Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

A special panel board featuring newspaper clippings was made up for the front of the Goldman Theatre in Philadelphia for "Johnny Cool," the film with a Cosa Nostra theme. Joe Erlicker of the Goldman advertising department; John Tota, house manager, and Max Miller, UA publicist, worked out the overside board. Theatre Refusal to Book Older Pictures Blamed for Their Sale to TV Stations "The solution to the sale by motion picture producers of theatrical films to television is not the crying towel, according to outspoken A. Milo DeHaven, who formerly operated theatres in northern Ohio and the Detroit area, and for the past few months has been at Venice, Calif. The solution, DeHaven said on a recent visit back in Detroit, is for exhibitors to stop "beefing and calamity-howling” and start figuring out how they can sell some of the older films to their patrons. “If exhibitors in general would show an interest in renting some of these older pictures, it stands to reason that most of the distributors would rather sell such product to the theatres than dispose of them to television stations,” he declared. “The fact is that there has been no market among the country’s regular theatres for good top film productions of former years. "If the calamity howlers would only stop to analyze the potential of older pictures in terms of the new generation and show the ones people would like to see again, there would be no necessity for a releasing outlet to sell the productions to TV. “The proof is the Walt Disney reissues, MGM’s “Gone With the Wind” and its World Famous Musical Hits series, and numerous other top productions of former years which are being presented in regular showhouses after all these years. “All the complaints of exhibitor associations, all the editorials in our film journals are just so much hot air; they won’t stop film sales to television. The answer is elbow grease, applied to the selling of older pictures, thus giving distributors a market they need — fighting fire with fire. Which means the boy will have to apply merchandising knowledge, plus public relations, to selling — forget the one-sheet and routing lx2-inch notices, and get to work creating public desire for a night out at their showhouses. “There is a regular market for the older pictures, not in every location but in certain areas which can offer a little atmosphere, good management and selling, plus a little above-average presentation policy, with sufficient parking.” DeHaven’s comments are not theory; they come from his experiences. He has taken over a theatre that was losing money, and switched it to an older film policy. Some reissues he has held two and three weeks, others he has brought back four or five times. He related that in his travels, in Texas and Ohio, in New York City and Los Angeles he has discovered revival presentation showhouses time and time again that prove there is a market for pictures of the past. All that is needed is for exhibitors to book them and be interested in selling them, he declares. Schine Theatre Rentals Schine Theatres reports these kiddy show rentals: Toby Ross, Fox Theatre, Corning, N.Y., to Dann’s Dairy, December 27. Francis DeZengremal, Holland Theatre, Bellefontaine, Ohio, to Detroit Aluminum & Brass Corp., December 14; IGA Super Foods Service, also on the 14th, and Bellefontaine Examiner, December 23. F. K. Kelly, Rialto, Amsterdam, N.Y., Amsterdam Concert Ass’n, had a rental September 30. Cut Price on Opening Nights The Opera House at Waynesburg, Pa., on opening night of new features charges a reduced admission of 35 cents, this being an opening night special.” Teaser Leaflets Do Very Well on 'Sam' Teaser leaflets, 5x3 x/2 inches, printed on one side were distributed by Bob Yancey, manager for Frontier Theatres at Deming, N. M., to start an unusually successful promotion for “Savage Sam.” Copy: WATCH for Old Yeller’s Pup. They Call Him ‘SAVAGE SAM’ . . . Coming Soon to the El Rancho Theatre . . . Just one of the big ones on the way. This teaser went out three weeks in advance. A week in advance a larger leaflet 9x4 inches, also printed one side, was distributed. Copy: WANTED— Coon Hound Dog That Answers to the Name of ‘Savage Sam,’ Son of Ole Yeller . . . Lost, Strayed or Stolen. Must have ‘Savage Sam’ not later than August 21 . . . More value for your entertainment dollar. EL RANCHO THEATRE. Yancey fashioned a flashy front for less than $5. A lobby board was made up of two one-sheets and 20, 8x10 stills. “Savage Sam” also was advertised on Frontier Theatres’ panel truck on which Yancey has constructed two (one each side) display frames. Yancey reports “Savage Sam” was the largest grosser since he was transferred to Deming some months ago, doing better than “Spencer’s Mountain.” Glamor Girl on TV, Also A Greeter for 'New Kind' Backing up the high fashion salon settings of “A New Kind of Love,” Bob Carr of the Lyric Theatre in Minneapolis created a glamor-sparked campaign for the film. Blonde Nancee Ann Parkinson, 20-year-old Miss Minnesota of 1962, was attired in fashions worn by Joan Woodward in the film, with accessories supplied by a local women’s clothing store. She appeared on Mill City television stations three days before opening, calling the attention of women viewers to the romantic fun in the world of Parisian designers, which is the theme of the picture. At the opening, Nancee greeted the first-nighters in the lobby, giving each gal a sample of Lanvin perfume, provided by Dayton’s department store. The film played to numerous full houses during the first two weeks, Canreports. His Heralds Best Billy Zeny, observing his 30th year in exhibition at Erie, Pa., states that his heralds are his best business-getters. For the past decade he has operated his own Davidson offset printing equipment in a room adjoining the projection booth at the Roxie Theatre. Turning out 8Vixl4 jobs, he expects to get local merchant cooperation in purchasing a new offset printer to take 14X18V2 jobs. Quotes From 8 in Ad A two-column ad on “The Great Escape” at Loew’s in New Orleans was headed, “Unanimous Acclaim Coast to Coast!” contained comments from eight critics and news media, including Frank Gagnard and Bob Sublette, local film editors. 2 — 194 — BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: Dec. 9, 1963