Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1945)

Quotes , Blowup Make a Front GOOD REVIEW USE — Ted Trust, advertising and publicity director of the Brooklyn Strand, decided to base his front display on reviews and reports it was effective. The same idea could be adapted for lobby use during the brownout and if the backgrounds are light the reflection might help illuminate under the marquee. ■mwxl limy,* Mate® ‘ BIG LIBRARY DISPLAY — Columbia’s educational display on “A Song to Remember,” based on the life of Chopin, was given plenty of space in the New York Public Library on Fifth Ave. and was considered so valuable it was held after the run of the picture at the Radio City Music Hall. FLASH FRONT— Lester Stepner, manager of the JL&S La Salle Theatre, Chicago, startled the loop with this flash front put up for “Gow,” the World Wide release which got good notices in the press and considerable attention from the public. ' SB stM' WAVES Run Theatre To Exploit the Film BOSTON — Ben Rosenberg, manager of the Metropolitan at Boston, received considerable newspaper publicity on a stunt he devised for the opening day of “Here Come the WAVES.” Rosenberg made arrangements with the commanding officer of a WAVES unit to completely staff his theatre with comely members of that naval organization. Rosenberg himself was even displaced for the day as manager by a WAVE and other WAVES acted as cashiers, ticket sellers and “doormen.” 'To Have" Campaign Gets Month-in-Advance Start MILWAUKEE — An intensive campaign was put on by the Riverside in connection with the engagement of Warners’ “To Have and Have Not.” Promotional activity was begun a month before the midwest premiere of the film. A huge lobby display was set up at the end of December, featuring a 40x60 colored blowup of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. On January 16, a special screening was conducted for editors of all high school, suburban and general newspapers. Two weeks in advance a one-card trailer ran on the screens of eight Warner houses and four Standard neighborhood houses. The trailer was also shown during the engagement with the first card changed to read “Now Playing Riverside Theatre.” Teaser trailers ran three weeks in advance of playdate. A large banner with a colored blowup of Bogart on one side and Bacall on the other was placed in front, while on both sides of the boxoffice there were 36x72-inch colored blowups, one of Bogart and one of Bacall, in frame. The marquee during the engagement sold the stars in 36-inch letters. Red King Aims a "Victory" Window at Hub Youths A window aimed directly at the ambition of most modern youngsters to get into the air force when they grow up was devised by Red King, publicity director for the Keith Memorial Theatre, Boston, as part of his campaign on “Winged Victory.” The window, one of three spotted by R. H. White & Co., contained a large American flag and various aeronautical devices such as air speed indicators and relays from American planes. Model airplanes were suspended strategically around the window and a large back board contained silhouette drawings of all allied and enemy aircraft. Numerous heralds and stills called the attention of Boston youth to the coming opening of the picture at the theatre. Department Store Uses Photo Mat on "Away" WILKES-BARRE, PA. — Manager Bill Walsh of the Comerford here put across a tiein with Pomeroy’s, a department store, for “Since You Went Away.” On the opening day of the film a 60-inch Pomeroy ad was used in the morning paper. In it was a photo of the entire cast of the film shown seated at a table. Beneath was this in bold print: “We Are Buying Bonds Regularly Since You Went Away. Won’t You, Mr. and Mrs. Luzerne County Join Us? . . . And Those Who Went Away Will Be Coming Home Sooner.” 2 BOXOFFICE Showmandiser : Feb. 17, 1945