The Exhibitor (Nov 1938-May 1939)

28 BETTER MANAGEMENT "Ice Follies of 193 9” Syracuse, New York Manager Frank Murphy, Loew’s State, rigged up a horse bally similar to one used in picture, appropriately bannered on the street during first part of run. This stunt attracted plenty of attention, going into stores and parading around town. Orchestrations were used in leading hotels and down town soda fountains were all decorated with streamers with picture and theatre credits. A novelty ticket distribution with pseudo reserved seats was used on street. Coloring contest of shots from the picture was run in Syracuse Journal, which acted as judge and awarded guest tickets. "Everybody’s Baby” Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Manager Jerry Wollaston, Victoria, arranged tie-in with infants’ wear department for front window display with sign, "Select Your Gifts for 'Everybody’s Baby.’ ” He also sent baby bottle and nipple and rattle, with picture of Jones family and autograph of each member, to all local movie columnists. As street ballyhoo, baby carriage was pushed around downtown section, attention was called to passersby and top of carriage was lifted to expose sign about picture instead of a baby. "Cafe Society” Syracuse, New York Manager Erie Wright, RKO-Schine-Paramount, used 5000 coasters with theatre and picture advertising in leading hotel and night clubs. An accordian player accompanied by singer, playing and singing "Kiss Me With Your Eyes,” made tour of night spots and at each table left herald rolled in size and shape of cigarette. "Prison Without Bars” Elmira, New York Mel Conhaim, manager, Regent, did good business with "Prison Without Bars.” He sold the picture with the "reform” school angle in all advertising and "love in prison.” Attraction was announced to club groups and told to recommend to their members. "Midnight” New Haven, Connecticut Manager Lou Schaeffer, Paramount, arranged with some local merchants to sponsor a contest for this picture, with the main prize being a trip to Bermuda. Screen advertising was also given to merchants as an incentive to helping promote idea. Question asked contestants was "Which would you prefer a Winter Midnight or a Summer Midnight?” "Pygmalion” Allentown, Pennsylvania Spearhead of manager Leo Trainor’s campaign for "Pygmalion” at Wilmer and Vincent’s Rialto was the selecting of a plain Allentown girl and transforming her into a veritable society bud as Eliza was in the Metro picture. Lancaster, Pennsylvania For the engagement at the Colonial, of "Pygmalion,” exploiter Simon Myers, Metro, notified all teachers and personal contacts were made with women’s clubs, Parent-Teachers Associations, service clubs, supervising principal of all public schools, and the dean of Franklyn and Marshall College. All promised to make announcements of the picture. Tie-ups were made with beauty shops, the public library. Personal contacts were effected with a national watch manufacturer. Newspaper space was more than doubled. "Four Girls in White” Reading, Pennsylvania High among the lights of the campaign on "Four Girls in White,” conducted by manager Cormack G. Keeney and exploiter Simon Myers, Metro, for the engagement at the Park, was the 24-sheeting of a street car, which traversed the city streets from 10 in the morning to six in the evening. Other items were: Window displays and inside store ballyhoos were obtained. A preview was arranged for representatives of the Reading Motion Picture Forum and 2 8 other organizations. Contacts were made with Albright College, the high school, hospitals. Postcards totaling 150 were mailed doctors, nurses not connected with any of the hospitals. A very strong newspaper campaign was used, doubling the usual space, in addition to cooperative advertisment was used by a store on cinema styles. "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” New Haven, Connecticut Bob Russell, manager, Loew’s Poli, had bookmarks printed publicizing the film, then had them distributed by the New Haven Public Library when each book was loaned out. Other tie-up was the distribution of star photographs to theatre audiences. Highlights in Selling Shorts "Lone Ranger Rides Again” Worcester, Massachusetts Manager Robert Portle, Loew’s Plaza, and his assistant, Edward Dolan, made a splurge that was aimed for the potential audience of youngsters. A masked horseman, counterpart of the Lone Ranger, rode about the town on equivalent of the horse Silver, appropriately bedecked with signs. A parade through principal streets included a Sons of Legion drum corps decorated automobiles and Boy Scouts, the corps also giving a concert in front of the theatre on Saturday morning, opening day. Heralds, window cards and displays were used where they counted the most. Worcester branch of Bond Bread, which sponsors the "Lone Ranger” on the air, cooperated fully, mentioning the film on all their broadcasts. New Haven, Connecticut Manager Bill Elder, Loew-Poli Bijou, worked in many exploitation angles for "Lone Ranger.” He had a coloring contest in newspaper. Invited Journal Carrier circulation newsboys to show, got publicity puffs in sheet; placed 2 50 "Lone Ranger” sheets in ice cream dealer’s windows in co-op with local dairy; also had dairy trucks carry banners. 10,000 "Lone Ranger” comics were given out to theatre audiences. "Scouts to the Rescue” Washington, D. C. Henry Coon, Avenue Grand, had a special campaign on the opening of "Scouts to the Rescue.” He distributed 2,000 imprinted heralds to students in the graded schools in the vicinity of the theatre. Heralds were distributed in boys clubs in the theatre area and given to scout masters in 11 troops in the area. The scout masters in turn cooperated by announcing showings of the serial to members of their respective troops. For the opening chapter of the serial, three troops furnished their Color Guard. The American Flag, troop colors were displayed by the scouts on each side of the stage during the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner.” Coon uses a special trailer to announce the opening of the serial, free candy was given to all children attending the opening chapters. "The Story of Alfred Nobel” Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Among the items on the program for the engagement of "The Story of Alfred Nobel” at the Boyd were the following: A special screening was held for the superintendent of visual education, Board of Education, and the president of the Philadelphia Motion Picture Forum, as well as other civic, social leaders. The metro subject was prominently mentioned in current advertising. Special art was planted in the Daily News, Evening Ledger, with stories in other dailies, suburban weeklies. Plainly imprinted with the subject were 3,000 throw-aways on the current feature (20th Century-Fox’s "The Little Princess.”) One hundred children from Crime Prevention Clubs, orphan asylums were invited to a screening on a Saturday morning. An advance lobby display was used. The story of dynamite’s inventor received special commendation from the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. The March of Time, No. 7 New Haven, Connecticut For the engagement at the Loew’s Poli of The March of Time, No. 7 (Young America; Mexico’s New Crisis), manager R. E. Russel "sold” all the Boy Scouts, Sea Scouts on the idea of seeing the subject. They assembled on the Green, in the center of Yaletown, marched to the theatre, with banners telling of their mission. So satisfactory was the result, that the theatre was "elected” to membership in the Loew Dollar Club. Long Branch, New Jersey Following are some of the elements of the campaign on The March of Time, No. 7, presented by manager Thomas A. Phelan, Paramount. An elaborate lobby display was arranged in cooperation of local scout troops. A stage prologue was presented by selected scouts, showing various subjects on scouting’s agenda. Readers and advertising copy were generously used. Highlights in Publicity Ideas Jamestown Spook Shows Jamestown, New York Charles Fish, Winter Garden, built a special "thriller” campaign around "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” and "Case of the Black Cat.” He used special buildup on tailers at each showing, focusing green lights on trailers and used off stage scream and fired shot from gun just before trailers went on; had a black thread hung from all entrances and exits a week in advance, arranged to simulate cobwebs. People entering theatre walked into these and upon asking were told of horror show. Lobby decorated with black cats, witches, skeletons advance and current, and lobby was lighted with green lamps to create mysterious atmosphere. He had an eerie sound machine in lobby giving out groaning noises. He had ushers and doorman place flashlights under coats of uniforms with light shining onto face. Manager created a special false front using blow-ups of monsters and had four foot cutout letters made to hang from marquee. Lights at theatre front were also changed to green to carry out weird effect. All front doors were decorated with cats and skeletons. He had a ballyhoo man dressed half in rags, half in evening attire to carry out "dual personality” and witch angle plugging program with signs. April 5, 19}9