The Exhibitor (Nov 1938-May 1939)

BM-18 BETTER MANAGEMENT Traveler” labels, kept it moving all over the city. Big display space in the newspapers was used for the picture. Glase played up the Fay Bainter angle for the older playgoers who were devoted fans of this charming actress. Another effective bit of advance publicity was Glase’s use of big frames on the Embassy sidewalk, carrying reproductions of 50-year-old theatre programs for the original stage production of "The Traveler.” Baltimore, Maryland Rodney Collier, manager, Warners’ Stanley, Baltimore, Maryland, assisted by Toby Joyce, publicity chief, put on an outstanding campaign for "The Arkansas Traveler.” Various tieups done included: spiecial national ad campaign with Paramount in newspapers; visit of mule team got some newspaper space; special ads, stores in Home News, Jewish Times, Catholic Review; moving ad cards in Yellow Taxis; spot announcement on WCBM; advance stories, art in Sunday American, Sunday Sun , News-Post; special window display used in lobby when show started. "The Great Waltz” York, Pennsylvania Attempting to buck the competition of the bi-annual Junior League show, Jules Reisman, manager, the Strand, York, Pennsylvania, put on quite a campaign on "The Great Waltz,” which included the use of six 24-sheets placed at prominent spots in, around the city. In addition he contacted all the music organizations in the city, secured window tie-ups with several music stores. Valencia ballroom staged a waltz with contest with passes to the winners. Waltzes were featured on the daily Strand broadcast over the local radio station to make York waltz-conscious. Fifty car dashers made their appearance several days in advance of the opening. Popular soda fountain featured a "Blue Danube Sundae.” "The Storm” Harrisburg, Pennsylvania A wager made by manager Robert Sidman, Senate, with Paul Walker, Telegraph movie critic, gave results in daily publicity in Walker’s column on Universal’s "The Storm” for five days before its Senate opening. It started after Sidman sent Walker a letter, offering to bet a pair of overshoes that there would be a storm on the opening day of the film. Sidman’s letter appeared in Walker’s column with the latter’s acceptance of the wager. Readers of the column were named the judges who were to decide what kind of weather constituted a storm. "The Great Waltz” Syracuse, New York Manager Frank Murphy, assistant Joseph Boyle, put in a lot of hard work and came out with a splendid campaign for "The Great Waltz.” Two exclusive dress shops ran one-half page ads in local papers using evening gowns in ads. Strauss sheet music was liberally used in the window trim where theatre cards and stills were given prominent place. For three nights an artist dressed in smock and artists cap sketched heads of the stars in picture and of the window shoppers. A handsome window was arranged in leading flower shop and in city’s largest department store where gowns and dance accessories were displayed. "Youth Takes A Fling” Syracuse, New York Manager Harold Raives, RKO-Schine-Eckel, arranged tie-up with a local truck factory branch, whereby it furnished three trucks bannered with 90% house and picture advertising, used as street bally for two days at opening. Two boys with fake cameras were placed on busy corners and passed out cards reading "Even though we missed your picture, be sure don’t miss 'Youth Takes a Fling,’ now playing Eckel.” (WAGNER MULTIPLE LETTER INSTALLATION, THE FLEETWOOD, NEW YORK CITY) POWER IN DISPLAY with WAGNER Multiple-Size Silhouette Letters and 3-in-Structure Send for Information WAGNER SIGN SERVICE, Inc. 218 South Hoyne Avenue. CHICAGO 123 West 64th Street, NEW YORK 706 East Hancock Avenue, DETROIT 6 Britain Street, TORONTO "The Lone Ranger” Baltimore, Maryland Robert Marhenke, before leaving the Preston to take over the Broadway, did some good exploitation for "The Lone Ranger.” He arranged a spot announcement on WFBR; had plug on screen, in lobby three weeks prior to showing; special ads in Catholic Review, Home News; had ballyhoo car with large "The Lone Ranger” banners on each side, a band using red flares to light up signs at night, covered entire neighborhood, distribute circulars, 3,000 of which were distributed to neighborhood schools; 100 window cards, 6,000 heralds in doorways. "Freshman Year” Reading, Pennsylvania Capitalizing on the football season, manager C. G. Keeney, Park, invited the students of the Reading High School to hold their pre-Lebanon game pep rally at the theatre. They did, staging a parade before the show, which was "Freshman Year,” and added were the newsreel summaries of the football games the Saturday previous. "Boys Town” Medina, New York Jimmy Macris, Diana, worked in his local Fire Prevention Week with "Boys Town”, had the "March of Time” fire-fighting subject and a feature entitled "Sounding the Alarm,” which he played after his regular evening last show Local fire chief directed attention of patrons to see this special feature and short show. Fire department attended in groups on special nights. "Sons of the Legion” York, Pennsylvania The American Legion, the local chapter of the Sons of the Legion cooperated with Syd Poppay, manager, Rialto, to plug "Sons of the Legion” which was played for just one day. Young legionnaires, who have a drum corps of their own paraded before the show, the drum corps were the guest of the management. "Garden Of The Moon” Elmira, New York Mel Conhaim, Regent, had an extensive tie-up with a baking company, had seven baking trucks bannered with title, playdate, routes covered entire city, outlying districts. Baking company provided a service of offering doughnuts and coffee served by girls bannered with "Garden of the Moon” streamers, to all patrons advance of playdate. Conhaim planted orchestration in five night spots and secured plug for picture every time played. "Suez” Syracuse, New York Manager Harry Unterfort, RKO-Schine-Keith’s, dressed a young man in Arab costume, had him parade the streets on horseback for four days. Through the head of the social studies department of the Board of Education, a letter announcing the picture giving description was sent to all junior and senior high schools. "Mayerling” Richmond, Virginia Alex Ravdin, manager, Cap tol, really went out and worked. He contacted Miss Holt, head of language department of the public schools, who issued letters to all teachers and placed bulletins and posters in the John Marshall High School. Language teachers in Hopewell and Petersburg were notified. Secretary of Woman’s Club and Professional Business Women secretary notified their membership. ( Continued on page 24 BM, column 3) ON YOUR DESK EVERY WEDNESDAY November IS, 193 8