The Exhibitor (Nov 1938-May 1939)

BETTER MANAGEMENT 17 KING OF THE "B’s” THEY CALL HIM Bryan Foy Has a Title and the Warner Ad-Publicity Boys Turn “Devil’s Island” Into a Big Dough Show TO REAL EXPLOITEERS, there is nothing like sinking one’s teeth into a piece of real box office meat, not one always seasoned with star gravy but rather a production which might have originated as a ”B” or "C” and which finally can be worked into the select "A” group by dint of sheer showmanship, backed by an aggressive campaign laid out by a selling-conscious home office advertising and publicity department. "Sleepers” aren’t new to this business — there have been many in the past — but in the case of Bryan Foy’s productions at Warners they aren’t considered as "sleepers” any more. They’re exploitation shows made for one purpose — dough. No tinsel, mind you — no fancy flourishes — no fluff — just an honest-to-goodness 60 to 70 minutes of story, pared down to bare essentials — but each important. THEY CALL FOY the king of the "B’s” and rightly so — but much of the credit for crowning him belongs to Warners’ ad and publiciey chief, S. Charles Einfield, Mort Blumenstock, Gil Golden and the rest of the Warner advertising and publicity staff. Want an example? Take "Devil’s Island” — obviously no drain on the studio check book. Devoid of names (except Karloff), but with a title (and what a title) the show was shot to grab some of the attention continually being given to the French penal colony. Frankly, it was almost a bit too tropical when the French government, because of political developments, changed its minds and decided to continue Devil’s Island, but some additional footage helped that. Pictures about Devil’s Island aren’t new — and they always haven’t been money makers— all of which the Warner admen knew — but to them "Devil’s Island” was just what the doctor ordered. A GLANCE AT THE PRESSBOOK revealed how they prescribed — and a glance at the holdovers in the first batch of engagements indicates the patient is doing quite well. On this page may be found a couple of ad samples, with only Karloff mentioned in the cast, and there only because some of the exhibitors might think his "Frankenstein” prowess merited billing for him. The Warner boys, it might be told, don’t even care if Karloff is ignored. They put the stuff into the ads, the papers and the accessories — and in tribute to them this is one case where the exhibitors took the ads out of the pressbook without changing them. THERE IS ANOTHER ANGLE, incidentally, which is rather important. We have been firm believers in the principle of separation between studio and exploitation. We think the arrangement whereby the studio makes the picture and lets the boys in the East decide on the selling angles is the best one. It worked very well in the case of "Devil’s Island” and we could cite plenty of cases where if this principle were applied results would be far better. Somehow, the East seems to give a better feel of things. Disassociated from the studio bigwigs, the East is concerned only with presenting the angles. Each picture is looked upon as a cold proposition— and it is much easier here to figure out what will attract patrons than in Hollywood where the atmosphere often seems to cause warped imaginations. SO THIS IS THE STORY of "Devil’s Island,” a small budget picture which will make a lot of those $1,000,000 productions take to cover. It is the story of smart selling — of boys who knew that a "B” can stand for BIG — and that fancy frills show up big on cost sheets but very little when the exchanges wire in their weekly grosses. Top-rating fan magazines, March issues, have planned special lay-outs covering the dance numbers. Motion Picture Magazine will feature "The Maxine” dance along with a cover of Astaire and Rogers in a typical "Castle” pose. Modern Screen will carry an instructional sequence on "The Tango,” while Screenland presents "The Castle Polka.” Other March fan magazines carrying elaborate story and picture features include Hollywood, Moi’ie Life and Modern Modes. Fictionization of the story will be presented by Screen Romances in their May issue, together with a cover of the stars. Stage Magazine is devoting its February cover to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in a color photo illustration of one of the leading dances. "The Flying Irishman” While screen star Douglas ("Wrong Way”) Corrigan’s current vehicle, "The Flying Irishman,” is undergoing final editing at the RKORadio studios, the intrepid flier will be swinging around the country in conjunction with the national release of his book, "That’s My Story.” Thousands of fans will thus be able to see "Wrong Way” in person before the debut of his first starring picture. Corrigan will make hops by plane wherever possible, will be back at the Coast, whence he left January II, to appear with his famous "wrong way” plane at the San Francisco World Fair. In the Metropolitan East, Corrigan’s itinerary includes the following dates: Baltimore, Maryland, January 20; New York, January 21; Philadelphia, January 24; Washington, January 25. Kids Activities Jamestown, New York The Pop Eye Club program every Saturday afternoon at the Palace has been built up to a most important activity. "Uncle Al” Beckerich, manager, has had the club humming with activity, interest the entire year, started the 193 9 season off with a larga annual, special Pop Eye show. Every child attending was given a ticket for a free show the following week at beginning of new serial. Special kiddies screen show, consisting of various cartoons, comedies, etc., was shown; a stage show composed of members of Pop Eye Club was also presented on the stage. Cash prizes were given contestants in an amateur talent contest held on stage. Six prizes, consisting of merchandise, toys, etc., were given lucky number holders, winners of the stage contests. Every child was given a box of candy. Three dozen ice cream cones were given as door prizes in tie-up with local dairy store. Half-hour of the stage show, amateur contest was broadcast from stage over local radio station, announcing gifts for shut-in members of club, greeting som: children unable to be present. A WARNER BROS. Wrtur. with BORIS KARLOFF tNmtwl Ky William CWrrvana • Scr«*m PUr W Dmm Uffi Oil, OriXO, tUJU v.« F.-Utd BOOK TO-i IUL4IW" WIKT DKV Next Week | r,X I starling with a I 'Going I PRE-VIEW Lpl""'l TOMORROW NIGHT BORIS KARLOFF Here is why the pressbook boys are happy. Dayton, Ohio, one of the first runs playing Warners’ " Devil’s Island," used this ad with only the emphasis on Karloff as the change, indicative of the strength of the ad section. The NEW in National Tieups "Gunga Din” Thirteen different styles of full-page copy highlight the national magazine division of RKO Radio Pictures $200,000 national advertising campaign for "Gunga Din,” which also includes newspapers and billboards. The space has been taken in 20 magazines including the five great circulation weeklies, Life, Liberty, Collier’s, The Saturday Evening Post, Look. S. Barret McCormick, director of advertising and publicity for RKO Radio has devised his campaign so that each unit highlighting the picture’s adventure, romance, thrills and scope is measured in appeal to an individual publication. Art and copy has been prepared that is aimed at a particular reader at a specific time of release. Throughout the campaign there is a continuity and news value so that a reader of more than one magazine is given new selling data with each publication. As each of the great circulation magazines reaches an average of one home out of every five or six in the country, McCormick is of the opinion that practically every home on the North American continent will be covered in the campaign. The combined circulation of these weeklies is close to 12,000,000. A unique feature of the big national advertising campaign for "Gunga Dm," which embraces newspapers, magazines, billboards, is the striking "lifeographic” 24-sheets, something entirely new in the poster field. The series of "Gunga Din" 24-sheets were made by a new poster process, originated by S. Barret McCormick, advertisingpublicity director for RKO-Radio pictures. January 25, 1919 TRI