Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

Hits for Midweek ( Continued from preceding page) BE SURE TO SEE THE MGM FAMOUS MUSICALS . . . COMING TO THIS THEATRE SOON. The convertible with its signs was parked at a concert in the local park featuring the Detroit Symphony. Standing near the stage over 5,000 people saw the signs. In Flint, too, the series more than doubled the Operetta series. Long lines of patrons were waiting at the boxoffice of the Della Theatre at noon on days of the showings. At the Five Points Theatre in Columbia, the last test town for the musicals, alert and promotionminded Florence Thomas was able to profit from the campaigns at Grand Rapids and Flint, because she started the World’s Famous Musical Hits series a week later. She talked by long distance telephone with the managers of the Eastown and Della theatres, then repeated their stunts for the Press Car, Miss Musicals, etc. But she and Steinman amplified and improvised the campaign. Her Miss MGM Musicals, Elaine Bishop of Columbia, was the guest of honor at the annual South Carolina North-South football game between grid stars from the two sections of the state, and was introduced from the Press Car in the center of the field at half time to the crowd of more than 15,000 fans. Bob Talbert, Columbia StateRecord columnist, had lunch with Miss Musicals and kidded her about the easy life she was leading while doing her stint. She retorted that if he thought riding an open car in 102 degrees of heat was a cinch, then he should be her guest that after A multimillicn dollar group of stars were assembled for the casts of the MGM musicals. This unprecedented /ar list is featured on a window card reproduced ebove. METRO GOLOWYN MAYER HI WORLD FAMOUS MUSICAL HITS .. ONE EACH WEEK , *** FOR ONE DAY ONLY! 1 OUR FIRST ATTRACTION FRED ASTAIRE RED SKELTON Y8A-Q1DI. * WHIM DAHl THliR6£PT S SINGIN m THE RAIN THE BAND WAGON THREE UTTtt WORDS BECAUSE YOURE MINE WORDS AND MUSIC xx&'i kSMlMOW* MKXPr «00**T» 1 III/ .1 METRO GOLDWYN MAYER If! WORLD FAMOUS MUSICAL HITS ' ONE EACH WEEK FOR ONE DAY ONLY! OUR NEXT ATTRACTION MARIO LANZA M a MAX* -W0*0) fAMQUS mxnKAiHtn WKJHT TOW* GALA W-OW TO TXI HOfUS TKUft S£RT » TttJLTHf CLOUDS ROLL BY SINGIN IN THE RAIN t ttOU'U Mt*« ll BSC 6 Vi YOUR* mm WORDS AND MUSIC THE BAND WAGON New Poster-in-Action Good for Entire Series MGM provides a new concept in lobby display pieces, a "poster-in-Action" 40x60, which is easily changeable each week as the six musical hits are played. The Poster-in-Action comes with an envelope of title snipes which are to be used through the six weeks with playdates. As the snipes are moved up, note that each panel space has catchlines so it will not be blank. The Next Attraction panel is designed for 22x28 lobby cards. aral •»r» noon. He took her up on the invitation and, as a result, did an entire column on the ride, illustrated with a four-column, five-inch picture of himself and the girl riding in the bannered convertible. Many spots were used on the three local radio stations, and one, WQXL, featured on its newscasts, every hour on the hour for two days from sunrise to sunset, the fact that Columbia had been chosen to be one of the first cities in the nation as a test city for the World Famous Musical Hits series. And last but far from least, proving what alert ambitious managers can do for any given picture or series, Mrs. Thomas took advantage of a “once in a lifetime situation. She arranged for the girl and the convertible to be allowed to drive around the boundaries and over the battleground of the largest war game maneuvers ever held in the history of the United States. More than 500,000 soldiers were “fighting” within the vicinity of Columbia at the time. It goes without saying that there were hundreds of uniformed paying customers standing in the recordbreaking lines waiting to get into the Five Point Theatre for six straight weeks — for the boxoffice proved to be just that, recordbreaking for the one day midweek dates. In summary, the intensive, threecities, hard-hitting, imaginative campaign substantiates the adage of show business that people will flock to see good motion pictures when their interest is aroused . . . To quote showman Seadler : “A razzle-dazzle, hoopla campaign will bring people to see and hear the greatest musicals ever made by the only company that had a magic formula for them. This is the ‘Tale of Three Cities.’ “Livewire showmanship, backed by pictures that arouse interest and ‘want-to-see,’ has once again proved that there is plenty of business around if managers can only be inspired to go out and get it. “MGM has provided the tools and the incentive.” MGM is providing free a package containing four albums including music of five pictures (no album on "Because You're Mine"). All the exhibitor has to do is arrange for air-time play, and send in name of person, address of radio station and details of air-play, and the albums will be sent direct to the station. oil I 4 — 168 — BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: Oct. 21, 1963