The Exhibitor (Nov 1938-May 1939)

The NEW in Selling Features "If I Were King” Union City, New Jersey In connection with showing of "If I Were King,” RKO Capitol held "famous lovers” contest. Pictures of famous lovers with accompanying statement, were published in newspapers. Persons entering the contest had to identify the lovers. "Monastery” Jamestown, New York A1 Bcckerich, Palace, Winter Garden, tied up with Catholic Daughters of America to conduct an advance sale of tickets. Announcements of playdate were made from stage of both Palace and Winter Garden week advance and from pulpits of every Catholic Church in community. Heralds distributed house to house in city and surrounding communities, heralds placed in pews of churches "Out West with Hardys” Hornell, New York Al Newhall, Majestic, used a truck ballyhoo playing western records. Boy dressed in western a tire rode in truck. Boys carrying one-sheet through crowds at university basketball gam; selling picture, playdate. One-sheets were placed. Dance was run off with the five best dancing couples receiving passes. Special announcement cards were placed in letters of local merchant plugging attraction. "Smashing the Spy Ring” Harrisburg, Pennsylvania A flash campaign was staged by Manager E. G. ("Jerry”) Wollaston, Victoria, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, assisted by Ed Rosenbaum, Columbia exploiteer, on the engagement of "Smashing the Spy Ring.” Among the items on the Wollaston-Roscnbaum agenda were the following stunts: Ten newsboys, on the opening day, gave away about 3,000 ADLER SILHOUETTE LETTERS and STAINLESS STEEL SUPPORTING FRAMES In All Sizes and Constructions Protected by National Patent Corp. Adler Sign Letter Company 2909 S. Indiana Ave. — Chicago tabloid newspapers, the while shouting, "Extra, extra, read all about it.” Harrisburg Boys Club paraded with banners, flags, band to the theatre on the opening day. Red, white, blue was used everywhere. A 40x60 enlargement of J. Edgar Hoover was displayed on the front of the theatre. A man wearing a gas mask (wearing copy front, rear) paraded for two days in advance of opening. In a tie-in with a department store, 2.000 two-pound bags were imprinted with copy callin'; on America "to wake up.” Two g rls handled personal telephone bally. A news agency, in tieup with Ace magazine, bannered its truck'. O i the radio, Rosenbaum was interviewed over WHP. Other radio plugs were obtained on the lunior Town program, an original contest over WHP, daily spots of WKBO, special plugs in that station’s qu-z program. The Telegraph carried a contest, all papers cooperating with increased sp c:, readers, art. Advertising budget was increased. "A Christmas Carol” Syracuse, New York Manager Frank Murphy, Loew’s State, sponsored a contest run in the Syracuse Journal prior to opening of "A Christmas Carol,” asking readers to supply the last line of a four-line verse in form of a carol. "Thanks For Everything” Syracuse, New York "Buddy” Freeman, manager, RKO-Schine-P'ramount, sent a young man dressed as Santa Claus on the streets wearing signs with legend, "Take a tip from Santa Claus, for a real merry Christmas see 'Thanks for Everything’ at Paramount now.” "Young Dr. Kildare” Syracuse, New York All doctors’ offices and telephones were bulletinized by manager Frank Murphy, Loew’s State. Tie-up was arranged with three large drug stores which attached a card carrying number and theatre copy to all prescriptions given out prior to opening. Corresponding numbers on board in lobby were awarded with guest tickets. Teaser calling cards bearing the name Dr. Kildare were passed out in street. "Stand Up and Fight” Cumberland, Maryland Grace Fisher, the Maryland, Cumberland, M-ryland, are backing up their play dates on "Stand Up and Fight” with a really tremendous exploitation campaign. One of the stunts is a r~c ' through the city’s streets between the famous oil Baltimore and Ohio locomotive (the one in til’ film), a stagecoach, both of the vintage of 18 SO. This re-enactment is intended to help bo°st Metro’s January Clearance Sales, January 5 play dates. The local Chamber of Commerce will spend $400 for advertisements in surrounding towns, heralding this great ballyhoo. Students will bdismhsed from school to participate in the even' Advance broadcasts have been made, the station handling also the race, picture’s opening. Arrangements have been made to open the attraction a 10 A. M. instead of at noon. The Baltimore and Ohio will bring in 12 newspaper correspondents from other Maryland cities. Carlton Duffus, Metro exploiter, who is assisting the Fishermen, is making arrangements with Loew’s eastern division manager Carter T. Barron to bring Washington, Baltimore newspaper critics into the Maryland hills. Cumberland’s mayor has issued a proclamation for the occasion. Street banners are set, all stores will dress their fronts with flags, special window displays. The Baltimore and Ohio has printed 2,000 twocolor 11x14 cards for placing in all terminals, stations, agents offices as their contribution to this picturization of the company’s early days. Time NEW m Business Builders Movie Stamp Scenes Movie Stamp Scenes Club, Inc., is name of a new Syracuse, New York, combination formed to supply the trade with door prizes for the kiddie patrons. Each week a series of six to eight colored stamps about the size of postage stamps, wi 11 be issued, enclosed in cellophane envelope. These stamps are of scenes of current movies, popular stars. Albums, for the stamps to be pasted in, will be furnished those offering the service to their patrons. All important releases of 193 9 season will be represented. According to Joe Fitzer, sales manager, several contracts have already been secured. The first of the issue is out. Date Book For handy reference for exh bitors who go for special days, weeks from Warner Brothers Pictures, Inc., comes a handy comp lation headed "Holiday 'Dates’ and 'Weeks’ in States and Cities.” In its six memeographed pages are listed special dates for which exhibitors might care to go in for extra exploitation. The NEW in Publicity Ideas NSS’ Americanism Boost Following the lead of Harry M. Warner in endeavoring to make the U. S. population more "America-conscious,” National Screen Service last fortnight announced a special series of trailers based on the “stirring events that took place before the United States became the great and unified nation we love.” To this end. National Screen Service cooperated with Karl Hoblitzcll, Robert O’Donnell, Texas’s Interstate circuit, in putting the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, the "StarSpangled Banner” on the screens of their theatres. Inspired by that trailer, the expressed though ’s of other exhibitors, industry leaders, the NSS felt that it should make such trailers available to all exhibitors throughout the country. They began with the "Star-Spangled Banner,” the Constitution trailers (both of wh ch are finished), the Bill of Rights trailer now in production, with others to follow. All these patriotic trailers will be available to all exhibitors at actual cost of raw stock, prin inonly. NSS is absorbing every element of production cost, including studio recording, art work, photography, text research, film editing, distribution costs. For full information about ’ h whole series of patriotic trailers, consult your NSS branch. January 4, 19)9