The Exhibitor (Nov 1938-May 1939)

18 The NEW in Selling Features material on which to make mention of the social theme in the film from pulpits. Leaders of all youth organizations, Boy Scouts, Catholic Youth and clubs likewise were guests and urged their charges to see the picture. Catholic clergy gave strong backing. "Gangster’s Boy” Syracuse, New York Manager Harold Raives, RKO-Schine-Eckel, mounted stills of Jackie Cooper drinking milk, placed them in drug stores with cards giving theatre, play date, stars attached to display, carrying the message "Hollywood stars also drink milk to guard against colds.” Window was obtained in a music store, where a large display of Jackie Cooper playing drums was included in trim of drums, also theatre credits. Magic drawing books were distributed to children attending four junior high schools. "Stop Beating Around the Mulberry Bush” was featured on seven broadcasts by different orchestras, with theatre plugs for the picture given. "Boys Town” East Rochester, New York Clayton Cornell, Rialto, got full community co-operation on "Boys Town.” Members of the clergy were invited to see the picture, given VolcT 12 '“t MONTGOMERY AVE. PHILA.PA DECORATIVE LIGHTING1 DRINKING FOUNTAIN/ DIRECTION SIGNS J SAFETY DEVICE IS A MUCH ABUSED TERM/ There is Only One — EXPERTS . . . in every field of theatre design and maintenance will be found listed on the READY REFERENCE PAGES "A Christmas Carol” Wilmington, Delaware Lewis S. Black, manager, Aldine, spurred business during the Christmas shopping week by building tip "double feature” interest in "A Christmas Carol” and the cartoon, "Ferdinand the Bull.” He had given a preview to teachers, city, state officials and civic leaders of the main feature, so he raised the banner for the cartoon picture over the marquee with same proportions as the other, and had both pictures share the front boards likewise. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania A plaque to commemorate visit of Charles Dickens, author of the immortal "Christmas Carol,” in Harrisburg on March 24, 1842, was donated by Senate, Robert Sidman, manager, unveiled by Dauphin County Historical Society on outside wall of Bolton house, formerly the Eagle Hotel, which is just across the street from the theatre. Considerable research work was done bv manager Sidman for information contained on marker. Professor Charles S. Davis, Steelton, retiring president of Society, unveiled the plaque, newspaper photographers snapping the ceremony. Additional exploitation features included a quiz conducted by manager Sidman on WHP’s Junior Town Revue broadcast, questions being based on the Movie Quiz idea but concerning only the one picture. Youngsters registered at WHP, all received passes, preliminaries conducted at the radio station, finals broadcast on program. Each youngster required to see picture. Prizes of $3 and $2 for winners of first, second places, respectively, were awarded. Program ran 30 instead of usual 1 5 minutes. Quiz plugged a week in advance. Guests were 2 50 underprivileged kids of Harrisburg Boys Club, who paraded with banners to theatre. Letters pointing out the quality of thstory were sent to all clergymen, 2 5 of them being guests at the opening day. More than a dozen pastors announced the showing from pulpits. "Drums” Jersey City, New Jersey Eighteen attractive awards were given winners of a coloring contest conducted by Loew’s. Jersey City, in conjunction with showing of "Drums.” Awards included three free scholarships to Skoler Institute of Lettering and Design. Newark; 10 water color painting sets, five pairs of theatre tickets. Wilmington, Delaware J. Edgar Doob, Loew’s, hooked up the idea of the film being in technicolor with the presentation of so-called Sabu "magic pencils” to the first 100 kids in line for the Saturday matinee. Trick pencils can be made to write several different colors. He also contacted a certain school ani had the history, English, science teacher distribute stills and take 450 pupils to the show. The NEW in Publicity Ideas Institutional Copy From Metro last week came a brochure entitled "What Every Exhibitor Should Know.” Within its 16 llxl 5-inch pages is related the story, in words and pictures, of "'a typical M-G-M exhibitor (I. Real Neth, operating the Neth circuit, Columbus, Ohio) went to Hollywood and this is his message to you.” Pictured are glimpses into Metro’s many production departments not often publicly revealed. Although a distinct plug for the company, its pictures, the well-put-together brochure is one which every exhibitor should read better to acquaint himself with the manifold problems of production of motion pictures in general. Fasshauer’s Novelties New York City Novelty stunts add zest to a theatre’s exploitation activity. Among New York’s better stuntmen is managing director H. Paul Fasshauer, the Bronx’s Marble Hill, who gets ideas as frequently as he plays pictures. Among his recent gags were the following: For "You Can’t Take It With You,” he used 200 window streamers for the merchants of the Kingsbridge, Riverdale sections, reading "If You Can’t Take It With You, We Will Deliver. See ’You Can’t Take It With You’ ...” Merchants welcomed the tie-in, to bally their delivery services. For "I Am the Law,” Fasshauer tied on cars parked in the vicinity of the theatre tags reading "Court of Entertainment . . . Summons ... to witness ... 'I Am the Law’ ...” Added also were five Police Department "don’ts” for motorists. For "Young Dr. Kildare,” he states, "I personally went through the Bronx telephone directory and marked each doctor with the same exchange (Kingsbridge) as I had, and sent each one a letter urging each to see the picture.” Week-end business had fallen off, but was brought back with this line of advertising, the clientele not before being approached in this manner. The weekly programs of the Marble Hill have their point of novelty. A recent one front-paging "What is a Wow! ... A Wow is something that seldom happens, but when it does — Wow!” Fasshauer also imprints in colored ink with current or coming attractions the envelopes in which he circularizes his mailing list. Fried’s Free Admissions Ardmore, Pennsylvania Harry Fried, operator of the Suburban, went to town with a new idea regarding playing of RKO’s "A Man to Remember” when he allowed patrons on the first day of the run to enter the theatre without paying. The gag was that the patrons, if they liked the show, were to pay on their way out. The picture was in for three days, with Fred benefitting the next two days, he figured. The result showed that the first day’s gross was a little better than the usual business that day of the week. This, considering that it was the week before Christmas, indicates that the idea went over. Furthermore, all paid except a few kids who would not have paid unless they had to. Business the next two days benefitted as well While it is not suggested that theatres allow their patrons to get away without paying, every once in a while an idea of this kind might help. December 28, 19} 8