The Canadian Motion Picture Exhibitor (Nov 1, 1941)

Page. 6 The Exhibitor Going After Them! By Lloyd M. Mills W are pleased to welcome, Manager Joe Paul to our| “Going After Them” group. For his campaign on Columbia’s grand show, “Wilhelmstrasse 110,” Joe put up some swell hooks and consequently did record-breaking business. He used, for over two weeks in advance on his stage, large cutout letters about a foot high. These were painted a flat black, with a narrow white border all the way around each letter, and made to stand about four inches back of the footlights. I The footlights had red frosted bulbs and when they went on the letters took on the perfect appearance of neon. Joe created interest by running teaser ads in the local papers with no theatre mention. He made a rubber stamp of just the title and stamped hundreds of newspapers and magazines on the stands. And possibly, if the truth were known, he also stamped a lot of carrier boys’ papers before they delivered same. In two prominent spots in town he had two large silhouetted figures of soldiers carrying the title. These were larger than six-sheet size. This, in advance, grabbed the eye at every turn of the street. Joe invited the five presidents of the various I.0.D.E. chapters to see the picture and they in turn passed on the praise to their membership. They came almost en) masse. Joe addressed the meeting of the Eastern Star Lodge and spoke personally to all executives of every large organization in Welland. To top off this campaign he put out 3,000 sensationally-worded heralds, made up in circus style. This goes to show all lukewarm so-called theatre managers to what extent some boys will go to earn their salaries and bring the proper returns out of a film for the film company and the theatre owner. Thanks, Joe Paul of the Park Theatre, in Welland. We want to hear more from you. * * * * * ARNET HEATHERLY of the Regent, Sudbury, just put over a smart campaign on “Jungle Cavalcade.” Three thousand circus heralds told the town about it and a float made up of animals cut out of posters in a jungle scene showed the folks. On the boxoffice he had a lion through whose mouth were pushed tickets to the patrons. A gorilla at large provided a good street bally. Garnet explains that he had only a few days notice on the booking and didn’t get much chance to get going. All I can say is that I’d like to see what happens when he really goes to work. ES VICARY of the Opera 4 House, Orillia, drops in an idea he used successfully for “The Bride Came C.O.D.” Les, besides many other things, got several thousand tags that go on baggage from the railway company. On the clear side he printed plugs for picture and theatre. These were distributed around the town on doorknobs, car doors and other available and easily-seen spots. This idea is small but good. It created much interest and Les tells me that he did exceptionally well with this Warners comedy. * * * * * OB MARTIN, Oriole, Toronto, used a similar idea, the details of which he mailed me. Bob promoted 2,000 tags for his showing of “The Lady Eve.’ Attached to each tag was an apple which, by the way, was darned good eating — even sweeter than usual because they were promoted too. These he put out at all bus stops in his district, even boarding the bus and giving them to the passengers. He also canvassed store employees and others in his zone. The idea was swell—which proves that Bob isn’t missing a bet. The copy on the tag began, “They’ve been the downfall of man since the beginning of time—but one thing is certain, (Lady) Eve sure knew her apples!” Good work, Bob, we want to hear more from you about what is doing around your lovely theatre. * * * * * TUART SMART of the Capitol, Port Hope, sends in a copy .of the daily paper in which the columnist of “Heard on the Street” tells that a woman had kissed the wall of his theatre. Stu put lines around the lip marks and many people stopped by to see them. They showed clearly. He tied it up with the idea of a clean theatre. Having seen Smart’s theatre, I wish to give my personal opinion that he and his maintenance man, Mr. O’Connor, have the cleanest 11-year-old theatre in Ontario. Things are taken care of immediately and never left to another day. Cleanliness is next to Godliness. A slovenly theatre can neither win respect nor business—and doesn’t deserve them. * ce * * * Wee? FRASER, Century, Trenton, played “Ski Patrol” and sent a fellow dressed as a ski soldier into neighboring towns. With copy, of course. Business was very good AX PHILLIPS writes from *“ the Royal, North Bay to tell of some of his hookups for pictures. For “Road Show” he cut out figures of stars on horses from six-sheets and mounted them on a home-made merry-go-round, size 5’ x 4’. He powered it with a small motor and spotlighted the whole thing. The setup was placed on the marquee. The P.A. system was put on and played calliope and electric organ records promoted from the local radio station. This was done at peak business hours. For “Pudd’n Head’ he got a whole space in a daily feature column in the Northland Post by playing the pest angle—Francis Lederer holding up a line while gabbing in a telephone booth. Also some attractive displays in the city’s leading windows. “San Antonio Rose” provided a chance for some graceful selling. Max promoted 200 roses from a local florist, had a copy-carrying card punched to hold one, and gave them to the ladies. A merchant kicked in 200 corsage pins. The ladies got the roses and equipment three days in advance. The picture was a second feature but it gave the whole bill a powerful push. He took advantage of the score by arranging to have the Hut Sut song and San Antonio Rose featured on the music boxes, topped with cards telling the listeners about the show and bill. That’s mighty nice going, Max. Compliments and regards. * * % * * SSISTANTMANAGER Stew art Gillespie of the Elgin, Ottawa, tells how they sold ‘‘Tanks a Million.”’ He’s the next man to Bob Berezin, the handsome man-abouttown who handles the showplace of the nation, which is what he calls his house. : In the lobby Stewart placed a large cutout of an army mule, with copy. Then he sent out several thousand heralds in the shape of a mule’s ear, with these words: “We are lending you an ear so that you can catch all the laughs in ‘Tanks a Million.’ Bring me to the Elgin Theatre and pin me on the army mule in. the lobby.” When people bring the ears they are blindfolded and try to pin the ear on the mule. If they so desire it, an usher is allowed to try it. It creates a lot of laughter in the lobby and interest in the film. Good work, Stewart, let’s hear from you again. And good work, Bob, for encouraging your staff to take active part in things. Stewart is a smart fellow and men like him shouldn’t be used as fix and this simple stunt had a lot to| tures and conductors of office re do with it. ports. November lst, 194] He. RANKIN drops a -“ few photos in the mail of his latest stunts in Chatham. One stunt is a general one and good at any time. In this case he put a barrel in the centre of the pavement, with a sign, “Don’t Feed the Animals!” The top was covered with wire mesh. Looking into the barrel, you read copy for his next attraction. There were no animals. People talked about it and for a joke sent their friends to see the funny little animals. Harland also came up with a swell stunt on “Blackout.” He built a dummy air raid shelter, all of one piece of beaverboard, the door having the appearance of being lined with sandbags. A young boy carried it around and stood behind the dummy at important corners. It’s just a front but looks convincing. % * * * * | Bae GURR of the Century, Hamilton, tied in an air force parade to “A Yank in the R.A.F.” Several boys followed the parade with signs, telling about where and to what the parade was headed. He also tied in a large clothing store for window displays. The windows, displaying uniforms for men and women, also carried plugcopy. Sharing the windows were large cutouts of Power and Grable in uniform. The firm also gave newspaper lineage decorated with good-sized cuts of the stars. The theatre lobby featured advance cutouts and he promoted plugs over the radio. At a night game in Hamilton stadium he got free announcements. Hot dogs were sold wrapped in napkins bearing copy. And that ain’t all. Good going, Lloyd lad. I see you’re in your second week from the Hamilton papers. I hope you knock over four or more. * cS * * * W. want to hear from every theatre manager who reads this paper. Please send in your stunts. Big’ or small, we all want to hear from you, whether you’re in Nova Scotia or beautiful British Columbia—or closer. Drop us. a line once a week or once a month. But let’s get together here. THE SUCCESS. -_of your . THEATRE depends upon — GOOD EQUIPMENT consult GENERA THEATRE SUPPLY COMPANY Ltd. 104 BOND STREET * 336 MAYOR STREET “TORONTO © MONTREAL ~~.