The Exhibitor (Nov 1938-May 1939)

32 BETTER MANAGEMENT Miniature Company; Norwich Knitting Company; Cramer-Tobias-Mayer, Inc., advertising agency; Ira G. Katz, for children’s hats. l >,f ii. . 3 ONLY ANGELS HAVE WINGS. Cary Grant, Jean Arthur, Thomas Mitchell, Sig Rumann, Richard Ba> t helm ess, Noah Beery, Jr., are seen in the Howard Hawks production for Columbia release. "The Eagle and the Hawk” Syracuse, New York Manager "Buddy” Freeman, RKO-SchineStrand, used a boy on streets one day in advance of the opening, carrying sign worded "Watch the skies at noon Saturday.” This tied up with newspaper stories about the three planes to be flown over the city Saturday at noon in army formation, from which 10,000 circulars were to be dropped, included in which were free guest tickets to the Strand. Further street bally consisted of two youths dressed in aviator costumes. "Made for Each Other” Boston, Massachusetts Al Longo, subbing for Joe Di Pesa, arranged for Loew’s State-Orpheum to crash the annual Patriot’s Day marathon here by putting in two runners with signs regarding the picture on their backs. Runners were taken 10 miles away from the finish line, put in the race for half a mile. They were picked up and carried up a mile where they re-entered the race. This was repeated near the finish. Even the police were fooled until they saw the signs. RENOVATE NOW This is the most logical time of the year to start the remodeling you have contemplated all winter. Take advantage of it. Do it now! Ask our representative to submit sketches and estimates. NOVELTY SCENIC STUDIOS, Inc. INTERIOR DECORATORS Draperies Stage Curtains Wall treatments 318-320 W. 48th STREET, NEW YORK CITY IRWIN SEATING famous for its “NECK TO KNEE COMFORT ** AND SNAPPY APPEARANCE DtatribuUd by National Thaatrai Supply Co. KEEP FAITH WITH YOUR PATRONS, BY USING . . . Decorative Lighting • Glass and Metal Work Exit and Direction Signs + Ornamental Plaster Drinking Fountains # Air Distribution Plaques 3 6 Years* in Business Is Yoar Assurance of Our Reliability. ' VISIT OUR SHOWROOMS OR WRITE US K a a Jk aag DcsiffnersEnKineerBManufacturers VOIGT 17*5 12th Street Philo. "Wuthering Heights” Washington, D. C. J. Raymond Bell crashed through with a scheme which brought many responses. In a tieup with the Washington Daily News, local residents were asked to write up an ad for the Samuel Goldwyn’s "Wuthering Heights.” First prize was $10; second $5; third, $2.50. Loads of passes were sisued to runners-up. Highlights in Publicity Ideas "Confessions of a Nazi Spy” For the advance ballyhoo and interest creation for the Warner production, "Confessions of a Nazi Spy,” Baker Press, Inc., New York has prepared a small (3x5% inches), four-page leaflet. The text recounts the part played by Leon G. ("Nazi Spies in America”) Turrou, onetime Federal Bureau of Investigation Agent in the espionage expose, that the Brothers Warner have done in bringing the Turrou book to the screen. "Gulliver’s Travels” With production well under way on its first feature-length technicolor cartoon, Max Fleischers’ forthcoming "Gulliver’s Travels” at his new studios in Miami, Florida, Lou Diamond, head of Paramount’s licensee department on this feature, has announced the signing of contracts with seven leading organizations which will sponsor toys and novelties based on the characters to appear in this cartoon production. Contracts have been closed with the following organizations: Saalfield Publishing Company, Akron, Ohio, for books; Sun Rubber Company, Barberton, Ohio, for rubber dolls; Ideal Novelty and Toy Company, on composition and segmented dolls and toys in both wood and composition, cable dolls and also stuffed goods; American Metro Contest Winners Announced MGM Shortstory’s first nation-wide shorts exploitation contest ended in a mass demonstration last fortnight. From the 162 entries received, the judges composed of Shortstory editorial board members Howard Dietz, S. F. Seadler, Oscar A. Doob, Herb Morgan, Loew’s Washington, D. C. publicist Ray Bell, who acted in the absence of Howard Strickling, chose as first, second prize winners, respectively. Tommy Howell, Bison, Dallas, Texas; Ward B. Kreag, Community, Catskill, New York. First prize winner Howell will receive his choice of a seven-day all-expense trip via American Airlines to either the Metro studios in California or the New York World’s Fair for his Diaper Derby for men only, which he staged from a Shortstory suggestion in connection with Robert Benchley’s “How to Raise a Baby.” Showman Kreag’s peace contest, which wins for him a six-day all-expense cruise to Bermuda via the Furness Line, was from a Shortstory exploitation suggestion for the Passing Parade subject "The Story of Alfred Nobel.” Highlights in Management Ideas "Keen-O” Bows In Union City, New Jersey A new game known as "Keen-O” has been introduced at the Lincoln, Jules Fields, manager, Game has gone over so good it was started at DeWitt, Bayonne, and probably will be introduced in other Warner Brothers theatres throughout New Jersey. Game is conducted as follows: As each patron enters theatre each Tuesday night he or she is given a pencil and a "Keen-O” card, which contains spaces to write answers to 10 questions. At 8.30 P. M. the game begins. A reel is shown, during which ten questions on sports, current topics, education and the like, appear on the screen, each question remaining on the screen for 30 seconds. An offstage announcer explains in two minutes how the game is conducted, the game taking seven minutes in all to play. The house lights remain lit during the showing of the reel, as it is of such a type that the lights do not interfere with its showing. As each question is shown on the screen, patrons must write the answers on the card given them as they entered the theatre. The cards are collected by ushers immediately after the conclusion of the contest and are corrected by the theatre manager and his staff as soon as he receives the list of answers by mail, which is usually the day following the night on which the contest is held. Manager Fields said the questions can be answered by any person of common knowledge and that thus far a majority of winners have been from the balcony. Winners are announced and the awards presented on the Tuesday night following the one on which the contest is held. A different amount of cash is given away each week and the number of winners is determined by the number of persons who answer the questions correctly. For instance, if there is $150 to be given away, there can be any number of winners. Manager Fields said the game has gone over in splendid fashion with patrons and district manager Rudolph Kuehn is equally enthused over it. Robert M. Paskow, Warner Brothers circuit, Newark, New Jersey, predicts the game will sweep the country and will put new pep into all chain theatres that have remained away from other games because of lottery laws involved. May ), 19)9