the 20thFox national ad in the Parade magazine that Sunday. Radio KISD ran a seven-day mincemeat recipes contest free in addition to a paid spot schedule. The KISD Neighbor to Neighbor daily program listeners were asked to phone in (while on the air) their favorite recipes. Guest tickets were given to the best ones. This was good for over an hour and three-quarters free time, and that isn’t mincemeat! Another local station had a contest aimed at teenagers, who were asked to identify a number of Pat Boone songs and the films in which they were sung. Soundtrack albums were awarded. KSOO-TV, which had a paid spot schedule, went along on a nine-day free promotion on its noon and 6 p. m. stock market telecasts. Using film plugs, camera shots of the one -sheet, the record album music and stills, the promotion asked rural viewers to send in postcards addressed to “State Fair Contest, KSOOTV, Sioux Falls, S. D.” listing name, address and the number of members of the family living at home. After the first two days, or for seven days, the program handlers drew two cards a day on the 6 p. m. segment, and sent these families guest tickets to “State Fair” This emphasized the good family entertainment angle. Knoll reports cards came from all over the area and the station asked for another similar tiein. Two Red Owl markets used an ad tiein, “You Can’t Beat the Fun at State Fair . . . And You Can’t Beat the Values at the Red Owl.” Also advertised was a guest ticket to the film with the purchase of each five -pound canned ham. Ads were placed in the local high school paper just prior to opening. Sioux City has a downtown piped music system. KnoU got the operators to play the “State Fair” music soundtrack album through this 32-speaker network from 8 a. m. to 9 p. m. on the opening and second day. 'The music is heard by everybody on the streets of Sioux Falls. The local Marine Corps office parked its mobile recruiting office, a red, white and blue trailer, outside the Strand Theatre in Wichita Falls, Tex., during the showing of "The Outsider," the film story of Marine Ira Hayes raising the flag on Iwo Jima. They carried posters on the film. Here Angelia Smith, Miss Wichita Falls Area Marine, chats with Sgt. Johnny McDonald during a stop at the mobile office at the Strand. This was good for a three-column photo in the Wichita Falls Times. Manager Fred McHam reports the recruiting trailer played records over its PA system, making a pitch for the film after each one. Also 500 pictures of the Iwo Jima flag-raising were given away. Corpse and Maggots At 'Burial' Preview! It was quite an audience stunt Joel Poss, manager of Loew’s 170th Street Theatre in Miami, Fla., and Spence Steinhurst, publicist for AIP, put over for “The Premature Burial.” At a midnight preview, there was a coffin on the stage and in it a stooge. The lid rose and out scampered the “corpse” who strolled through the audience. Sitting dead center was a girl supposed to be his wife and the “corpse” dragged her into the coffin. About the time on the screen that Ray Milland found maggots in his poison drink and shuddered, there was a shower of rubber bands falling on the audience. It caused quite a furor! Family Safari for 'Hotorir As part of Paramount’s national promotion campaign heralding the Jime release of “Hatari!” John Wajme, star of the African adventure film, invited press, celebrities and their children to a “family safari” on Saturday (12) at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. The invitational preview featured a lobby zoo which included a baby elephant and Sonya, the cheetah appearing in the film. The latter, flown from Tanganyika, was given to the San Diego zoo. Popcorn, lollipops and balloons were given to kids and parents. Supermarket Night at Airer The Moonlite, Smithfield, Mass., has a supermarket tieup, designating Wednesday as Thorofare Nite. The Uniontown and Connellsville stores give a free ticket with each $5 purchase. On opening and second day of "State Fair" at the State Theatre in Sioux Falls, S. D., Manager Cliff Knoll hod the Midwest Promenaders square-dance out front between 7 and 9 p. m. Two police officers and two squad cars kept the area clear of traffic. The youngsters put on an excellent show. TV newscasts carried information on the event for the two days. 4 — 92 — BOXOFFICE Showmandiser June 4. 1962 i n. he al ing li