The Exhibitor (Nov 1939-May 1940)

18 THE EXHIBITOR "Wuthering Heights” Wellsville, New York — Holly Hollister, Babcock, varied his regular campaign on “Wuthering Heights” because of the late playdate. A number of people who had asked about the picture were contacted in person or by telephone by the manager and told the playdates with the added fact that the picture was being played partly as a result of their interest in it. Personalized form letters were sent to special mailing list. Letter included a final paragraph to the effect that “class” pictures had to be supported by the “class” audiences if they wanted the theatre to continue showing this type of picture. This idea apparently went over successfully. "Port of Shadows” Providence, Rhode Island — Arthur Goldstein’s campaign at the Avon was aimed primarily at the “class audience.” Spearhead of the exploitation drive was a postcard ad sent to the Avon’s mailing list of more than 4,000. At the screening for reviewers two days ahead of opening, Goldstein had Professor Harcourt Brown, Romance Languages Department, Brown University, as a guest, the professor later being interviewed on the film by the Brown Daily Herald, undergraduate paper. Goldstein also used six radio plugs on a French language broadcast. "Coast Guard” Philadelphia — For exploitation on the Columbia show, Plaza, with assistant manager Herb Schwinger doing a large part of the work, arranged a special window in which planes were displayed. Window contained 100 planes and boats built by contestants, a plug for the picture. House was also cited by the South Philadelphia Civic League for furthering aviation interest, and instilling a worthwhile hobby in young South Philadelphians. "Allegheny Uprising” Boston — Jack Granara, RKO Keith Memorial, used a novelty coin stunt for his campaign on “Allegheny Uprising.” In slots on a card there was placed two nickels and a penny, along with the caption— “10 to 1 You Will Enthusiastically Acclaim Claire Trevor and John Wayne in RKORadio’s “Allegheny Uprising,” One of the Greatest Productions of All Time ! It’s the kind of a picture that inspires new coinage.” The coin card was distributed to hotels, restaurants, stores and other places for display purposes. "Elizabeth and Essex” Lancaster, Pennsylvania — Bert Leighton, manager, Grand, did a fine bit of promotion on “The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex.” He promoted a true-andfalse radio contest for 10 days, distributed “cut-out” displays throughout the city, had 5,000 sheets distributed at a football game and contacted school teachers throughout the city and county. Several groups of pupils accompanied by teachers attended the theatre in a body. "Mutiny in the Big House” Bristol, Pennsylvania — As the high point in his campaign on Monogram’s “Mutiny in the Big House,” manager Ned L. Egnal, Bristol, invited some 250 boys attending the Saint Francis Industrial School to be his guests. Also invited were local celrgymen and sisters. Other Egnal stunts included the distribution of 4,000 heralds; and the use of a sound truck, ballyhooing the picture. "The Housekeeper’s Daughter” Wilmington, Delaware — Manager J. Edgar Doob, Loew’s, had his poster artist, Bob Ripple prepare a novel poster for his lobby display for “The Housekeeper’s Daughter.” About the border of the board, Ripple mounted miniature kitchen and household utensels. Another was being prepared for a downtown exhibit. Utensils were secured at a small cost in a novelty department. "Secret of Dr. Kildare” North Adams, Massachusetts — Manager Francis Faille, Paramount, had a girl’s lips painted on the box-office window together with the following copy: “These lips hold the secret of Dr. Kildare.” Selling Shorts "Drunk Driving” Portsmouth, Virginia — An automobile, well smashed up, with a placard reading “This car was wrecked as the result of drunken driving,” was used by Bobby Levine, Colony, as a build-up for Metro’s “Drunk Driving.” Car was parked in front of the house for several days, attracting much atention. Special Selling "Pinocchio” New York City — Nineteen department stores, located in cities where nearly all the exhibitors read The Exhibitor, have to date contracted to use the life-like Walt Disney “Pinocchio” displays made by Old King Cole, Inc., Canton, Ohio. The display consists of beautifully colored relief and full round reproductions of all the characters from the feature, to be released by RKO-Radio. Some stores — like Bloomingdale’s, New York — will use 12 windows with scenes from the picture and these figures. Other of these displays will be used, in addition, in toy departments and throughout some of the stores. The stores in The Exhibitor’s territories follow: NEW ENGLAND TERRITORY— Denholm and McKay, Worcester, Massachusetts ; Forbes and Wallace, Springfield, Massachusetts ; Jordan Marsh Company, Boston ; Shepard Company, Providence, Rhode Island. NEW YORK STATE TERRITORY— Bloomingdale’s, New York City; C. E. Chappell and Sons, Syracuse, New York : Kresge Department Store, Newark, New Jersey; Frederick Loeser and Company, New York City (Brooklyn) ; A. Victor and Company, Buffalo, New York ; Meyers Brothers, Paterson, New Jersey. PHILADELPHIA TERRITORY— S. P. Dunham Company, Trenton, New Jersey ; Fowler, Dick and Walker, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania ; Hess Brothers Company, Allentown, Pennsylvania ; Kaufmann's Furniture Company, Reading, Pennsylvania ; Watt and Shand, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. WASHINGTON TERRITORY — Hutzler Brothers, Baltimore. Maryland : Woodward and Lothrop, Washington; The Hub, Baltimore, Maryland. All Montgomery Ward and Company stores, wherever located, are also in on the deal. Novelty Ideas New "Gulliver” High New York City — With the world premiere of Paramount’s feature-length Technicolor cartoon, “Gulliver’s Travels,” set for December 18 at the Sheridan, Miami Beach, Florida, and 41 other holiday engagements scheduled in a similar number of important cities, Harry L. Royster, in charge of Paramount’s licensee department under Lou Diamond, announced last week that reports received from leading retail outlets throughout the country indicate Gulliver’s Travels merchandise will establish a new high in sales for articles based on motion picture cartoon characters. Lemuel Gulliver and his pal, Popeye, life-size live rubber cartoon and motion picture characters, left Hollywood via TWA on an 8,000 mile two-week flight which will embrace 20 cities and end December 18 at Miami at the world premiere. Under arrangements with TWA the characters will travel as passengers. They will visit mayors, newspaper editors, and points of historic interest in San Francisco, Albuquerque, Wichita, Kansas City, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Dayton, Fort Wayne, Chicago, Columbus, Ohio, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Philadelphia on the trip here. Here they will join Jessica Dragonette and Lanny Ross, whose voices are featured in Gulliver’s Travels,” and travel by Eastern Airlines to Miami for the premiere at the Sheridan, Miami Beach, stopping over at Washington, D. C., Richmond, Atlanta and Jacksonville. National Tieups "Victor Herbert” New York City — RCA Victor musical merchandise dealers last week launched a nation-wide promotion campaign in conjunction with the release of the Paramount picture, “The Great Victor Herbert.” To supplement the existing RCA library of Victor Herbert songs, Allan Jones has recorded two new records including “Sweethearts,” “Some Day,” “Thine Alone,” and “I’m Falling in Love with Some One.” Special programs of Victor Herbert music will be played on each of the 60 stations regularly carying the RCA Victor “Music You Want” programs. The January issue of the Victor Record Society Review, mailed to more than 150,000 subscribers, will feature a preview of the picture and music from it. Paramount is giving prominent space to the RCA Victor promotions in its “Victor Herbert press book” sent to theatres scheduled to show the picture. December 13. 1939