Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

A lively clown highlighted the backbar of the concessions stand in the Park Theatre, Vancouver, and the whole stand was set up to create a carnival effect. Brightly colored balloons, a huge candy cane, and peppermint-striped lining in the candy case were employed to achieve this aim. In the picture at the right is shown the special popcorn corner which featured a flashing popcorn sign pointing to the popcorn warmer heaped high with popped corn and boxes. Coke cup, spotlighted, fit perfectly into the display. In Kingston, Ontario, the Odeon Theatre featured an unusual mural on the backbar which drew many comments from patrons and helped boost the concessions cents-perpatron. A candy-striped, painted popcorn tree on the left was covered with pieces of popcorn put on by hand after the mural was installed. On the right of the mural the Coke Falls cascaded into the Orange River, and in the central area of the mural were beverage cups, popcorn boxes overflowing with popcorn, ice cream bars and a small boy shown enjoying a delicious Shopsy hot dog. All of these items were dummies, glued to the display to add a third dimension. To add a touch of animation, the sun in the center was backed by a motorized revolving disc to simulate the radiant rays of light. The whole display, 21 feet of it, was professionally lighted with a profusion of colored lights concealed by a valance. The finishing touch was achieved by the addition of a colorful banner stretching the full length of the bar, which boasted proudly of the popcorn, drinks and other confectionery delights for sale at the “Candy Corner.” Rita Smart also pushed the 15-cent-size popcorn at the Odeon Kingston with remarkable results, and she utilized some rings left over from “The Three Stooges Meet Hercules” at the Saturday matinee with every ten-cent box of popcorn. “CIRCUS" ALL THE WAY G. Rathburn, manager of the Odeon Kent, St. John, N.B., centered the concessions display on “Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Circus.” The stand was “circus” all the way, with all the bright colors set off by floating balloons and streamers, funnyface clowns, and wild animal cutouts. Overhead, a rotating chimp on a trapeze, flanked by large red popcorn boxes, swayed in and out amid red and blue drink cups. The brightly colored tent was centered on the backbar with a wheel of chance on a gold background to hold the display of prizes and instructions. Promotion was done by the wheel of chanGe by a section of the candy case holding 144 large Dairy Milk bars, 45 of which were numbered to correspond to the numbers on the wheel; 36 of these were prizes of Cadbury’s donated seven-ounce Angel Creams, and other prizes consisted of five single passes, two boxes of popcorn, one Coke and one package of potato chips. “Pop,” the chimp, was a special prize for the little tots under ten years old and was won on a purchase of popcorn and a drawing. Results: sold out of the candy bars in one week, and continued with the large popcorn to keep the youngsters happy. At the Odeon in London, Ontario, for a candy bar that is open on two sides and has no back counter or wall space, it was found best to decorate the concessions stand as an old-fashioned circus wagon with gaily covered wheels and brilliant trimmings. The striped poles, special Coke streamers, cut-out clowns, balloons and the stand’s gaily packaged confection items were bathed in color and the entire bar unit took on a mantle of hues that could not help but be inviting to patrons. Frank Marshall, manager of the Westminster Drive-In in North Surrey, B.C., Continued on following page View of the left and center of the refreshment stand in the Odeon Theatre, Kingston, Ontario. When the mural background was in place, popped corn was put on the candy-striped popcorn tree at far left by hand. The river represents Orange-Crush and was called the Orange River, the sun was animated. This is the right hand side of the concessions in the Kingston Odeon, showing the hot dog equipment, cups and drink dispensers. Although not distinctly visible, if one looks closely the Coke Falls can be seen on the background mural between the drink dispensers on the right. BOXOFFICE :: November 4, 1963 7