The Exhibitor (Nov 1938-May 1939)

18b Highlights in Selling Features "Pygmalion” Meriden, Connecticut All beauty parlors (15) in Meriden, Connecticut, were contacted for "Pygmalion” and tie-in, in running cooperative advertising in conjunction with Merident Beauty Salon Week which was promoted by Joe Samartana, manager, Palace. The tie-up consisted of all the beauty salons, jointly, running four co-op ads in both local newspapers, which resulted in 1,512 lines of cooperative space plugging "Pygmalion” as a reserved seat engagement and also two feature stories. In these ads, a ticket was given through the courtesy of the salons to any woman having a permanent wave, during the special campaign. The tickets were bought from the theatre at full price. Through this medium, Samaratana sold 3 50 tickets. These 15 outside agencies plugging "Pygmalion” made great word of mouth advertising. All the shops displayed huge posters, stills, window cards, etc. Providence, Rhode Island In addition to heavy advance newspaper campaign stressing George Bernard Shaw’s authorship and reviewers’ praise of film in other cities, Eddie McBride, Loew’s State, closed down his old show after the Thursday matinee and held special preview at house on eve of regular Friday opening. To fit the nature of the attraction, the preview although at regular prices was ballyhooed as a very toney occasion with reserved seats. McBride also planted the special feature and picture strip of Wendy Hiller’s bath in Providence Sunday Journal roto section and arranged cosmetics window tie-up with the largest local department store. "King of Chinatown” New Haven, Connecticut Lou Schaefer, manager, Paramount, after visiting about 20 Chinese laundries in an effort to get someone to make up a sign in Chinese, tieing up with "King of Chinatown,” before it played his theatre, finally decided to try Yale. In the Yale Drama School he found the man he wanted. The Yale Chinese student, after making up the special valance in Chinese letters, told Schaefer that it was the most Chinese he wrote in five years. Regardless, the valance did gain quite a bit of attention from theatregoers who saw the odd Chinese characters and asked what they meant. It read — Anna Wong in "King of Chinatown.” "Yes, My Darling Daughter” Syracuse, New York Manager Erie Wright, RKO-Schine-Paramount, secured empty store window near theatre and placed in it a cut-out tree as high as the window. • Trunk of tree was painted with name of attraction, "Yes, My Darling Daughter,” and on opposite branches hung the two parts of those pink things that daughter wears to keep warm. "Son of Frankenstein” Holyoke, Massachusetts Manager Paul Kessler, Suffolk, Holyoke, Massachusetts, used a novel ad plug for "Son of Farnkenstein.” He advertised for a girl over 1 8 to sit all alone in the theatre, starting at midnight, with the house in pitch darkness. The reward was $10. There were a lot of young ladies who applied, Eleanor Conners being chosen. She was all smiles when she went in for her lone view of the thriller. But she was not quite so cocky when she came out. She claimed she enjoyed the picture very much. Dr. Noah Feldman was on hand, just in case. Before she sat down to see the picture, the physician found her temperature was 97; pulse, 82, respiration 18; blood pressure, 122. After the preview, her temperatue was 99; pulse, 112; respiration, 19; blood preeure 12 5. Her reflexes before were equal and active; after, hyperactive. She came out trembling, nervous, excited. The stunt was advertised with pictures, showing Miss Conners entering the theatre and later being examined by the physician. "Prison Without Bars” Providence, Rhode Island Harry McDonald, RKO-Albee, invited civic, educational, religious and social welfare leaders to special midnight preview ahead of regular Thursday opening, bought special radio time, stressing sociological aspects of film, arranged to have J. Albert Poisy, foreign language (French) news commentator, plug film on air for three days prior to opening. United Artists advance man, Max Abramson, worked in mention of film on regular "Man in the Street” broadcast. Poster material was planted on bulletin boards of recreational centres and industrial organizations; several local organizations were addressed on film; McDonald, by telephone, issued many personal invitations to local luminaries. "Adventures of Jane Arden” Syracuse, New York Manager Pat McGee, RKO-Schine-Eckel, through the tie-up with Ward Baking Company, had their 40 delivery trucks bannered on both sides, five thousand four-page heralds, imprinted with theatre name and play date as well as one hundred window cards were placed in stores handling Ward’s products. An attractive display of baked goods were placed in the lobby of theatre, flanked with cut-outs of heads of Rosella Towne and Ruth Yorke. Post-Standard , which carries comic strip on Jane Arden, underlined the strip with theatre announcement, gave part of their air time on Arden program and exhibited stills and theatre cards in their front windows. "Sergeant Madden” Allentown, Pennsylvania Charles Bierbauer, manager. Colonial, made an effective and clever tie-up between Allentown’s “Safety Week” and "Sergeant Madden,” which ran that week, by placing 100 cards under street signs on corner lamp posts reading, "Walk carefully, drive carefully — Sergeant Madden.” This aroused the interest of all pedestrians and motorists as to who "Sergeant Madden” was. "Calling Dr. Kildare” Waterbury, Connecticut Ed Fitzgerald, Loew-Poli, did some swell promoting for "Calling Dr. Kildare.” Fitz promoted absolutely gratis, a brand new green coupe for a swell street ballyhoo that has Waterbury agog. Through an agency here he secured a flaming red-haired young lady to drive the coupe around the city. The car was bannered gaily with the copy: "Who is the mysterious red head? See what happens when she starts 'Calling Dr. Kildare’ at Loew’s-Poli.” A loudspeaker was promoted from a radio shop, and placed in the car, the young lady calling frequently, "Calling Dr. Kildare.” In conjunction with this same picture, Fitz secured gratis, spot announcements over WATR. "Stagecoach” Syracuse, New York Manager Frank Murphy, Loew’s State, secured co-op advertising from department stores showing contrast between items used in stagecoach days and modern merchandise. One thousand cards were placed in hotel mail boxes announcing showing of attraction. One thousand stocking bags, with portfolio mat, were furnished ladies accessory stores with lucky numbers and theatre card imprinted. Street quiz program in front of theatre was devoted to questions pertaining to stagecoach era, which was broadcast by direct station hook-up. "Wings of the Navy” Wellsville, New York Holly Hollister, Babcock, as part of his regular campaign on "Wings of the Navy” plugged to schools the offer of a scholarship at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and also was assisted by college groups. Hollister sent personal letters to 2 5 principals and superintendants and visited many groups personally explaining the offer. Bulletin boards with stills were also placed in lobby of Temple, Babcock in library of school, in public library, etc. Highlights in Selling Shorts "An Hour For Lunch” Bridgeport, Connecticut For the engagement of the Robert Benchley comedy, "An Hour For Lunch,” manager Morris Rosenthal, Majestic, pulled a stunt that was truly unique. For the 12.45 P. M. screening of the subject he distributed tickets to patrons entering the theatre between 12.30 and 1.30 P. M. When these tickets were properly countersigned at the box-office, it permitted the holder to return later in the day to see the rest of the show! Thus, for his parons, the lunch hour afforded also a chance to see "An Hour For Lunch.” Other element of the Rosenthal campaign centered on pictures of Mayor McLevy, posing during his "Hour For Lunch.” Tie-ups were effected through many of the city’s lunchrooms. "A Song Is Born” Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Besides adding a special clip to the feature trailer, placing lobby blow-ups, manager Martin Goldberg, State, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, plugged "A Song Is Born,” with Larry Clinton, on the marquee (a single line 45 feet long); placed placards in nearby dance halls, music stores, department store music counters; arranged with WPEN to offer special Clinton recordings. Many of the announcements played up the jitterbug angle. March 29, 19)9