The Exhibitor (Nov 1941-May 1942)

in prophesying that this unusual film will be acclaimed as one of the Ten Best Pictures of the Year. We recommend . . . that next week you sign our book to be sent to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, urging that the fam¬ ous Academy Award Statuette for the best performance of 1941 be given to Ida Lupino for her outstanding acting in ‘Ladies In Retirement.’ The book will be in the Maryland theatre lobby next week for you to sign after you see the picture. . . . Here’s your chance to help pick the Acad¬ emy Award Winner.” "Son Of Fury" Springfield, Mass. (Population, 148,989) — Manager George Freeman, Loew’s Poli, used two stunts quite successfully. One was a treasure hunt, in which defense stamps and bonds were hidden in nine different spots in the city. Local dailies ran stories giving clues to the spots where the treas¬ ures would be found, and the lucky find¬ ers found there treasure orders which they redeemed for the stamps and bonds at the theatre. The hunt created a great deal of interest in the city with literally hundreds out looking for the treasures and hundreds more jamming the theatre’s phone with calls to find out if all of the bonds had been found. Manager Freeman also ran a coloring contest in the Shopping News in which contestants were called upon to color a picture of Gene Tierney dancing on a tropical beach, beneath an insert photo of Tyrone Power. Result was to be the contestant’s impression of “just how Gene Tierney looked to Tyrone Power.” Over 1000 answers were received. Freeman also presented three autographed copies of the best seller, “The Story of Benjamin Blake,” from which the picture was made, to the local USO hut for the soldiers to read. The readers were invited to write to Gene Tierney. "Blues In the Night" Philadelphia, Pa. (Population, 1,935,086) — Artie Cohn, manager, S-W Roosevelt, did his best midweek business in two years. Here’s how he sold it: A huge display with blow-ups and thrill copy plugging songs, music, excitement was used in the lobby a week in advance, and currently in front. An automatic phonograph was used in back of this playing the popular “Blues In the Night.” He wrote a special trailer and used it two weeks in advance; took large ads in local neighborhood papers, and ran a song title contest therein; wrote a letter to the publisher of one of these nabe sheets addressed to “theatregoers” recommending the picture personally. Fan photos of Priscilla Lane were distributed in dance halls, restaurants, skating rinks, and juke joints along with 2,000 cards carrying the words of the song, “Blues In the Night.” He mailed several hundred postcards to a selected jitterbug list; got plugs in a high school paper; tied up with all neighborhood music stores; and got songs plugged on several radio stations. "Johnny Eager" Rochester, N. Y. (Population, 324,694) — Lester Pollock, manager, Loew’s, arranged with radio station WSAY to distribute 100 photos of Lana Turner to men and 100 photos of Robert Taylor to women for the best essays on why they liked the film. BETTER MANAGEMENT He also had a prize contest in the Roches¬ ter Sun for the best lists of pictures in which Taylor had previously appeared. Stills of Lana in army camps were tacked on recruiting bulletin boards, fashion stills were spotted in department store win¬ dows, and a coiffeur tieup made with a local beautician. "Captains Of the Clouds" Cumberland, Md. (Population 40,127) — A display of model airplanes in the window of a leading men’s store and the distribu¬ tion of 5,000 circulars in color paved the way for banner audiences during the showing at F. K. O’Kelly’s Strand. Three cash prizes were awarded winners from the stage. Contest was sponsored by the Exchange Club and the judges were Army and Navy recruiting officers and a local dentist, who is a licensed pilot. Strand BM-17 was decorated with flags, banners, and had airplane cut-outs on display which made quite a flash. Publicity was received in two dailies, one weekly, and on radio broadcasts. O’Kelly had a “Superman” cartoon from Paramount on the same bill, and arranged to give out sample copies of the “Superman” comic book to the kid¬ dies. This, peculiarly, fitted in with the rest of the exploitation. "Swamp Woman" Allentown, Pa. (Population, 96,827) — Franklin Maury, manager, State, Allen¬ town, took advantage of the fact that Ann Corio, burlesque queen, starring in her first PRC picture, was well known in this city through her various personal appear¬ ances at the Lyric, and put on a heavy ad¬ vertising campaign. Efforts included slip¬ sheeting 2,000 programs handed out at WANT THE BRIGHTEST PROJECTED PICTURES? 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