Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

• ADLINES & EXPLOITI PS • ALPHABETICAL INDEX • EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY • FEATURE RELEASE CHART • FEATURE REVIEW DIGEST • SHORTS RELEASE CHART • SHORT SUBJECT REVIEWS • REVIEWS OF FEATURES • SHOWMANDISING IDEAS THE GUIDE TO BETTER BOOKING AND BUSINESS-BUILDING Good Promotions Don’t Die! Film Gimmicks Put Aside as Fuddy-Duddy Now Doing Yoeman's Service for Radio Ben Catlin Doing Well In Small Town Theatre The New Theatre ground and building, in New Baltimore, Mich., (population 3,159) has been purchased by Ben W. Catlin who built the theatre a year ago. The property was sold by Robert Jordan, a Pontiac, Mich., electrician, who acquired it in April 1962 from Mrs. Vincent Laica, whose husband had operated the former New Theatre on the same site for many years. Catlin’s boxoffice experience this past season, part of his program to make this “the finest small city theatre in Michigan,” is proof that a forward looking promotion program can bring results. He reports that “this past summer has been most successful, showing a substantial gain over last year’s grosses. “I set a new high gross record for my theatre since I took over operation, with the seven-day rim of ‘The Longest Day.’ This was the most ambitious advertising campaign I ever did for a feature, and it paid off.” Catlin formerly managed the big Riviera Theatre in Detroit before going into the present operation in a little town. Theft of Big Liz Standee Makes Talk for 'V.I.P.S John Coussoule of Manos Theatres, and George Potts, manager of the Indiana (Pa.) Theatre, scratched their thatches over the theft from the Indiana lobby of an eight-foot standee of Elizabeth Taylor which advertised “The V.I.P.s.” Coussoule commented (to the newspaper, of course) : “Richard Burton is not the only one who finds Liz attractive . . . We’ll not prosecute if the standee is returned.” The Indiana Evening Gazette carried the story and the good people around Indiana had a conversation piece to chew on. Potts then told the reporters, “We’ll return the giant photo after the run of the picture to the person or persons who sneaked it out of the lobby, apparently right in front of our noses.” Two Stores Buy Kid Show James Macris, who manages the Ashland (Ohio) Theatre, staged a Back-toSchool kiddy show rental August 30, sponsored by the W. T. Grant and the Jupiter discount stores. 'Hootenany' Contest at Beach Joe Reynolds, manager of the Towne Theatre in Milwaukee, engineered a “Hootenanny Hoot” dance contest at the popular Muskego beach. Several radio stations sponsored the affair. Merchants donated prizes. A good promotion, like a ten-dollar gold coin, never loses its value, a fact sometimes overlooked in these days when the big word is obsolescence. This is strikingly illustrated in a recent issue of the Broadcasters’ Promotion Ass’n Bulletin, which lists numerous stunts and advertising ideas, all standbys in the book of oldtime motion picture showmanship, which today are performing yeomen’s service in promoting listener interest and profit for radio stations. “If these promotions are good enough for radio, they still are worthwhile for theatres,” Irving Mack, president and founder of Filmack Trailer Service, points out. The radio station promotion magazine was forwarded to Boxoffice by Irving with this comment: “I’ve been told by some (film people) that the material I used in Inspiration (Filmack’s promotion publication) is now old stuff — obsolete — and that only old fuddy-duddys will use that kind of idea.” OLD THUNDER STOLEN BY RADIO Well, Irving’s answer to this: that “old stuff” scorned by some theatremen now is a mainstay in radio promotion. The August Broadcasters’ Promotion Bulletin contains stunt after stunt, long familiar in motion picture exploitation, which now are being used by radio stations, some with little or no change. For example, there’s the old June Bride promotion, which some theatremen may pass up as too corny. Radio KEX, Portland, Ore., dusted off this one and adapted it for a 1963 Rose Festival attraction at the Portland Memorial Coliseum. The station ran a contest for the most deserving couple and received “a multitude” of entrants. Bridal attire for the bride and attendants, formal wear for the groom and party, wedding rings, a wedding trip, photographs, carpet, limousine service, a private wedding reception, the minister, organist, flowers and a host of gifts were promoted. Old, yes, but tastefully arranged, a stage wedding still can be a theatre attraction. VALENTINE CONTEST: WBTM, Danville, W. Va., offered to buy the license of anyone getting married on Valentine’s Day. In this town, there are only about four each year, but it “caused lots of comment though.” PHONE CALLS: (Exhibitors ask persons answering about some detail in theatre ad or herald.) WBTM makes a call to a Danville home five times daily. If the person answering says, “I’m listening to WBTM,” he or she wins 500 Top Value stamps. Pick your own prize! The sales promotion manager at WBTM must have been schooled in theatre promotion. He lists these tried and true promotions (with his comments) : LITTLE MISS DANVILLE CONTEST. Profit of $2,800 made on this — 30 sponsors at $100 each. It works like any beauty contest — the difference is that the contestants are little girls, age 3 to 6. Sponsors give away tickets. The gimmick is to place the tickets with the sponsors the last week, which makes them hard to get. It works great. USELESS CONTEST — Contest asking (Continued on next page) Here's a little street ballyhoo that stirred up a lot of interest and laughs in front of the Fox-Warfield Theatre on Market street in San Francisco. One of the ushers dressed in an intern's outfit gave out little cards with red pills attached reading: "For Couples Who Want Children . . . Producer of 'Promises, Promises!' Not Responsible for Off-Spring!" Irving Mack BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: Oct. 14, 1963 — 161 — 1