Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1939)

PRACTICAL IDEAS BY PRACTICAL SHOWMEN SeLllna Seati^ Striking Campaigns For Revival Trio Redskins Bally "Suez" — Hollywood — Here’s how Dave Martin, manager of the Paramount, used a Navajo Indian couple to ballyhoo “Suez.” Martin borrowed the couple from a local department store and had the pair bedecked in their native costumes work in the foyer "Scotiie Dog Contest" Heavily Publicized Rochester, N. Y. — A “scottie dog contest” arranged by Lester Pollock, manager of Loew’s Rochester, with the Rochester Evening News snared plenty of newspaper space as part of the campaign on “A Christmas Carol.” Two pedigreed scotties, “Christmas Carol” and “The Holy Terror,” were awarded to the two youngsters writing the best letters on “Why Every Home Should Have a Dog?” The contest was limited to youngsters from seven to 16. In addition, there were 25 guest theatre tickets for the next best letters. The scotties who were kept in a kennel placed in the lobby, did their share in attracting a heavy holiday trade. How the New Haven Poli Is Selling Two Films New Haven — Unusually fine life-size standees appear in the Poli lobby on “Idiot’s Delight” and “Honolulu,” forthcoming M-G-M attractions. For “Honolulu” Manager Bob Russell has arranged a comer display with Eleanor Powell in a setting of palm trees, a reflector for water in the foreground, blinking cutout stars and a moon in the background. Atmospheric music is controlled from the manager’s desk. of the theatre. Two special floods borrowed from a photographer were used to illuminate the display and it attracted a great number of onlookers. It’s a very colorful way of putting to good use the Ripley Beheve-It-Or-Not angle. "PayoH Bingo" Popular As Stunt for Serial New York — A good stunt to keep the youngsters retm-ning for the duration of a serial was tried with considerable success by A1 Simon of the Inwood, Forest Hills. Simon Inaugurated “payoff bingo” for the boys and girls. He distributes numbered cards which are punched at each session. Wlien the card is turned in, the boy or girl receives a free admission. For ‘"rhe Citadel,” Simon invited pidncipals and teachers of five local schools as his guest for the opening night with a unanimous response by all, resulting in considerable goodwill. A tieup with the local Queen Medical Center was also made. Veterans and Filmack in Patriotic Reel Tieup Chicago — The Veterans of Foreign Wars headquarters in Kansas City, Mo., is sponsoring an official “Star-Spangled Banner” singing reel which is being released through Filmack Trailer Co., Chicago. Tlie special patriotic trailer, 150 feet in length, opens with a formal statement asking the audience to stand up and sing the national anthem. This is followed by a mixed chorus of voices singing the song as the words appear on the screen, enabling the audience to take part. Albany, N. Y. — A revival of “All Quiet on the Western Fi'ont” and the “Fi'ankenstein-Dracula” combination enabled Eddie Selette, of the Warner Albany here, to put on two striking campaigns. For “All Quiet,” Selette had flags of all nations over the marquee and lobby. A big display of sandbags, machine guns, rifles, bullets and shells was placed in the lobby with a boy in a German imiform on guard. Also hanging from various places in the lobby were helmets, gas masks and other military equipment. In addition, a large tractor was promoted to roam the streets with theatre copy and then parked in front of the theatre. The eerie was emphasized in the campaign on the “horror” pictures. Green bulbs were placed through the theatre, giving the house a weird appearance. Cardboard skeletons hung from the marquee and lobby. Illuminated skull masks were included. There was a lobby display of medical supplies with an operating table. A screaming record was played all day. Two dummy skeletons were placed on each side of the boxoffice and a boy dressed in a skeleton outfit paraded the streets. The entire staff dressed as internes and green flares were burned on the curb after dark. Council of Stars Aid "March of Dimes" New York — TTie “March of Dimes” portion of the President’s infantile paralysis campaign began Wednesday in all parts of the country. Suggested by Eddie Cantor, the campaign has a “Council of Stars” headed by him, which includes the following : George Jessel, Jack Benny, Deanna Durbin, Tyrone Power, Lanny Ross, Fred Allen, Joe Penner, Cecil B. DeMille, Andre Kostelanetz, Lily Pons, Jeanette MacDonald, Bob Ripley, Walter Winchell, Grade Allen, George Burns, Lawrence Tibbett, Charles Butterworth, Nelson Eddy, Jascha Heifetz, Bing Crosby, Rudy Vallee, Jack Haley, Edward G. Robinson, Gladys Swarthout. Newspaper, Theatre in Cooking School Tie Springfield, III. — ^When a newspaper cooking school became competition for M. E. Berman of the Orpheum Theatre here he persuaded the Illinois State Journal to put the cooking school into his theatre. As a result he salvaged many admissions that would have been pulled away by the state armory where the school previously had been held. 88 BOXOFFICE :: January 21, 1939