Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1941)

Practical Ideas by Practical Showmen On Merchandising the Motion Picture JSEIUI1G SEATS * Front Page News Leads Selling Late Shows : To Classified Page Ad Chicago — Some of the measures John P. Field, manager of the Ogden Theatre, took to popularize late Saturday night shows: 1. One card trailer on the screen. 2. “A” board on sidewalk, morning, afternoon and night. 3. Two special cards at the side windows of the boxoffice with late Saturday night copy on same. 4. Front page of two-week program. (Program paid for by merchants’ ads). 5. Stencil on sidewalk “Late show every ■ V Saturday night at the Ogden.” 6. Writeup in the neighborhood paper. 7. Bottom of available billboards and the back wall of the theatre bore “late show” copy. 8. Ushers to tell as many friends in the neighborhood as possible (at least 10 each) . 9. New Year’s Eve high top hat in loud colors, with sign in front of same: “Late Show Saturday Night.” Baltimore — Swift to capitalize on current events is the management of the Times Theatre. Close on the heels of Senator Wheeler’s diatribe against the industry as leaning to war mongering, came the following ad in the classified section of the Baltimore Sun. Filling one column, eight inches, it read: “A Free Screen ! An open letter to Senator Wheeler. Your charge of propaganda in films is very unfair. Your statement that the picture companies are attempting ‘to incite the American people to the point where they will become involved in the war’ is unfounded. Your threat of censorship legislation is uncalled for.” Then this in large letters: “ ‘Phantom Submarine’ with Anita Louise and Bruce Bennett is a Columbia film in the interest of national defense.” And continuing: “It is a tense, dramatic story of America’s defenses threatened by a secret submarine base! 'Phantom Submarine,’ the second big defense picture, follows in the footsteps of ‘Flight Command.’ Certainly ‘Phantom Submarine’ whoops it up for Uncle Sam . . . and we’re proud of it. We leave the verdict to defense-minded Baltimoreans.” Playdate copy and sig cut concluded the ad. Show Your Leading Grocer — The above window display was arranged by Dee Fuller, Circle Theatre manager in Oklahoma City, in a nearby chain store. Built around the Ginger tieup, it is a natural where a Ginger Rogers picture shows. Ten passes were given to the store patrons who guessed nearest to how many ginger snaps were in the jar. It both sold the picture, in this case, “Lucky Partners,” for the Circle, and the cookies for the store. Weekly Newspaper Sells Shows for Two Theatres Levelland, Tex. — The Rose and Wallace theatres here issue a weekly newspaper called The Reminder, 11x18 inches in size that is distributed house to house or mailed if a patron leaves his name and address at the theatre. The paper, which is of a different color each week, is planographed, a process of printing which permits the use of an abundance of cuts without being too costly. A week’s product is listed on the paper which is printed on both sides. Special show information, quotations and jokes fill out the paper and are prepared on typewriter. Generally each issue carries a name or two of a regular patron somewhere in its text, and bringing the copy with one’s name thereon entitles to a free admission. Good for newspaper stories and pictures is the donation to the public library of several copies of a book from which a picture has been made. (< • 0 "The Letter" By Card Baxley, Ga. — A variation upon the letter used in some instances to advertise "The Letter" made a clever mailing piece for the Roxy Theatre here. On a 3x5 card was written by hand the message: "Robert will be away for the night. I absolutely must see you. I shall expect you at eleven. I am desperate— and if I don't see you I won't be responsible for the consequences. Bette." In the upper right hand corner, in quite small type, and printed upside down to the message itself was a box, saying: "What were the consequences? Learn and see Bette Davis at her best in ’The Letter.' Roxy Theatre, Baxley, Ga., January 27-28." W J Full Page Coop Ad for "Land of Liberty" Winchester, Ind. — A full-page cooperative ad, and the contribution by the newspaper of 25 per cent of the proceeds from the ad itself was promoted by Fred C. Doughty, manager of the Lyric Theatre here, for “Land of Liberty.” The bulk of the ad was devoted to selling the picture and the cooperating merchants took signature spots thereon. A front page story called attention to the fact that the distributor was turning over all proceeds from the picture to war relief agencies. SgJbv GETTING A SIGNED * rm0 RECEIPT IS A * STANDING RULE OF e ^ Tostal ^ Telegraph CHARGES FOR TELEGRAMS ’PHONED IN APPEAR ON YOUR TELEPHONE BILL. BOXOFFICE :: February 8, 1941 79