Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1962)

I Tri-State Showmen Bear Down on Localizing Their Promotions Managers for Tri-State Theatres in Iowa and adjacent states ore emphasizing selling on the local level with adaptation of their advertising to the needs of each town in the circuit's fourth-quarter Appreciation drive, kicked off recently ot a conference in Des Moines, headquarters of the theatre company. A. Don Allen, general manager, conducted the meeting of the circuit, which is headed by A. H. Blank, who recently was feted by industry leaders at a 50th anniversary dinner. Shown from the left are Everett Cummings, president of Theatres, Inc., of Downey, Calif.; Joe Kinsky, Washington, D.C., real estate investor, and Kermit Carr, president of Paramount Gulf Theatres, New Orleans, who were luncheon guests at the meeting. Others in the picture, all Tri-Staters, are Dave Alexander, Bob Dudley, Harold Lyon, Willis Ford, Gus Campagna, Jerry Jones, L. McKechneay, Bill Hover, Don Knight (assistant general manager). Bill Towey, Dick Langridge, George Catanzano, general manager Allen, Carl Hoffman, Don Shane, Tony Abramovich, Don Niebaum, Horace Spencer, Roy Oldfield, Leon Doherty, and Marvin Graybeal, The drive extends through the rest of the year. All-Nighter Wins at Boxoffice, Also With Townfolk; Okay Twice a Year An all-night show that was both profitable and approved by the community mentors is reported from a small town in Oklahoma. Bob Smith, owner of the Grand Theatre in that state, says his all-nighter will work probably twice a year and its only inconvenience is the loss of sleep. Smith’s all-nighter was staged on the Friday before Labor Day and the opening of schools as a “Special All Night Back to School Show ... 11 p.m. Till Movies and Fun All Night.” Admission was $1 for adults and 50 cents for kids. Also advertised via heralds were : Hit No. 1 . . . Alert! “Operation Camel.” Wide Awake . . . Hit No. 2 “Twenty Plus Two.” Getting Sleepy? ... Hit No. 3 “Twist All Night.” Wake Up! About Time for Breakfast . . . Hit No. 4. “Madison Avenue.” Hit No. 5 . . . Did You Stick It Out? “Doctor at Sea.” The heralds also had the following: • There will be cold drinks and popcorn. • There will be hot dogs, coffee, milk and doughnuts. • There will be adult supervision. • There will be a free pass for each one who stays all night. • There will be no one permitted to go out and come back in. Note that the supervision angle was placed among the attractions of the affair without fuss. Smith reports that about 140 brave souls ) stayed all night while about 170 “chickened out.” The concession business alone was well worth the time, he says, “but I would not recommend it over twice a year. 'The population of Canton, Okla., is 1,100. Bob and his brother Charles operate the Grand. Following the all-nighter. Bob wrote a piece for the local newspaper, which appeared under the headline, “News From Grand Theatre.” After a paragraph about “our boys and girls are back in school,” Bob told about the success of his back-toschool all-night show, and added: “We wish to commend them (those who attended the show) all on their behavior, and we are sure that all had a wonderful time. This may become an annual event by popular request. “We are finding that more and more adults are realizing once again that movies are their best entertainment, and at such low cost. We are pleased that they are coming back, and also telling others how good movies are. It really is good for people to forget their troubles by relaxing in comfort, while enjoying a good late movie in beautiful color on a large screen. There is no age limit for real movie fans. We surely do appreciate your business, and are here to seiwe you, entertainment wise.” The article concluded with a paragraph on the Grand’s fall lineup. He divided the attractions into family type and adult entertainment. 10 Theatres, 3 Airers Put On $10,000 Promotion Ten theatres and three drive-ins in the Chicago area set up a joint $10,000 advertising campaign heralding the revival of “Oklahoma!” booked in all 13 situations. On the committee spearheading the joint effort were Oscar Brotman, owner of the Oasis Drive-In and Hillside Theatre; Ralph Smitha, Essaness Theatres, and Sol Horwitz. Allied Theatres of Illinois. The committee lined up 250 Capitol record dealers to feature window cards offering free tickets to the first ten purchasers of records of the films’ tunes. Bank Runs Ad, Puts Up 'Hobbs' Savings Display The First National Bank of Indiana, Pa., paid for approximately a 30-inch (3 cols. 9V2) ad boosting “Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation” at the Super 422 Drive-In. Tiein copy: “You Too . . . Could Join Indiana’s Own Mr. Hobbs on His Fun-Filled Vacation! If You Would Open a Savings Account at the First National Bank in Indiana . . . You Assure Your ‘Vacation’ When You Set Up a Regular Savings Program . . . And Stick to It! . . . Come in This Week and Get Started!” The bank put up the striking standee of Jimmy Stewart (a native of Indiana, Pa.) loaded down with vacation paraphernalia in yo///i yoa Assuni yACATtairmBu you •eruPA tteoaiAR Amo PR/ > iHQinctcnh its lobby with a sign, “You assure your ‘vacation’ when you set up a saving program . . . and stick to it. Get started today.” Shown in the photo are the head cashier, right, and George Potts, Super 422 manager. Display on Featurette Alfred Alperin, manager at the 2,070-car Meadows Drive-In at Hartford, Conn., hosted a special exhibit of U.S. Marine fighting equipment in conjimction with the featurette, “Forces in Readiness.” BOXOFTICE Showmandiser ; : Oct. 15, 1962 — 167 — 3