Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1963)

Several layouts for drive-in reopenings are included in this pasteup of special occasion ads prepared for use by Frisina theatres in Illinois by Dale Thornhill, manager of the ffeart and Rustic drive-ins at Effingham. Thornhill reports he has found all of them to be effective. They are two and three columns wide. Fine Looking Program at Very Low Cost A sharp “homemade” program comes from J. J. Parkers Broadway Theatre in Portland, Ore. It’s a good idea when a special gimmick is in order. The copy itself, in this case on “If a Man Answers,” was printed, or it can be mimeographed, on any stock you want, one side. Also needed are fan photos of the type that is available from the distributor free, or at nominal cost, of two stars of the film being promoted. In this case the photos were of Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin, and bearing their autographs. The printed program sheets, of correct size by previous measurements, are then pasted to the fan photos in pairs to fonn a booklet, with Sandra Dee appearing on the front and Bobby Darin on the back and the printed program inside. Presto! you have an expensive looking program folder at small cost! Try it some time. Brooks LeWitt, Berlin (Conn.) Drive-In, advertised no books and no hygiene commentator would be allowed at “Love and to Be Loved”: also no one under high school age. Proven Hard-Ticket Group Sales Outline Victor J. Rosen presented a point-bypoint program at the recent Show-A-Rama VT convention in Kansas City for successful selling of group tickets for reservedseat attractions. Rosen, national director of group sales for Cinerama Theatres, said that all that had been learned about group sales since 1952 had been learned “the hard way — by dint of many mistakes and false starts.” The first three Cinerama releases to play the Warner Hollywood — one of the original three Cinerama showcases — grossed $385,000 in that house alone. This dazzling accomplishment gave the backers enough encouragement and impetus to branch out into other population centers. Rosen pointed out that new community situations, he soon discovered, called for specialized handling in order to reach the source of greatest group sales potential in each particular case. A TESTED FORMULA Finally, from years of trial and error, a few broad principles had been formulated. These, with simple modifications, can work to increase revenues even in small situations where the manager is willing to offer “reduced rates” — never “discounts” — for groups, Rosen said. He listed these principles: 1. Reach youth leaders. Golden Age groups, PTAs, educators including parochial school people, civic leaders and others influential in the community with invitations to a special preview showing. If any cannot be present, arrange a courtesy card for a later showing. 2. For business and industry groups, particularly, do not depend on letter writing. Make personal contacts. 3. For premiere performances, the entire house may be sold to an organization for 20 per cent of the net proceeds. 4. A group sales reduction of 20 per cent is given only in cases of groups containing 500 or more. Fewer than 500 receive a 15 per cent reduction. 5. Charter carriers will gladly act as agents in getting up out-of-town groups for a ten per cent commission on all ticket sales made by them. DON’T OVERLOOK MATINEES Rosen added that all too many theatremen overlook the matinee potential offered by senior citizen groups — persons who do not like to go out in the evenings, but are happy to attend an afternoon performance at a somewhat reduced rate. He also pointed out that, in recent years, the group sales plan has literally kept Broadway stageplays alive and has made longrunning hits out of many marginal plays and musicals, despite unfavorable critical reviews. Fred Souttar, in thanking Rosen, added that hard-ticket attractions are hit only slightly by bad weather conditions, newsbreaks and many other contingencies that wreck casual theatregoing. c The Evening Dispatch of Edinburgh, Scotland, had a fine personality sketch on John Wayne prior to the showing of “The Comancheros” at the New Victoria and Gaumont theatres there. H. C. Birse manages the New Vic. 4 — 48 — BOXOFTICE Showmandiser : : Mar. 25, 1963