Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

Family Operation Brings Out Hidden Talents The small, familyowned business brings out hidden talents and diversified skills. Here the wife and mother of Max L. Patterson, owner of the Pickwick at Syracuse and the Boice at nearby Warsaw, Ind., put the finishing touches on a couple of screen cartoon characters on a lobby wall of the Pickwick. They have decorated the entire lobby thus with colorful figures from the wonderland of motion pictures. Patterson also notes that he and his family just completed installation of new sound at the theatre. Always Something Extra in Promotion Is Factor in Attendance Gain at Drive-In This year’s attendance records at the in the New London area of Connecticut have outpaced gross figures for the 1962 season, which broke a 12-year record. Fred Koontz HI, who manages this profitable situation for the Lockwood & Gordon circuit, feels several factors are involved. First he mentions improved pictures, supplemented by more promotion by distributors both nationally and in cooperative deals with exhibitors on the local level. Other factors he emphasizes are regular, persistent promotion on his part, plus something extra for each attraction, and rigid maintenance of the theatre plant. “The exhibitor who’s now doing business is the fellow who’s providing the little extras that make going to the movies worthwhile,” Koontz asserts. “I find myself going after the little extra bits of customer service and appeal, and have learned that the customers DO remember at which theatre they are treated courteously and at which theatre the service is merely hohum.” Playing a return run of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” Koontz distributed free cigaretholders to lady patrons. Trade was resoundingly strong, well above normal. For “A Gathering of Eagles,” Koontz offered free ladies earrings and had a film promotion message on his answering service during the day. Horror films, an increasingly important aspect of drive-in operations, haven’t been overlooked. Koontz brought novelty horror creatures, at about one cent each, for one program, and he gave away “skulls” (toy models, of course) for another show. He tied up with boat dealers in the area for a display on “The Sea Chase,” a WB revival. Playing Jerry Lewis’ “The Nutty Professor,” he had a man dressed as “Mr. Peanut” distributing free goodies. Foreign films play a significant part. Booking “Mondo Cane,” he set up a special table in his concession building, offering free chocolate-covered “ants” and “caterpillars.” Customer response was more pronounced than some of the more conventionally concocted and conducted promotions. Koontz feels strongly that week-afterweek promotion and public relations gestures get regional residents in a Waterford Drive-In thinking and going mood. “They keep asking each other, ‘What’s going on at the Waterford this week?” As far as individual company activity is concerned, the Koontz chapeau is off to American International. “It is big news,” he asserts, “when a movie star comes to your town. When AIP made John Ashley available to us for a concession building autographing session some weeks ago, the turnout, particularly by the youngsters, was tremendous. And we have to remember that these teenagers are tomorrow’s adults and hence are needed to maintain the level, if not improve, the weekly gross, be your theatre a drive-in or hardtop.” He staged a “Beach Party” beauty competition. Newspaper, radio and TV cooperation, never particularly significant in this shoreline hinterland, was pronounced and penetrating on this one. He did far over average on opening night, despite the fact that Ashley’s appearance and the beauty competition weren’t slated until the second evening of the run. The week’s take hit a figure to be emulated by any major release. When all’s said and done, however, the matter of building trade is in the local exhibitor’s hands. The national distributor can’t do the things so vital and vigorously necessary to sell motion picture entertainment, per se, on the community level. His formula, he’s found, happily enough, begets better grosses and better grosses mean more capital for repairs and general improvement. An improved theatre inevitably means a more satisfied patron. There is no substitute for showmanship! Two Radio Contests Give 'Haunted Palace' Lift For “The Haunted Palace,” Manager Ed Miller of the Paramount in Buffalo promoted a contest on radio station WUFO, with Halloween and its ghosts, witches, black cats, haunted houses, etc., in mind. Guest tickets went to those who sent in the longest list of motion pictures with the word “Haunted” in their title. On another radio station, WEBR, Miller offered passes to listeners-in who sent in the first 25 correct lists of the titles of the pictures in which Vincent Price has starred. Miller also tied in with Price’s personal appearance with his art museum at Sear’s store. In exchange for a poster in the Paramount lobby on the Sears exhibition, the store gave the theatre a half dozen large posters throughout the store featuring Vincent Price in “The Haunted Palace,” with the theatre and playdate prominently displayed. A 'Wives, Lovers' Apple! A montage of “Wives and Lovers” stills was reproduced on the front page of the New Orleans States-Item amusement section in the form of an apple. Fred D’Aquin, advertising director, had the large piece made up from material furnished by the Saenger Theatre. A Mr. Planter Peanut Party, sponsored by the local Standard Brands office, attracted 1,800 youngsters to a matinee of "The Nutty Professor" at Sumner Theatre in Brooklyn. Lerner notes that the Sumner neighborhood is in a "very poor" income area. Mr. Planter Peanut seen in the above picture is an usher, dressed in a costume supplied by Standard Brands. He distributed 3,000 packages of peanuts, whistles, belt buckles, etc., also supplied by Standard Brands. Waterford Drive-In Fred Koontz HI 4 — 192 — BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: Dec. 2, 1963